Scalloped fret boards
G'day
After seeing Yngwie on wednesday night my interest has been sparked in scalloped fretboards.
But there are no manufactured models that have scalloped fretboards that I know of. Do they have to be custom made? If so, how much would a scalloped strat style neck cost me?
After seeing Yngwie on wednesday night my interest has been sparked in scalloped fretboards.
But there are no manufactured models that have scalloped fretboards that I know of. Do they have to be custom made? If so, how much would a scalloped strat style neck cost me?
Comments
http://www.aamps.us/allparts/allparts_strat_neck_smf-sc.html
i love them, I don't recomend scalloping one yourself if you haven't seen one in person or owned one. I used to own a 90`s Malmsteen signature and hated the thing. I scallop my necks between medium and deep where the Yngwie was ultra deep. And it sounded as if it where soaked in a barrel of oil for 10 yrs. Thick dead and dull...
I could scallop one for you... or I'd sell you a Mexican version of the yngwie strat complete with Dimarzio HS3`s and YJM`s with brass nut at a decent price....
msg me
EBay item link
If you have the neck removed for shipping, the guitar will fit in a box small enough to meet US Postal regulations for shippping to Australia. It costs around $130 to ship. The ebay dude may have some cheaper ways to ship. I think he also has just necks from time to time. You might want to send him an e-mail. Another guy on e-Bay is Smoove Grooves Scallop Service, but I don't see any listings for him right now. He just does the work for $110. I have two of his necks. One cool thing we found was that with a scalloped neck, my wife who could never make a bar chord, was able to do it fairly easily. As far as really playing better/faster, I don't personally find it makes much of a difference. It helps for hammer techniques, but for me a good low action fast neck works the best.
I did one many years ago. I scalloped my strat from the 13th thru 21st. I used dowels. How do you scallop yours?
I tried to use other things......dowels,dremel,files but I don't like the control issues.
The last neck I scalloped was my Strat neck before that was a neck thru RGT that now has Dimarzio BREED pups in it, ppl thought I was nuts until they saw it
I have to say that this thread has made me seriously consider scalloping my strat neck. It's been a long time since I sold my other strat that I scalloped. I've been looking at the Yngwie models for a while, but can't justify the price. Scalloping my existing strat costs next to nothing.
This will end up being my winter project. I'll start at the 21st fret, and stop at the 13th. After getting use to it again, I'll work on the entire neck. I'll use a dremel for the initial groove, then do it by hand wrapping the sand paper around dowels. I would love to use files, but the cost of the files may end up being about the same as a new neck (which I may be buying after I get tired of the scalloped fretboard again
I didn't find it harder or easier.....just different but the idea is you relax your fretting hand which alows for an increase in speed and articulation, I did get more articulation
I use a dremel to remove the middle part of the fret, leaving room by each fret wire. Then, I use the \"Mouse\" sander to sand down that area. I hand sand the sides (near fret wire) to maintain control. One slip with the mechanical sander is 50X worse that a slip while hand sanding.
Total depth is 1/8\" (3mm) measured from fret tops, and should be fretted with 6100 or SS 6115 fret wire only.
The fretboard is carved out in between the frets in order to reduce friction between the pads of the guitarist's fingers and the fretboard. With a scalloped fretboard guitar, the pads of the guitarist's fingers touch only the strings, and not the fretboard. This facilitates note-bending techniques.
Some guitarists like just the 10th fret and up scalloped. This scalloping is supposed to allow for faster playing...but I remember reading somewhere that Yngwie disagrees with that. So, you'd have to judge this claim for yourself.
Here are some of the claims:
*faster playing
*smoother note bending
*less stress on fingering hand
*cleaner, clearer notes
*more responsive tapping
*easier sweep arpeggios....(careful..you don't want to sound like Yngwie)
*better trills and hammer chords
*quicker pull-offs
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Fret size has a great deal to do with the action of your guitar. Low frets put your fingertips right on the fingerboard with little room to squeeze the strings out of tune or to get under them for bending. Tall frets are the opposite. The width of the fret determines the amount of wear that can be expected before leveling and re-crowning is necessary. Wider frets wear longer. Narrow frets wear faster. Choosing a fret size is best done by experience. Do you like the feel of your present neck? Would you like more height or less height? Compare to see which is best for you.
Standard Nickel/Silver Fret Wire
Fret wire is drawn from 18% hard nickel/silver to give long life with steel strings. The composition of this fret wire, while called \"nickel/silver\", contains no silver at all. The ingredients are brass and nickel. Apparently, 18% nickel is sufficent to make brass look silver! For general reference these are Dunlop's fret numbers, however, actual fret dimensions vary somewhat from batch to batch.
*note: this is just a sample for comparison.
Number Width X Height Description
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6100 .112\" X .055\" Huge! This for the almost scalloped feel.
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6105 .096\" X .047\" Narrow and tall. A very popular choice.
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6130 .106\" X .036\" Size found on many Gibson necks.
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6230 .080\" X .043\" Used in older Fender necks.
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6150 .103\" X .046\" Same width as the 6130 but a bit taller.
Oh...and HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!
Compensated top nuts....
Many guitars play slightly sharp over the first few frets, this is due to the increased tension applied to the string when fretting near to the nut as apposed to the middle of the neck. The problem is overcome by compensating for this increase in tension by effectively shortening the distance between the nut and first fret. The procedure involves either making a completely new nut to new compensated dimensions or adding a compensating shim of matching material to the front wall of the nut.
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Here are a few photos of scalloping work...notice he taped the frets to protect them...and I don't know if you can see it...but he also reglued the broken head stock.
the fretboard and the back of the neck would be sanded for re -laquer work.
I never saw a fret press before...cool.
I've mostly seen frets cut to size first on necks with binding.
The luthier also uses special tools to clean the old glue out of the fret slots.
I guess you'd be setting new inlays now too.
http://www.tonefarm.net/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=109.0;attach=223;image
http://www.tonefarm.net/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=109.0;attach=224;image
http://www.tonefarm.net/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=109.0;attach=225;image
I have to get some dots from StewMac and replace them.
But other than that, I'm thrilled with the results.
Also I find that the pressure applied to the string and wood underneath is one of the most important factors in defining ones unique and individual tone.
Of course everyone has there own opinion. Malmsteen is-was fast but I found him to have little emotion in his playing. He rarely lets the music breathe . The old saying It,s the space between the notes that makes music great comes to my mind.
Randy Rhodes(RIP) played fast but he sure could bend and pause.
I also find the tone of the guitar disappears,only the amp and effects come thru with a scalloped neck.
Back in the early 80s when Malmsteen first became known many friends were doing this and not one continues it today.
Of course you have to try it to know.
Find a guitar at a store and try it out.
My one dumb friend took a late 50s Strat and scalloped the neck....boy ,does he regret it now.
That is not true at all. The main reason for scalloping a neck is for bends. The other is speed.
I feel the same way as ednrg, although I am not familiar scalloped necks, as much as I am with jumbo frets. I love the big fat jumbo's and really, really hate the fretless wonder frets on Gibson's. I have big fat kielbasa finger's. My ring finger takes a size 15 ring. Largest ring you can buy in a Jewelery Store is size 12 if you are lucky.
The part about faster??....I don't know, because I don't own a scalloped neck. I hear they take some getting use to. I played a Malmsteen signiture Strat a couple times. I liked it, but noticed right away...I had to adjust my finger pressure.
I just wonder as far as the speed thing goes, if it is not more from you adjusting your touch more? I think my problem mainly is with my tendancy to muscle the strings, and when I relax and ease up, my speed increases. I think on a scalloped neck...your finger pressure becomes more magnified??? I'm asking. ....and you are more forced to relax your hand or you loose finger control? Seems to me when I play on regular fretboards...I don't think about or consider finger pressure as much. ....and like I said...I have a huge tendancy to mash and way overdo my fretting, with no finesse at all.
Yngwie sounds like Yngwie because that's how Yngwie sounds; it call also be said that ppl that think Yngwie lacks \"feel\"; lack the maturity to tell the difference. Scalloping isn't for everyone, I personally love it and respect it for what it is...It doesn't make me play faster but there are certain inflections I get from it that can't be gotten without