What's the advantage of a scalloped fretboard? [Archive]

ThrillsNSpills

11-02-2005, 08:08 AM

Is it to condition the fingers to not press as hard on the neck?
or just another way to bend a note?
It must open up some other options....

ThrillsNSpills

11-02-2005, 08:30 AM

sitar-like string bending, maybe

Matt White

11-02-2005, 11:49 AM

Originally posted by ThrillsNSpills
Is it to condition the fingers to not press as hard on the neck?
or just another way to bend a note?
It must open up some other options....

I played one once....years ago.....

Takes a little getting used to....

You can really dig into your bends.....

It's really just a matter of preference.....some like it....some loathe the feel of a scalloped neck

jhale667

11-02-2005, 12:02 PM

The benefit is supposedly no finger drag, since you never touch wood when you fret a note, the ability to create microtones with your bending technique, not to mention the crazy-ass violin-esque bends you can accomplish. I like them, takes me about a half an hour to get used to it so my intonation's right, then it's cool. Can't bring myself to do it to one of my main guitars, however....

ELVIS

11-02-2005, 01:15 PM

I've done it to several Stratocasters...

I even did a vintage Strat in beautiful unrestored condition...

I love them, and I've been playing scalloped necks since about 1991...

A regular neck now feels akward to me, as the scalloped boards allow for a better grip on the strings...

Bends are easier for sure...

Takes some getting used to, but I was hooked the first day...

:elvis:

jhale667

11-02-2005, 01:35 PM

Yeah, eventually I'll probably build a Warmoth with a scalloped board. I mean, I DO like them, but I just can't do it to one of my babies.....

What're you guy's opinions on HALF scallops? Warmoth offers an option of only scalloping from the 10th fret up...makes sense to me, as I see no benefit when chording in the lower register...it's more for wheedle-fingering in the upper....:rolleyes:

ThrillsNSpills

11-02-2005, 05:39 PM

Seems like chording would be more challenging than soloing with a scalloped neck.(once you're used to it) The ability to bend individual notes if you have say, a four finger chord (not barring) could be very cool.

Is it possible to tap without going too sharp on the note?

ELVIS

11-02-2005, 06:03 PM

Originally posted by ThrillsNSpills
Seems like chording would be more challenging than soloing with a scalloped neck.(once you're used to it) The ability to bend individual notes if you have say, a four finger chord (not barring) could be very cool.

Is it possible to tap without going too sharp on the note?

It's not realistic to think you're gonna bend notes sharp with a scalloped fingerboard...

Maybe slightly if you try, but it's not something to do...

I'm not a tapper...

I can do it, but I think tapping is mostly silly...

Tapping on scallops works just fine though...

:elvis:

ELVIS

11-02-2005, 06:07 PM

Originally posted by jhale667

What're you guy's opinions on HALF scallops? Warmoth offers an option of only scalloping from the 10th fret up...

My first scalloped neck was like that, but from the 12th fret up...

Within a couple months I scalloped the rest of the fretboard myself...

Then I did two American Stratocasters back to back...

Nice!

:elvis:

jhale667

11-02-2005, 06:48 PM

Yeah, I'm sure I'll do one sooner or later...I'm getting the jones to build something anyway...my new computer's almost done...might as well start building guitars again, right?

ELVIS

11-02-2005, 07:14 PM

You're not getting any younger...;)

jhale667

11-02-2005, 07:18 PM

Originally posted by ELVIS
You're not getting any younger...;)

I know, I know....last one I built was like two years ago now! It's time! :D

jhale667

11-02-2005, 07:24 PM

Hey Elvis, you checked out any Musikraft parts yet? They're an OEM Fender replacement products manufacturer, and they can do the Charvel Strat body contours....necks too, but I'm not sure if they scallop...check out www.musikraft.com

ELVIS

11-02-2005, 08:30 PM

First I hear of them...

I ddn't see scalloped as an option on the necks...

Warmoth makes a nice scalloped neck...

ELVIS

11-03-2005, 03:01 AM

Scalloped tapping...

http://www.yngwie.org/UTF-pix/sergio10.jpg

:elvis:

jhale667

11-03-2005, 04:40 PM

SChwing-vey!

MAX

11-03-2005, 10:43 PM

Does Fender still make the Yingwee sig model with the scalloped fretboard?

Elvis, you've done it yourself? Pretty impressive dude.

Matt White

11-03-2005, 10:50 PM

Yup...mostly for the Nippon market....

They LARVE Yngwie over there!

Just got the YJM & The Japanese Philharmonic Orchestra DVD.....

"Very Good, Very Good"

ELVIS

11-04-2005, 07:50 AM

They still make an American Yngwie model...

jhale667

11-04-2005, 12:30 PM

Hey Elvis, as far as home-scalloping jobs go, did you get a beater and practice first, or did you just go for it? I remember a buddy of mine in WV back in the day tried to do it to his 'baby' Stratocaster...when he was done you could see the TRUSS ROD in several of the scallops...needless to say he was devastated....ever run into that problem?

ELVIS

11-04-2005, 01:14 PM

No, I've always had a good sense of wood work, and I do auto body and custom fiberglass and paint at a semi-pro level, so I had a good idea of what the finished product would be...

Mine looks better than alot of factory jobs...

I'll post some pics later...

:elvis:

jhale667

11-04-2005, 01:40 PM

Originally posted by ELVIS
No, I've always had a good sense of wood work, and I do auto body and custom fiberglass and paint at a semi-pro level, so I had a good idea of what the finished product would be...

Mine looks better than alot of factory jobs...

I'll post some pics later...

:elvis:

Cool! Let's see 'em!:D

ELVIS

11-11-2005, 09:11 PM

:elvis:

ELVIS

11-11-2005, 09:14 PM

My digital camera sucks, about to get a new one...

The image was huge and i resized it too small...

Hold on a sec...

Matt White

11-11-2005, 09:16 PM

Originally posted by ELVIS
:elvis:

I forgot your a lefty Elvis..........

The Sea-foam green is MINT

ELVIS

11-11-2005, 09:17 PM

That particular one is a Japanese Craft Shop non-export '62 reissue lefty...:)

Matt White

11-11-2005, 09:20 PM

Originally posted by ELVIS
That particular one is a Japanese Craft Shop non-export '62 reissue lefty...:)

Very nice.......

I've got the 68' reissue....

I was born in 1968...on Feb 29th...a "Leap Year"...

I bought mine on Feb 29th 1996......

It was my DESTINY:cool:

ELVIS

11-11-2005, 09:20 PM

:elvis:

ELVIS

11-11-2005, 09:24 PM

I have a natural lefty '68 reissue as well...

Matt White

11-11-2005, 09:26 PM

Kewl!!!

I'm thinking about putting the "Texas Special" pickups in mine.....

Maybe.....

Might just leave it stock....................

ELVIS

11-11-2005, 09:27 PM

Originally posted by Matt White

I'm thinking about putting the "Texas Special" pickups in mine.....

Nah, those sound good, but put in something that doesn't hum, like HS-2 or HS-3...

Matt White

11-11-2005, 09:28 PM

Originally posted by ELVIS
Nah, those sound good, but put in something that doesn't hum, like HS-2 or HS-3...

That was a third option............

Aren't those "Stacked" humbuckers?

I thought some routing was required to install 'em...........

ELVIS

11-11-2005, 09:31 PM

:elvis:

Matt White

11-11-2005, 09:32 PM

Originally posted by ELVIS
:elvis:

UFF!!!

I almost bought a Fernandes Strat, Gold Sparkle, back in the day.....

HELLA KEWL paint job on your's Bro:rockit:

ELVIS

11-11-2005, 09:34 PM

Originally posted by Matt White

Aren't those "Stacked" humbuckers?

I thought some routing was required to install 'em...........

Yes they are, they are the same height as a standard single coil, anf fit perfectly...

Yngwie uses the HS-3...

I use an HS-3 in the bridge and an HS-2 in the neck...

HS-2 sounds more like a vintage single coil, an HS-3 is warmer...

I painted that shoreline gold american Strat myself several years ago...

It was originally Arctic white...

:elvis:

ELVIS

11-11-2005, 09:37 PM

:elvis:

Matt White

11-11-2005, 09:39 PM

Originally posted by ELVIS
Yes they are, they are the same height as a standard single coil, anf fit perfectly...

Yngwie uses the HS-3...

I use an HS-3 in the bridge and an HS-2 in the neck...

HS-2 sounds more like a vintage single coil, an HS-3 is warmer...

I painted that shoreline gold american Strat myself several years ago...

It was originally Arctic white...

:elvis:

Hmmm...that makes me lean more towards those....

Love Yngwie's tone.....

ELVIS

11-11-2005, 09:46 PM

I've tried as many pickups as I can afford...

HS-3 is great !!

Like I said though, If you like a real sweet strat neck tone, an HS-2 is better...

It has that clean bright bell like singing sound...

An HS# doesn't have as much highs...

There is also an HS-1...

I tried one years ago, but I remember not liking it much...

ELVIS

11-11-2005, 09:49 PM

:elvis:

ELVIS

11-11-2005, 10:32 PM

Here's my guitars from 1987...

The '73 Super Lead is the same one sitting on top of my purple Marshall in the first pic that I took today...

Matt White

11-12-2005, 01:47 AM

NICE RACK MAN!!!

jhale667

11-16-2005, 05:52 PM

Nice work Elvis!!! I'm impressed. On the subject of pickups: If you guys like the Texas Specials, Id' recommend trying the Virtual Vintage Blues & Heavy Blues Models...I've got virtual vintage PU's in both my Strats and I LOOOOOOVE them...they sound better than HS-2s & 3s to my ears, and they're DEAD quiet....

ELVIS

11-16-2005, 06:18 PM

I have a real 1955 hard tail Stratocaster that I'm finishing work on...

I might go with the Virtual Vintage 2.1 when it's time to find some pups for it...

I've tried an older Virtual Vintage DP401, I might even have one laying around...

They sound too much like a stock strat pickup for me, but that's what I'll be looking for with my '55...

The 2.1 is only 5.94K ohms...

HS3's and HS2's are perfect for my particular set up...

:elvis:

jhale667

11-16-2005, 06:39 PM

...I had an extensive conversation with Steve Blucher of Dimarzio at NAMM about these a couple of years ago...the 2.1 is supposed to be more like a stock Strat PU, yet have the quiet nature of the other V.V. PUs, and will work on 250k pots (the others require a 500k for the volume, and they suggest a 1 meg ohm for the tone controls). If you're wanting something a little more beefy, go for the Blues. After I played for him for a few minutes, he suggested a V.V. Blues for the neck position, a '54 for the middle, and the Solo model in the bridge slot. I couldn't be happier with the results, and I always get compliments on my Strat tones at gigs. The dude's ears are amazing...I played for less than 5 minutes for him, and he's like "Oh yeah, for your style, try this..." AND HE WAS DEAD ON!