What's the advantage of a scalloped fretboard?

[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....

[ThrillsNSpills]

sitar-like string bending, maybe

[Matt White]

Re: What's the advantage of a scalloped fretboard?

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]

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]

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...

[jhale667]

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....

[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?

[ELVIS]

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]

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!

[jhale667]

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]

You're not getting any younger...

[jhale667]

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]

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]

First I hear of them...

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

Warmoth makes a nice scalloped neck...

[ELVIS]

Scalloped tapping...