Scalloping

longshins

Toying with a refret and a light scallop on my rosewood boarded strat. Good idea? Any advice? Is a light scallop a meal?

rico

An old bandmate of mine had a strat with a scalloped fretboard - it was an absolute joke to play. He was a bit of a mad shredder but still, he hated it.

adamm82

The fake malmsteen strat on those usual Chinese websites was something I was considering to buy just to test out what a scalloped neck felt like without spoiling or paying a load of money out. Maybe you could buy a neck only from there to see how it feels 

axisus

One of these days I'm gonna buy a cheap strat neck and scallop it. Just feel like giving it a go

mike_l

adamm82 said:

The fake malmsteen strat on those usual Chinese websites was something I was considering to buy just to test out what a scalloped neck felt like without spoiling or paying a load of money out. Maybe you could buy a neck only from there to see how it feels 

I tried a proper Malmsteen Strat, it was horrid to play. I suspect you need a microscopically delicate touch to play them with any chance of sounding half-way decent.

longshins

mike_l said:

adamm82 said:

The fake malmsteen strat on those usual Chinese websites was something I was considering to buy just to test out what a scalloped neck felt like without spoiling or paying a load of money out. Maybe you could buy a neck only from there to see how it feels 

I tried a proper Malmsteen Strat, it was horrid to play. I suspect you need a microscopically delicate touch to play them with any chance of sounding half-way decent.

I have a light touch... just wondering if I'd get away with tall fretwire instead of scalloping the board.

Paul_C

longshins said:

mike_l said:

adamm82 said:

The fake malmsteen strat on those usual Chinese websites was something I was considering to buy just to test out what a scalloped neck felt like without spoiling or paying a load of money out. Maybe you could buy a neck only from there to see how it feels 

I tried a proper Malmsteen Strat, it was horrid to play. I suspect you need a microscopically delicate touch to play them with any chance of sounding half-way decent.

I have a light touch... just wondering if I'd get away with tall fretwire instead of scalloping the board.

That's a better option, in that it is at least reversible if you don't like it.

Evilmags

When Abe Wechter made McLaughlin''s Shakti guitar nobody in his shop could play it. Malmsteen plays those with 8''s, which must need such an exact touch it's unreal. I would not want to have to play lots of rythm on one. 

flyingv

Had a US Malmsteen, excellent plugged in, a breeze / easy, to play, felt great!  Unforgiving unplugged.

longshins

Paul_C said:

longshins said:

mike_l said:

adamm82 said:

The fake malmsteen strat on those usual Chinese websites was something I was considering to buy just to test out what a scalloped neck felt like without spoiling or paying a load of money out. Maybe you could buy a neck only from there to see how it feels 

I tried a proper Malmsteen Strat, it was horrid to play. I suspect you need a microscopically delicate touch to play them with any chance of sounding half-way decent.

I have a light touch... just wondering if I'd get away with tall fretwire instead of scalloping the board.

That's a better option, in that it is at least reversible if you don't like it.

Might get you to do it actually!

AlexC

I spent a few hours with a luthier earlier this year and he was telling me that unless you know exactly what you're doing (practice on several unwanted necks again and again and again) then you'll probably ruin a guitar and make it unplayable.

mike_l

longshins said:

mike_l said:

adamm82 said:

The fake malmsteen strat on those usual Chinese websites was something I was considering to buy just to test out what a scalloped neck felt like without spoiling or paying a load of money out. Maybe you could buy a neck only from there to see how it feels 

I tried a proper Malmsteen Strat, it was horrid to play. I suspect you need a microscopically delicate touch to play them with any chance of sounding half-way decent.

I have a light touch... just wondering if I'd get away with tall fretwire instead of scalloping the board.

I can play taller frets, I can't (certainly couldn't at the time) play a scalloped board.

FreddieVanHalen

I have a Malmsteen strat - it can feel a bit odd but I don't have trouble playing it. That said, I haven't tried to play jazz chords on it for hours at a time!

the frets are smaller than most of my other guitars so that may be part of the way it remains playable?

Paul_C

axisus said:

One of these days I'm gonna buy a cheap strat neck and scallop it. Just feel like giving it a go

I've done a couple over the years, and a few where I did the last few frets - my method is to have a depth gauge to sit on top of the frets (half a small wooden dowel stuck to a bit of MDF) file down the middle with a round file until it's the right depth and then blend up to nearly the edge of the frets (to leave some wood in case of a refret).

 

guitarmangler

I've had a warmoth neck with jumbo frets and a scalloped neck and it was very playable. But, I personally don't feel it's that much better than having just 6000 size frets. I'd rather my fingertips touch the fretboard about never, and have a very light touch, but it didn't really effect me other than the top four or five frets where bending was a lot easier.
I think a scalloped board encourages you to play lighter, which in turn could possibly manifest as improved technique/speed?
Personally, I wouldn't bother again, i'd get the biggest stainless steel frets possible and maybe from 17-the top scalloped a la Vai.

FelineGuitars

A couple of my own guitars are scalloped from the 13th or 14th fret and higher.

Just enough to be able to get more fingertip behind the bends and make vibrato easier

Scalloped below the 12th fret does require a deft playing touch

axisus

flyingv said:

Had a US Malmsteen, excellent plugged in, a breeze / easy, to play, felt great!  Unforgiving unplugged.

Interesting. My one quick try of a Malmsteen strat was unplugged when Coda had one in a few years back. I just didn't feel it at the time but now I want to try one plugged in. 

I mostly like a pretty physical, dig in style of play these days, but I do go very light tough in widdlesome moments.

OilCityPickups

Strangely for an old traditionalist in my own playing and the guitars I like, I love scalloping above the 12th. I sweat a lot at gigs, and have been known to 'loose control' of high bends ... I've played and gigged with the odd guitar that's got high end scallops, and I found it very useful.   

Voxman

Scalloping is an intensely personal modification and depends on playing style and depth of scallop. Although scalloping suits a small minority, for the vast majority of players it is not suitable.  

NEVER scallop your fretboard because you think its 'fashionable' (which it isn't) or just 'seems like a good idea' which it usually isn't, and don't try scalloping yourself unless you really know what you are doing. You could ruin your guitar.

ALWAYS try different scalloped necks first, and with different depths. And unless you have prerequisite luthoring skills, always go to a professional luthior who can see see how you play and to agree scallop depth that suits you.