Fretboard Scalloping

[Holy Diver]

Wow! That picture is crazy. It actually looks pretty bad ass with the binding and scallops. Thanks alot for the help everyone, and thanks for the welcome. If I get a CS built you guys will be the first to see it.

[patricef]

Not a soloist, but here's a Jackson CS RR with binding and scallops:


I don't see a reason why this could be a problem...but you made me worry now a little bit - I have a Jackson Stars CS RR on order with binding and some fret scallops...

I was just curious, not sceptical. The scalloping is not very deep (unlike in the new Yngwie strat), but of course the neck is thinner.

[nsubulysses]

I have the scalloped Soloist. As people on here have said, not a factory job.

[j4vice]

Isn't the neck on a DK2M really nice? It's got INLAY too.

[emperor_black]

Isn't the neck on a DK2M really nice? It's got SHARKS TOOTH INLAY too. (no can see pics at work, corporate time steal).

umm...jackson's have Shark Fin inlays. I'vebeenhad's have Shark Tooth inlays.

[jackson1]

I have a couple of (small) pics showing how the Jackson Custom Shop is doing a scallop job. It's simply a (skilled) guy with a drilling machine! Lemme see if I can make them available here... brb.

[jackson1]

Here we go...

[JetFixxxer]

I have never heard of this before until recently when I started to dive further into the luthier world. Whats the purpose of doing this?

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/scal1.htm

[jackson1]

Exceptional control of vibrato.

[roodyrocker]

The Jackson Custom Shop will do scalloped fretboards with or without binding. Here is my 89 Rhoads with factory scalloped 12-22 frets:





Rudy

https://www.wickedrocks.com

[Holy Diver]

That is so cool, but 17 to 24 fret for me.

[Oogadee Boogadee]

I did this myself. LTD H207. many assorted files, different grades of sandpaper, tons of masking tape, and plenty of time and patience.

These photos don't really answer your question in regards to what the custom shop will do, but it shows that it's possible to do even with binding. This board is rosewood though, which I think is probably softer and easier to work with.

Here's how i did mine -
frets 1-3 Sandpapered
frets 4-9 light on the bass, medium on the treble
frets 10-24, medium-heavy on the bass, heavy on the treble.

Of course, all the transitions from light to heavy are gradual and smooth. I don't see the value of scalloping some of the more "rhythm" areas of the neck; however, i wanted a uniform finish on the wood. I didn't want it to look like some spots received a manufacturing process, while the others didn't. That would have been visually distracting to me. If I didn't file them down, I probably still would have sandpapered the finish off.

Anyway, see if the CS will do some transitional-type of scalloping for you even if you're not interested in it personally. Then tell us what they say If we're selling organs to pay for gear, they should give us more options

[jackson1]

OB, that looks like an impressive job. Knowing how difficult it can be to get it uniform - I'll have to praise you for that.

[Oogadee Boogadee]

Thanks! Here's more - my KV3. I didn't loose a single fin. The good thing about going easier on the bass side is that, with standard sharkies, you're leaving the meaty end of the inlay untouched. And the area that you're scalloping deeper is an area mostly of wood, since the pointy part of the inlay is off-center, nearest the actual fret wire.

[Sunbane]

Really nice work there!