scalloped necks

[jwoods986]

I think it's silly to have scallops beyond the 15th or 16th fret. The frets are so close together that your fingers never touch the wood when playing that high without scallops...

Probably true but it would look odd. I've seen many guitars with the higher frets scalloped (21-24, 15th up, 12th up, etc.) but a guitar scalloped from the 1st - 15th would be unique.

[Cygnus X1]

Rich said do it on the lower frets, not the higher frets like you're talking about.

The partial scallop jobs I have seen have been in the higher frets. I made the assumption that Rich was referring to the same, maybe just different terms.

Both of me get confused, at times...between lack of communication, and lack of understanding.

[skorb]

Good luck finding an Yngwie model in a store.

I just played an Yngwie strat in the Sam Ash in Torrance, CA (LA area).
I was shocked to see it there, but they recently have put on a push and have more good stuff in there, both new and used. much better selection these days than say just last year. not that the prices are all that great.

it was incredibly hard to play, at least for my first exposure, with those full scallops, you really have to watch your chording and string pressure cause just a little too much and bam you're sharp and it sounds like shit.

quite a beautiful and unique instrument. created by a sick sick mind. that's the impression I was left with.

[Holy Diver]

Ordering from a place to try it out is the best idea. I think it's silly to have scallops beyond the 15th or 16th fret. The frets are so close together that your fingers never touch the wood when playing that high without scallops...

It's not about touching the wood that high up. It is about less string tension which scallops allow. The higher you go the more string tension that exists.

[Sunbane]

Okay, someone explain to me how a scalloped board changes string tension, because I call BS on that. If you use the same string brand, the same string gauge, the same bridge, and the same tuning, the tension is also going to stay the same.

[Grumpy]

Okay, someone explain to me how a scalloped board changes string tension, because I call BS on that. If you use the same string brand, the same string gauge, the same bridge, and the same tuning, the tension is also going to stay the same.

I'm with you, how does the tension change?

[Rich#6]

Quote:
Originally Posted by toejam
Rich said do it on the lower frets, not the higher frets like you're talking about.

The partial scallop jobs I have seen have been in the higher frets. I made the assumption that Rich was referring to the same, maybe just different terms.

Both of me get confused, at times...between lack of communication, and lack of understanding.

He is right I meant higher numbered frets like 15 and up.
I alway think of it as you play DOWN the fretboard. Only guitars that neck dive have the higher numbered frets higher than the lowered numbered ones .
This is what I was thinking of:
My gunslinger


sorry bad picture I took off the auction.

[Holy Diver]

Okay, someone explain to me how a scalloped board changes string tension, because I call BS on that. If you use the same string brand, the same string gauge, the same bridge, and the same tuning, the tension is also going to stay the same.

The tension increases as you go up the board. Look at the Ibanez Jem. It has the last four frets scalloped. That is not BS. The Blackmore Fender had the frets gradually scalloped as it went up the board for the increasing tension. Are you going to say that Ritchie and Steve don't know how to make a guitar? The bottom line is that you scallop the higher frets, not the lower ones.

[Bengal65]

Here ya go. Get the Dremel sander and follow this:
http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/scal1.htm

[Cygnus X1]

He is right I meant higher numbered frets like 15 and up.
I alway think of it as you play DOWN the fretboard. Only guitars that neck dive have the higher numbered frets higher than the lowered numbered ones .
This is what I was thinking of:
My gunslinger


sorry bad picture I took off the auction.

Yeah,see...he knew what I was talking about...
Even before he posted it! That's called teamwork.

Gotcha covered in the backfield, Rich.

The string pressure on the 20th fret shouldn't be much
different than the 4th fret, where the twelfth is the easiest to push.
So it seems that tension alone is not a reason to scallop. There are
other reasons, such as reach, and that's where the desire for speed and ease of playing is most beneficial.

[toejam]

LOL I figured that's what Rich meant as well, even though he got the terminology wrong.

[Sunbane]

The tension increases as you go up the board. Look at the Ibanez Jem. It has the last four frets scalloped. That is not BS. The Blackmore Fender had the frets gradually scalloped as it went up the board for the increasing tension. Are you going to say that Ritchie and Steve don't know how to make a guitar? The bottom line is that you scallop the higher frets, not the lower ones.

Well, it sounded like you claimed that the overall string tension automagically got softer as a result of the scalloping, but I think I read your post wrong. Apologies for that. I always figured people scalloped the high frets to get a better grip on the strings for bending, but I guess that's just another way of saying the same thing.

[jwoods986]

I always figured people scalloped the high frets to get a better grip on the strings for bending

That's what I like it for.

[HiOctane]

From my experience, the higher frets are scalloped on, for example, a 24-fret guitar because it's a bit harder to get a good grip on the strings and a clean attack on the note because the frets are closer together. Scalloping helps to alleviate this problem. The Steve Vai Ibanez is a good example.

[thetroy]

It still doesn't make any sense. I just sat down with my 24-fret guitar and the only way my fingers can touch the wood at 20-24 is if I press down REALLY REALLY hard so the notes end up way sharp.