Standard or Scalloped?

[Shredzie]

What do you guys think about scalloped fretboards?

Since MAB doesn't use one, I assume you don't really need it (since he does everything without it), but just wondering what you guys think.

[Maxxxwell]

I love them. Except for rythm work. What I would love would be frets 1-12 normal, and then 12+ scalloped. I like the ease of vibrato, how it makes you play with a light touch, and the "responsiveness" of it.

[TheLivingDead]

I've only got to mess around on a full scalloped a few times on a Fender Malmsteen. It was effing sweet. The only problem I had (this was a few years ago) was that while sweeping I'd catch the high E and bend it right over the fretboard. Otherwise it played like butter. I also see that a lot of people have trouble with fretting too hard and bending the fretted note. That wasn't a problem for me. It really felt great to play on. But all in all I'd have to say standard for this. Scalloped is definitely cool but I don't see myself strictly playing on it. Maybe if it was a little more accessible. ;D

[shadydave]

I've owned three guitars with scalloped necks but these days I just play Jumbo frets and a flattish radius. The main advantage of scallops is that you get incredible control over the string which means that you can really develop a singing vibrato and accurate bending - more readily than a guitar without scallops.

Of course, you can develop the exact same attributes on a guitar suitably set up for lead playing AND you don't get the downsides of a scalloped neck - a harder time playing rhythm, limited resale value and the requirement of a very light touch to avoid intonation issues.

Don't get me wrong - if I was builidng a guitar to play blues on then yes, it would be scalloped. As it stands I might go for a very limited scallop (frets 19+) but certainly nothing more.

[Jason]

STANDARD STANDARD STANDARD

[Syv]

I'm looking to a develop a specific tone, but it doesn't involve the scalloped sound. They sound pretty sick though

[SKarbu]

I couldn`t say enough good things about scalloped fretboards! Did the procedure to both of my guitars, i absolutely love the neoclassical like wide vibrato feel to it. Nowadays everytime i play a normal guitar i absolutely hate it i hate that i can`t grab the strings and FEEL it as i do with the scalloped neck, but it`s just a matter of taste.
Here`s an example at 0.31-0.33 of a nice wide wooly sounding vibrato, and others as well. I`m not saying you can`t play that on a normal neck, but it`s much easier and ...loose this way, u can actually control everything, and the screw ups are VERY obvious if you have any by mistake or lack of focus and stuff,because obviously the only resistance is from the string grinding against the fretwire

[jdoom01]

i have scalloped squire but it doesn't change my playing because i only press just hard enough to touch the fret = more accurate sound &speed but it looks cool

[80sshredrulez]

I have a japanese malmsteen st71 140 yjm and the scallops are ok to play and like they say they make bends more easy to control, the thing that gets me is it is set up a bit high compared to my LTD EX260 (which has a real skinny neck and low action) so when I play the strat I feel a lot slower, if thats the right thing to say, the LTD seems to respond well to a light touch, I also have 11's power slinkys on the LTD.

Im thinkin of selling the yngwie strat and getting something with a superstrat body instead of the explorer type I have on the LTD ex260 I dont get on with tremelo's like floyds etc so it will have to be a hardtail.

I like the Ibanez RG321 EX the wizard II neck still seems wide compared to my LTD though but the action seems quite nice. I like the Ibanez as I would like to customise them to look like an 80s shred guitar with colored dimarzio pickups hehe.

[lithuanianthunder]

I like scallopped. However I think it's a bit unhealthy to rely on them too much. It's great for recording and whatnot but overuse could just completely screw up your playing on standard.

Take Karl Sanders for example. Any guitar that isn't his strange spearhead one (which is scalloped) he can barely sweep on or anything.



It's sad to watch but it proves my theory. That Dean isn't scalloped and he can barely work out anything on it.

[shadydave]

Unfortunately your theory doesn't hold water - the reason he can't play anything there is that he's absolutely baked

Playing scallops extensively and swtiching to a standard board doesn't really cause that sort of difficutly, or at least if it causes Karl that sort of problem that's he's pretty much unqiue in my experience ^^

[lithuanianthunder]

Well I have that same problem. My theory may not hold water but one thin strand of twine is keeping it together

[Shredzie]

I think I'll stick to standard for now seeing as the Dean MAB USA sig will be.

[thearistocrat]

Scalloped fretboards require greater accuracy. You get more movement on the strings, which means you can't hit the string anywhere other than dead centre, or your finger can very easily slip off the string and miss it altogether. It's this extra movement in the strings that facilitate wide vibratos. It allows you to have greater control over the strings, however, that control requires greater precision. I don't understand the comment that you shouldn't "rely" on scalloped necks too much, it will not hinder your playing, but rather encourage you you 'tidy' it up. Though you may need to adjust for bending strings, as it certainly is more rigid on unscalloped guitars. Something I would also like to comment on is this myth that you can very easily press too hard to sharp the note you're trying to play. This is not so, you can do it, but it will hurt, and requires a fair amount of force. When all is said and done, it's just a matter of preference. I like the feeling of playing a scalloped fretboard, but I wouldn't do it to all my guitars. I intend to leave my MAB2 as is, as well as my Les Paul and M-II. But my Strat? It just works for me.

[J.C]

I have a partially scalloped neck on my Jem 7v (21st fret and up) and honestly, I don't care for it. It throws me off, especially when I'm anchored below the scallops and the other fingers are playing on the scallops. It doesn't feel right. I would never want a fully scalloped neck.

[loudguitar]

I really like the Fender Yngwie signature model with scalloped fingerboard. I have played several, and when they are set up correctly, with light strings and low action the way Yngwie plays they are great. I would definitely consider getting one of those for myself at some point. I am a strat player mainly anyway, so if I got another strat it would be one of those.

I do not care for the Ibanez necks w/upper frets scalloped. The scalloped frets at that point do not give you much room for vibrato, and are really less effective in that part of the fingerboard.

[Neoclasiccl]

I have played a few scalloped guitars a couple yngwie's and a custom job and they are very cool. The vibrato control is the only plus for me. I don't find them any faster than a standard fretboard maybe a bit for hamer and pulls for weaker players. I prefer tall frets (very tall) with a standard board. Play a Rc7 with the huge dunlop frets and it almost feels like a scalloped neck.