scalloped necks

[ketsueki15]

are full scalloped necks good for playing metal? im thinkin bout buying a jackson or a kramer baretta then getting the neck scalloped but im not sure if i should do half scallop(12th fret and up) or full scallop.. the type of music i want to play is metal and SOME neo classical or more like classical songs on eletric guitar

[Gainer]

Malmsteen used a scalopped neck. I think it would be best used for speed-metal. I don't think that it would affect how you play or but it might sound "different" while doing rythym.

[PonyOne]

I've been wanting to try a scalloped neck, and have been thinking of just getting a basic strat body and a full-scallop maple neck made for me to try it out. I know it makes it easier to bend, and according to some, it allows you to play more quickly. Hey, everything's worth a shot, right?

I seem to recall Ritchie Blackmore scallops his necks too, but don't quote me on that.

[andy82]

I had my "I want a scalloped neck" phase.. and yep Pony you're right Ritchie uses scalloped. Since its expensive to get parts down here I'm still in a dilemma to take a risk at scalloping my own first cheapo guitar, but then the memories and sweat I've put into the that junk.... apparently scalloped necks also allow u to easy get the high notes which makes those screeching solos easier, so I heard :rolleyes:

[Azrael]

my guitar (that is right now in the process of beeing built) will be scalloped from the .. umm.. either 12th or 15th fret onward. why? well - a few years ago i scalloped the neck of an old cheap guitar myself (not realy hard to do) and it was very cool especially in the higher range for the notes are fretted easier and cleaner. but the low ranges require a very light preasure for when you put too much preasure on the strings, the notes get out of tune since it is similar to whe nyou do a bending. thats why i only want my hig register scalloped - the risk of pushing too hard when soloing is not to high plus it makes the higher notes (frets 20-36) easier to play.

[Leedogg]

Originally posted by Azrael
plus it makes the higher notes (frets 20-36) easier to play.

lol, mine stops at 22 :o

[Azrael]

MUAHAHAHAHAAHAAAAAAAhahhaHhhHAhh..haa..aa..rrgh.. *faints*

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[Edited by Azrael on 09-23-2003 at 02:24 AM]

[andy82]

Azrael how did you scalloped your guitar neck?? Just get a sand paper and sand away???

[Azrael]

http://www.kunstundhobby.de/feile1.jpg

i used those files - the larger radius for the larger fret-spacings, the smaller radius for the smaller ones - just dont take away more then 3mm - thats enough by far - try to make it as evenly rounded as possible without bumps. then go over it with sandpaper to smoothen it out. afterwards some fretboardpolish to get rid of the dirt and voila!

[u10ajf]

OMG! 3 octaves on a string!

A friend of mine scalloped the frets on his guitar. It looks a nightmare but it would be easy to play if it wasn't for a missing part of the bridge on the high E. He partially killed it with some daft attempt to add a 7th string. I'm so glad he's not a surgeon, he'd practically be an advertisment for pre-clinical death!

[sambob]

4 of my guitars have scalloped freboards. It really makes them a lot easier to play, and combined with a low action, makes them far superior to regular necks (in my opinion at least). The problem with it is that so many people, even after using them for a while, aren't able (or don't realize they need to) to develop the light touch that a scalloped fretboard requires. If you look at Yngwie or Joe Stump playing, you can hardly even tell that their fingers are moving sometimes. Even when you're playing rhythm, or doing vibrato on a string, you have to have the lightest touch possible. Some people would swear I'm not even touching the strings sometimes when I play.

As for rhythm playing, its weird at first, especially if you play a real fast or heavy rhythm style..but you get used to it.

My favorite thing about it is all the cool vibrato I can do though. I can tap the higher frets with my right hand, and vibrato those, bend them around, even fret the strings much easier.

[Axl_Rose]

Erm.. in short.. what is scalloping? What does it do for your playing?
Kriss

[Azrael]

its this:

http://www.yngwiemalmsteen.co.uk/scalop.jpg

[metal_carnage]

how about scalloping your acoustic guitars neck?
Or wouldnt that be an option?

Im seriously thinking about scalloping my strat model
there not common around this area so I cant test 1...
Is testing it on an other guitar first a must or can you just scalop for like 1 mm at a time and then decide to do a full scalop or just leave 5 frets with 1 mm deep scalop?

[Azrael]

you CAN do whatever you like dude - you can even file the whole neck into nothingness *LOL*

[TheWizard]

according to Yngwie the scalloped necks actually slow you down, he's the only guy that ive ever seen use one

I don't see the point other than easier bends and thicker vibrato

[Azrael]

ther are actually heaps of guitarplayers that use those necks. and no - they dont slow you down. actually on the higher frets it makes it alot easier to play because you can fret the notes more accurately and with less pressure. it is a bit more difficult to play on the low registers, since ever little bit of extra pressure results in a note that is slightly out of tune. thats why my guitar will only be scalloped from fret 15-36

[metal_carnage]

this may sound realy stupid but you accualy have 36 frets?

I think I just fell for a old joke or something but just checking :P

[Azrael]

incese you didnt read the old posting - my luthier makes a guitar for me with 36 frets. will be finished within the next 14 days (hopefully)

[TheWizard]

36 frets is insane

how much space will you have between 35-36 fret?

I have a mandolin and I can't play beyond the 10th fret because my fingers are too wide to fit between the frets

[Leedogg]

Originally posted by TheWizard
36 frets is insane

how much space will you have between 35-36 fret?

I have a mandolin and I can't play beyond the 10th fret because my fingers are too wide to fit between the frets


I imagine after you get up high enough, the guitar has whole-tones between each fret.

[Azrael]

fret 30-36 will be wholetones - else you´d have a prety hard time fretting those.

[metal_carnage]

Sorry Azrael, but I havent been hangin around so long here.

I found the post about your guitar, sounds real cool!!
w/ 36 frets :O How big would your neck be? :|
And If I may ask, what will that guitar cost? :)

[Azrael]

the neck will have the normal thickness of an Ibanez 7.string neck. the scale length is regular strat scale - so there is no extra-long neck

that thing is at 3.500 Euro/USD

[metal_carnage]

you happen to have some picutues of your baby getting build? :D

seems like an awesome guitar to me!

[Azrael]

not yet - i just got a sketch that i made of the body:

http://www.mind-gate.com/diverses/Dragonsmall.jpg