Yngwie-question

[Inisfail]

Hi!

I saw "Play Loud" instruction-videos with Yngwie Malmsteen where he showed how he filed down the frets on his guitar so that they looked like waves on the fretboard. By wich reason, I don't know, but has anyone of you tried to file down you guitar in order to enhance the sound, make the movement over the fretboard easier or by any other reason?

Please let me know!

Cya!
/Anders Lorén

[TheDirt]

I had a nasty accident once - I was changing the strings in the kitchen my little sister (5 at the time) came in and accidentally knocked my guitar off the table. The neck somehow hit a part of a chair and chipped a bit. I sanded down the chipped part. Didn't affect the sound, but gave me a helluva scare.

[Hammurabi]

Yeah, fret issues can be scary. I don't mess around with that.

[kronborg]

Agree. Don't touch it, unless you don't like your guitar!

[sambob]

I have a slight scallop (thats what its called) on all of my guitars. Since I play with a very low action too, it makes fretting, vibrato, etc incredibly easy. Especially in the higher frets it makes playing much easier. I've played a 36 fret guitar from Conklin once, and it would have been unplayable past say, the 20th fret if it weren't for the scallop (and even then it wasn't as tiny as it could have been, past 25 it was fretted with a whole tone scale).

[Hammurabi]

It might make playing a bit easier, but that's something that's better left to people with a lot of experience. This isn't something you want to do over the weekend because you're bored.

Quite honestly I'm not a good enough of a guitar player to justify getting that done to my guitar and I don't personally know anyone who is. You might be, I don't know. If you're not sure it's better to be safe than broke, if you are then go for it and let us all know how it goes. But don't do it yourself.

[aiwass]

Yngwie hasn't filed away the frets, but the WOOD BETWEEN the frets. Big difference. His frets are normal Dunlop Jumbo 6100s or 6000s.

[sambob]

He uses 6100s.

I don't see why he shouldn't at least TRY a scalloped neck. Its kind of like the 7 string issue. People say, don't try a 7 string guitar until you've mastered a 6 string. But Rusty Cooley makes the good point that you can NEVER master a 6 string. You'd might as well do all that you can so that you can play how you want.

Give it a try, all you need is a file and some sand paper (and probably some linseed oil too). Buy a cheap used guitar and give it a try.

[JSV]

Originally posted by sambob
...I have a slight scallop (thats what its called) on all of my guitars. Since I play with a very low action too,...
The ONLY way, sambob my brother!

Custom Scalloped Necks are one of the specialties of my guitar business. All of my own guitars are scalloped. I usually do the rosewood necks from 12-up, and on the maple the whole neck. Mine are usually Medium-deep though, and I've been playing scalloped necks for so long I can't feel as comfortable on a "flat" fretboard any more.

I agree with the other posts; that it's something better left to players w/experience, but not necessarily. It does take some time to get used to. It feels fairly comfortable the FIRST time, but then once you try to play everything on it, every day you play, you can get disoriented when you're new at it. Lots of cats that get used to it say there's nothing better.

If you DO DECIDE to have it done, MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN it's done by a QUALIFIED pro. I've had clients bring me necks they "attempted" to scallop themselves, and only one or two were even worth trying to "clean-up". You'll destroy your neck, period.

Here's a pic' I've posted on this board before:
http://www.jsvcolorfast.com/images/jsv550nk_wpthumb.jpg
Wallpaper size of that pic' on the following page:
http://www.jsvcolorfast.com/extras.htm

ENJOY!


~JSV

[Hammurabi]

Scalloping the fretboard is cool. I was thinking this was about filing down the actual frets. That's a while different issue there.

[sambob]

Cool JSV. Feel like sharing any 'secrets' as one might say? I've done about 13 guitars for myself and various people now, I feel like I've got the whole thing down by now, but I'm always looking to improve.

Right now I just file the middle of each fret (althoguh I usually start a little closer to the fret on the first 7 or so) down a bit with a 1/4" round. Then I sand starting with 80 grit paper, then 120, then 180, then 220. Then I usually just rub some linseed oil into the wood.

I'm wondering though, I see guys like Joe Stump play live..and there maple necks still have that real bright shiney like a new guitar would have. Is that some kind of stain? I'm always a little disappointed that my guitars seem to lose that.

[chucklivesoninmyheart]

Getting the frets scalloped past the 12th fret wouldn't do any harm.It wont effect your rhythm.Play a scalloped neck first and see how you like it.
I played a scalloped neck bass and didn't like it all that much...mabey it was just the setup.
If you go for it,make sure to have it done by some one with experience.

Later! \m/

[Inisfail]

I'm glad for your answers, and yes, I ment filing BETWEEN the frets, nothing else.. My bad english..

Well, I guess I'll contact a pro after all if i descides to scallop my guitar.

Thanx