As everyone here knows, I am no fan of Yngwie Malmsteem, but I have a question:

What's the purpose of the scalloped fretboard?

I know it supposedly helps a person play faster, but I don't understand how (of course, I'm not a shredder, so maybe it's lost on me)...

So educate me, Forumites...

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Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

400 Armadillo Bucks* for being a smart aleck.







*Armadillo Bucks not redeemable for seafood-related humor.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

the purpose of a scalloped board is to prevent your fingertips from getting any friction from rubbing the fingerboard. and you can really dig under the strings for bends and vibrato. it also makes hammer ons and pull offs easier because your finger tip never contacts anything but string.

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Howdy!

Forum user Smark says...

[quote-Smark]Many folks have emailed me and asked… “Why are all your Strats scalloped?” Obviously I like my necks scalloped, but there are a few significant reasons for this. Mostly though, it comes down to just one word… Grip. The ability to grab any note, anywhere on the fretboard, and then do whatever you want with it without having it slip away from you. The next significant reason is Vibrato. I love exaggerated vibrato. Whether it be slow or fast, when you have complete control over the strings, vibrato is effortless. And the third most significant reason is just bending, and this goes along with grip. Big bends are also effortless on a scalloped neck.[/quote]

Marks knows his stuff. More can be found on his website here : http://marksmitchell.home.mindspring.com/

Hope this helps buddy!

Andy

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Pending Greatness

A scalloped fretboard encourages a lot lighter fretting action. Not to the point that you couldn't play with that lightness on a normal flat board if you were very disciplined.
Reason being that if you play with a less than gentle touch on a scalloped board you'll press too hard and send all the notes sharp.
So lightness on, speed off.

Thats my experience of em anyway.

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No no and no

that's why i do not get along with them it makes some thumb over chords rather sour sounding

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He needs all the space he can get for his doughy hands.

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Rated "M" for meaty.

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You mean you wouldn't want to do this to your guitar?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh4CGjcsao4

I feel sad for the guy who posted comments in the video what he did to his Custom Shop...

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-T

"You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose what you ain't never had" ~ McKinley Morganfield

dumb question??????? i don't think so.
i'd never heard of a scalloped neck until i started listening to yngwie. i think he may have mentioned ritchie blackmore using them also. not sure. how many others use them? anybody here use them?
i honestly don't think i've ever played one. is the differnce' super-huge or what?

I think it's a great question...Have you tried one SA? I've always wanted too, I reckon it would be strange as..... But if i quantify it like jumbo frets make for easier fretting IMHO......I don't know if a scalloped board would make it easier again?? You certainly wouldn't want to be playing light strings also i would think? You be pulling notes sharp everywhere.....

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Hmmm, I'd possibly try something like this on a cheapo neck.
I like the guy's advice on the video, "Put the body, neckplate and screws somewhere that you won't lose them

I vaguely remember that renaissance luths had scalloped fretboards, I couldn't say why though. Maybe the same reason applies to indian sitars, which are not scalloped, but the final result is the same fingering wise.

also to me it has what i call the ladder effect. when you slide your hand down the neck it is like you slipped on a ladder and drug your body down the steps if you really grab the neck its not very comfortable

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I've never truly tried to play one--I ran my hands over a neck to get the feel and it was very odd.
Seeing how my favorite axes' fretboards have had very low, flat fretwires installed, the idea of a fret sitting on top of a little "peak" between scallops doesn't appeal to me; however, I'll try anything twice (unless it involves food poisoning...)

Considering the players best known for using scalloped boards, I figured it had to be either for (1) speed, (2) pompousity, (3) arrogance or (4) a combination of the above...I don't think I'll be modifying any of my beloved herd in this way.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals