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Post subject: Pros and cons of scalloped fretboard on a Strat...?
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2016 3:26 pm
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I am thinking about putting a scalloped fretboard on my next Strat build and would love to hear any feedback you guys have for me on the pros and cons of having a scalloped fretboard and the pros and cons of the different kinds of scalloped boards....Blackmore type versus Yngwie type, etc.....Thanks guys. Kurt


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Post subject: Re: Pros and cons of scalloped fretboard on a Strat...?
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2016 3:49 pm
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Pros - better control of bends and vibrato, better note separation.
Cons - difficult to fret chords, requires a softer and more equal fretting touch.

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Post subject: Re: Pros and cons of scalloped fretboard on a Strat...?
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2016 7:33 pm
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So stratmangler, do you use them on your strats?


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Post subject: Re: Pros and cons of scalloped fretboard on a Strat...?
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2016 11:32 pm
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The fretboard is really only for holding the frets in place. If your fingers hit the fretboard, you're generally pushing down too hard and creating sharp notes.

Scalloped guitars makes it easier to bend, and especially the E strings, as you can put more of an angle onto the push or pull without hitting the fretboard, directing more force sideways than down. And they make up/down vibrato easier.

For the ultimate fretboardless guitar, there's the Gittler, but unfortunately it also does away with (most of) the back of the neck, making things like thumb fretting awkward or impossible:


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Post subject: Re: Pros and cons of scalloped fretboard on a Strat...?
Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 3:30 am
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blufenderbender wrote:
So stratmangler, do you use them on your strats?


Nope!
See the bit about having a light touch - I don't have one :D

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Post subject: Re: Pros and cons of scalloped fretboard on a Strat...?
Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 5:30 am
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arth1 wrote:
...
For the ultimate fretboardless guitar, there's the Gittler, but unfortunately it also does away with (most of) the back of the neck, making things like thumb fretting awkward or impossible:


Just "no". On so many levels "NO!" It is another demonstration that Leo was right. If you are going to reinvent the wheel at least make sure the new invention is as good as the original.

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Post subject: Re: Pros and cons of scalloped fretboard on a Strat...?
Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:23 am
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I tried one once. I hated it.
It was one of those yellowish Yngwie Malmsteen models.
I'm the kind of player who likes to dig in and work it.
It sounded horribly out of tune constantly.
My idea of being expressive by playing softer and harder was an approach that is apparently impossible to use on a scalloped board.
I figured out pretty quickly what I was doing wrong but I could not find a soft enough touch in my hands to keep cacophony at bay.
I suspect at the very high end of the fretboard a slight bit of scalloping might prove beneficial for soaring sustained bends on lead lines, like maybe from the 15th fret and up but anything lower is very much not to my liking.

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