fret scalloping?

tomg666 · 05-18-2006, 02:05 PM

ok i have a tele im redoing i know what scalloping is as ive seen ywngie malmsteems strats but ive never playe don a scalloped fretboard first of all what kind of difference does it make and secondly once youve used a file on a rosewood fretboard that is really dark in colour wont there be scratches and how do you return it to its original colour basically would it be worth doing?

LewsTherin · 05-18-2006, 02:44 PM

scalloping offers a different feel, plus it changes the way you do vibrato/bending.

theres a tutorial here:
[URL="http://projectguitar.com/tut/scal1.htm"]http://projectguitar.com/tut/scal1.htm[/url]

moghes69 · 05-18-2006, 02:50 PM

just use some lemon oil to get the rosewood to look darker and fuller.

***semi*** · 05-18-2006, 04:24 PM

scalloping will not make you play faster. it will teach you to press more lightly as pressing hard will make the string go out of tune. this in turn will get you used to pressing for a shorter ammount of time improving your playing and speed. it will allow for better bends and vibrato also. if i were you i would try it out first and see if you like it.

WindowLedge · 05-19-2006, 05:28 PM

Yeah my first reaction when I played a scalloped board was "OMG how do you slide on this thing". Play a bunch of scalloped guitars to make sure it's what you want before you do it.

Sir_Robert · 05-22-2006, 08:10 PM

where would i be able to pick up a file to use?

LewsTherin · 05-22-2006, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r0bB

where would i be able to pick up a file to use?

stewmac.com

any decent woodworking shop.

I_go_by_mikee · 05-22-2006, 10:45 PM

i just recently made my ibanez's frets scalloped towards the end.

i made a thread in the guitar forum.

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=469604

Sir_Robert · 05-23-2006, 12:28 AM

did you put any type of finish on it when you were done? or just leave it?

mnemonic · 05-23-2006, 12:53 AM

if your doing a maple fretboard, your supposed to put a finish over it, but you dont have to on rosewood, or ebony

AG · 05-23-2006, 04:46 AM

I used a rasp with a second level file. I wouldn't recommend using a bastard cut.

CCR90 · 05-23-2006, 06:49 AM

If you are going to do your whole freboard, using a file on the lower frets will take a hella long time. I'm scalloping one of my old gutiar necks and is it ever taking long.

What should I finish the neck with since it's maple?

LewsTherin · 05-23-2006, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCR90

If you are going to do your whole freboard, using a file on the lower frets will take a hella long time. I'm scalloping one of my old gutiar necks and is it ever taking long.

What should I finish the neck with since it's maple?

i think it says in the tutorial from projectguitar i posted.

Darsh · 05-23-2006, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AG

I used a rasp with a second level file. I wouldn't recommend using a bastard cut.

When I scalloped my bass, I used a file with a bastard cut for roughing it out, than finished it with sandpaper. I guess using a finer file would save some time though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mnemonic

if your doing a maple fretboard, your supposed to put a finish over it, but you dont have to on rosewood, or ebony

On my rosewood fretboard, it drastically lightened the color, so I would definitely put some kind of finish on it.

CCR90 · 05-23-2006, 05:35 PM

Oh, well I'll check projectgutiar again then.

I'm using a big rough bastard file right now to get the lower frets and then I jsut use a smaller finer bastard file and that takes a lot of work out instead of using a small round file lol.

Peg Dizzler · 05-23-2006, 08:02 PM

Personally, I find that buying a bunch of different sized wood dowels and some sandpaper is better. It seems to be faster that way. Even more so, if you have a good variety of dowel sizes, the scallops will look more even, instead of using a file or two on all of them.

mnemonic · 05-23-2006, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darsh

On my rosewood fretboard, it drastically lightened the color, so I would definitely put some kind of finish on it.

it might not have been very dark rosewood, it seems to be a comon practice to rub dye into the fretboard to make it darker. gibson does it.

also, if its really dry, lemon oil helps

CCR90 · 05-23-2006, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peg Dizzler

Personally, I find that buying a bunch of different sized wood dowels and some sandpaper is better. It seems to be faster that way. Even more so, if you have a good variety of dowel sizes, the scallops will look more even, instead of using a file or two on all of them.

I'm finding that the 2 different files are working fairly well. But I am having a hard tiem trying to keep a certain depth, not that tit really matters on teh neck I'm doing. But hey, for a first timer, it's not as bad as that one pic that floats around.

CCR90 · 05-23-2006, 09:00 PM

Here's an almost finished job. It looks really bad but it's just the lemon oil I put on the fretboard

This is what I started with.

Az_Holl · 05-24-2006, 01:25 AM

Has that got a zero fret?

05-18-2006, 02:05 PM	#1
tomg666 dean + marshall = fun Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: southampton Posts: 231	fret scalloping? ok i have a tele im redoing i know what scalloping is as ive seen ywngie malmsteems strats but ive never playe don a scalloped fretboard first of all what kind of difference does it make and secondly once youve used a file on a rosewood fretboard that is really dark in colour wont there be scratches and how do you return it to its original colour basically would it be worth doing?

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

05-18-2006, 02:44 PM	#2
LewsTherin MX Warwick Club HUZZAH! Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: CMass USA Posts: 8,608	scalloping offers a different feel, plus it changes the way you do vibrato/bending. theres a tutorial here: [URL="http://projectguitar.com/tut/scal1.htm"]http://projectguitar.com/tut/scal1.htm[/url]

05-18-2006, 02:50 PM	#3
moghes69 finally... 3 gav points Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: montville new jersey Posts: 1,640	just use some lemon oil to get the rosewood to look darker and fuller.

05-18-2006, 04:24 PM	#4
*semi* ‪ Supermod Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 9,990	scalloping will not make you play faster. it will teach you to press more lightly as pressing hard will make the string go out of tune. this in turn will get you used to pressing for a shorter ammount of time improving your playing and speed. it will allow for better bends and vibrato also. if i were you i would try it out first and see if you like it.

05-19-2006, 05:28 PM	#5
WindowLedge AES banned Nick :( Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ottawa Senators Posts: 990	Yeah my first reaction when I played a scalloped board was "OMG how do you slide on this thing". Play a bunch of scalloped guitars to make sure it's what you want before you do it.

05-22-2006, 08:10 PM	#6
Sir_Robert call me Rob Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: practicing Posts: 2,160	where would i be able to pick up a file to use?

05-22-2006, 10:45 PM	#8
I_go_by_mikee Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 8,433	i just recently made my ibanez's frets scalloped towards the end. i made a thread in the guitar forum. http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=469604

05-23-2006, 12:28 AM	#9
Sir_Robert call me Rob Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: practicing Posts: 2,160	did you put any type of finish on it when you were done? or just leave it?

05-23-2006, 12:53 AM	#10
mnemonic Drink Water Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: and Alcohol Posts: 10,312	if your doing a maple fretboard, your supposed to put a finish over it, but you dont have to on rosewood, or ebony

05-23-2006, 04:46 AM	#11
AG AG sucks. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: England, North East Posts: 18,057	I used a rasp with a second level file. I wouldn't recommend using a bastard cut.

05-23-2006, 06:49 AM	#12
CCR90 Git er done Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: I can ride my bike with no handle bars Posts: 3,803	If you are going to do your whole freboard, using a file on the lower frets will take a hella long time. I'm scalloping one of my old gutiar necks and is it ever taking long. What should I finish the neck with since it's maple?

05-23-2006, 05:35 PM	#15
CCR90 Git er done Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: I can ride my bike with no handle bars Posts: 3,803	Oh, well I'll check projectgutiar again then. I'm using a big rough bastard file right now to get the lower frets and then I jsut use a smaller finer bastard file and that takes a lot of work out instead of using a small round file lol.

05-23-2006, 08:02 PM	#16
Peg Dizzler look I'm a TBF wannabe Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: still in the luthier's workshop... Posts: 5,065	Personally, I find that buying a bunch of different sized wood dowels and some sandpaper is better. It seems to be faster that way. Even more so, if you have a good variety of dowel sizes, the scallops will look more even, instead of using a file or two on all of them.

05-23-2006, 09:00 PM	#19
CCR90 Git er done Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: I can ride my bike with no handle bars Posts: 3,803	Here's an almost finished job. It looks really bad but it's just the lemon oil I put on the fretboard This is what I started with.

05-24-2006, 01:25 AM	#20
Az_Holl MX Zoids Pilot Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Planet Zi Posts: 10,162	Has that got a zero fret?