Scalloping a Strat Neck

[@eddiejulian8550]

I was going to tell you to wear a respirator while sanding rosewood it is really hard on your lungs but I'm smoking a cigarette right now so never mind nobody likes a hypocrite.

[@Skelly5962]

Eddie Julian Dude, it's like you had a self contained KZbin argument. You've done a great service as now, no one else needs to get all triggered and engage in a useless comment war with you. Well done!

[@LukeMcPeeters]

still good looking out my friend. to come from a place of caring about someones health is a good thing.

[@kengihepworth5761]

+Luke McPeeters you must be as bored as I am

[@LukeMcPeeters]

yea how did I wind up here again?

[@crackert5176]

Skelly :-) &

[@DaveMorrisonMusic]

I scalloped my neck. I never knew that you could do it to a guitar as well. Hmm ... live and learn.

[@SolaceReignFalls]

Dave Morrison I was born with a scalloped neck

[@phibes9295]

Had to miss work that day...

[@jcb3883]

I ate a scallop with a neck today.

[@Afurthyclays]

You've got an awesome channel, Dave! ❤️

[@Metalhead_P]

Beautiful work! I have recently started scalloping my fretboards, and I wish that I had done it long ago. Overall playability, bending, vibrato, and tone are all better. I'm shaking my head and laughing at the people saying that the guitar has been ruined. It's ultimately a matter of preference, of course, but scalloping my fretboards has been 100% beneficial, and there have been absolutely ZERO negatives.

[@glassbox7761]

Extra jumbo frets are your friends, without ruining your instrument.

[@meganostra6633]

@@glassbox7761 Why is it "ruining" because it is in contrast to what you might do? Your one of THOSE people aren't ya? If your preference is different than mine then you are wrong. I can't imagine living life like that. Surely your a miserable person. Lol, you suck.

[@IvanRx76]

I'll do it on a PRS SE.

[@VicentePradoJunior]

Have you refret a guitar with scalloped neck? How did it go?

[@Nirsterkur]

If we do it we have to give up on the inlays right?

[@Vataband]

Thanks for taking the time to video this properly Sam. As ever quality video, let alone the skill and quality of the luthiers work.

[@kingsammyc]

Thanks V! Hope all is good your end buddy!

[@ledzep246]

"Oh shit, we forgot to paint the fret markers!"

[@TomGoldsmithguitar]

lol

[@tellycaster9457]

oof rip

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

Damn, and we forgot how to count too, so we can't just remark them.

[@ivanhuanca9082]

watching this while i cook Its like the best program ever... that music, so warmfull

[@lungflogger9]

never seen anyone work so fast, amazing!

[@fortj3]

Downhill Phil He used a brand new performance enhancing drug called Meth.

[@TruthSurge]

this is more like LOWERING the fretboard than creating a nice scoop that curves towards the very middle of the fret space. but thanks for the video! I think protecting the frets is important (like you did here) because no matter how careful you are, accidents are going to happen.

[@luisantoniocoello]

@TruthSurge exactly! I was thinking the same thing! Where's the fretboard?

[@TruthSurge]

@@luisantoniocoello well, I think he did a good job. I think I was looking for a little bit more shallow scalloping and it looks deep but I still see some fretboard in there so it's prob just my expectations that were causing me to comment as I did. I plan to do this to a neck and I wish I had a good way in mind but I guess just sanding using a round tool is best. Go slow and do it right the first time.

[@Nghilifa]

I agree, with a more gradual scoop, the fretboard markers would probably have been preserved as well. Doesn't affect playability of course, but it looks more pleasing (at least to me) with the fretboard markers intact on a strat.

[@Cerdutex]

I scalloped mine with some coarse sand paper, its really fast and accurate that you dont need to cover the frets with masking tape.

[@javierf55]

A video of pure artwork. Thanks for sharing and also, thanks for the music, needed for seeing this.

[@Erin_Pisces]

the music makes the video so intensive to watch,and sanding rosewood without wearing a mask makes it more frightening.

[@LostInAce]

Very nice work, man. Enjoyed the piece played throughout video. Thanks!

[@RhysHuntley89]

Great vid. Looking forward to seeing it in action!

[@kingsammyc]

Thanks mate! I'll post some stuff real soon!

[@3113_records]

Even though this nothing I would ever use, well done. It looks very cool!

[@MrTubularBalls]

Would be nice to have some explanation of the process. 11:50 is oiling the Fretboard? Is that lemon oil? Tung oil? What's the stuff that's applied at 13:08? Touching up with (water based?) paint? 13:30 what's being applied there? More oil?

[@kevinraabe457]

Same thing I thought

[@riccardogastaldi5642]

Maybe boiled linseed oil?

[@henseleric]

The clear material is very likely mineral oil -any pharmacy will sell it as a laxative...cheap :)

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Interesting. I've seen this done several different ways. As a matter of fact, I don't think anyone has done it the same way on the video's I've watched. I used to work with a lot of wood and metal, and I do like the way you take off the meat with the air tool first before finishing up with dowel, etc,. Good video. Thanks for sharing.

[@Guille-pz5ty]

One of the more satisfying videos on KZbin

[@WisersPlace]

the only instruction video I have heard classical music. very nice.

[@cyanidejunkie]

Came out pretty good, when I did my necks, I followed the the radius of the fret board... it leaves just a little more meat on the fretboard to help keep it stable, somethin ta ponder for the next one. Feels great though huh? Very nice.... enjoy my friend.

[@flamencodiablo007]

ahaha, nice... I havnt seen a scalloped fretboard in calgary...ever! So I just made one myself...and now I run into this! \m/\m/

[@alexharringtonmusic]

He did one hell of a job on that! Have always loved the idea of scalloping the neck of my strat but have never plucked up the courage!

[@NostalgiaforInfinity]

"scalloping the neck" And why would you want to do that?

[@billdoe5491]

@@NostalgiaforInfinity because it plays awesome. And no Dunlop 6000 alone does not replicate the feel.

[@joeleke64]

That was really interesting, I can't wait to see you play it!

[@theartfuldodger935]

How do you scallop a guitar neck? Start with potatoes and work your way up.

[@filipczarny7507]

Cool vid Sam!! Can't wait to see how it plays!

[@moguntiamusica5758]

Good Job, mate! Very cool Video, thumbs up! Very nice!

[@baksteen123]

Sam, it would be fantastic if, when you're used to the new frets, you'd make a video of yourself talking about the new possibilities and limitations that it gave you as a player and if you think it was worth it. I myself am considering to switch to scalloped frets. Unfortunately, I have yet to find the opportunity to try a guitar with a scalloped neck. The idea of having more control over your bends and vibrato sounds very appealing though, almost too good to be true. And there's little detailed information to be found on the internet! Please help this bedroom guitarist out! Much love, Bryan

[@menamgamg]

I haven't tried one either, but many of these things are just personal preferences. Nothing will make you a better player except practice.. I think someone with the level of technique as sam could say there's a huge difference between a scallpoed and normal neck, but for a player who's still in the battle to get up there, i don't think it matters very much :P

[@Dreamdancer11]

baksteen123 Scalloped necks make bending and vibrato a tad easier and everything else a tad more difficult.For example having no wood as a safety net anymore you can go out of tune if you press the string too hard especially at the first 3 to 5 frets.....thats why even playing chords may be more challenging for some simply because they press too damn hard.All the other elements of playing are pretty much the same....no it wont make you go faster(maybe a hair slower) or make your sweeps easier or or or...things you hear perpetuated. Scalloped fretboards look sexy,make control of the string during bending and vibrato easier and give you an overall great feel of playing on...air.Nothing more nothing less.....in my view they teach you the proper touch on the instrument cause you can play a scalloped neck and then a regular one without a problem but...the opposite isnt always the case if your technique sucks.

[@jfo3000]

baksteen123 I've have one scalloped neck. They help me get my fingers more perpendicular to the board (when required) without my nails contacting wood as my nails connect at the very tips of my fingers, this is with my nails totally trimmed off. This helps (me) with gripping the string when pulling towards the floor, among other things. Pix of Yng show that his nails are similar, so I think that's why he likes scalloped. But for me tall frets provide as much of this feature that I require, so that's how I roll.

[@Bmxmusikian]

Ive tried 1....amazing! Easy bending, and vibrato.... No more bleeding fingers.... Or scraping your nails on the wood 😫.... Although I would go for more shallow scallops than deep bottomless ones...

[@GraceandWisdom]

Excellent video. If however, one is interested in eventually selling the instrument (assuming it is American made) one might consider using an aftermarket fretboard and saving the Genuine Fender fretboard for the sale of the instrument. Otherwise, this instrument has become permanently devalued. Just ask anybody who has drastically modified their 1962 Fender Strat.

[@robertellison4691]

Love the classical sound track.

[@gnostix1]

A spindle sander would get there a lot faster and with more consistency. Save the Dremel for finishing work.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

True, that could be a far superior method if t you also made a jig to keep it from pulling towards the fret, and also had plenty of different sizes to accommodate the different fret spacings. But the more I think about it, you would also then need to remove the frets because the radius wouldn't work out otherwise. Personally, I would do this type of work using only hand tools, but not many people know how to properly use or even sharpen them these days.

[@xjunkxyrdxdog89]

@@aylbdrmadison1051 I did this with 80 grit sandpaper. It was fucking excruciating. I dont know how much files cost, but they're worth it.

[@hunterea0525]

What is the machine that he is using called?

[@Datttsnake]

@@hunterea0525 a dremel

[@dolphinboi-playmonsterranc9668]

I got distracted when I was reading something and now I'm watching some dude scallop his fretboard.

[@timhallas4275]

That may be the worst possible tool for scalloping a fretboard. If you insist on using a power tool then a spindle sander with a few different diameter tubes would be fast and accurate. The safest and best way is to use a set of half round files and rasps.

[@cugir321]

Did one like this with sanding wheels on a dremel....be very careful around the frets......it will create a nightmare. I would use a file next to the frets if I did it again. It's fine to use the dremel for the middle. You'll feel the string catching the sides of the frets if you get them too scored up.

[@TheAxe4Ever]

What did he use to clean and rehydrate the wood? Looks like it was just a good mineral oil. With all the “specialty” fretboard oils out there on the market, I think just a good mineral oil is all you need. Or boiled linseed oil.

[@amaninator9985]

absolutely amazing work, well done

[@wildbob]

beautiful. And nice background music. This tutorial is focused and rich.

[@wescoffin8933]

When vivaldi winter starting playing in the background I was like 😩😩

[@Rejoice.]

absolutely magnificent. You are an artist.

[@charlief.]

Great video. Thanks for posting this. Is there anyway to put new fret markers on after scalloping the fretboard?

[@teocardoso669]

11:41 Man, this is so delightful to see!

[@kw5021]

Putting a Floyd Rose set up on a Strat is the perfect finishing touch! This is why I play Ibanez...

[@Moodymongul]

Is scalloping the neck really much different from having wide and super high frets? And if it is, why not make fret wire a few mm higher then the current tallest fret stock? Wouldn't that achieve the same effect? i.e. the fingers don't connect with the fingerboard.

[@oo6505]

I really like videos where it's all about building or modding guitars

[@Zombie_13x33]

Amazing! Makes me really wanna do it now but I may do it differently

[@cristhoferscars4073]

Best video, best song, good job.

[@Selim-qs1be]

r.i.p. strat

[@anthonypaquin8536]

+Jaden Styla I really only don't like seeing the whole fret board scalloped, I can see the appeal of some small ones above the 12th fret. I like when they use files too, it feels like it all comes along a little better

[@Dreamdancer11]

+Nira Machina Naah..on the contrary....a scalloped strat with stainless steel frets has probably the best playability a guitar can have.Scalloping provides with superior bending and vibrato feel..combine that with well polished ss frets that are smooth as fuck and you really cant do better...at least for a player that actually has a decent touch and isnt just a banger.

[@jastonchron7475]

its okay Yngwie will use it. oh wait its not yellow. r.i.p strat

[@Mifox75]

Go Play one. Scalloped is nice. I think this one may be a little too far.

[@Dreamdancer11]

No dont urge him to play one....he is one of those folks who think the string actually touches the fingerboard in regular boards too let alone scalloped ones....leave him be....he might be one of those flat earthers too.....

[@leezy7787]

man I want green fretwire

[@wizaxed]

Great video Sam!! Looking forward to hearing you tear it up!! Perhaps, some Yngwie-type stuff?? The guitar loooks great...your luthier did great work. I like the "sans fret marker" look. Happy New Year!!

[@matthewotremba9230]

I made a custom , sort of , Bow Saw that rides the table at a set height Varrying widths of strips cut from a sanding belt Secured the neck down to a 1x3 , and used ribs from an umbrella to protect frets

[@notableart1246]

nice video with beautiful classic music

[@erictripton]

I see Sergei is using air powered tool. For a Dremel, is there a bit similar to this,, I reckon I could. This beats the hell out of filing I would think...

[@erlikquadros5873]

Vivaldi always makes me feel great!

[@tmwgnrtmwgnr]

Great video! Sergei is a talented man and as talented people naturally do, especially when talent is backed by years of experience, he's made this look deceptively easy! I've never scalloped a fretboard, but I imagine one of the first mistakes people make is getting too close to the frets and not leaving enough wood on either side to securely hold the fret in place, which probably means "game over" for that particular neck. You wrote "Here is a step by step account of the process," but the step-by-step account of the process would be where?

[@cbfedge5593]

I'd scallop a 58 Les Paul if I had one

[@distortionclubla]

awesome vid and awesome craftsmanship..

[@metalhead1714]

A great video. From which company is this conical tool?

[@troublingleaf]

I would like to try a scalloped neck, but I'm not sure how easy a refret would be on one!

[@l3ertuz362]

i'll just probably do this on my $30 Yamaha Pacifica

[@glassbox7761]

Now both guitars have the same value

[@gameroftheyear1000]

@@glassbox7761 scalloping doesn’t decrease value and the joys of a strat are you can easily swap the neck.

[@jaredhind]

Very cool! Nice relaxing video hah :)

[@1958marky]

Great show -- but how do you replace the fret markers once you've sanded them away?

[@thepurpleplayer9168]

Mark Norris you really dont you just learn to play without them or get fret inlay stickers to put on

[@toneconsultant]

Holy crap! That's deep. Be careful not to go out of tune while playing.

[@danhinchliffe1015]

Not only does this feel better to play... It looks cooler too ^-^

[@sergejkrynycky728]

Stunning job. Stunning.

[@Chris-em2qc]

Desecrated. A guitar like that with a good Floyd Rose and setup should never need this

[@ReviewCart69]

You wouldn’t get it

[@pskemster]

Beautiful work. I however was a little disappointed that the fret dots were not put back on

[@arsaeterna4285]

I scalloped a guitar once in my teens it was tons of fun to chord on much more dynamic ultimately I decided I valued note accuracy more than the ambiguous bendiness

[@xjunkxyrdxdog89]

Self control helps. Dont try to murder your strings and you stay on pitch.

[@Fuzzybunny-ki1cw]

@@xjunkxyrdxdog89 exactly

[@1979GenXdude]

This one seems to be scalloped somewhat deep. Wonder if chords are playable in the lower regions...

[@xRisingForcex]

awesome work here sam.

[@stevebolin4651]

Beautiful job.

[@hermanodejesus7264]

Nice job. What about the inlays?

[@leogonzalez8674]

Nice! What did he paint on that was brown? Wood stain?

[@stevehogan8829]

Looks like you did a nice job...How's it feel?

[@matthewotremba9230]

Great job

[@JamesRussoMillas]

Wow he did a great job Sam! I was also just wondering is that the original floyd from that guitar? I noticed the massive saddles and big brass block haha

[@Javier-qk7ms]

How about a 22 fret Stratocaster neck? is the last one really doable?

[@JaredDeinlein]

By bending the string farther down, wouldn't that change the note?

[@zonakmahanta]

Jared Deinlein ...yes it also happens to a nonscalloped neck...

[@mwarnken1234]

you aren't supposed to push down that hard generally... the point is to make it so your fingers don't drag on the wood...

[@입문계]

Good job bro !

[@danaeverhart6487]

Wouldn't it be easier to buy a scalloped mighty mite fender licensed neck?

[@michaelrusso2006]

great work! the scallops look very even

[@realestateinsider7707]

Great soundtrack

[@garygrinkevich6971]

Lolz noobs it's a bolt on neck, not hard to get a stock one, a scalloped neck is way premium compared to a stock fender!! Nice hand work sir!

[@paulfrombrooklyn5409]

Don't you mean nice handy work? Nice handwork sounds a bit sexual.

[@agent19kentuckypotbaron15]

Did someone mention handjobs? im up for it

[@Greums_]

Very nice strat

[@Andy000Burns]

He scalloped that WAAY too deep.

[@JaredDeinlein]

I was just thinking, after guitar is tuned and you bend the strings all the way down to the scalloped feet, wouldn't the notes be off tuned?

[@estudiow7484]

@@JaredDeinlein Scalloped fretboards are for unbelievably light touch. You have to put just enough pressure to make the strings touch the frets. more than that, yes, gets sharp. The goal of extra jumbo frets and scalloped fretboards is to get wood out of the way so you don't ever touch it while playing.

[@tenaciousdan5831]

I'm diggin the green frets

[@jamesmiller9823]

Alot of haters out there who probably have never even played a scalloped neck, if you set the strings as low as possible and you play with a light touch, they play like a dream. I'll never own a gutiar without a scalloped neck.

[@sunnys5150]

Is it the music or the scalloping I find relaxing in this vid??

[@Balesz36]

If the point is to not touch the fingerboard while holding a note, than isn't it easier just to use dunlop6000(superjumbo) frets?

[@tadeucaldararo]

Awesome job!!

[@anthonybymallia7067]

thumbs up forsure awesome job bro it was very nice to watch you have cetanly good hands is it better than a normal fretbard?

[@MickSammonsMusicWorld]

Did you miss playing without the dots?

[@Shuteyetn]

Damn really nicely done

[@stubhead]

Ahoy, Duckie? Could you please say what bit was that you were using on your... Foredom? It is a Foredom? That looks like a metal grinding bit, but... was it a rasp just too fast to see it's little teethies? All info appreciated! Thanks.

[@TomGoldsmithguitar]

beautiful!

[@Nickbaldeagle02]

What was the oil used to finish the wood? I have an old Squier Strat. I fancy trying this myself. Pimp it into an uber axe.

[@spikespiegel6587]

+Nick Baldeagle Caster oil for guitar

[@fusion-music]

+Nick Baldeagle Go to Crimson Guitars Nick. They have the best oil.

[@NoyzyBoyZ3]

Awesome job man!! Can I send you one to do for me? I just can't find the patience.

[@rampwizard]

Great job! Perfect, dude!

[@angelisone]

How long did it take from start to finish? How much will you charge for this labored jobs?

[@ShreddedShredder0]

At 15:00 you can see that the depths of the fretboard are uneven. I personally would have used files - sides along the width first to get the depths even, then the center to even out the depth along the frets. Good job nonetheless; it takes a lot of courage to do something like this to a beloved instrument.

[@checcob7906]

Good work, but what about the missing dots?

[@TheRockinDonkey]

Look on the side of the fretboard. Those are still there

[@Afurthyclays]

Was that a wood stain, or oil treatment you used near the end? Beautiful job!

[@Whyypamungkas]

wow amazing work, so how much time did you spend to do all these things? I mean in real time, of course the video is a sixteen minutes of great work