Why Use A SCALLOPED Fretboard When You Can Have TALLER FRETS?

[@har234908234]

I scalloped a cheap guitar and I now have a guitar with the tallest fretwire I could buy that doesn't get played. It's not for everyone - I'm all for it as I have rather padded fingertips. Some considerations - tall frets are usually wider... Scalloping gives the feel of tall frets with whatever width of fret you want. I've seen scalloped fretboards with huge u shaped gouges that are centered between the frets - I don't understand that. I think the more wood you leave the better. Some of the considerations I thought of. 1. Fingertips fretting the wound E string likely don't need any scalloping. They may never touch the wood there because the string diameter is added to the fret height. 2. Given that I finger close to the fret - that's the spot where the wood needs to be taken away. Only when chording do I stray, and I'm not inclined to bend those chords 3. How much bending is done on the first and second frets? Do you need to take away wood there? These considerations left the fretboard with triangular shaped gouges at one end and u shaped at the higher frets. Looking at the guitar in seated position I don't see the scalloping.

[@lone-wolf-1]

Have the same thoughts. I scalloped a kit build guitar, in Y. Malmsteen style but not as deep (just 1,3mm). I liked it, also because it teached me to play with a lighter touch. But I find it's not necessary to have a centered symmetrical scallop for all frets and all strings. So, my next scallopping was more subtle and assymmetrical. Started very very shallow on the first fret (for eye pleasing symmetry) but just for the high e, and closer to the fretted fret, the scallops getting slightly deeper to the 5th fret and up under the B string. And so forth, little deeper, V shaped and higher up the neck extended more and more towards the low strings, till the last scalloped fret was the deepest under the high e (1,1mm) and fading out almost under the low E. The upper edge of the fretboard is untouched and dead straight. I found it the most comfortable and very practical scalloping. It became my most played guitar (Ibanez Gio 221 with Plasma 3 pickups) out of 9. The other guitars have a little taller frets, or 11's gauge strings, and do not "need" a scalloping. Edit: I had a light fear of later torsion of the neck, but it did not happen in the last 4 or 5 years since the scalloping.

[@har234908234]

@@lone-wolf-1 Aesthetically, the blending and consistency of the scalloping towards the nut (where I didn't care for it has been an issue). It's really just me being picky about my craftsmanship. At some point I might learn how to setup a CNC router to get the sort of consistency I want! I've had similar fears about twisting necks over the years, but never have had one do that. I'm wondering what it might take to make that happen and whether I should give it a go! As far as normal bow, I do live in a pretty consistent climate, FWIW.

[@lone-wolf-1]

@@har234908234 Have to say, I'm pretty happy with my first scallopes. They turned out very even and harmoniously symmetrical. But took me literally 20 hours of careful work, till I finished them. 😓 Oh well, including rounding and polishing the fret ends😊 The journey continued with the fret markers. The dots where half gone, so I made individual squares out of splitted pickguard material, wich I first bend to the shape of the scallops.

[@RotterStudios]

I've played scalloped and absolutely love it for bending and even lead work. Good luck playing chords, especially complex chords...everything will be out of tune. You need to press exactly the same pressure on each string for each finger or it sounds terribly out of tune.

[@noruledev]

Sorry, but there is quite a lot of ignorance in this video. You may wanna try looking for Sintoms fretwire w4.33m / h2.55m online. While this is true that it's not that wide-spread, and it's unlikely to find it pre-installed on guitars produced by popular guitar manufacturers, this is not something new, and people do refret their guitars using wider and taller frets (and they do exist). There is no issue with setting up a new nut, and usually the bridge height can be adjusted without any custom modifications.

[@alejandrowizbourne5719]

Развернуто ответил 👍У меня косноязычный английсикий, увы)

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

... all objections to things I did not say.

[@alejandrowizbourne5719]

​​@@MusicTheoryForGuitar But someone who looks like you in this video told, that giant frets does not exist, which is obviously not true. And that man told either that it is serious issue to raise the nut - also not true. Recive all my appologises for this sarcastic point of view, but we are all must accept the fact, that nowadays scalloping is barbarian destroying of fretboard wood. We ve got "empire state building" sintoms frets, which works fantastic. Try them - you'll fall in love with them. I'm playing on sintoms more than 2 years, and as happy as a lark.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

If they work for you, great. With scalloping I can ADD ~5mm on top (well, bottom...) of the already fairly tall frets I have. Do you know of anybody that makes frets >5mm tall? Is it possible to adjust nut + bridge to accommodate them?

[@alejandrowizbourne5719]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar there's no need in 5mm tall if you just want not to touch fretboard)

[@r-bascus]

I took of the frets on my strat and got Ibanez frets. Really good and easy to play.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Strats, in general, have very narrow frets. Tall frets like the ones used in most Ibanez would indeed make a Strat easier to play.

[@batmaniac66]

Great video. I scalloped myself 3 guitars, Blackmore style. It´s fantastic to play.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Mine is scalloped too Blackmore style ;-)

[@r-bascus]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar Aren't blackmore and Malmsteen scalloped different? I think I heard Blackmore say in an interview that on his guitar it was scalloped towards the fret where you hold your finger for the tone. This was a bit clumsily explained. And Malmsten has scalloped the entire band.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

@@r-bascus That's correct. Mine is scalloped Blackmore-style.

[@mikec6733]

I thought it was for allowing micro tonal pitch variations by using more or less pressure.... Wrong ???

[@jacebastian7192]

Definitely need to try a scalloped fretboard now!

[@JohnSoldano]

Your video was fantastic. Thank you so much for your time.

[@BigWhiteNuz]

I don’t know how you guys but I love the vood under my fingertips

[@meowwoem6372]

i have a scallped strat. no idea why i bought the neck as when i actually looked at how i play guitar, i don't press hard enough on the strings to hit the fingerboard with my finger tips. i gave the strat to my son to play.

[@timothy5974]

Did you scallop this guitar. I have a Fender Malmsteen. Love it.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

I had a trusted luthier scallop it. The Malmsteen Strat is a great instrument too!

[@johnomeara7272]

Hi, i am wondering how scalloping might interact with a neck's radius? My neck has a 8.5 inch radius and the frets are in line with this radius. thanks

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

It doesn't, because you only remove the wood in between the frets, but the frets are untouched. So the radius is the same.

[@johnomeara7272]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar so basically once you scallop a fret the fret wire becomes the surface?

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

@@johnomeara7272 The fret wire is already the surface even before you scallop ;-)

[@johnomeara7272]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar ok got it thank you

[@boshi9]

Good explanation, thanks.

[@WawakGuitar]

The tangs would not be able to keep the tall fret vertical.

[@sedoyotec]

SINTOMS 433259F is THAT tall fret that you can put on your fretborad. And no issues with that - feels like scalloped and also reversible. In fact, it gained popularity because of this dude - @Gleb_Oleinik

[@jackreston8188]

You said wood ...

[@richermorin]

thank you so much

[@zolibxl]

Cool stuff. I scalloped a fretboard once... and I ruined that instrument. I then used the learnings to scallop another one, which is now playing great. Also a Strat for that matter.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Ouch! Well, at least it ended well (for the second guitar)

[@alejandrowizbourne5719]

There are serial tall frets: Sintoms 4,3mm wide, 2,6mm tall. Very convinient, much more versatile than scalloped. You can see them in real playing kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ3Zm3qMgKh6j7M

[@noruledev]

Apparently (and unfortunately) Tommaso hasn't done his homework in this case.

[@alejandrowizbourne5719]

@@noruledev да, к сожалению, Вы чертовски правы)))

[@davekiddie4467]

Not the same

[@Vampire102]

Still not the same, its much easier and probably cheaper to scallop than having an awkward looking tall frets

[@alejandrowizbourne5719]

@@Vampire102 haha. Much harder and expensively to destroy your fretboard with all the inlays. And you couldn't turn it back. Not very clever decision

[@raffaelemoretti2369]

Però, a questo punto, mi chiedo, la resistenza del manico, alla trazione delle corde, diminuisce per effetto dello scalopped?

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

La resistenza massima probabilmente diminuisce, ma nella gamma di tensioni delle corde non c'e' nessuna differenza apprezabile.

[@bkmeahan]

You could do it by cutting the neck pocket deeper and putting the fretboard closer to the body, cutting the nut slot deeper and then raising the bridge and installing a taller nut. But, as you point out, everything would have to be engineered with that goal from the beginning. you couldn't just do it to an already built guitar.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Yes, exactly.

[@deplinenoise]

A big problem with super tall frets is that you end up with a neck that feels “thicker” as the distance from the back to the top of the frets is now much longer. Scallops allow more space without adding thickness.

[@Steeyuv]

John McLaughlin got Abe Wechter to make the Shakti guitar in the mid-70s, and the scalloped fretboard was the least remarkable thing about it!

[@nicolasforfant484]

How to refrain from touching the fretboard ... and then have all the notes bended way to high on a scalloped neck! I can't figure out how to exert the exact presure "in the air" (especially on speedy and tense moments) without pushing too deep... This is for Aliens or 25 years + skilled guitarists ?!

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Well, there are a few exercises that can help, but basically you learn to put "just enough" pressure. It's not as hard as it seems - plus it's something you should do anyway so you don't overstress your fingers.

[@listopadoff]

Ever played a sitar? they have tall and movable frets. even removable. But on guitar it will be hard to play chords I guess. Win some, lose some.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Chords are still playable on a scalloped guitar, as long as you retrain your fingers to use JUST the right amount of pressure. Much easier than what people expect, actually.

[@listopadoff]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar another example would be the chinese lute: pipa kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaTMfmSth8ioqrM

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Cool!

[@Stemma3]

"The design is timeless" * A different bridge; * Two knobs; * A humbucker and a Dimarzio Dp182 Fast Track * Scalloped fretboard. That was funny as hell

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

:-)))

[@Stemma3]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar (Go be clear) I understood your point, I was just making a silly joke. Everybody likes to add new thinks to Stratocasters, it is also designed to put your hands there because it is easy to assemble and disassemble.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Yes, I understood. It's a joke, but you are perfectly right! Other Strats I have are more "traditional", but yes, it is an instrument that lends itself on customization.

[@y007p3]

Vood 😉 I like your accent 👍

[@dddakapalejoegrindexofteny4026]

The high fret/nut/bridge combination has been done... check out kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5WpdZl8Zs-Yh7s

[@italozanoti7180]

It would be a Sitar if this have the superfrets project

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Superfrets project? Tell me more

[@italozanoti7180]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar they work like a scalloped guitar but with really high frets and string action. The players make bends pressing the string down, maybe Im wrong but this os what I rebember for some demos of sitar players

[@italozanoti7180]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar lol, I was talking about the exemple of the video in this "project" concept as you drawed

[@Liberty-hw9dh]

Tall narrow frets for me, scalloped fretboard is not very useful for me. Thx.

[@mahbubellahi9191]

Simply a bigger fretted guitar would be more like a sitar. And but unfortunately if you make a hybrid of a guitar and sitar, it might sound weird as playing chords and all that would be tough, and you can play melody lines but due to the lack of drone strings it will not sound as rich as a sitar. So baseline it would be a weird thing

[@maxmustardman298]

lets make this one more interesting and remove all the frets while still having deep scallops...Yngwie, get outta that Ferrari and hand me your strat !

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

:-)))

[@mC_DiDiDiDiDi]

Ok.

[@chryslercartography9024]

In my opinion guitar vibrato is over used by guitar players. Does Eric Clapton uses minimal vibrato? I think so.

[@BradleySlavik]

He said it: "Nobody is doing it". The smarter way to use taller frets would be to sink the fretboard by the difference between an ordinary fret and the tall fret. Amazingly, he never mentions this. Any other change requires modifying the saddle, nut, and so on.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

If you know anybody who's doing this, I'm all ears.