Scallop Your Guitar (Standard Scallop, Frets 14-21)

Step 2 Starting Off...

Find a nice working area with a lot of space.

Lay your guitar flat on the working table, and clip all your strings. I found it handy to scallop my frets right before I needed a string change.

Remove all strings and turn the guitar over. Unscrew the screws that hold the body and neck of the guitar. Not all guitars have bolt on necks, I find removing the neck easier so that you have more control. It's alright to scallop the neck when it is attached, just be cautious.

Recently people have asked me, "Why didn't you just untie the strings?". Yeah, you can unitie the strings and scallop your frets. My strings were getting old, and my guitar strings are tied so that I left little slack, which makes it very difficult to restring. Plus I restring my guitar about once to twice a month, so I just waited until it was convenient for me.

Comments

[BobMarleyFan]

I wouldn't clip the strings, the change in tension could damage your guitar, instead, loosen them and take them off or at least take most of the strain off of them and then clip them, plus this prevents strings from flying every where

[asdfcrow]

The change in tension will not damage the guitar, provided you aren't using 12's. Guitars are built from stronger stuff than that. However, it probably is a good idea to loosen them, I just unwrap mine.

[itsachen]

Correct, I just didn't write "loosen strings" before clip.

[pickboy2mm]

why did you scallop the neck?  it makes solo's sound out of tune unless your yngwie or something?  it makes a descent guitar player sound bad?

[dfwsupergeek]

It will make the guitar sound out of tune if you don't change how hard you push the strings at those frets. As other folks have pointed out, you have to train yourself to play more gently- just touching the strings as opposed to pushing on them and relying on the wood to stop your fingers.
Great instructable! I may try this, but not on the guitars I have now- (Washburn electric, BC Rich Warlock NJ Series)... I'm going to have to go pawn shopping for a scalloping experiment now! :)

[mae-kitty]

The only real reason it would sound bad is because most people are used to having to press hard on the strings. With a scalloped neck you have to train yourself to be more gentle. When you try to sweep or do bends, go easy on the strings. Scalloped necks actually help increase the play life of strings because they arent being used so heavily. Scalloped or not is based on preference.

[itsachen]

I was testing it out. Plus, it makes bending so much easier. It doesn't make solo's sound out of tune...I don't know where you got that from. It also doesn't make a decent player sound bad..

[tensegrity]

So I haven't ever played a scalloped neck instrument, but I'm also wondering about the effect on tuning while playing. With scalloping, won't the amount of pressure your finger puts on the string be more variable? Without scalloping, your finger always has the same amount of travel to bottom out, so the length/tension of the string is uniform everytime you finger a note at that same fret. I would think with the scalloping you can press lightly to get the string to contact the fret, and then you could keep pressing which would then make the note go higher. Is this not what happens?

[pickboy2mm]

it is exactly what happens. only a couple people play them. if it was a good idea a normal guitar company would have at least one model with a scalloped neck or have it at least have it as an option. the only that i know of is the yngwie signature fender strat which i had and returned shortly after. it is kind of different and fun but if your playing a show and running around and singing and playing you dont need the added objective of how far to push the string down. and for it being easier to bend a string... is it really that hard to bend a string?....i dont know that it gets any easier really. :) it is my opinion i guess. most guitar stores dont even have on in the shop but if you go to a huge specialty shop like ed roman or something try one out.

[itsachen]

Bending isn't hard, but you with a scalloped board I can bend two full steps in a breeze. Literally, its so easy.

Its hard to explain without actually playing. The finger pressure is also something you need to experience. It honestly doesn't make a bit of difference frets 12 and above.

[itsachen]

It is....but only on larger frets. Since I scalloped only frets 12-21, the distance between frets is smaller. Because of this, that slight bend does not occur. I actually tried testing it out and it takes a decent amount of pressure to bend a note by pressing it down on my scalloped frets. The tension of the string and the small distance between frets makes that bend literally non-existent while playing normally.

[sheepdude]

hey i followed your killswitch instuctable, but i've got to know where did you get your pick guard? is it a mirror? it's really cool i like all your instructables, they're easy to follow.

[itsachen]

Oh, it came with my guitar. At first I really didn't like it, but I guess that's what makes it unique. Thanks for following my instructables!

[m4573rk3yb04rd]

couldn't u just untune the strings so that they come out of the neck instead of buying new ones?

[itsachen]

Again, I tie my strings with little slack using this method.
http://www.uncletim.com/setup.htm

Not enough to restring with.