Scalloped - why?

[JT Szymanski]

I know this topic has been beaten to death because I have read many of the posts in the archive. *However, I still don't really understand the purpose of scalloping the fretboard. *Please can someone explain it to me.
Why scallope?
Advanages/Disadvantages?
Why only upper frets?
Who does it?

My Jem10 is not scalloped but other jems are, Help... I'm so confused!

[jemsite]

for JEMs the answers are here...
http://www.jemsite.com/axes/htm_features/spec.htm
scroll down to "Miscellaneous JEM Notes" ...glen

[jeffrey]

Those scallops are for looks only. Waste of wood imo. :P

The frets are so close together down there already that with the tall frets it's got you'd never touch the fingerboard anyway (which is the whole purpose of scalloping; eliminate fingerboard drag).

So on the JEM's it's just for looks and 'wow' factor, nothing else.

[AJ Love]

seems to me it's easier to grab those high notes you want to bend when they are scalloped

[jeffrey]

Heh. Everyone says that.

Lay your guitar down flat so you can see underneath the strings.

Then fret it, try really hard to touch the fingerboard down there. Unless you have reeeeaaally flabby fingers, it's not gonna happen.

Scalloping makes sense where the frets are larger since the string has more room to flex/bend down. There you can suffer from fingerboard drag.

But if I were to scallop a neck I'd probably only do 1st-12th or something. Maybe 15th. I've got pretty big hands/fingers and I don't even think the fleshy tips of mine wrap over the string above the 12th on my UV.

[AJ Love]

well maybe its all in my head...seems to make a difference to me...

when I play a guitar without a scalloped neck it does seem a little harder to get singing sustain on bent notes

(Edited by AJ Love at 4:15 am on Aug. 2, 2001)

[rickboot]

I tend to agree with Jeffrey on the Jem scallops. They don't seem to impact playing at all for me. I still suck!
Glen's link explains that Ibanez did scallops on the old heel designs to improve sustain.

Scalloping does reduce the change of fingerboard drag and allows you to grab the strings better. This is really useful if you have low action. Scalloping also affects the feel on the edge of the fingerboard. It is a very different feeling not have the edge of the fingerboard in the way.
A major disadvantage to scalloping is that it is easy to bend notes out of pitch so playing with a lighter touch is required. This same problem may make playing those funny jazz chords in tune more difficult.

[GuyCool]

I seem to get a more 'positive fretting experience' with the scallops. I'm rarely up there, but when I am it does seem to make a difference. Maybe I just feel like I have to fret a little harder, and so it only seems to give a clearer note.
I don't doubt that there is a cosmetic appeal too, however.


Guy

[JT Szymanski]

Quote: from jemsite on 8:50 pm on Aug. 1, 2001
for JEMs the answers are here...
http://www.jemsite.com/axes/htm_features/spec.htm
scroll down to "Miscellaneous JEM Notes" ...glen

Thanks that got to the point.

So is scalloped boards on Jems a thing of the past now that the AANJ is here to stay?

(Edited by JT Szymanski at 9:54 am on Aug. 2, 2001)

[wilch]

To answer that last question...

I hope not. Yeah, they don't do much anymore these days. But they look *kinda* cool, and add an extra visual difference between the Jem and RG line.

For me I notice a difference with the scalloping at 21-24. I'm up there alot of the time. But I guess I haven't played an AANJ without scallops.

I like them. Before I didn't like playing up past the 19th fret (felt uncomfortable). But on my Jem with the scallops and AANJ it feels more natural to play up there.

[RSVampire]

acually scalloping for fret drag is only part of the reason....when you have that semi-circle of wood gone it's easy to get your finger under the string while still resting it on a fret....and if you use your pick to do right handed hammer ons then you can shove that pick down in there really good.....there are a bunch of good stuff they can do....