How-To: Scalloped guitar frets

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How-To: Scalloped guitar frets

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Pandaman0529 shares his steps for a very interesting guitar mod –

So what exactly are scalloped frets? Scalloping a fretboard is when you remove wood from the fretboard so that when the guitar is played, the fingers only contact the string, not the wood underneath, eliminating massive amounts of friction. It is much easier to bend strings with a scalloped guitar, and many guitarists do claim that scalloped fretboards allow you to play faster, as minimal contact with the string is needed.

I’ve never playedone of these necks, but I’m guessing it would be rather bouncy – that kind of momentum could boost one to prog-solo speeds in no time. Pretty straightforward (if a bit tedious) process with sandpaper + metal files – see the instructable for more.

10 thoughts on “How-To: Scalloped guitar frets

  1. WDWKR says:

    You could use a router or better yet a milling machine with the proper bit or end mill to make this a more precise and less tedious job.

    1. Collin Cunningham says:

      very true – yet another reason I need to own one!

  2. Mig says:

    A Dremel and a steady hand should do it surely? Failing that rig up a jig. I swear some people on here just *have* to go for the most-expensive-tool-for-the-job option.

  3. Kieran says:

    There’s a reason this has to be done by hand and that’s because the fret spacing varies, getting smaller towards the body of the guitar. I suppose it could be done by machine as the radius of the scallops looks to be the same regardless of size, the larger ones just have a flat area between the curved bits.

  4. dg says:

    You can get a similar effect much more easily/inexpensively (not to mention less-destructively) by replacing the frets with bass frets.

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