Scalloped Fretboard

[theodoropoulos]

i am planning a scalloped fretboard but after some tests i have these questions:

1)By masking the frets it also very easy to damage them.I thought something.Pehaps installing temporary frets with the sides cut off

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for_Fretting/Fret_Barber.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=14462

(with this tool) in order to shape the scalloped neck and then removing them and installing the original..What is you opinion??

2)which tools do you use for scalloping??my problem is the different tools i must use for different sizes..i uses dremmel ,smalll rasp..

3)how do you maintain the depth in the whole fretboard???i thought of making a slot with a saw with standard depth

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for_Fretting/Fret_Slotting_Saw_System.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=1366

.Just to see the target depth...What do you think???

4)the dots installation is before or after the scalloping??

thank you in advance!!

Edited December 8, 2011 by theodoropoulos

[WezV]

1) fret as normal, then mask, then scallop ... if your hittign the frets you just need to be more careful

2)i really like a rat tail file for most of the frets - not so good near the nut but then i prefer partial scallop jobs so generally only past the 12th fret anyway, and the file is pretty perfect for these. then its sanding, sanding and more sanding

3)i generally do it by eye, but if in doubt use a dremel on a router base with a round nose bit to set your lowest point and work from there

4)as long as you know how deep your scallops are it can be before or after. if its before they are a good depth guide, but also a rick if you go too low.

also, dont scallop right up to the fret - i like it close but you still need a good deal of flat area to help with future refrets

[theodoropoulos]

1) fret as normal, then mask, then scallop ... if your hittign the frets you just need to be more careful

2)i really like a rat tail file for most of the frets - not so good near the nut but then i prefer partial scallop jobs so generally only past the 12th fret anyway, and the file is pretty perfect for these. then its sanding, sanding and more sanding

3)i generally do it by eye, but if in doubt use a dremel on a router base with a round nose bit to set your lowest point and work from there

4)as long as you know how deep your scallops are it can be before or after. if its before they are a good depth guide, but also a rick if you go too low.

also, dont scallop right up to the fret - i like it close but you still need a good deal of flat area to help with future refrets

thank you so much for replying!!!

[Tim37]

I did a fret board on A cheapie guitar once I just ran a piece of tape down the side of The fret Board to gauge my depth. I used a couple of rasps and sand paper wraped around what ever. I would recommend doing it by hand forget the power tools a rasp will knock out the bulk quick enough then is all hand work either way. Really it took longer to work through the fine grits and than it did to do the bulk. Btw it turned out much better than I ever expected except I figured out real quick o don't liked scalloped frets. It was fun though.

That's all I have to add.

[theodoropoulos]

I did a fret board on A cheapie guitar once I just ran a piece of tape down the side of The fret Board to gauge my depth. I used a couple of rasps and sand paper wraped around what ever. I would recommend doing it by hand forget the power tools a rasp will knock out the bulk quick enough then is all hand work either way. Really it took longer to work through the fine grits and than it did to do the bulk. Btw it turned out much better than I ever expected except I figured out real quick o don't liked scalloped frets. It was fun though.

That's all I have to add.

you know, I AM IN LOVE WITH MALMSTEEN.I have studied this amazing vibrato he works and found that it was too difficult for me to do it..So i though to make a scalloped one..I just did a very one rough one,and i am very excited with it...I have not connected with pickus yet.just unplugged..but i confess it's much more difficult...but i love it!!it looks really cool....!!!how long did it take you to do it???

[Tim37]

I spent a couple of hours a day on it after work total time maybe 8 hours that includes masking and remasking and reremasking and finishing. The tutorial on the main page is right about masking the frets I think that was the most time consuming part.