Scalloped Frets

[AltGrendel]

I remember reading an interview with John McLaughlin where he said that with a scalloped fretboard, he could bend the F at the first fret on the low E up to a B.

That's one reason why you would want scalloped frets on a guitar, a full scalloped fretboard on a bass doesn't make as much sense to me. I'd go fretless, or at least do a Billy Sheenan and have just the thing done above the 17th or 19th fret.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

it gives the illusion of playing faster by requiring very little pressure to fret a note.

i think the entire thing is silly. i like to feel the fretboard. i dont think i could get into pressing on little telephone wires. especially chords on a guitar. yikes. the partial scalloping thing apparently makes it easier to get at those last 4 frets. i never have problems on my non scalloped neck. maybe i just dont get it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerboard#Scalloping

This

Scalloping was all the rage in the '80s when shredding/schweeling and hoodly-hooing were what the kids loved. True, some kids still like that stuff, but for most it is passe.

 

[ThrashMaster]

I do this mostly with a set of interior bevel gouges, then move on to sanding blocks at the very end. Waaaaay faster than sittin there with a rat tale file for hours upon hours...just make sure you have sharp tools

Gouges with the bevels on the inside can be kinda tough to find nowadays, since most traditional woodworking tools are going to way of the dodo, but if you ever come across a set pickem up...useful for many things