Tonal Influence of a Scalloped Fingerboard

[Mincer]

I've used scalloped fingerboards for a long time, but never built a Warmoth with one yet. Being that a good portion of the wood is not there, and the string is contacting the top of the frets only, how big of an influence does the wood have? If I have a roasted maple neck, and I am deciding on the fingerboard, does choosing rosewood warm things up, or is it more about looks at that point (it is getting the tone mostly from the maple)?

 

[Rick]

You'll never know until you try it.  Do it.

 

[mayfly]

 

[ragamuffin]

My experience is that the influence of wood on the final tone of any electric guitar is slight. I would go with the fretboard that you like the looks/feel of better. Personally I like a dark fretboard better on most guitars.

 

[Mincer]

With a traditional fretboard, in a Strat for instance, you can absolutely feel and hear the difference between a maple one and rosewood fretboard. A scalloped one might (I don't know) be just like a veneer on a body: not so much for sound, but for looks. I haven't done any kind of experiment to test that, though.  Currently, the scalloped fingerboards I have are rosewood, and I tend to go for rounder, smoother sounds.

 

[mayfly]

Sounds like you should go with rosewood or something in the ballpark then.  Don't stray too far from what you know on the first build.  BTW, I have a roasted maple neck with a rosewood board (and SS frets) and it is a joy to play.

 

[ragamuffin]

With a traditional fretboard, in a Strat for instance, you can absolutely feel and hear the difference between a maple one and rosewood fretboard. A scalloped one might (I don't know) be just like a veneer on a body: not so much for sound, but for looks. I haven't done any kind of experiment to test that, though.  Currently, the scalloped fingerboards I have are rosewood, and I tend to go for rounder, smoother sounds.

You can absolutely feel the difference yes, but hear... if you say so. If you like rosewood then go for it.

Like Mayfly said, SS frets are awesome!

 

[swarfrat]

I may be wrong, but I'm inclined to think that much like pointy guitars, scalloped frets is likely to bias the equation coefficient in favor of "amp choice/settings and pickups". I don't mean this in any sort of derogatory way, just yeah - won't be noticed on a galloping horse, as my grandmother used to say.

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

Rosewood is one of the harder, tougher and stronger woods.  If you are ordering a scalloped neck it seems like a good choice.

My own opinion is the less material you have in the neck, the more prone to flexing and midrange resonances it becomes.  So the wood choice is likely to be more important in terms of getting the required structural stability and tone quality as well.

 

[Mincer]

Rosewood is one of the harder, tougher and stronger woods.  If you are ordering a scalloped neck it seems like a good choice.

My own opinion is the less material you have in the neck, the more prone to flexing and midrange resonances it becomes.  So the wood choice is likely to be more important in terms of getting the required structural stability and tone quality as well.

I am not worried about it flexing, with the modern truss rod...I have never had issues with regular maple/rosewood necks with vintage rods. My concern is really the smaller role of the fingerboard wood when some of it is cut away.

 

[stratamania]

I have two scalloped fingerboards, one maple, one rosewood. They are not Warmoth's one being an Yngwie model and the other a Blackmore both Fender.

I would say the differences are similar to a rosewood or maple boards without scallops. After all the frets are not attached to the wood that is no longer there.

Contrary to what swarfrat mentioned the differences can be heard through an amp or acoustically. I was just playing some jazz on the Yngwie so much like pointy guitars making assumptions of what is done with them has a bias coefficient in itself.

But then again the two scalloped guitars are somewhat different the Yngwie is a one piece maple with deep scallops, the Blackmore has a fairly thin rosewood board and shallower scallops and smaller frets so what part of the guitar is responsible for its tone when there are a number of moving parts and variables that contribute to the overall result.

Both of those Fenders have a traditional truss rod versus the Warmoth Modern construction which may according to some make more difference to tone than just the fretboard.

Rosewood is easier to work than hard maple and would not need to be finished afterwards so if I was going to scallop one myself I would tend to go that route if doing it by hand.

The conclusion both maple and rosewood boards are tried and tested recipes for scalloped and non scalloped guitars and if you want a rosewood one the only way you are going to know is to get one and factor it in with the finished result.

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

I am not worried about it flexing, with the modern truss rod...I have never had issues with regular maple/rosewood necks with vintage rods. My concern is really the smaller role of the fingerboard wood when some of it is cut away.

The difference you notice must be due to flexing, whether its stability issue, resonance issue, or rigidity you feel while you are playing.  Personally I'm not aware any effect due to fretboard material apart from those caused by hardness and rigidity aspects.

The potential problem with the stability is the fretboard may develop bumps after it has been strung to tension for many years or decades.  There isn't total certainty the truss rod will act evenly across the entire span of the neck.  Having a more stable neck means the neck should retain the correct playing surface for the most accurate setup and best action. 

 

[BroccoliRob]

I have two scalloped fingerboards, one maple, one rosewood. They are not Warmoth's one being an Yngwie model and the other a Blackmore both Fender.

I would say the differences are similar to a rosewood or maple boards without scallops. After all the frets are not attached to the wood that is no longer there.

Contrary to what swarfrat mentioned the differences can be heard through an amp or acoustically. I was just playing some jazz on the Yngwie so much like pointy guitars making assumptions of what is done with them has a bias coefficient in itself.

But then again the two scalloped guitars are somewhat different the Yngwie is a one piece maple with deep scallops, the Blackmore has a fairly thin rosewood board and shallower scallops and smaller frets so what part of the guitar is responsible for its tone when there are a number of moving parts and variables that contribute to the overall result.

Both of those Fenders have a traditional truss rod versus the Warmoth Modern construction which may according to some make more difference to tone than just the fretboard.

Rosewood is easier to work than hard maple and would not need to be finished afterwards so if I was going to scallop one myself I would tend to go that route if doing it by hand.

The conclusion both maple and rosewood boards are tried and tested recipes for scalloped and non scalloped guitars and if you want a rosewood one the only way you are going to know is to get one and factor it in with the finished result.

do these guitars have the same pups (pickups not small dogs)? How can you compare fretboard tone diffs between two completely separate Instrumentz?

 

[stratamania]

I have two scalloped fingerboards, one maple, one rosewood. They are not Warmoth's one being an Yngwie model and the other a Blackmore both Fender.

I would say the differences are similar to a rosewood or maple boards without scallops. After all the frets are not attached to the wood that is no longer there.

Contrary to what swarfrat mentioned the differences can be heard through an amp or acoustically. I was just playing some jazz on the Yngwie so much like pointy guitars making assumptions of what is done with them has a bias coefficient in itself.

But then again the two scalloped guitars are somewhat different the Yngwie is a one piece maple with deep scallops, the Blackmore has a fairly thin rosewood board and shallower scallops and smaller frets so what part of the guitar is responsible for its tone when there are a number of moving parts and variables that contribute to the overall result.

Both of those Fenders have a traditional truss rod versus the Warmoth Modern construction which may according to some make more difference to tone than just the fretboard.

Rosewood is easier to work than hard maple and would not need to be finished afterwards so if I was going to scallop one myself I would tend to go that route if doing it by hand.

The conclusion both maple and rosewood boards are tried and tested recipes for scalloped and non scalloped guitars and if you want a rosewood one the only way you are going to know is to get one and factor it in with the finished result.

do these guitars have the same pups (pickups not small dogs)? How can you compare fretboard tone diffs between two completely separate Instrumentz?

In the same way one would between two instruments that are not scalloped. You listen after taking the hot dogs out of your ears of course.

 

[BroccoliRob]

Bro don't even get me started in hot dogs i got stories for days. I'm just #saying there are too many variables between any 2 guitars too claim you can pinpoint a diff (difference) in tone just due to teh fretboard wood. Like comparing inspecter gadget and the terminator. Theyre both awesome robots but too different to say which is better or has more effective killing power

 

[PhilHill]

Gentleman, gentlemen, perhaps I can help settle this. First, I need some information. Now, are we talking kosher all-beef hot dogs, or Oscar Mayer and his pitifully wimpy weenies?

 

[stratamania]

No idea Phil, I don't eat hot dogs or cold ones either for that matter  :icon_thumright:

 

[BroccoliRob]

I have actually put on a couple of pounds since the 2020 began. People used to say to me, “Youre way too skinny, robert, eat a block of cheese or a dozen hot dogs or something” and I was very selfconscious of my scrawnyness when I was in my teens. i avoided any environment where I would have to take off my shirt off in public, such as the beach or swimming pools, and I forged dozens of notes to get out of showering in high school gym class. had some memorable convos (conversations) with the gym coach:

“robert, this note states you have smallpox.”

“Yes. just on my chest though, that’s why I can’t take my shirt off.”

“Smallpox was eradicated in the early 1900's... ”

“It’s a different type of smallpox. Smaller pox."

“well Last week you had rabies.”

“Yes, a bat bit me, but only on my chest.”

But now because of hot dogs pre and during 2020, i am a healthier weight and have positive body image