I’m a bit heavy handed. I’ve never tried one because I KNOW everything would end up being sharp.

 

That's the same exact problem I had, when I tried my friends Yngwie Malmsteen Fender guitar.

 

There was one hanging in the local shop round these parts. It made me feel uncomfortable so I left.

The concept is interesting however.

I'm ham fisted so the scallops would just give me a greater inclination to drive those strings sharp.

 

I also haven't tried one. I have seen people take a nice fender stratocaster and do it them selves and I'm sure regretted after. I will probably come across one and try it just to say I did.

 

I think in the same path I guess. If I am used to connecting with the fretboard, and the fretboard is now way farther away, wouldn't I want to still connect??

Not according to Tyler... but I'd have to play one to believe it.

 

I like YouTube title: "Scalloped guitar sound incredible"...well... I don't see why scalloping would make it sound bad but...
I haven't tried one, but I wonder how different it is from a regular fretboard with Jumbo frets where you finger don't touch the fretboard either.

 

You know because....
"More is More"

 

Hard to argue that point. Go on... say "less is more"! More is still more!!

 

Makes it easier to sneak a cloth under there to clean the fretboard.

 

Seems to me that with a lot of analysis and thinking plus a couple of years of woodshedding, you could probably overcome the tuning issues of a conventional equal-tempered guitar and actually play chords with the third perfectly in tune. I'd like that but not enough to actually go there.

 

I had a Malmsteen strat for a while many years ago. It always felt kind of hard on the fingers but I used either 10-46 or 11-49 back then.
I have a customer that I've done a few scallop jobs for. He uses really light strings 9-38 and says he has a very light touch. I think this is the key to playing on a scalloped fretboard. Like anything, you get used to it.

 

Tall Jumbo frets are the closest that I'll ever get to a scalloped fretboard.

 

Twice and I'm in no hurry for a third time. I play with a fairly light left hand and i still struggled. If i remember correctly Ritchie Blackmore originally said scalloped fretboards allowed him to play faster. Whether that's true or not it would be lost on me as I'm not a speed demon. They have their fans, I'm just not one of them.

 

I played a YJM once a while back. I found it surprisingly normal to play. I was expecting to be going sharp all the time, but it just felt like a nice broken in neck.

 

I bolted a scalloped neck to one of my Strats during COVID.

Yes, a light touch is what's needed, otherwise sharpie will be looking for you. You can definitely improve your speed, but it felt like I was shivering over the fingerboard rather than playing it. I pulled off that neck and it's in storage.

My verdict: they're not good nor bad, they're just kinda there - but nothing remarkable, no eureka moment.

 

Heavy strings (.011-.052), jumbo frets, partially scalloped neck - all good!
Super-low action , and the fingers still get good purchase on the strings for the wheedly-wheedly bits.

 

I don't think I've ever seen a partially scalloped neck before. Very cool.

I tried a buddy's scalloped guitar way back in the 90s and I liked it but not enough to commit to having one of my own.

 

Yep, I played one at L&M. I don't recall the model but probably a Malmsteen. I didn't like it but I didn't give it much of a chance either.

 

Yup, tried one, never owned one, would like to get one but don't know if I'd actually use it. If you guys want to pool your funds and buy one for me I'd be happy to write a review.

 

Played and owned one. Would still have it if I wasn't moving around the country so much.
Great feeling to them IMO.