I just scalloped the last four frets on my uke.

tsudawuda

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It may be just a standard uke with no pick-ups, but I use those frets a lot. And it really helps my bends and vibratos up there.

By the way, it's a Koaloha. Yes, it was expensive before I defaced it drastically. But it's not like I was gonna sell it :p :p :p

EDIT: Apparantly, I can't count. I meant FIVE scalloped frets. Curse you, PCHS.

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how'd you do it?
 
With three different files. One is a 1/4 inch round file, one is a very skinny round file, and the other is a flatter one that I used to smoothen it.
 
but dude, why the koaloha??? hahaha jk i totally understand. but next time get a kala and scallop the whole thing! then i want you to do an yngwie solo cover on youtube.

Doing those four frets took me nearly an hour. I don't want to imagine the horrors of scalloping 12-16 frets x.x
 
I love scalloped frets on guitars and trying it on ukes has crossed my mind, just needed you to boot kick me!
 
Interesting - I have never seen that before, even on guitars. What if you want to slide across several frets - does it effect that?
 
Interesting - I have never seen that before, even on guitars. What if you want to slide across several frets - does it effect that?

it might be a slight learning curve. you have to learn how to fret the string just enough to maintain intonation. when you get that down, sliding shouldnt be a problem.
 
Interesting. KoAloha is probably a good choice to do that on, since its got a koa fretboard. I'd imagine it being a more difficult job on a rosewood or ebony fretboard.
 
It's easy on any standard wooden fretboard. Paganini was an originator of it some centuries ago.
I have played scalloped neck guitars, full and partial for years.
Technically in theory, less friction underneath the fingers, thus faster. What I like, especially on higher up frets like the uke above, many of those notes are not always easy to pinpoint with speed to their 100%, the scalloping allows fingers to slightly press further (without realizing it since the fret space is so tiny higher up on the neck) which results in a "cleaner" or more accurate note.

FUlly scalloped boards are very fun on guitar, especially for people who play styles with lots of bends, on lower notes you now have another option/way to bend the note...simply apply pressure straight down as you'd normally finger. Also, tight focused smaller vibratos are mush easier, for me at least.

On the bad side, some people can't stand scallops and it messes them up. But, with only a few frets scalloped high up, I've never heard someone have any issues that are negative.

I want to do a guitar neck where there is less scalloping on the bassy strings and gets deeper going to the trbele strings, pretty neat.
 
Yes, that is cool. I'm not fast enough on the uke to be a uke-shredder. There's something about the uke, that keeps me from reaching warp speed. I don't think fret board scallops would benefit my uke playing style.
 
OOH, OOH, might have to try that on my cheap Mahalo pineapple's Rosewood fretboard using my Dremel tool with a light touch. COOL! ;)
 
I've been Dremeling for years so no problem as long as I don't drink too much coffee before. ;) I do intricate bone carvings so this would be a piece of cake for me. Do the basic hollowing with Dremel with small sanding drum and finish off with various diameter wood dowels wrapped with sandpaper, no sweat. :shaka:
 
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