Scalloping

Fret Scalloping

If you can't get your guitar in tune, read this page. Scalloped frets can have a major effect on how well your guitar plays in tune. This applies especially to electric guitars with light strings, but it also effects acoustic and bass guitars.

This diagram shows the height of the frets, and the hieght of the string above the frets.

Here, the string is pressed down against the frets. But there is still a gap between the string and the surface of the neck.

If you press harder, you can press the string all the way down so that it touches the guitar neck. But by pressing harder, you increase the tension on the string, and raise the pitch of the note.

This means the pitch changes slightly depending on how much pressure you use.

With the frets lowered, there is no gap between the string and the neck when the string is fretted. The amount of pressure wont effect the pitch of the note, so once it's tuned, it plays in tune. The guitar with lower frets is generally 'faster,' and easier to play.

If you can't get your guitar to play in tune consistently, you may have a problem with scalloping. Scalloping is caused by high frets, or when the grooves in the nut are not cut deep enough to lower the string to the right height above the neck. Many guitars, even expensive guitars, ship from the factory with very high frets.

A simple test for scalloping is to play a chord and listen to the intonation. Then, press harder on the strings and see if the chord goes out of tune. If it does, then you probably have scalloping. (There are other possible reasons, like instability in the neck. But this is less likely.)

You can correct this by having a guitar tech file and 'dress' your frets. Not every guitar tech can handle this job. Make sure your guitar tech has done this job before. It usually takes two to three hours, and costs around $60.

Some guitars, like the Ritchie Blackmore Stratocaster (by Fender) advertise scalloped frets. Some guitarrists, usually in progressive rock or jazz, use guitars with raised frets to take advantage of the in-between 'microtones,' notes that are slightly detuned. However, most players are much more comfortable on a guitar with relatively low frets.

This fact can cause a little confusion when you take your guitar to your tech, tell him your neck is scalloped, and he tells you it isn't because it isn't advertised as having scalloped frets.

This is one of the most critical adjustments on the guitar. A very slight change can make a huge difference in playability and tuning stability. Getting your frets lowered can change a guitar you hate into a guitar you can't put down.

Even if your frets are fine, if the grooves in the nut (the 'zero fret' next to the headstock) are not deep enough, then you can have the same scalloping effect.

If you have your frets lowered, be sure that the grooves in the nut (the 'zero fret' next to the headstock) are cut to the proper depth. This is also a job for a guitar tech, and you should have it done when you have your frets lowered.

Fret Scalloping

Copyright 2001 by Greg Varhaug. All Rights Reserved.

	This diagram shows the height of the frets, and the hieght of the string above the frets.
	Here, the string is pressed down against the frets. But there is still a gap between the string and the surface of the neck.
	If you press harder, you can press the string all the way down so that it touches the guitar neck. But by pressing harder, you increase the tension on the string, and raise the pitch of the note. This means the pitch changes slightly depending on how much pressure you use.
	With the frets lowered, there is no gap between the string and the neck when the string is fretted. The amount of pressure wont effect the pitch of the note, so once it's tuned, it plays in tune. The guitar with lower frets is generally 'faster,' and easier to play.