Invidiosulus Posted November 29, 2006 Share Posted November 29, 2006 About two weeks ago I came across some pics on a website of the ESP Takayoshi Ohmura signature guitar with it's scalloped fretboard and the idea of having a scalloped fretboard so your fingers wouldn't even touch it was very intriguing. Since I had an Ibanez sitting around that I had gotten pretty cheaply off of ebay and I wasn't even playing it I decided to give it a try. While the guitar was apart I decided to get some new pickups as well. 8 hours of quality time with a 1/4" file and the guitar ended up with something like this. From the treble side at the first fret. farther up the neck on the treble side. upper frets treble side upper frets on the bass side. My two RG's, the 320FM with the recently scalloped neck on the right and the Prestige series 121NTF on the left. Both with Dimarzio humbuckers, the 320 has a PAF Pro/neck and an Air Zone/bridge, the 121NTF has an Air Norton/neck and a Steve's Special/bridge. So far my playing impressions are that it is different. Not really better, not any worse then it was before. Legato stuff feels different. It's going to take some getting used to but I think it is going to be fine. Just thought I'd share. Peace, Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted November 29, 2006 Share Posted November 29, 2006 Nice pics. I guess I don't need to bring the camera into work today. [8-)] It came out looking great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted November 29, 2006 Share Posted November 29, 2006 Yowza ...!!!! it's easy to play outta tune w/ a scalloped board ..... looke what you did to that nice Ibeenhad ......[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invidiosulus Posted November 29, 2006 Author Share Posted November 29, 2006 Alot of people keep telling me that about it playing out of tune. I normally don't grip that hard while playing so I don't think it's going to be too much of a problem. Should be easier to play in tune then my fretless bass anyways [] Ibeenhad, hahahaha. It wasn't really that nice to begin with, just kind of a beater/project guitar that I bought to try out some pickups in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted November 29, 2006 Share Posted November 29, 2006 The only artist I know that uses the scalloped neck is Ingwie Malmsteen - and he is not exactly legato... but he does do it all in tune... if you don't know him, all I have heard is the Rising Force album from the 80's. Nice work you did on the neck.... I like (and use) those jumbo frets... Here is Ingwie... wailing, notice the scalloped neck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted November 29, 2006 Share Posted November 29, 2006 I messed around with it w few minutes today while at the office. With heavier strings, it isn't hard to play in tune. A little different feel for sure. He did a nice job on the fretboard. I think it looks pretty good for a "beater" guitar. The other one is a great guitar. Mahogany body with a maple top, a thick maple top at that, carved quite nicely. I like it a lot, and am tempted to get one for myself, but Josh probably wouldn't like the old man getting the same thing. [8-|] Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whamo Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 Pretty neat! Nice job. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 Yngwie uses #8's .... i've played onenna his strats, a candyapple red one , 1961 it was ... hard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invidiosulus Posted November 30, 2006 Author Share Posted November 30, 2006 Yngwie uses #8's .... i've played onenna his strats, a candyapple red one , 1961 it was ... hard #8's, no wonder his tone sucks. Every video I've seen of his sounds really thin. I've got Regular slinky's on it right now. I'd be really tempted to use some beefy slinky's like I've got on my Tele but I would probably have to add another spring on the floating bridge as the current springs are almost tightened all the way. I think I've got some DR pure blues on the other RG which are nearly the same size as the regular slinky's but have a different tone to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 There is a Youtube vid of Ingwie buying a $6000 old red strat... http://youtube.com/watch?v=jolgFiTn6jI I use Slinky 9's on my 87 Seafoam Strat Plus. The past few months I have made the strange but beautiful transition from using a pick to playing without one at all. I use all four fingers and thumb of my right hand (and all four fingers of my left hand of course). For slow leads I can use my thumb alternating up and down. For faster leads I use my index finger also alternating up and down. I can get a deeper darker sound with my second finger, and I use the third and even the pinky for some things. The thing is, the tone is completely different and actually works really well with the light strings - lots of snap, depth, and articulation sounds that a pick won't do... I had always used an inflexible 3mm delrin Dunlop (the dark purple ones). I keep my guitar vol set below max to unload the pickups, and I avoid playing with the guitar tones set wide open. The Strat has a sort of 'scooped' frequency response with natural high and low that gives it a clear bell-like tone. I generally set it to peak the mids and set my old tube Fender likewise with the bass tone on the amp at minumum. Playing with a pick (for the last 35 years) my execution speed with both hands has tended to be faster than my train of thought which worked fine for rock but not for jazz and blues where I like to be more thoughtful in my playing. Initially being slowed down by the switch to finger playing, it seemed to make my mind work differently in choosing what notes to play and how to play them - it brought back the old feelings of learning to play the guitar when my thoughts outpaced my ability and speed. Some of my favorite guitarist play like this - their grasp exceeds their reach. After the last few months without a pick my speed is almost back up to normal, but my playing is much more interesting to me as I perform (and hopefully too to those hearing me). I have found that as the hands get smart its best to let them alone to do the playing. I don't dictate to myself how to play something - I don't really decide which particular finger hits which string or which direction. The hand seems to know best so I just think of musical ideas and let my hands just do it as they 'think' best. Any of you guitar/bass players will probably recognise this effect. When I have taught others to play the guitar, they always say, "What are all those tricks you are doing?". What they mean is that without thinking about it, I touch the strings I am not playing with both left and right hands to keep them from sounding, and other things like this that the hands have just figured out for themselves. If someone had not brought it to my attention I would never had been aware of these things. If you examine your playing technique you can find these little secrets that your hands do... really it's a little spooky... I have a gig in early Dec where I will make my pickless debut! Pauln Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 whats Really interesting to me ... is playing slide, but fretting chords under the slide ... yea ... you can learn new tricks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Ya ....PaulN.. he must have a hundred StraT'S .. i got to meet him thru my bud, brad gillis well, he sure can play, but he's a Total ...dick i don't suscribe to te " squirrels on the fingerboard "approach but i like to take his arpeggio's apart and recycle them to "Blues-Metal'.. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjnif Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Ritchie Blackmore was probably the first well known artist to scallop the fretboard,he was doin it in the 70's... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synthfreek Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 "Ritchie Blackmore was probably the first well known artist to scallop the fretboard,he was doin it in the 70's..." Hey! I was fikkin' to say that. I play an Ibanez and Mesa Boogie combo as well. One of the very first Mark IV's ever made actually. My main axe is a '69 Les Paul Goldtop Deluxe. Some of my favorite shredders: Yngwie Malmsteen Vinnie Moore Paul Gilbert-Newest instrumental solo album is really good Shawn Lane Joey Tafolla Jason Becker George Lynch Randy Rhoads EVH Tony Macalpine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 a big thumbs up to your list, Synthfreek......[Y] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 howsabout adding Chris Impelliteri, Micheal Fath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synthfreek Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 I still can't figure out how Fath can play Paganini's 24th Caprice. I also forgot: David T. Chastain Michael Angelo Jack Starr Uli Jon Roth Michael Schenker Blues Saraceno Richie Kotzen Marty Friedman Greg Howe Al Dimeola Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Blues Saraceno ... got " Hairpick" ..??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMays Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 I only know of some of the guitarist you guys are talking about. I have the Ibanez prestige model on the left. I don't think I could file the neck though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 welcome to our little subculture, Phil even if ya play an Ibeenhad ...[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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