Let's talk about nuts

Today, I was playing around with my "Malmsteen" and it occurred to me that in addition to the scalloped fretboard, I also took the liberty to change the nut into a brass one (One that I cut myself). I wanted the guitar to be as close to the YJM Model as close a possible but within budget.

Anyway, the nut change did change the tone, making it significantly brighter compared to the stock plastic nut (Squier). However, what most people do not know is, it doesn't change the tone (At least not in an audiable way) when you fret the notes. Think of it this way. What acts as the nut after you fret the note, is your fingers and the fret. So, logically speaking, shouldn't the tone of the note produced by the nut, when fretting a guitar be replaced by the way the note is fretted and the material of the fret?

The next question will be, why would I want to change the nut of the instrument, if it doesn't affect the tone that much anyway since I will be fretting most of the time. Well, it isn't a necessary change but, I changed it due to the fact that I scalloped the fretboard of the instrument. Due to that, the tone of the guitar is considerably brighten so to speak and to balance out the sound when I am doing my open chords and strings, I changed the nut to a brass one instead.

The same principle applies to nuts of other material. This is exceptionally so if it's being performed on an acoustic guitar, where majority of the players are playing open strings. However, that will be another story or discussion for another day.

The truths and myths of a scalloped Fingerboard

What is a scalloped fingerboard? It is a fingerboard with it's fretboard, the space in between the frets filed away into a scoop like shape. The next question would be, why will I want that?

We have seen players such as Yngwie Malmsteen and Ritchie Blackmoore playing playing Fenders with Scalloped fingerboards and thanks to the wide popularity of these musicians, we came to a misguided conception that, if these players play with such a guitar, it must be easier to play with thus making us sound better as players right? Well, I hate to break your bubble but no, that is not the case. Often we buy our gear based on what our idol use thinking that it will make us closer to them in terms of playing (I am a victim of that) or configuring our gear closer to them. Sadly, nothing but hours of practice can do that.

I've read before that Scalloped fingerboards allow us to play faster, clearer tone and etc. Nope, breaking your bubble again, that isn't the case. I've scalloped a Squier just to try out how the scalloped fingerboard actually feels like. However, this is already done with the preconception of knowing that it is for and what it does. So, allow me to debunk the myths of a scalloped fingerboard.

Myth: It allows us to play faster.
Answer: This is above all the most misunderstood myth. It does not allow us to play faster. Think of it this way. Without the wood in between the frets, doesn't it makes it harder to slide around the fingerboard? However, we have the illusion of being able to play faster after getting used to the fingerboard because over time, we developed what I like to call light touch. The way we fret our notes have changed to accommodate the lack of support from the wood and any additional pressure will just make our notes go higher. Now, think of it this way, by fretting our notes lightly, it also means that we have less fatigue and takes way less effort to move around the neck right? So there you go. It's not that it's easier to play faster but it makes us adapted to fretting lightly.

Myth: There is a difference in Deep scallop and half scallop and other different depth of scallop.
Answer: No there isn't. When there isn't wood underneath your fingers, you feel nothing. Now does it matter when that nothing is half a cm or 1 cm? No. Think of it this way, u are floating in a 3m deep pool and 4m deep pool (Assuming you are not these heights), does it makes a difference in the space between your legs and the floor? No, you feel nothing.

Truth: It is harder to play with a scalloped fingerboard.
Answer: Yes, it is harder in a certain sense. However, once you get used to it, it really isn't that much harder. Remember the first time you picked up the guitar trying to learn how to alternate pick or economy pick, it's the same. Once you get it hardwired into your brain, it ain't that much harder. To me, the scalloped fingerboard just allows me to play with a light touch.

Myth: Super Jumbo frets feel like scallop finger boards since the frets are so high.
Answer: No it doesn't. Not at all. You are still touching the wood beneath your fingers. Having bigger taller frets doesn't makes it feel like a scalloped fingerboard. It only makes it feel closer to a scalloped fingerboard.

Truth: Scalloped fingerboards are easy to do string bending with.
Answer: Yes. In fact, a lot easier. The fact of not having any wood below your fingers means that there is no additional friction to stop you from using your full finger strength to push the strings up or down. Try not to break you strings.

Truth: Scalloped fingerboards are a lot easier to do vibrato with.
Answer: Yes. Same concept as bending. When there is no wood beneath your fingers, there is less friction.

Truth: Scalloping your fingerboard will change the tone of your instrument.
Answer: Yes it does. In fact, it makes it brighter. Think of it this way. No more direct contact to the wood. It's the frets, the wood supporting the frets and your fingers. Majority of the contact point is the fret and strings. (Think metal to metal)

Truth: Scalloping your fingerboard will make the guitar neck weaker
Answer: Yes and No. Yes to making the fingerboard weaker but no to making it weak to the point that even if your truss rod is at it's maximum potential, the neck will be warped. I've had my scalloped guitar being scalloped for close to 2 years now and it hasn't warp since the day I set it up.

For my readers who are interested in scalloped fingerboards, I hope I did answer your questions and doubts you have. Additionally, I hope that this debunk any myths of scalloped fingerboards. These is nothing magical about it. It's just something different.

Ibanez Jem 7v "MNB"

Ibanez Jem 7v "MNB" is probably the most stock among all my guitars. Pretty much free from my terror of modifications. However, none the less, there are still little modifications being done to it. I had to make it "MINE" right? So I went ahead and changed the capacitor to Orange drop as per all my guitars. The 5 way switch has also been upgraded to a Dimarzio 5 way switch (Switch craft). As I am a huge fan of Steve Vai, it is a must for me to own his signature model. However that aside, this guitar is very playable and I would honestly consider it a class of it's own.

This guitar was also "Souvenir" I got for myself from the land of the rising sun. I went to Tokyo with the intention of getting an Old Ibanez Jem 7v (Ebony fretboard + Lo-Pro) but unfortunately wasn't able to find one. As a matter of fact, second hand Jem seems to be really rare. After going through many guitar stores in Japan, I finally found one Jem, made in 2007 in Tachikawa Ishibashi branch. I immediately requested to test the instrument and after tweaking around the amp and "abusing" the guitar as much as I could, I decided to buy it. My reasoning being that since Edge Pro has already phase out and I prefer Rosewood and Steve's main Jem is equipped with rosewood anyway, this piece, like it's previous incarnation will become a limited edition piece soon enough. In-addition to those cognitive dissonance reasoning, I actually like the feel of the instrument.

The neck measures 19mm on the first fret, 21mm on the 12th fret and sports a 430mm radius. If you have played an Original Wizard or Super Wizard neck before, it has the same radius. However, the main difference being, the Original Wizard or Super Wizard has a way thinner profile to compensate the "feel" of the neck while the Jem neck's thicker profile is much more "unforgiving". That being said, the neck however, surprisingly doesn't feel chunky and actually feels thin. Probably due to it's flatter D shape back and less meaty sides.

The last four frets are scalloped for both easier access and bending. The inlays of the current (any Jem that is made after 2002) has improved routing for the "Vine of Life", meaning you can see less wood filler being used to fill up the extra routing.
The Jem is also one of those few rare RG-ish guitar that sports a non Basswood body which in my opinion compliments the Dimarzio Evolutions really well. Instead of getting the mid bass dominant basswood and add it with more mid bass dominant Dimarzio Evolutions, Steve chooses an all time favourite Fender Tonewood, Alder, which is pretty balanced, allowing the warm bass of of soft wood but retains more highs than basswood. Couple with the mid bass dominant Dimarzio Evolutions, the guitar sings out pretty balanced and sweet.

This guitar is name "MNB" because recently, while I took it out of the hardcase to do maintenance on the guitar, I realized that, the guitar has yellowed due to humidity. However, the previous owner had written "MNB" but after selling it to the shop, the shop cleaned the guitar with alchohol or something. So it was sparkling clean when I bought it. After the paint has yellowed, the "MNB" spot remained white. So, imagine one day, "MNB" miraculously appeared on the guitar. I called it "Mana Boleh" which losely translate as "How can" in Malay. It's the first thing that came up to my head when I saw "MNB".

Ibanez Jem 7v "MNB" neck type: 5pc Jem neck fingerboard: Rosewood with Vine of Life inlay body: Alder fret: Jim Dunlop 6105 frets bridge: Ibanez Edge Pro Bridge neck pu: Dimazio Evolution Neck middle pu: Dimazio Evolution Single bridge pu: Dimazio Evolution Bridge Neck Specs Scale: 648mm/25.5" a : Width at Nut 43mm b : Width at Last Fret 56mm c: Thickness at 1st 19mm d : Thickness at 12th 21mm Radius: 430mmR