Fretboard Damage (Deep Scalloping) What Causes This?

**Musically Mr M** · 04-10-2015, 12:12 PM

Each day that I live and get just a bit older, I seemingly come across these things that make me go "Hmmmmm...." more and more. I always say to myself, I should really be aware of this but it sure flew under my radar. Case in point.....

I've got a few guitars that I have purchased or inherited from other guitarist, many from older players or from family and friends of musicians who are now departed. Guitars decades old, seen a lot of action and even some that look as though they were seldom played at all. Since I've retired from public schools (yep spent 32 years as a high school band/orchestra director) collecting guitars is just a passion of mine. (aside from running a studio, playing with my band, church music director) And no they don't have to be L-5's or old Martins. Mostly eclectic pieces that just catch my fancy.

I was given a late 50's Harmony Rocket H53 Single Cutaway with the Rowe Gold Foil pickup on it and for a department store beginners guitar back in the day, it's a really nice player that considering the age, didn't need a lot to get it playable at all. It, however, has these deep "gouges", "scallops".....damages that almost look as if an animal got a hold of the neck around the upper frets. I've seen this type of damage before on fretboards (in passing) but never on any of my guitars (not even on the ones have played for over 25 years or more) I mean, if you are capable of squeezing these kinds of indentations into the fretboard, you must have a hell of a grip. I've included pics. What in the blazes causes this and would even want to meet the player that did this? Got to be some kind of heavy-handed beast

What really causes this?

Fretboard Damage (Deep Scalloping) What Causes This?-img_20150410_105352-jpg

Fretboard Damage (Deep Scalloping) What Causes This?-img_20150410_105250-jpg

Fretboard Damage (Deep Scalloping) What Causes This?-img_20150410_105342-jpg

**jads57** · 04-10-2015, 12:14 PM

That's a person w/ Anger Management issues,LOL!

**vinlander** · 04-10-2015, 12:15 PM

I am just guessing but maybe too much fretboard oiling over the years and the wood got softer and more easily grooved where playing occurs more often.

**Woody Sound** · 04-10-2015, 12:27 PM

Is it rosewood? My mid-70's 335 started to show a little of that after some years, as well as a mid-80s PRS. Mind you I was doing a LOT of playing, and almost exclusively on those at their respective times.

**Musically Mr M** · 04-10-2015, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

Is it rosewood? My mid-70's 335 started to show a little of that after some years, as well as a mid-80s PRS. Mind you I was doing a LOT of playing, and almost exclusively on those at their respective times.

Yeah, it's rosewood. And I was also suspect of wood softening because of too much oil. On most of my rosewood necks, they get a light treatment of linseed oil maybe twice a year if I'm using them a lot. Don't get me wrong, I'm kind of a big guy (been told I have a very smooth touch....perhaps from being a classical pianist who plays a lot of jazz and I am a clarinetist...a light touch is a plus for speed) I can dig in when necessary but I have never been able to dent the wood like that.......

**Musically Mr M** · 04-10-2015, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by vinlander

I am just guessing but maybe too much fretboard oiling over the years and the wood got softer and more easily grooved where playing occurs more often.

Hmmmm.....I'd be a bit scared of that

**Musically Mr M** · 04-10-2015, 12:49 PM

....btw, I have a 74 Les Paul Standard that I bought from a local blues artist that shows similar damage as well as some of the most discolored frets I've even seen (used to be "green" until I had them polished and crowned) A lot of his issue was highly acidic sweat, Jack Daniels and these little soap-like cubes he would heat up in a spoon

Just sayin'...

**wintermoon** · 04-10-2015, 12:51 PM

cut your fingernails

**Musically Mr M** · 04-10-2015, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

cut your fingernails

....and I have very well manicured hands btw.

Seems like extremely long nails would cause the player more pain than damage to the fretboard. (Not in the case of a classical guitarist per say....I think you get what I'm saying)

**wintermoon** · 04-10-2015, 01:00 PM

trust me, that's not finger wear it's fingernail wear

**Archie** · 04-10-2015, 01:01 PM

Yeh I thought it was finger nails and bending

**mikeSF** · 04-10-2015, 01:23 PM

fingernails, slight contact over many many years.

**Para** · 04-10-2015, 01:48 PM

Yngwei Malmsteen

**Captain Caravelle** · 04-10-2015, 02:03 PM

Yep....That's fingernail gouges.
The old school country players were notorious for it.
Or rather....sitting round the campfire style players.
E, A, G, D for years and years. Clamping the neck like a vice grip.

My buddy has a 1956 Gibson J-45
Used to be his dad's. First two frets are trashed like that....from about the fourth fret to the nineteenth look like they've never been touched......years and years of fingernails....

**Musically Mr M** · 04-10-2015, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by Para

Yngwei Malmsteen

Yeah.......

**Musically Mr M** · 04-10-2015, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Caravelle

Yep....That's fingernail gouges.
The old school country players were notorious for it.
Or rather....sitting round the campfire style players.
E, A, G, D for years and years. Clamping the neck like a vice grip.

My buddy has a 1956 Gibson J-45
Used to be his dad's. First two frets are trashed like that....from about the fourth fret to the nineteenth look like they've never been touched......years and years of fingernails....

Wow.....all I can say is wow.

**docbop** · 04-10-2015, 05:12 PM

Looks like some old Folk music strummer had that gitar. I remember the worst I ever saw was this bass player and his Fender Precision he had worn thru to the maple in a bunch of spots in the middle of the neck. That was the 60's and not many repair men around. Back then a lot of times you really wore the frets or fretboard off you instrument and then time to buy a new one.