- 1). Completely cover each fret with masking tape. This protects them during the scalloping process. Trim the tape so that it covers only the frets, leaving the wood between them exposed. Do this twice, so that there are two layers of tape on each fret.
- 2). Determine the desired depth of your scallop. On the edges of the strat's fretboard, you will see a slight bevel. The depth of the bevel dictates the depth of your scallop. If you take it any deeper, you could possibly destroy the neck.
- 3). File a groove along each fret with a 14-inch file. This groove will work as a guide in starting the scallops with the contour sander.
- 4). Start the scallops. With 80-grit sandpaper attached to the contour sander, start at the nut where the frets are farther apart and begin sanding with the edge of the contour sander. Start in the center of the fretboard and pull back toward yourself. Be sure not to sand all the way down to the bevel depth on this step. Once you have sanded between each fret, turn the neck around and repeat.
- 5). Repeat Step 4 with 220-grit sandpaper. This heavier sandpaper will sand deeper and create more dust, so make sure that you protect your eyes and lungs. This step will further shape the scallop and reach the desired depth of the beveled edge.
- 6). Sand the scallops by hand. Dry-sand any imperfections you see in the scallops using 320-grit wet/dry sandpaper.
- 7). Clean the fretboard and remove all dust and lingering finish residue using Murphy's oil soap and a rag. Afterwards, let the neck sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
- 8). Hand-sand with 600- and 1,500-grit sandpaper. Start with the 600-grit sandpaper, then follow up with 1,500-grit to finish it off.
- 9). Repeat Step 7. Use Murphy's oil soap and follow the same instructions as before. When the wood has dried, you may want to apply a coat or two of self-leveling urethane, depending on what type of neck your strat has. Aferward, you can bolt the neck onto your guitar, string it up and enjoy.
Instructions
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