READER GUITAR
OF THE MONTH
Name: John R. Wiley
Hometown: Beaumont, California
Guitar: Strat-style with maple medium
scalloped fretboard
original chrome series
I’m a Ritchie Blackmore nut, and have
admired his playing ever since seeing Deep
Purple open for Cream. Back then he used
a fairly stock Gibson ES-335, but later
started using Fender Strats that eventually
included “scalloped” fretboards.
My guitar, which I call the Scalloped
Wonder, began when I saw this striking
orange sunburst Strat clone at a friend’s
yard sale. I bought it, and did what most
everybody does with guitars like this: took
it apart! I determined the only useable part
of this guitar was the lightweight basswood
body. I’d researched scalloped fretboards,
because not only Blackmore, but Yngwie
Malmsteen and John McLaughlin were
using them. Why not try a scalloped neck
on my new project guitar?
The “full” scalloped versions looked
intimidating and scary, so I ordered a
medium scallop in maple. I tore into the
body and discarded the electronics, and
replaced the cheap diecast tremolo block
with a much heavier Fender Vintage Strat
version. I used the import tremolo bridge
plate and saddle assembly as is, but had to
enlarge the holes to match the new Fender
tremolo block mount holes. I found a used
Fender Ritchie Blackmore loaded pickguard
online. I installed new Gotoh tuners on the
scalloped neck, and with minimal filing and
aligning, the new neck fit like a glove.
I must say, it looked so cool even
before plugging it in. I tried it
through my favorite amps and
loved the sound. The pickguard
is literally wired like a Gibson,
using a 3-position switch, with
only two pickups (no middle).
The middle position activates the
neck and bridge pickups together,
while the up position is for the neck, and
the down position is for the bridge.
The neck wasn’t difficult to get
used to, and although
it may be half my
imagination, half
scalloped neck—I can
play faster.
Send your guitar story to
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22 PREMIER GUITAR SEPTEMBER 2016
premierguitar.com