Malmsteen Strat

[Ripper]

Well boys I did it...
I went out and bought the Malmsteen Stratocaster.
Its not at all the monster some people make it out to be.
After only a few minutes I was having so much fun that the scalloped frets were an after thought. In fact, for my style playing they feel amazing to my lil digits.
The pups are low output, but thats okay. They let my amp do all the work. Clean settings are kind of bland, but with some healthy gain this guitar soars big time. Stacked humbuckers make for a noise free experience. To me it sounds like a PAF pup. Great for some good old rock n' roll. Im not crazy about Vintage white. It looks more yellow to me. Id prefer Olympic white but hey!, you cant have everything.
Guys if you get the chance check one out. Youll be glad you did.

[cynical1]

Blue -

I've never played anything with scalloped frets. Can you elaborate on what you feel is the difference, any advantage or whatever playing on a scalloped fretboard versus a standard fretboard?

Thanks

Cynical1

[Ripper]

Cynical1...
I find you have to develop a lighter touch. Its not as hard to do as you might think. The thing I like is that there isnt alot of wood under your fingertips. Nothing to slow you down. Its much easier to achieve a smooth vibrato. Not that im trying to be a shredder, because I couldnt be if I tried, but I found that the lighter touch equals a little more of a speed vibe between notes.
I was worried it would be hard to go back to my SRV Strat or my Les Paul after playing the Malmsteen, but its not an issue.

I must say its not for beginners. If someone is just learning guitar it may feel awkward, but if youve been playing a few years ( In my case 31 years )...Its really a treat to play one of these babys!