Members English Bob Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Back in the days of my youth, when looking cool was more important than common sense, I had my L6S fitted with a plain ebony fretboard. The only position markers are tiny gold pins inset flush with the edge of the board. Nowadays I can't see the markers in anything less than perfect lighting and I'd like to fit some markers to the front face of the board. I don't want any fancy inlays - the guitar is a workhorse with little resale value - but it would be nice to have something a little out of the ordinary on there. So before I get a bunch of mother-of-plastic dots from my friendly luthier's supply company and get stuck in, does anybody have any innovative ideas for creating markers that are a bit different, yet simple to fit? My woodwork skills aren't up to fancy stuff. Best I can say is that I know my limitations. I don't have access to any specialised tools either; a pillar drill and a hand router is about as far as it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tRagerEffects Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 I personally am a fan of the simple block inlay. I have never done any inlay so I don't know how difficult it would be. I personally think that anything besides dots or blocks (or a variation of blocks) are cheesy. You could always do moons like some of the PRSs have, simple yet different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fla_frog Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Drill press, wood dowel, glue, sandpaper.You drill the hole, you glue in a woo dowel, break it off, sand it flush.Simplest inlay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SoldierStape01 Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 When I was doing some really random {censored} with junk guitars parts for the hell of it. I drilled out the dots that were in a junk neck, cleaned up the hole, and filled it with some {censored}ty solder that I didn't like and right as i pulled the iron out i layed a spiral of copper wire in it, again that was complete junk... sanded it flush and put some metal polish on it... I threw the neck away on Sunday when the garbage man came... I was bored.... Really don't know what it did to the playability or anything but it was cool looking and easy if you leave out the copper wire... I don't suggest trying it though until you know it dosen't ruin the neck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Belva Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 I like the idea of thin strips. Maybe some maple to go with the ebony. You could go with 2 at each normal location & 3 at #12. Or 1 with 2 @ #12. If you go the full width of the fretboard you could see it from the side too. easy to cut, easy to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members musicdog400 Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Here is something I did that didn't work: Drill holes, fill will wood filler, let dry and sand. It may have worked on an maple neck (flatter / tighter grain) but on the rosewood it smeared a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members English Bob Posted September 25, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 25, 2009 Hah. Forgot to subscribe to my own thread. Thanks all. I like the contrasting wood idea, whether it be dowel (any potential end-grain problems there?) or thin strip(e)s. I'm in the middle of a recording project at the moment, so can't afford to take the guitar out of circulation, but when I do I'll try to take some photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted September 25, 2009 Members Share Posted September 25, 2009 If you want something really unique theres a site that makes LED strips the run down the edge. Cool as hell playing in dark halls. Plus all kinds of other Laser stuff. http://www.fretlord.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members English Bob Posted September 25, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 25, 2009 Hey, I have some optical fibre somewhere... Maybe for a future build, something a little more high-tech. I could light up my Plexiglass guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dkurtz Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 I like the contrasting wood idea, whether it be dowel (any potential end-grain problems there?) or thin strip(e)s. Have used walnut dowel (dark) in maple (light) fingerboards with very good result. Good contrast. Maple dowel (light) in rosewood (dark) not so much contrast. OK for me, but perhaps not enough contrast to work well for different sets of eyes, or in darkened clubs etc. The issue might be the end grain you're worried about... rosewood dust maybe got embedded in the end grain and darkened up the dowel. I'd like to try cutting plugs out of a thin sheet of maple next time. Have to figure out how. d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tedmich Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 Can we all agree that fretboard inlays do not help the player know where they are unless you play like Jeff Healey, but without his well known handicap? Side markers show the player their position, fretboard inlays just show the builders vanity. IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Belva Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 Agreed. At least for you & me. I've seen some players lean their head way over the guitar. They might benefit from inlays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SoldierStape01 Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 I have to agree with this as well... Although from time to time depending on how I'm playing, if I have the guitar sitting high or playing with an acoustic I can sometimes catch a glimpse of the inlays.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 I dont need to look at the neck much when I play other than maybe finding a position for an opening note. I'm near sited and when I have my specs on things that close are a blur anyway. Between that an developing a habit of looking outward and reading sheet music or looking into the audience developed a mental visualization to see where I was playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Belva Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 I'd like to try cutting plugs out of a thin sheet of maple next time. Have to figure out how.d Leather punch in that veneer stuff? The punches come in different sizes. I'm sure one of the correct dimension could be obtained. Think this would work? Or would the punch get dull too quickly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 They make plug cutters like a drill bit but something real small and thin like veneer, I dont know. You could probibly cut it with an exacto knife and use something for a stencil or template Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Belva Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 Another concern is the need to apply finish of some sort to maple. Not necessary or even desired on rosewood. Spray with laquer & then cut is the only way I can see doing this. Otherwise you'd have laquer on the back side which may or may not be a problem. I have the punches & a very small piece or maple veneer. I just now tried this & it works. I used a piece of micarta to back up my punch so I got 2 nice & clean circles. I don't know if the punch will stand up to doing enough for a whole neck but my father probably knows how to sharpen these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 You could always apply some laquer with a Q tip or burn sticks after they're installed. Might be better having sanded the install smooth to remove any glue seepage. The pre laquer may prevent wood glue from saturating the veneer though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members English Bob Posted September 27, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 They make plug cutters like a drill bit but something real small and thin like veneer, I dont know. I have one of those - it's supposed to be for plugging screw head holes when making furniture, but it should work just as well with a contrasting wood. It has to be in block form, of course, so anything exotic would be largely wasted. I'll be interested to see what you guys have to say on the subject of veneer and finishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SerpentyneXIII Posted October 1, 2009 Members Share Posted October 1, 2009 I think it might be cool to insert stripes the go along the width of the fretboard, paralell to the frets. You could use maple or some other light wood or even just mother of pearl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dkurtz Posted October 1, 2009 Members Share Posted October 1, 2009 I think it might be cool to insert stripes the go along the width of the fretboard, paralell to the frets. You could use maple or some other light wood or even just mother of pearl. I've toyed with that idea also. Sort of like the inlaid 'frets' found on some fretless basses and on lots of steel guitars. I've always concluded though that it would end up making the neck look too busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mlamarche Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 I have done this...used a guitar pick, a hole puncher and a drill..punched out small circles of the guitar picks, drill small hole in middle of frets,and glued them in with super glue...works ok...still have them in there now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dkurtz Posted October 7, 2009 Members Share Posted October 7, 2009 They make plug cutters like a drill bit but something real small and thin like veneer, I dont know. It'd have to be real sharp. I tried one and the maple (about 1/8th inch) was so hard it damn near caught fire. I've seen plug-cutting saws made by filing teeth into brass tubing. I'm going to try that. d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members English Bob Posted October 8, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 8, 2009 I have done this...used a guitar pick, a hole puncher and a drill.. punched out small circles of the guitar picks, drill small hole in middle of frets, and glued them in with super glue...works ok...still have them in there now. I like that idea too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dahlungril Posted October 8, 2009 Members Share Posted October 8, 2009 12th fret marker idea ( . Y . ) if you don't use it let me know and I will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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