Fretboard markers

[mpb]

I was wondering why the lack of love for fretboard markers these days? Is it just a cosmetic thing? It seems less and less guitars have 'em as standard these days. Could any of you 'blank fretboard' guys tell me if it ever makes you lose your position while playing, or is having just the side markers all you would ever need?

 

[edsped]

Just cosmetic. I'm sure they get used to it pretty quickly. Personally I prefer both the look and convenience of having front fret markers.

 

[celticelk]

I prefer front markers as well, after a few months of playing a side-markers-only guitar. I'm not really sure why this has become such a big thing, or if it's limited to just the high-end-metal-guitar world. I don't see Fender making marker-less Strats, for example.

 

[TRENCHLORD]

I've personally come to prefer side dots only.
First it was a cosmetic thing (I'm a death/black metal man), but then after becoming acustomed, I noticed that my playing posture was better because when I had front markers I tended to hang my head over alot and would get a massively kinked neck syndrome after a two or three hour session.

 

[MGasparotto]

I've personally come to prefer side dots only.
First it was a cosmetic thing (I'm a death/black metal man), but then after becoming acustomed, I noticed that my playing posture was better because when I had front markers I tended to hang my head over alot and would get a massively kinked neck syndrome after a two or three hour session.

Wow, I was thinking of getting stickers to put on my new guitar, but that's a great point. I think I'll just hang in there and try and get used to using the side markers. My postures just awful when I play guitar

 

[Explorer]

Just thinking of the extra bend I would put on my left wrist in order to play while seeing the fretboard itself makes my long-gone carpal tunnel problems ache.

Without those markers, I'm not tempted to twist into a bad position in order to see them.

 

[Dayn]

I don't notice my inlays anymore. Most of the time I'm looking at the computer screen or have my eyes closed or something. I'm familiar enough with my instrument to not need them... but I would like a blank fretboard in future with a paw inlay at the 12th fret, for symmetry's sake.

 

[MGasparotto]

I don't notice my inlays anymore. Most of the time I'm looking at the computer screen or have my eyes closed or something.

Same here but when I'm learning a difficult song I find my inlays help a whole lot

 

[MTech]

No Inlays w/ Glow Block Side markers FTW.

 

[ibanezRG1527]

i think offset dots are the best. out of the way, they look good, theyre helpful and everything else

 

[steve1]

I'm fine playing with side dots only. it makes jamming new parts with other people a bit harder though, as they don't have the visual aid of inlays (unless they can pick it up by ear straight away)

I'm not if this is a trend or any way accurate, but when i think of guitars with no inlays I also tend to think of ebony fretboards.

 

[edsped]

i think offset dots are the best. out of the way, they look good, theyre helpful and everything else

Yeah I prefer small offset dots. And abalone dots on maple fretboards, especially birdseye, look amazing IMO.

 

[mpb]

Wow I never thought about a connection to bad posture but a few people have said it, actually I do tend to hang my head over the fretboard. I'm getting a custom 7 built atm, I think I may go with offset dots for this one, which is a smaller step away from what I'm used to. Maybe I'll be ready for a blank fretboard on the guitar after that one..

 

[Sephael]

get the guitar without fret dots if you think you will eventually want it without them, you can get stickers to use until you feel comfortable to give up your dots. With the stickers you can slowly ween yourself off of using them, for example you can take off the markers off of 3 and 7 so you have fewer cues to look at.

 

[Hankey]

I prefer no inlays purely for cosmetic reasons. My Schecter (C-1 Blackjack ATX) only has an inlay at the 12th fret, but I don't have any problems playing it, as I use the side markers as my guide...

 

[Konfyouzd]

I'm starting to prefer a lack of dots as well. The simplicity of it is attractive to me. I used to get lost a little but I just started using the side dots instead and muscle memory works wonders.

 

[Septor]

Looks cooler, to me anyway.

 

[Dead Undead]

I love blank fretboards, especially when the wood has a really nice grain or figure like Macassar ebony or ziricote.
I do also like huge, intricate inlays, like some of Dylan Humphries' work.

 

[TelosHedge]

i never got used to side dots after 20ish years of playing, but i think that's because i've always held the guitar so i could see the whole fretboard at all times.

i do prefer the look of no inlays, but i don't have too many guitars like that. the few that i do have i try to keep at home especially if i'm teaching - it really makes teaching 10x harder!

 

[GSingleton]

I played an ibanez ART 7 lp style yesterday at GC, and it had no markers.

I thought I would be lost, but surprisingly my muscle memory was better than i thought. With more work I can it could just as easy as playing with markers.