fret markers

[msangster]

I got a bass made for me,I am getting it tomorrow. I didn't realize until after it was made that it didn't have fret markers on the face of the neck just the sides. Can I glue fret markers on to the face of the neck?

[deaf pea]

Originally Posted by msangster

Can I glue fret markers on to the face of the neck?

Yeah, you might could . . . but why would you want to? A "clean" pure wood fingerboard, without ANY dots or whatevers, really looks good, IMHO.

[Fishbrain]

ditto

[202dy]

Originally Posted by msangster

I got a bass made for me,I am getting it tomorrow. I didn't realize until after it was made that it didn't have fret markers on the face of the neck just the sides. Can I glue fret markers on to the face of the neck?

Yes, you can glue some markers on the fingerboard. Appliquéd markers will eventually fall off. It might take a month or ten years but they will not be permanent. You can also commission your luthier to inlay them. That is the way to go.

The big question to ask yourself is why you want them. If it is a matter of decoration by all means have it done. If you are using them to see where your hands are you might reconsider and start using the side dots.

[SherpaKahn]

You could always do what learning violinists and other strings players have done, and just put differently colored pieces of tape in-between key frets. This way you have a visual reference, and when you no longer need it, you can cleanly remove it and have a very nice-looking fingerboard.

I'm sure you can find some stickers that would look good and unobstrusive (or obtrusive!) that would work.

[Brass Nut]

Grabbed this for you.
marking an unmarked neck
I simply loved Vinny's logic!

[BurningSkies]

To be honest, not all fret markers are for the bass player.

Since the OP says nothing about the bass being fretless, I'll assume its a fretted model. My current #1 bass has no fretmarkers on the face of the fretboard. I love the way it looks and love the clean look of a fretboard without those dots or hideous blocks.

BUT my bandmates (in several bands) have a hard time following me and what key I'm in (made more difficult by me moving to a 5 string and having fanned frets).

I really wanted my new bass to have a plain maple fretboard with no markers, but I've changed that to have markers at 5 and 12 so that my band mates can at least count to the right place!

I'd have someone do the inlay work. Stuck on markers or painted ones look cheezy.

[202dy]

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

BUT my bandmates (in several bands) have a hard time following me and what key I'm in (made more difficult by me moving to a 5 string and having fanned frets).

This is not a gear issue. This is a personnel issue.

[BurningSkies]

Originally Posted by 202dy

This is not a gear issue. This is a personnel issue.

I never said it was a gear issue.

[202dy]

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

To be honest, not all fret markers are for the bass player.

Since the OP says nothing about the bass being fretless, I'll assume its a fretted model. My current #1 bass has no fretmarkers on the face of the fretboard. I love the way it looks and love the clean look of a fretboard without those dots or hideous blocks.

BUT my bandmates (in several bands) have a hard time following me and what key I'm in (made more difficult by me moving to a 5 string and having fanned frets).

I really wanted my new bass to have a plain maple fretboard with no markers, but I've changed that to have markers at 5 and 12 so that my band mates can at least count to the right place!

I'd have someone do the inlay work. Stuck on markers or painted ones look cheezy.

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

I never said it was a gear issue.

Your original statement is that fret markers on the fingerboard exist so that other players can figure out what you're doing. This implies that they cannot hear the chords or changes. That is a personnel issue. You state that you have changed your new bass from a plain fingerboard to one with markers to accommodate the same players. That is a gear decision that is based on personnel but it is still a gear decision. If you choose to make gear decisions based on personnel, that is your business but most bassists have found that gear lasts longer than playing situations. No offense meant in any of these statements. It is merely the logic that is being discussed.

BTW, you have excellent taste and gear. And it is true that an unadorned fretboard is tasteful and elegant.

[BurningSkies]

Originally Posted by 202dy

Your original statement is that fret markers on the fingerboard exist so that other players can figure out what you're doing. This implies that they cannot hear the chords or changes. That is a personnel issue. You state that you have changed your new bass from a plain fingerboard to one with markers to accommodate the same players. That is a gear decision that is based on personnel but it is still a gear decision. If you choose to make gear decisions based on personnel, that is your business but most bassists have found that gear lasts longer than playing situations. No offense meant in any of these statements. It is merely the logic that is being discussed.

BTW, you have excellent taste and gear. And it is true that an unadorned fretboard is tasteful and elegant.

Thanks.

I really wanted to point out that markers are there for a number of reasons, not just for bass players to look down and read.

I play in a number of situations. Some of the people I play with I've played with for over 10 years. They range from classically trained and pro players to guys who don't know a scale. Many nights we may have a player or two sit in on stage...a guitar player, horn player or keyboard player who may not be entirely comfortable with our material or where we play 'standards'. A lot of nights lately, I'm on stage with 10+ people, in various monitoring situations, and its not always easy to pick out a key by ear on some stages.

My job is to help them not look bad during their star moment or have whatever band I'm playing with look bad while on stage. I personally want everyone to sound their best. Its very easy for a guitarist or keyboard player to 'read' a fretboard across stage. Its harder for most guitarists to read a 5 string or more, as the low string isn't an E like theirs. The choice of dots or not dots has never played into my gear buying decisions, nor have I ever thrown a player to the curb because they couldn't figure out where I'm running Heavenless riddim, Kutchie or Tings & Times. When I discussed this with a certain luthier, his reaction was "I never thought of that, it makes perfect sense!"

In the past few years, my gear has taken a turn for the pragmatic. If it works musically and makes sense on a design level,I'll do it. Especially if it makes my life easier and those playing with me.