An odd question: marker dot strip?

[eli]

OK, just bought a fretless for $160. Problem is, the side marker dots (black dots on maple) are where they would be on a fretted bass, not where they SHOULD be (IMHO), which is exactly *at* the fret positions. (There are no dots on the face of the fretboard -- it is a maple "blank plank". Nice.)

Flames aside: Any ideas for a permanent strip that would hide the existing dots and carry the dots I want? Accent on the "permanent" -- don't want to to be fooling around with this after it's done. Plenty of time to do it right.

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER: I am no luthier; I am "handy" but I have no real woodworking tools. Plenty of normal household hardware, and a cheap imitation Dremel tool are in the garage.

SO: Any brilliant ideas?

[Ruckus_Instrmts]

Seems a ripe chance for some binding.

[__HM__]

Well, inlaying dots is fairly easy. you could drill/fill the old inlays, and then replace new inlays where you want them. Thats what I'd do, at least.

[eli]

Originally Posted by Ruckus_Instrmts

Seems a ripe chance for some binding.

Doesn't binding require actual straight cuts?

[mikeyswood]

You could add some position ticks:

[__HM__]

Yeah, I initially thought binding, but with no real lutherie experience? I say my way is the best choice still..


EDIT: Ticks might work, if its more of a functionality problem than a cosmedic problem.

[eli]

Originally Posted by mikeyswood

You could add some position ticks:

Well, now, see -- here's why I came here. Good idea.

BUT: How does one do this?

[Ruckus_Instrmts]

Originally Posted by eli

Well, now, see -- here's why I came here. Good idea.

BUT: How does one do this?

How To: Fretboards

About half-way down the page.

[mikeyswood]

^That would be the correct way to do it.

Without experience, just carve notches where you would like them and fill with a contrasting epoxy and sand flush.

[Nomad98]

Long ago I had a fretless Ripper, black with white dots marked like your neck. I took acrylic artists paint and put dots of black over the white and re-dotted with new acrylic paint in the correct place. I bet the owner is still playing it with the dots I put on it...

I'm sure you could match the maple color with acrylic paint, then put new acrylic dots on. Might be easier than drilling or cutting the finger board.

[eli]

Well, here's what I came up with:

Laid the bass on top of another 34" scale with lines, and used a striaghtedge to draw (approximately) straight hash marks.




A wider view of the marked neck:


And a bassist's-eye view of the finished product (at least this phase):


Yes, I'm cheap and lazy, but I didn't want the bass to be out of commission for days, and this was quick. I find I can play it reasonably easily now. We shall see how long the marks last... incidentally, the intonation seems to have come out pretty good!

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Well done! Is Les jealous that there's another fretless in the house?

[HogieWan]

this is what I prefer on a fretless - no lines on the board, but the side looks like a fretted bass would look

[Stealth]

A friend of mine owns a cheap knockoff of a fretless jazz bass, but with an interesting twist - he has strips of self-adhesive silver tape right along the side of the neck (up to the edge fingerboard) exactly where the frets are supposed to be. I'm primarily a fretted player, but the moment I tried to follow those markers it seemed they were positioned exactly where they should. So, there's a cheap alternative.

[tearalong]

If you really want to see them on a dark stage.