Do you really need luminlay?

[dabbler]

No, but their knobs are the bees knees!

Luminlay Knobs

 

[Rdore2000]

Turns out that my Sadowsky always had them. Will be nice to try it out the next time I'm on stage.

 

[Pet Sounds]

I just got my first bass (Xotic) with Luminlays. Obviously, they're not "needed," but I'm interested in trying them out on a dark stage. I usually don't have a problem with pearl dots, but they can't hurt. Didn't buy the bass strictly for the inlays, obvs.
Agree with the comments about clay dots being borderline invisible.

 

[Pet Sounds]

I just got my first bass (Xotic) with Luminlays. Obviously, they're not "needed," but I'm interested in trying them out on a dark stage. I usually don't have a problem with pearl dots, but they can't hurt. Didn't buy the bass strictly for the inlays, obvs.
Agree with the comments about clay dots being borderline invisible.

The other combination that's lacking in the visibility department is black dots on roasted maple. It's the one and only weaknesses with my amber StingRay Special.

 

[chris_b]

If you can't see the bass, the audience can't see you. What's the point of that?

 

[darwin-bass]

Never tried them and have not felt a need. Though I do have a strong preference against roasted maple because it is neither light nor dark making markers less visible.

 

[fretno]

No but they are cool imo

 

[Neil Folkard]

No but they are cool imo

So, how long do yours stay lit? Mine aren't much use because the light fades after a couple of songs, tops. Is there a way to keep them 'lit' longer, that I don't know about?

 

[fretno]

Nope, only that if using their mini light and charging them all up. Thats it.

 

[elgranluis]

nah you don’t need them. Cello players , violin players , upright bass players , and 99.79% of electric bass players do not need them. So why should you ?

 

[singlemalt]

The light on your phone will do for charging up the dots.

Mine glow for hours, but it is all about contrast. Dim or dark ambient light and they really stand out.

 

[Neil Folkard]

The light on your phone will do for charging up the dots.

Mine glow for hours, but it is all about contrast. Dim or dark ambient light and they really stand out.

Hours?!?! Wow. I have the little light pointer, but have never got beyond 12 minutes. How long do you point the light at them?

 

[singlemalt]

Maybe 5-10 seconds each. The brightest glow fades pretty quickly, but the glow still shows up for hours. Enough to see the dots clearly in low light.

These are the 3mm solid rods of Luminlay. I also embed at least 5-6mm of rod in each hole. Maybe it’s the extra depth.

My Dingwall Super came with the 3mm green with the black outer circle. They do not get as excited and bright, or stay bright as long. Still, enough to see if it gets really dark.

I also have a couple of those little LED lights that clip right on to the top of a 9 volt battery, a great thing for anyone’s gig bag. They work great on Luminlay.

I think it’s a bit of over expectation. Luminlay will never be like the super bright LED markers in the high end basses like Alembics and Stratus. Which I think are a bit much, even if Stanley Clarke can pull it off.

 

[MoireBass]

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/is-fretfx-dead.1599410/

I've got a set of blue ones and they're beautiful!

 

[T McClure]

I guess I'm older now and most of my bassist friends have corporate jobs investing in high end gear. I know most German Warwicks and even Charvels come with them. You're right though. Maybe they were always around in the high end bracket.

That's very true. If you're looking at the custom builds, it's a pretty common offering.