Double Bass Fingerboard Markers(dots)For Upright Bass

[michaeln]

I'm cheap. I opened up my 3 hole punch and there were THOUSANDS of position markers in there! I just used a toothpick with a tiny dab of Barge cement and bingo, free easy to see markers. I tested one first, and it scrapes off easily with a fingernail yet stays in place while playing. The Barge rubs off with your thumb when you remove the dot, and no evidence stays behind.

 

[rusag2]

I took a bottle of my wife's fingernail polish...a dark maroon that wasn't too high contrast from my fingerboard, and added the dots to the side. I can see the dots well enough, but what I discovered is that with my left thumb, I can FEEL the dots. It has improved my intonation markedly, overnight. I'm not a great player...I do a lot of I V bluegrass stuff and a little walking. For my purposes, for my style, they're GREAT.

 

[BeowulfKingsley]

My girlfriend's a jeweler, and gave me 5 swarosky crystals to use as markers...I just glued them to the side of the neck. I'm not worried about it, I can remove 'em if I want, but I kinda like the look to tell the truth...and they're easy to see on a dark stage. I don't usually need 'em, but it's handy when you're having a "bad ear day" onstage! Plus, my teacher (who's a brilliant classical player) admits that he uses certian imperfections in the fingerboard wood as signposts for some passages, so why not? I'll take all the help I can get.

 

[jonah5]

Quick question-I'm building an EUB and plan on placing side markers based on info from this thread: what positions should I inlay the markers? Is there a standard for this? Standard electric basses typically have them at frets 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 15, 17, and 19 (correct me if I'm wrong). I'll be totally green in playing an upright, hence the reason for my building an EUB (the alternative acoustic version is not acceptable to my wife because of the sheer size-no place to put it!)

 

[larrycjr]

Great topic. I've been playing for a few years now, and I regularly share a smile with other pickers and friends when they notice that I have 24 frets marked on the side of my fretboard. It helps keep me on track no matter what key we play in, and it's a funny ice breaker. Like another poster here, I bought the marker material from Stew-Mac, and used their web page to calculate the measurements. I love picking with friends. Bluegrass may not pay the bills, but it has made my life pretty rich. I can tell ya that!

 

[Ozmoid]

When I started on DB, I marked out positions 1-2-3-5-7 on the edge of the fingerboard in pencil. Tremendous help as I built my ear for intonation. After becoming more familiar with my instrument, and getting comfortable forming my hand shapes consistently, I use the same technique as BeowulfKingsley's teacher. I don't use them all the time, but a few points of reference come in handy!

...uses certain imperfections in the fingerboard wood as signposts...

 

[michaeln]

I removed the markers on my bass a few weeks ago, and I find I have less trouble with intonation now than when I was looking at the markers.

 

[Matt Ides]

Harmonics and open strings are there to check your intonation, at least that is what my first teacher drilled into me. I never even thought of position markers. Just use my ears and muscle memory to get me there, lots o' practicing as well.

 

[El Thumpo]

I took a bottle of my wife's fingernail polish...a dark maroon that wasn't too high contrast from my fingerboard, and added the dots to the side. I can see the dots well enough, but what I discovered is that with my left thumb, I can FEEL the dots.

This is what I've done as well, but I used clear fingernail polish. That way I know it's there, but it's more for a tactile reference point than a visual one. You can't see it at all unless the light catches it a certain way, but you can feel it by running your thumb alongside. That way I'm not dependent upon them, but they're a good fallback in case I lose my bearings and need to get reoriented quickly.

I think a lot of marker non-users are more dependent on visual cues than they realize. Those nicely-flamed necks provide a lot of mapping points!

 

[gerry grable]

RE: Rusag2

I hope you don't mind my saying that if you can "feel" the dots on the side of the fingerboard of a upright bass, you have your left hand in the wrong position. Ideally the ball of thumb should be on the center of the neck, behind the center of the fingerboard with the fingers arched over.
But to the subject, I have a different dot problem. When playing DB, I simply know the locations of the notes and don't need dots; however, when playing my Fender Jazz Bass, I need the dots in the higher positions. If I am reading music or playing with my eyes closed, I get all kinds of buzzes from hitting the notes right on rather than behind the frets.
My only explanation (for me personally at least) is, and I don't mean this as a put down, DB players, in effect, finger in tune while BG players finger flat.
GG