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Fretboard Side Dot Markers are hard to see

DJWhitJr

DJWhitJr

Apr 25, 2020
719
775
Smithton, IL
#1
The fretboard side dot markers are on my Yamaha Motion are really hard to see in low light conditions. There seems to be a heavy amount of lacquer over them or the lacquer has just yellowed over time thus making them difficult to see. I'm considering giving them a light sanding with some fine grit sandpaper but before I do that I was curious what other options there are. The luminlay looks pretty slick but not sure I want to take on that big of a project. Stickers don't seem like they would hold up over time.
Any suggestions or experiences regarding this?
 
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#4
DJWhitJr said:
The fretboard side dot markers are on my Yamaha Motion are really hard to see in low light conditions. There seems to be a heavy amount of lacquer over them or the lacquer has just yellowed over time thus making them difficult to see. I'm considering giving them a light sanding with some fine grit sandpaper but before I do that I was curious what other options there are. The luminlay looks pretty slick but not sure I want to take on that big of a project. Stickers don't seem like they would hold up over time.
Any suggestions or experiences regarding this?
Click to expand...

I’ve also got a bass with hard to see dots on top of the neck. The neck is a dark roasted maple and it has black dots on top. It seems they should’ve been white dots installed from the factory. I’m thinking about a white sharpie or paint pen to draw new dots but am curious to see what others may recommend.
 
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#5
I had the same difficulty, tried luminlay...which helped alot and only cost me $40 to have done, as well as stickers, markers etc., but eventually I just stuck to maple fingerboards exclusively. One less "thing" to think about in the millions of light conditions that arise.

I also was flamed on TB by many who insisted I should learn how to play without even glancing once at the neck...very helpful.
 
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#9
i relocate the side dots on my fretless axes whether or not they're in the 'factory correct' location. i've been using a day-glow pink after finding that it shows up well. i'll have to take some pics in order to post them, but i believe this example of relocated side dots is from @Stewie's collection:
stewie's side dots.png

the whole idea is to make some 'hi-def contrast' between the fingerboard/edge and the dots. you can make a shallow "dimple" at the existing dot locations using an appropriate size drill bit (you can do it with your hands/fingers, don't even need to use the drill!). you can fill the 'dimples' with contrasting paint until the dried paint stands just proud of the fingerboard edge surface (several coats). lightly sand to level (also removes slop at the dot locations) and coat the edge with some wipe-on poly (or other clear finish).

i've also used wite-out on darker boards, works great!

E Buzz said:
I also was flamed on TB by many who insisted I should learn how to play without even glancing once at the neck...very helpful.
Click to expand...
folks who say things like that are posing --- fact: the only players who never look at the neck (or side dots) are players who are blind. ;)

Lenny JG said:
My advice: get used to playing without looking at them.
Click to expand...
is that you in your avatar pic looking straight at your instrument's neck? :confused:

DJWhitJr said:
Interesting and inexpensive!
Click to expand...
i read that in a different thread and thought it was a pretty cool idea. good luck with your solution! :thumbsup:
 
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#13
I've posted these elsewhere on this topic. Glitter fingernail polish works great. I put these on over a year ago on my two main basses and still haven't needed re-application. The glitter finish means they show up well under stage lights where the room is dark, and in daylight gigs easily visible too.

Added bonus, they form a small "bump" so if you rest your thumb high enough that's another reference where you are on the neck too.

Just a comparison next to the Bronco neck as it comes stock.

fingernail polish markers.jpg
 
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#17
I've been pretty happy with Luminlay dots for playing live. If you go that route just make sure you get the real Luminlay brand, I've had the knockoffs on a few guitars and they don't seem to work as well. It's always funny to me when people get all uppity about dots, especially if you want to play at a high technical level. How many shred guitarists are using necks with no dots? :D

claudel said:
Tried those. They fell off after a couple of weeks...

Next experiment will be glow-in-the-dark gunsight paint.

I've wanted to try gunsight tritium vials, but they're pretty expensive
Click to expand...

Please post a review of the gunsight paint, that sounds interesting! Tritium would be cool but isn't the half-life pretty short? IIRC it's something like 10-12 years. I have a few surplus guns with tritium sights but they no longer glow.
 
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#19
I bought some glow-in-the-dark paint for gun sights. It sticks to nitro lacquer. The only down side is you have to recharge it by leaving it in light. I have found though that even if there is a little light in the space, it will be enough to glance down and know where you are at. I bought it off Amazon. After lots of playing, none of the dots have fallen off. I feel like I could easily scrape them off with my finger nail though.

I have such a small amount on there that you can barely even see it. The bass I am using is a heritage cherry finish with rosewood fingerboard and tiny white side dots.
 

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