Fretless: make fretmarkers/line where there are none.

[arnebv]

I've got a Ibanez srf700. Sound great, and I like the piezo on the bridge.

The neck has no fretlines, but I would like it to.

I have tried marking lines with various pens/pencils, but everything get worn off pretty fast, if it is visible at all after drawing it on.

I could saw in fret slots and then fill it with veneer, but it seems kinda scary as I'm no wood worker. Maybe my fear is ungrounded?

Any advise toward either a pen/pencil which will stay in place (preferably white/gray) is appreciated.

 

[vid1900]

A fine tip Paint Marker like welders use will last quite a while, and come in plenty of high contrast colors (white, yellow, metallic silver, red)

There are no lack of conventional SR basses on CL, so you might get a cheap one to convert to a lined fretless - then sell your more valuable factory fretless model.

 

[JRA]

vid1900 knows how to solve problems, OP, so i'm not going to challenge his suggestion.

but i am going to challenge you: if you have an unlined fingerboard already (i'll assume that it looks beautiful!) why mark it it up? (i believe you're 60-90 days away from having the chops you want on an unlined board i can feel it in my bones! )

i had to ask, just curious.

 

[arnebv]

A fine tip Paint Marker like welders use will last quite a while, and come in plenty of high contrast colors (white, yellow, metallic silver, red)
(snip)

I've found CRC marker pen which should work in theory, but those are 4.5 mm, which is about triple what I'm thinking. Any specific suggestions on type of pen; 1 - 1,5 mm (1/32 - 1/16 inch). Or maybe I could just use masking tape..

but i am going to challenge you: if you have an unlined fingerboard already (i'll assume that it looks beautiful!) why mark it it up? (i believe you're 60-90 days away from having the chops you want on an unlined board i can feel it in my bones! )

i had to ask, just curious.

It is beautiful

I thought it would settle in, playing double bass in my teens. Now I'm 30 months in and fretless is way harder to play in tune than double bass IMO, . I mostly play in tune but there are no real reference for my hand to guide it and I'm off point more often than I'd like. There are small reference points (fret-dots) on my side of the fretboard but they are of little use when looking diagonally down on my fretboard..

 

[JRA]

It is beautiful

I thought it would settle in, playing double bass in my teens. Now I'm 30 months in and fretless is way harder to play in tune than double bass IMO, . I mostly play in tune but there are no real reference for my hand to guide it and I'm off point more often than I'd like. There are small reference points (fret-dots) on my side of the fretboard but they are of little use when looking diagonally down on my fretboard..

before you take action on the face of the fingerboard, and to do better than the manufacturer's side-dots, you could do this:

these dots are temporary. they do not line up with any manufacturer's side dots, although they are somewhat close in some locations. what they do, however: more closely match 'my view' of the instrument so that i can off-set the parallax involved in that view (a little bit) and compensate for the average width of my finger pads (while stopping/pressing). i place the dots where they are best for me. with my dots = my fingers 'look like' they go where they would on your fretted instrument, more or less.

when i'm sure i have dependable side-dot locations (they're all about the same: i have a JRA personal template) then i make them permanent (different solutions for different axes). this is my first maple board so i'll end up having more elegant dark dots. it is a personalized, customized, greatest-of-all-time solution!

you can try the thin strip of tape yourself and see if it helps your intonation. try it before you hack on/at your beautiful fingerboard. good luck with your "fretmarkers!"

 

[RSBBass]

You could make marks on the side of the fingerboard. That way you would have a guide but there would be nothing to wear them off. In the end it is your ear that guides the fingers but I understand wanting a little help.

 

[Inara]

You could make marks on the side of the fingerboard. That way you would have a guide but there would be nothing to wear them off. In the end it is your ear that guides the fingers but I understand wanting a little help.

His particular bass, the Ibanez srf700, already has that. There are "hash lines" where every fret would be.

 

[JRA]

There are "hash lines" where every fret would be.

all the better: employ the side-dots where they'd do the most good from the OP's POV. two references at once. better if not best! never perfect, always reliable.

 

[arnebv]

all the better: employ the side-dots where they'd do the most good from the OP's POV. two references at once. better if not best! never perfect, always reliable.

I think I'll try that, thanks

 

[Watchootognbout]

I have an unlined fretless six.
Sometimes I wish that the area ABOVE the twelfth fret position had lines.
It gets really dicey up there!