Poll: What inlay designs do you like?

[jazzyvee]

Just about anything by Alembic:

That's is one of my favourite alembic inlays.

 

[Mechayoshi]

It's not that simple. It all depends on the bass its attached to, and the fretboard material.

This.

Rosewood or other dark woods can be block or dots. On maple I only like dots. I'm not a fan of the ever popular black blocks that certain jazz basses have. I also don't like a complete absence of any markers unless the fretboard wood is pretty enough.

 

[rocu]

I like inlays in general. They are an interesting form of artistic expression and personalization. I like looking at them anyway.

For my personal instruments I tend to go with understatement. Clay dots on rosewood, black blocks and binding on maple are my favorites. Black blocked maple on a black bodied instrument is just classy.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

No thank you. I avoid inlay when I can

 

[KillerEddie]

B C Rich Clouds

 

[Herrick]

I voted none but I do like when dots are on the side of the neck.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

No shark fin option?

 

[RyanJD]

Blocks are my preference if the neck is bound in the same color as the blocks.
But I enjoy the oval Abalone inlays on my Ibanez too.

 

[NoiseNinja]

Carrots would be cool, I see no one doing it though.

So as it is I prefer dots.

Nice and simple, and not too distracting for the few times you momentarily forget your hand and need guidance to where the heck your fingers are traveling on the fret board.

I did have a guitar once though where I put tiny cow stickers on in place of the dots, after some time they ended up coming off and breaking up and made the fret board slightly uneven, so had to remove them eventually.

 

[rydin4lifebass]

 

[NoiseNinja]

My brother had that same guitar in jet black...I think he bought it in '90...?
He wound up stripping th paint off and we were very surprised to see 1-piece Mahogany under all that paint. Wound up giving it a wax-finish, looked beautiful.

I had one of the earlier Satriani-esque models with rounded body edges and F1 pickups in both neck and bridge positions...circa '91 I think...

But getting back on topic...I like blocks when done a certain way, like how Fender does them - they maintain constant block-to-neck width ratio throughout the neck. I don't like it when all the blocks are the same width throughout.
I also like no inlays...especially on a figured fretboard.


...but these PRS Dragons are killer...!!!

The one on the bottom is really beautiful, wouldn't mind having that on my bass, a shame the shape of the guitar is not to my taste and the finish of the body is right out ugly in my opinion.

 

[ThudThudThud]

I like dots on rosewood. I kind of like the blocks on my Jaguar. Getting used to them...

If I could, I'd have the same inlay my acoustic guitar has:

 

[bucephylus]

When I have my choice, it's dots. Probably a sign of old age. Get offa my lawn!

 

[Wisebass]

Waterproof blocks!!!!!

may the blocks be with you

Wise(b)ass

 

[bearhart74]

Always thought this was cool

Wish i new who had this thing i would try to buy it

 

[JJR58]

I'm always a sucker for blocked and bound.

But, right now I'm enjoying bounded dots.

 

[tlc1976]

I like a fretted bass with blocks. I don't really care for the binding, but it's not a dealbreaker.

I like a fretless plain with no inlays.

 

[Cosmiceddie]

This:

 

[Wisebass]

sorry on the wrong thread???

are these called outlays???

may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass

 

[macmanlou]

Side dots only for me, but my dear departed friend Larry Sifel, who founded Invalid Link Removed.