Would you buy a bass without side dots?

[HolmeBass]

I use them so I would install some or a non-destructive proxy on a vintage instrument.

Dots on the fingerboard are not as useful to me, but on the edge of the fingerboard I find them very useful.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

If you liked a bass enough, would you buy it if it didn't have side dots on the neck?

I have a German Hofner that doesn't have side dots. So far it's pushed me to lean more on my ears than eyes when playing.

Yeah, it's crazy how much you rely on something that you've never really even noticed until it was gone.

I had a blank neck once. I ended up putting dot stickers on it after a while

 

[rtslinger]

I did in fact purchase a bass that had no side dots, however with a small handle drill and whiteout I made my own worked great and they are still on there for many years

 

[jd56hawk]

Not as if these haven't been available for the decade or so that I've been playing.

 

[DrBnz]

I have a few that the dots are so hard to see ya may as well say they don't have any. But I like them so much that I overlook that factor. Its not a huge deal and I manage to get by. But it is nice when ya pull out something with binding and dots and you can see them so clearly. So its not required.... but it is a nice to have thing.

 

[SunByrne]

If I liked everything else about it, sure. Be an excuse to add luminlays or something.

 

[Danny C]

Some of my basses have them, some don't. I also have a few that don't have any on the fretboard. It's never bothered me, mostly cuz I can't really see them. Either eye sight or stage lighting causing this. My fingers seem to know where to be. And If I'm changing scale from 34 to 32 or 30 it seems to only take a minute to get adjusted. it probably has something to do with how much I play. If not gigging I still play a bass every day.

 

[Neil Folkard]

If I liked everything else about it, sure. Be an excuse to add luminlays or something.

I haven't had much luck with my luminlays, to be honest. Yes, they are great...when they are lit up. The only way that I have achieved that is to use the provided flash light and shine it at all the dots, one-by-one. And it's great, but only lasts about two songs.

It's possible that I'm missing something, and also haven't fully tried it live, but they don't seem to activate all that easily.

 

[gln1955]

Better to have them and not need them than to need them but not have them.

I don't need them to play sedate music in church. When I'm playing rock, moving about on stage and can't always hear myself well, yeah, I need them.

 

[Williethump]

Yes, although without side dots I'm lost. My Univox Hi-Flyer piccolo bass project neck lacked side dots so I used a hole punch on white labels to make adhesive dots and installed them. Not hi-tech but appropriate for a $62 salvage/relic bass. Easily removed it I ever turn into a real piccolo bassist.

 

[micguy]

I play on a lot of dark stages - big enough that the light that the singers get doesn't really get back where the instrumentalists are. Sometimes, for "vibe" reasons, we end up in near blackness back there.

So....

All of my basses (and a lot of them that I have donated) have this scheme on them - much easier to see than the silly little side dots that come from the factory. None of my basses have dots on the fretboard, I just have markers where i can actually see them.

 

[groooooove]

you can buy tiny sticker dots on amazon. for stickers, they are expensive, but overall it's worth the $10 to get the set.

I use them on the fingerboard of a double bass and they look like inlaid dots. many colors available as well.

I'd just get those. they're stickers, they do no harm, and they look just like inlaid dots.

 

[Hounddog409]

If you liked a bass enough, would you buy it if it didn't have side dots on the neck?

I have a German Hofner that doesn't have side dots. So far it's pushed me to lean more on my ears than eyes when playing.

You dont need a dot to tell you where the 3rd fret is......you shouldnt be starring at the fretboard when you play.

 

[bass12]

Yes, but I would definitely have side dots installed. I don't mind not having them on DB but I want them on electric.

 

[Hurricane Jimmie]

So Anyway, Yes and I only noticed it when I got to the gig and started playing it.
What I'd really like is a bass with flashing LEDs...or my name spelled out on the fretboard.
Something with real class.

 

[Low End Scum]

For sure, but I don't know if I'd gig it right away. I have never had contacts, and don't wear glasses on stage (helps with anxiety and not worrying if they're gonna fly off when jammin out). Anything more than a foot away from my face gets blurry pretty quick. So side dots are about the only reference I have if I get lost. Would need to practice that out, and failing that I'd add them myself in a reversible way if it was vintage.

 

[spade2you]

I once owned a classical guitar without any fingerboard inlays or side dots. Never doing that again.

 

[sotua]

No.

But then I remember I can actually add dot stickers (like I did to my ibanez EHB - those "luminlay" ones are actually garbage and invisible most of the time) so if I love everything except the lack of dots I'd say yes and buy stickers.

 

[Rabidhamster]

I might not notice til later. When I’m happy with my playing I usually only use the dots when I fall out of the flow.

 

[Neil Folkard]

You dont need a dot to tell you where the 3rd fret is......you shouldnt be starring at the fretboard when you play.

Great, if that works for you. But no way could I play an unlined fretless without them; especially given the amount of notes and movement in a lot of the songs that I play, lol.