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fret markers on fretless guitar

I've come to the point where I'm thinking about adding the nut and bridge. I sent away for samples of corian which arrived and it seems to be very workable. Before I go to far into it I'd like some advice on action at the first and twelfth fret.

This brings me onto my second question: although this guitar is fretless I'd still like to mark fret position and add fret markers. The fret markers I've got covered, what I would like advice on is marking where the fret wires would be on a fretted guitar. I've a couple ideas, 1. Draw frets on with white sharpie or such like, then apply finish over top, or 2. Cut shallow slots into fretboard as if adding fret wire, then filling slots with a mixture of wood glue white paint and wood shaving, sand flush then apply finish.

Any thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by eK on April 6, 2014 at 2:56pm

You could use any marking method you'd like as long as the fingerboard is left perfectly smooth when you're finished.

Some beginning fretless bass players have their "frets" lightly (and temporarily) marked with #2 pencil on their fingerboards. Jaco's famous "Bass of Doom" was a fretted Jazz Bass that had its frets removed, the slots filled, and the whole lacquered over with marine epoxy.

Between those two extremes, pretty much anything goes.

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Permalink Reply by Dale "Guv'nor" Crombez on September 5, 2014 at 3:47am

Here is an idea for side markers that I have not seen anyone else use. I use tips from soft tip darts (see attached photo, sorry I don’t have a photo of the installed dot). I drill a hole that is the size I want, add some glue in the hole, push the tip in, cut it flush and sand. The tips are tapered so they wedge in well and you can make your dots any size from the diameter of the tip to the diameter of the root of the tip. I use each tip multiple times with each dot a little bigger (because of the taper). They are about $5 for 100 at any sporting goods store.

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Permalink Reply by Bluesheart on September 6, 2014 at 9:59am

I like to use solid brass escutcheon pins for side markers. I cut them off to about 1/4" with dykes, buff to a high sheen with dremel, then coat with lacquer so they stay bright. I drill 1/16' holes in side of fingerboard and tap in for a nice snug fit.

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Permalink Reply by Dale "Guv'nor" Crombez on September 16, 2014 at 7:33am

Here is another method for creating fret markers I recently discovered. Attached is a photo of some sample inlays using plastic/acrylic gems sold at craft/fabric stores. I drilled an appropriate inlay hole 1-2 mm deep and glued in a gem, then sanded the gem down to the surface. The back of the gem has a metallic mirror layer which gives an iridescent look after sanding it down. The attached photo has the raw gems (these were actually purchased at a dollar store) and 2 sizes of inlayed, sanded gems (the right 2). The inlay on the left was made from a dot cut from a guitar pick for comparison. These gems come in different colors, sizes and shapes although I have only tried clear.

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