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Fretless fret marks

Posted by Vinylhed on September 30, 2011 at 5:02pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

Okay Nation, I need your help/advice/counseling.

I'm currently making a 3 string biscuit tin guitar and have chosen to go fretless. Obviously, I want to mark the frets on the fretboard, but as the mahogany I'm using is very dark, I'm left wondering how to make them stand out.

 

I've had an idea.

 

I would cut the frets as if I was going to add fret wire, although not quite as deep. Then mix wood glue with paint (white or another colour), and fill the frets with the coloured glue. I would (hopefully) then be left with coloured fret marks that would be flush to the fretboard.

 

What do you think of my idea? Has anyone done this? Or, do you have a better suggestion?

 

Cheers

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Replies

  • Vinylhed October 5, 2011 at 5:46am

    Thanks folks for your input. There's just so many different options isn't there.

  • Seaman Jay October 5, 2011 at 4:14am

    With a 3 string guitar you don't really need the whole fret marker (actually I saw few professional, multi-K$, 4-and-more strings basses with this kind of marking)

    Sometimes it is enough to mark the fret positions on the upper edge of the fingerboard. Just drill shallow hole at every fret's position (double for harmonics) and fill it with white... paint, plastic, bone powder mixed with a glue, choose your favourite.

    Being extremely lazy (with a slight touch of "I can play fretless" elitism ;-) ) I marked only the natural harmonics' positions (fret 5, 7 and 12). It seems to be enough - after a while. And markers are a big improvement, playing got much easier after I added them...

  • Order99 October 5, 2011 at 1:54am
    Come to think of it though, you did say you were using mahogany-it might be too dark for a pen, I use light Poplar...if that's the case maybe a fine copper craft wire in shallow grooves would make a nice contrast, but then you're nearly Fretting again...

    And for some reason the Edit functions aren't working for me tonight, hence the second Comment.
  • Order99 October 5, 2011 at 1:45am
    I've only 'Fretted' two Fretless guitars so far-I took the lazy way out and drew my guides in pencil, then used a woodburning pen for a more permanent solution. Not fancy but quick and Rustic...
  • Mozart1075 October 2, 2011 at 5:37pm
    If you want to use some kind of paint. Try looking in an art supply store for fine tipped paint markers. They come in all sorts of colors including silver and gold.
  • Richard G Caudill October 2, 2011 at 3:47pm
    Nathan ,, sure like that idea about the fret inlay  !!!   I gonna have to try that  !
  • Chris Tinker October 2, 2011 at 3:15pm
    I saw the fret lines and drill the markers and then use wood wax over it to fill the holes in, it then hardens, works nicely.,
  • Ron "Oily" Sprague October 2, 2011 at 2:42pm
    Vinny,

    Fishing line. Just glue it in. Comes in colors, even.
  • Vinylhed October 2, 2011 at 10:32am
    Thanks folks, for all your ideas. It's food for thought.
  • Skeesix October 1, 2011 at 8:06pm
    I used a granadillo fretboard (similar to rosewood) with maple veneer glued into the fret slots on the Little Purple Travel Bass http://skeesixcbgs.com/blog-2/page/2/ (about halfway down the page).
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