Fret markers

Does anyone here play a guitar with no fret markers. Was it hard to get use to? Would it be to difficult for an intermediate level player to play on? I am looking at a guitar I really like, but it does not come with fret markers. How difficult would it be to add them?

maxP,

Once you get used to not having fret markers it's not a big deal. My Tacoma doesn't have them. Classical guitars don't either. It will probably drive you nuts for a week but then you'll be ok. In the interim you put some masking tape on the fretboard in appropriate places. Clean the fretboard with an old toothbrush to get the tape residue off. So, buy the guitar. It will be OK.

Dave M.

Why would an intermediate player need fret markers? Are you looking down at your guitar neck to play? Just buy it, youll get used to it, and maybe it will help you not to stare at your guitar while you play.

They serve no purpose other than helping beginners learn where the frets are at. Like letters on your keyboard. Theyre useless for somebody who knows how to type. They serve the same pupose as frets markers on a guitar... looks. If fact, thats a good way to look at it. Consider fret markers like the letters on your keyboards keys. You only need them if youre a beginner and need to look down at the keyboard to find the right keys.

If a child can learn the neck on a viola, violin, cello, which doesnt even have frets, you can easily learn on a guitar neck, which DOES have frets, but no markers. Dont let it stop you. I bet youde be suprised how quickly youll become accustomed to it. And if you do hit a sour note... bend the living hell out of it and move on quickly! ;^)

Seriously, youll get used to it. I dont know why guitar players look down at their neck when they play. Maybe they like watching their fingers fly. My brother in-law can play ten times faster than I can (literally) and he bores holes into his fretboard he looks at it so intently. Maybe he likes to watch himself play or something. I dont know, but I know he doesnt need to look down there to play. He just does. He plays so much he has gone through frets on about ten guitars. Once he found a guitar at a pawn shop that he thought was awesome, bought it, took it home, and my sister said, 'hey, isnt that the guitar you pawned about 5 years ago?' Indeed it was. He got rid of it because hed worn the frets to nothing. He had it repaired that time. LOL. Some people like to watch themselves play, I dont know why. I frequently practice with my head relaxed back against my comfy couch, eyes closed. You dont need fret markers.

Aluminium mig wire makes very good side dots.

Tony D

A freind of mine who happens to be a jewler, used single point diamonds as fret markers. Looks great!

Right so let me get this bunch of crap right, because Segovia, Julian Bream, John Williams, Elliot Fisk and too many others to list , but you get the picture, look at their fingers whilst playing its because they like to watch their fingers fly, or just like to watch themselves play.

Dont know about you and your obvious expert opinions, but i would class these as advanced musicians /players. What about all the concert soloist piano players that dont use music but still look at their keyboard whilst playing ? what they just like watching themselves play ?

Id say its more to do with the excellence and precision of the performance rather than trying to look cool by not looking at what they are doing.

Jeeeesh why do people like you write such crap, whats worse is some people will actually heed your so called expert advice

I'm with you. I like to watch.

I noticed the other day at a jam that when Im really ripping, I stare at the headstock. It just gets me going like it gives me a thrill that it's me playing this.

I don't know why.

I use heavy gauge weedeater line.

Anyway, I vote for fret markers. If all your instruments have the same scale length and the same feel, you probably don't need them. Mine range from 14' (mandolin) to 34' (bass). Fret markers help. Oh, and I look at the keyboard most of the time when I type.

Serious question here... Why? You already know which frets are which, why do you need markers?

A skilled pianist hasnt any need to look at the keyboard, anymore than a good guitarist needs to stare at his guitar neck. Ive never even heard of a skilled pianist who cant read sheet music. And you cant look at the keyboard while reading sheet music. So your opinion means nothing. I guess if you practice all the time staring at your guitar neck youll never overcome it. Who knows why some do it, but its certainly not because they need to.

Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis... They all look/ed at their fret boards while playing. Sometimes while improvising it helps... you see ideas aswell as hear ideas. Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray... you can see many many great guitar players looking at their frets while playing.

I'm not saying you can't get used to playing without fret markers... but please don't associate them or looking at your guitar while playing as not proffesional.. you're up against a whole lot of heavy heavy players who could very easily kick your arse (musically speaking) who do it.

Steve Vai, Joe Satriani... I could go on all day... Paco de lucia... I'll stop now... Lightning Hopkins.. damn I can't... actually, show me a really good guitar player who doesn't!! Maybe George Benson... oops no.. just saw a video of him.. he looks at his hands sometimes too.. getting my point?

If you are comfortable looking at your neck while playing, just do it. Make good music and be happy.. don't listen to other people too much.

As regards to getting used to playing without markers, it's not a big deal.. it'll take a while but you'll soon forget about them.

))
www.myspace.com/davidphilips www.myspace.com/fastthree

I agree and I disagree!

I've never heard of the 10 Commandments of Music, beginning with:

1) Thou shalt not watch thy fingers whilst playing a stringed instrument!

As far as reading sheet music goes, how many songs have been copied incorrectly, yet still played and memorized, but the incorrect version is still recognized and accepted as close enough?!

How many songs have incorrect lyrics, yet people still sing karaoke of the original songs, with the incorrect lyrics?!
Does that mean (gasp), they're not professional, either?

I've never believed in the "image" thing! Play instruments and music because you like to, not because you want to impress anyone!

So, frets or no frets, practice in the dark, so you can't see the guitar/keyboard/whatever, and you can't cheat looking at your fingers!
Then, no one can criticize you when you can close your eyes and play, without looking!

***** there's a lot of ****** comments on this site! Practice in the dark so you can't CHEAT???? what??? my *** if you people represent the future then It's a sad state of affairs.

I'd like to use Frank Zappas very much overused yet still valid quote - "SHUT UP AND PLAY YOUR GUITAR!"

p.s. Frank looked at his fingers just like nearly every top genius guitar god has ever done.

It's ok to have a strong opinion, but there is no need to offend people with crass commenting. Your point can be made another way. Keep your cool

So there's a difference between serious opinions and sarcastic humor?

I just can't tell, anymore.

No, that was a biting opinion ...

Bob,
I was only referring to my own post, that "a pro who looks at his fingers" misunderstood, and replied to.

He took it as serious, but I was only kidding (sarcastic humor) when I suggested to "practice in the dark...".

There's no "right or wrong" way, if you look at your fingers/fretboard or not!

Just because I prefer to block all the basement windows, and turn the lights out, and play while my sound activated light show flashes different speeds and patterns, so I can't see the instrument I play, doesn't mean that everyone should!
That's not sarcastic humor, but I enjoy the distraction of the lights, to help me get more into the mood of the music (fast or slow beat), not to help me so I don't look at the instrument, but rather to help me feel the music, and let it become automatic and natural, instead of robotic and just memorized.

Everyone learns differently, and has their own habits, that's all I can say.

I think you should get some fret markers for it. Thay aren't expensive at all; but either way, it's not too big of a deal.

contrary to many people's opinions, fret markers actually help a lot, even for experienced players. you can know one guitar's neck like the back of your hand, but be lost on another, depending on neck shape, width, length, fret count, etc. I'd say definitely buy that guitar you're looking at if you love it, and you can always put little dots of liquid paper or something on the guitars neck, which can be easily removed if you want it gone, but also shows up well. I'm about to do that to my new classical guitar pretty soon on the harmonic frets up to the 12th (primarily 5, 7, some people consider 3 one...)
Anyways, get the guitar and you can always add fret markers