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March 2008
Posts: 15
| Hi Guys,
I have a new Ovation Elite T Series -GC178LX-5N. I love everything about the guitar except one thing. There are no position markers (inlays) on the fret board. There are markers on the top of the neck itself but I find myself looseing my place during solos at times (especially playing in a dimly lit coffee house). Why wouldnt Ovation put position markers on a $1100 guitar?!? I did not notice how much of a nuisance this would be when I first bought the guitar...but now i see the drawbacks...sometimes my vision gets blurry trying to figure out where the heck I am on the neck...even having the 12th fret marker would make all the difference.
Anyway i'd like to resolve the issue if possible. Any ideas on how to do this? I assume stickers are a really bad idea....unless someone out there makes a super thin "inlay kit". I know most position markers are built into the wood or finish itself so that they are smooth. I have a feeling Im gonna have to learn to live with it...but Im hoping someone might have a suggestion (other than buy a new guitar!) Ha Ha! Thanks guys for any advice! |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | take a pocket knife and cut notches into the bottom of the 3 5 7 9 and 12 frets
that way you can feel the positions with your hands and no need to look at the fingerboard |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by alpep:
take a pocket knife and cut notches into the bottom of the 3 5 7 9 and 12 frets
that way you can feel the positions with your hands and no need to look at the fingerboard That is a Great Idea there Al...
I was gonna say Go to the school-supplies dept and get some little stickers, Find something you like that no other guitar has.
But Al's idea is so much better! |
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Posts: 15
| Alpep,
Thanks for the advice Im taking out my box cutter right now and going to work!
NOT!!!! No way im cutting into my new guitar! Im sure you are kidding but if not ...yikes! Thanks anyway I needed that laugh...maybe I should play more by feel instead of vision anyway!
Any other ideas guys? |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Back to the sticker idea... Stick something to the neck at the 3, 5, 7, 9 & 12th frets...
Something you can feel. |
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Posts: 15
| Thanks Old Man Arthur,
I may try that,,,I remember as a teenager having an old electric guitar that I put stickers on the fretboard....it still played OK but the stickers wore off after a few weeks...I may try some tiy ones and just use them for gigs...its worth a try.
Cheers,
Dr.P |
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Location: Brisbane Australia | Practice in the dark or with your eyes shut
AJ :D |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Hey Dr. P... My Lyon Pseudo-Strat has NO markers on the top of the neck.
After some soul searching, I dotted it with a sharpie marker (maple neck).
But I do try to play without looking...
Hey if the little stickers fall-off, you get to change the theme.
I still like that "something you can feel" idea.
But I ain't carving on any of my guitars either.
[When I get my Contour Bowls, I won't be able to look without Really "Looking".... Y'know?] |
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Posts: 15
| So lets see, cut into the frets, play in the dark with my eyes shut, etc. These are all excellent strategies guys! Keep um coming...after all Stevie wonder plays the beejeesus out of the piano and doesnt need no stinkin position markers. Once I get proficient ill wear a blindfold when performing live. Maybe I should get rid of the frets all together and play it like a fretless bass.
:) |
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Location: Brisbane Australia | Seriously, maybe a marker pen of some type would work.
I'm sure a good luthier would be able to help you or ask the boys at the Mothership.
AJ |
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Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | drill press and some white thin plastic rods....drill,insert,glue scrape flush or if you want to feel them leave a smidgen sticking out....thats how id do it... |
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Posts: 15
| Yes I like the idea of making a mark of some type. My fretboard is ebony so maybe some some bright color would work...a luthier is an excellent idea as well...what is "Mothership?"
Thanks for the ideas guys! |
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Location: ranson,wva | mothership is the factory in new hartford ct. where these fine oddities are produced.... |
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| Thanks Jason but I do not want to drill or cut anything. :p |
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Location: ranson,wva | i wouldnt on a new guitar either but if i had to do it thats how id do it |
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| Ah Mothership...I most certainly should have known! Thanks Jason! |
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Location: ranson,wva | your welcome...welcome to the ofc btw |
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| Thanks this is an awesome board! Nice people and plenty of great info!
:p |
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Location: ranson,wva | there is tons and tons of knowlege here. many many that know far more than me lol |
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Location: Brisbane Australia | Hey Doc sorry about the "Mothership" thing I forgot you were new.
Ovation has the best customer service in the world!!
Welcome aboard
AJ :) |
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Posts: 1374
| I often play my guitars in the dark, or with my eyes shut, and to me the music "flows" through me much, much, better that way,... yes you will make more errors at first when you start.... but after a while it gets quite easy to do.
try it for a few nights, or get some really dark sunglasses.... I'm pretty sure you'll be amazed at how easy it becomes.
or with the ebony fretboard on the T, get yourself one of those silver Sharpie pens, usually seen when idiots cover their vintage guitars with autographs...
Glenn |
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Location: Cincinnati | Try a ram-set. They make special fasteners just for guitars. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Hey! Wayduhminnut!
I thought the whole Idea of an Elite T was to be Dark, Minimalist and Goth?
Like, No Shiny Stuff! |
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Location: Tennessee | There are plenty of people out there who do custom work. Not sure where you're from Doc, but there is probably someone locally who can put position markers in for you. Go to stewmac.com and check out what they have available. If you're adventurous, they even have instructions on how to do it yourself.
Don't the dots on the side of the fretboard work for you? That's where I always look for my reference points ... not on the fretboard itself. I always figured the stuff on the fretboard itself was for show. |
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Location: NJ | seriously
if you are looking at the dots on the fingerboard and not the ones on the side of the neck you really have a problem. have someone take a picture of you playing while you are doing that and you will see how bad it looks.
you really need to get used to using the top dots and that is it. it is something that comes with how you grow as a player.
or yank out your pocket knife and ...... |
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Location: North Carolina | I have used small dabs of glow-in-the-dark paint on the top side of the neck for extreme lighting conditions (strobe being the worst). As someone pointed out, if you are looking at the front position markers, you have a real problem. |
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Location: Brisbane Australia | It wasn't "someone" it was Al :D |
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| Nice Jim, now Al is not even "someone"
Hey Al I know what'll getcha back on your feet........eat a couple a bags of pork rinds.......and box of exlax and drink tequila like your on a binge then just wait and see what happens...
No matter what you won't feel like you did before.
Your Welcome |
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Location: North Carolina | Al is not someone? |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | True ... |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Put white out dots. They'll come off later and you can get adjusted to it in the mean time. |
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Location: South of most, North of few | Originally posted by Amazingly-Detached..:
I often play my guitars in the dark, or with my eyes shut,
Glenn I usually play my guitars with ear muffs on. I got the idea from everyone that is in the vicinity when I play. :D |
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| Originally posted by Trader Jim:
Originally posted by Amazingly-Detached..:
I often play my guitars in the dark, or with my eyes shut,
Glenn I usually play my guitars with ear muffs on. I got the idea from everyone that is in the vicinity when I play. :D |
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| actually...."Classic Monkey Trio" sounds like a pretty cool band name.... you all know what the logo would look like...
Glenn |
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| 
Our First Album Cover |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | It's not that hard to do inlays, I redid the dots on my Tak BG to be snoflake diamonds and squared. Just a few exacto blades and a dremmel, super glue, ebony dust and a file and sandpaper. However, I have been trained in this particular procedure, so I was able to do it at home.
There is a guy from Florida that is selling real thin pearl .010, and you can find him on ebay.
Where in NC are you? What do you want for inlays in the F/B? There must be a guy around you that could do this. |
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Location: NJ | I seem t'remember a while back, someone on fleaBay hawking Mother-In-Law of Pearl, stick-on markers that we kinda' pooh-poohed at the time . . .
y'might wanna do a search for those . . |
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Location: Utah | Glow in the dark dots sound like fun.
Doc, welcome aboard. Run now like your ass is on fire, for there is no escaping this place once they get their hooks into you! |
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Location: NW Washington State | eBay glow-in-the-dark fret markers
Maybe I'll get some for my Country Artist. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Those look real cool |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Yeah, but I'm not left handed...
listed in category: Musical Instruments > Guitar > Electric > Left-Handed  |
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| Thanks for all the advice guys...let me clarify, I never had a problem until the really low lighting conditions. I am not new to playing guitar (nearly 25 years!) and I'm a little confused at you guys who say referring to position markers is somehow "poor technique"! 99% of guitars have position markers...are you telling me manufactors put thesee on for asthetics only? Do me a favor, remove your position markers, play a gig live in poor lighting with plenty of 7th through 15th fret soloing and then report back to me about how unecessary position markers are! Even with position markers the lighting is still a problem...Now for you 1 to 2 % of guys that can play completely on feel and sound and never look at your fret board I salute you!!! Meanwhile I need to look at my guitar neck from time to time..especially when soloing! Call me crazy!
Hope Im not offending...Id like to hear more about you guys who never look at your guitar when you play it. By the way I usually try to look at the "Exit" sign in the back of the bar Im playing in (see I dont sit there and stare at my guitar neck the whole time I play!)...I read once that if you look at the back of the audience, everyone in the audience will think you are looking at them! |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Well, working between 7 and 15 would make it a bit interesting! I get lost there with the markers. |
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Location: NW Washington State | Dr. Pee, we're all perfect here. :rolleyes:
Did you look at those glowing dots? |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | ...the add the possible switching from 12 FTN to 14 FTN and then to an electric. 
Oh, wait, how 'bout night vision?  |
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Posts: 15
| Numbfingers I did look at those glowing dots on ebay you linked...awesome...they look like a viable solution! I like my position markers like I like my women: cheap, glowing, and easy to wash off!
(Drummer I need a rim shot)
LOL!
Thanks!
Dr-Pee |
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Posts: 83
Location: New Mexico | Fret markers sound like a good idea or if not just get some water colors and paint an image where it would be most beneficial to you. They also have very thin reflective tape that will go on easy and come off the same. |
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Posts: 15
| Well after careful consideration, Ive decided to use the glow dots on gigs that have really low lighting and play more worry less for the rest! I should tell you that when deciding on an acoustic guitar to purchase a couple of months ago I had done my homework on Taylors and Martins and didnt even really consider Ovation. But when I picked up this guitar on a lark I just knew right away that I had to have it (It was $1500 less than the Taylor 814 I liked too!) I have a buddy that has a Taylor 914, and yes it is an awesome guitar...but he likes playing my guitar more than his own! Says mine has much better action, punch, and great electronics too...
I love Ovations so much I would like to get a couple in my stable! I have a really cheap Applause that I paid $180 for back in 1985! I actually played several gigs with it back in the day too! But man its nothing compared to my sweet Elite!
Sorry for rant...Im on my 5th beer!
Dr. Pee |
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Location: NW Washington State | Originally posted by Dr. Pee:
Sorry for rant...Im on my 5th beer! That's why you're called Dr. Pee! |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by numbfingers:
Originally posted by Dr. Pee:
Sorry for rant...Im on my 5th beer! That's why you're called Dr. Pee!  |
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How to add position markers to the neck?