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Joined:
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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December 2001
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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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
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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Joined:
March 2008
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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September 2006
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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March 2008
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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June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | Practice in the dark or with your eyes shut
AJ :D |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
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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March 2008
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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Posts: 3084
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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Joined:
August 2006
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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Joined:
March 2008
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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Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | mothership is the factory in new hartford ct. where these fine oddities are produced.... |
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March 2008
Posts: 15
| Thanks Jason but I do not want to drill or cut anything. :p |
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Posts: 2804
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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Posts: 15
| Ah Mothership...I most certainly should have known! Thanks Jason! |
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Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | your welcome...welcome to the ofc btw |
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Posts: 15
| Thanks this is an awesome board! Nice people and plenty of great info!
:p |
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Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | there is tons and tons of knowlege here. many many that know far more than me lol |
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June 2007
Posts: 3084
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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November 2007
Posts: 1486
Location: Cincinnati | Try a ram-set. They make special fasteners just for guitars. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
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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August 2002
Posts: 8307
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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December 2001
Posts: 10583
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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How to add position markers to the neck?
