Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Fretmarkers


uncle psychosis
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hey

I sometimes encounter what I think is a fairly common problem---I can't see my fret markers on the side of the neck on dark stages.

I know you can get LEDs and so on, but thats more effort/cash than I'm willing to invest just now. Instead, I was thinking of getting some glow in the dark stickers. I was hoping I could find some small, circular ones so they wouldn't be very obtrusive.

Has anyone tried this?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have put them on my bass about a year ago and they do work, got them off e-bay only £2 or £3 if I remember correctly. The first ones I put on did not last long before they came off, so I gave the next ones 3 or 4 coats of clear nail varnish and they are still on and working.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Wooks79' post='1331139' date='Aug 7 2011, 06:03 PM']By treat, you mean horrendous? :) not my cup of tea.[/quote]


They obviously make them stand out more than they do for the website to showcase how bright they are but I would have to tilt my bass forward for anyone but myself to see mine.

On a black bass on a dark stage they are the bollocks and a fraction of the price for the SIMS jobbies.

Edited by Delberthot
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='JimH' post='1331103' date='Aug 7 2011, 05:36 PM']Seventy Quid (ish) :-

[url="https://fretfx.com/"]https://fretfx.com/[/url]

Had them on my old Washburn - they work and look a treat.....[/quote]


I agree, fab things, and that guy in the background on the testimonials page cuts a fine dash wouldn't you say :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Delberthot' post='1331563' date='Aug 7 2011, 04:11 PM']They obviously make them stand out more than they do for the website to showcase how bright they are but I would have to tilt my bass forward for anyone but myself to see mine.[/quote]
That's a plus for me. I don't want bright lights in my eyes I just want to see some dots. What I don't like about mine is how it obscures the old dots so It's harder to see when it's not turned on. It's fantastic on a dark stage.

I've toyed with high quality glow in the dark paint but if you don't charge it under a bright light first it doesn't seem to help much at all, at least for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Glow-dark-Vinyl-light-switch-stickers-x-9-/280462619707?pt=UK_Crafts_StickersScraps_Decoupage_SM&hash=item414cdff43b"]these stickers[/url] and used a hole punch to make circles. They stick quite well and only one has come off so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Paul S' post='1331857' date='Aug 8 2011, 11:25 AM']I got [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Glow-dark-Vinyl-light-switch-stickers-x-9-/280462619707?pt=UK_Crafts_StickersScraps_Decoupage_SM&hash=item414cdff43b"]these stickers[/url] and used a hole punch to make circles. They stick quite well and only one has come off so far.[/quote]

They look ideal. Think I'll give them a try. Thanks for the tip!

Sam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='uncle psychosis' post='1331864' date='Aug 8 2011, 11:30 AM']They look ideal. Think I'll give them a try. Thanks for the tip!

Sam[/quote]

Same here. Ive been struggling a bit recently on dark stages, these look ideal and i guess they can be taken off if selling the bass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have applied those stickers to all my basses!

got them off evilbay for a few quid and well worth it! They are clear to see but aren't as bright as the led markers so don't look tacky and over the top.

the led markers always remind me of the guys with all the neons under their cars i.e. the fast and the furious

nail varnish is a good tip! mine didn't fall off but used to slide around on the neck before the varnish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love pretty lights but can't justify buying those LED fret markers, as much as I would like to. The dots on one of my basses are really tiny and very difficult to see. I will get around to drilling out bigger holes and filling them with really bright UV reactive paint at some point. I think every stage needs a UV light and I have one in my practice room.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These stickers are quite bright immediately after exposure to light but they do lose the strength of luminescence fairly quickly. Having said that they keep enough going to make them visible on a dark stage, even after my basses have been sat in a case for a while before hand. I believe you can 'top them up' with a little torch or similar - I have never tried as they work well enough for me as is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='uncle psychosis' post='1330713' date='Aug 7 2011, 10:47 AM']Hey

I sometimes encounter what I think is a fairly common problem---I can't see my fret markers on the side of the neck on dark stages.

I know you can get LEDs and so on, but thats more effort/cash than I'm willing to invest just now. Instead, I was thinking of getting some glow in the dark stickers. I was hoping I could find some small, circular ones so they wouldn't be very obtrusive.

Has anyone tried this?[/quote]


I went a similar but different route.
I bought a tester pack of the strongest fluorescent paint I could get. Water-based paint, 10ml of various colours. Green being the brightest and the one that lasts longest.
I also bought some in powder form, also strong stuff.

Then I took a dollop of paint, and added powder to make it extra strong. I mixed as much as I could without it being too dry. Then I just applied a drop to each side dot. When it dried (a few min), I repeated the process. Then again.

That results in a very bright dot that can be charged very effectively by UV light. If the stage has a black light, you're singing. If not, I also bought a pocket UV torch... swipe over the dots, and have them shine for a while.
In addition, the bumps wee noticeable, but not bothersome, so they provided another clue as to where I was in the fretboard.

I did that to my Warwick Corvette $$, which was sold to another Basschatter, not sure what he thought of it? It can be easily scratched out if you want to remove them afterwards and they leave no mark.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1312710470' post='1330713']
Hey

I sometimes encounter what I think is a fairly common problem---I can't see my fret markers on the side of the neck on dark stages.

I know you can get LEDs and so on, but thats more effort/cash than I'm willing to invest just now. Instead, I was thinking of getting some glow in the dark stickers. I was hoping I could find some small, circular ones so they wouldn't be very obtrusive.

Has anyone tried this?
[/quote]


I know this thread is pretty old but... I needed to ask.

Was this with the black Jazz?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used some glow in the dark stick on ones, partly for dark use but also so I had markers on the fret positions on my fretless (which has dot markers between the frets). They fall off after a bit of use, however, and that gets a little confusing. I'd like to get them replaced with Luminlays or similar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...