gold frets and MOP

[primi]

While you can never go wrong with silver frets, gold can work well also. I have my eyes on this neck but it has mother of pearl dots and I think those will go well with round magnets on my single coils. Not sure about gold frets though. So what do you think?

a) that ain't workin'
b) that's the way you do it

I tried using that Warmoth inlay options page and it doesn't really look bad I think. It's for a darker rosewood fretboard on a generally brown/black body with some other gold details present.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

"We gotta install microwave ovens ..."

1. This is a sure matter of taste. Your own taste. So what do you think?
2. IMHO - you're good to go.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

I've got gold frets on at least a couple of my guitars, and I love 'em. Feel like stainless, look fine, will last a long time. But, I did it to match the hardware, which was also gold. If you're going to use chrome/nickel/black hardware, then you want to use stainless frets. Can't think of a reason to use the old nickel-silver frets.

 

[primi]

I know it would look good without MOP dots. But I'm a sissy, I need them dots to find my way. "I shoulda learned to play the guitar..."  :doh:

I might also have to stain the peghead a little to match the body better. I mean it doesn't look bad to start with but it's hard to say until I see it in person. I suppose it's now a waiting game.

I'll go with gold.

 

[Ddbltrbl]

Don't see a reason not to do it. I've only recently used gold frets, but (agreeing with Cagey again) I find little difference between them and steel, and they definitely look great on the right guitar. Here's mine.

No MOP on this one, but who's to say, "That ain't workin!"

 

[primi]

Some brass rings instead of MOP dots now that would look great. But no way Warmoth is doing that judging by some older threads around here. And I'm absolutely not doing that myself or have a third party do it for me. Not this time at least.

 

[Cagey]

I know it would look good without MOP dots. But I'm a sissy, I need them dots to find my way. "I shoulda learned to play the guitar..."  :doh:

I used to think the same thing - I'd be lost without fretboard markers. But, as it works out, it only takes about a minute to get over their not being there. As long as there are side markers, you're good to go.

 

[dmraco]

Go for it.  I love my gold frets.  Cagey is right and they are almost as hard as stainless..

 

[swarfrat]

yuppers - it's not like going fretless or scalloped where it takes a lifelong commitment to learn. Just ditch em and get on with life.

 

[Tony Raven]

Just chiming in to support naked fretboards. When I first started on fretless bass, I was kinda panicky. An experienced player told me, "Trust your hands." I set myself to scales & runs, unplugged, not worrying about accuracy, just getting used to the feel. After a few weeks, I hardly looked at my left hand. The first time I plugged it in, I was shocked at how accurate I was.

Two years back, I started doing sporadic backing gigs (guitar/bass). Some of these bands looked like a bunch of stooped-over old men, craning to see their neck dots! Now, with that image lingering, I hardly refer to even the side dots -- though if it's a loud & wild evening, I might tape the 12th for easy spotting, in case I get frazzled.

 

[primi]

For naked I'd have to go for a custom order as there is hardly a neck in showcase without inlays. I agree it would look better most likely. I'll play it safe with this build, as it turned out it will be cheaper than expected because I went with a front routed body and a 'reasonably priced' neck. (+shipping, customs, VAT grrrrr  :doh. Somehow I've decided that while there are quite a few beautiful rear routed bodies in stock they just don't look right without a pickguard and with 3 single coils. I could mount a pickguard on a rear routed body of course but then you have to rip it all apart to get to the pickup. Let's just walk first and see where that gets me. Plus I have a reason to go for a second build if this one turnes out OK. There are at least 2 other designs I'm interested in.