Necks without inlays

[bruzanhd]

For those of you who play classical guitar or play a neck with no inlays (also no side markers), how do you find it affects your composition and improvisation? I’ve been thinking about ordering a neck without any position markers to try and stop thinking in terms of “connect the dots”. I’m hoping it will get me out of the rut of playing everything in the typical guitar keys (E, A, G etc). Thoughts?

 

[Hendrix]

Everyone has different abilities/levels of learning and adaptability, and it is only accurate if you experience it yourself. If you want to avoid the opportunity cost of experience not buy a new neck, you can cover the marks & inlays with masking tapes and try it first.
Or gradually cover more and more training by covering only a part first.

Gradually become just try don’t look at the neck at all, it’s probably all based on muscle memory and hearing.

 

[stratamania]

I have played classical guitars without any markers.

Where it really helps is you don't have the crutch of dots and side markers and you don't rely on looking at the neck all the time. Knowing the neck, using your ears and exploring different musical material, and dare I say it being able to read will widen your horizons.

Position markers are not really meant for connecting the dots, just as a visual aid to enable a quick glance to establish a starting point.

Try playing with your eyes closed, or with a blindfold, which will be a more inexpensive experiment than a new neck.

 

[PFDarkside]

I have one guitar without inlays. It looks really cool but I do get lost on it, I guess I use the face dots more than the side dots.

 

[Logrinn]

My three latest necks from Warmoth have no fret markers, only side dots, for this reason.
Some years ago, when I tried to play some difficult stuff, I seemed to be more hindered by the fret markers.
Since I got these necks I feel my playing has improved.
Like Stratamania says, you can easily try it out for yourself by trying to play without looking. This is something I do more and more now.

 

[bruzanhd]

I have played classical guitars without any markers.

Where it really helps is you don't have the crutch of dots and side markers and you don't rely on looking at the neck all the time. Knowing the neck, using your ears and exploring different musical material, and dare I say it being able to read will widen your horizons.

Position markers are not really meant for connecting the dots, just as a visual aid to enable a quick glance to establish a starting point.

Try playing with your eyes closed, or with a blindfold, which will be a more inexpensive experiment than a new neck.

Yeah I’ve tried the not looking technique, but when I’m doing improve with tapping 4-5 notes on a string at a time, spacing my hands is too hard without looking so I have to look to play accurately for that stuff. I appreciate the insight on classicals and ear improvement. That’s what my suspicion was so I think at some point I’ll have to try this experiment.

 

[bruzanhd]

My three latest necks from Warmoth have no fret markers, only side dots, for this reason.
Some years ago, when I tried to play some difficult stuff, I seemed to be more hindered by the fret markers.
Since I got these necks I feel my playing has improved.
Like Stratamania says, you can easily try it out for yourself by trying to play without looking. This is something I do more and more now.

This is what I was hoping to hear.

 

[bruzanhd]

I have one guitar without inlays. It looks really cool but I do get lost on it, I guess I use the face dots more than the side dots.

I think that is my problem also, I really on the dots and get pulled into positioning myself in relation to the dots.