Light up fret markers.

[VaSteve]

I was at the Houston Rodeo last night and saw Jake Owen play. He had a guitar where the fret markers were actually lit up in blue. I don't know if this was for show or more an aide to the performer when the lights would go out.

I used to go to a lot of big shows but haven't been in a while. Is this something common these days? I recall years ago seeing a training guitar with LEDs that would help you learn the scales, but this was just a traditional guitar.

Also, I didn't stay the whole time, but for a country show, the telecaster was underrepresented.

[KokoTele]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

Is this something common these days?

Fortunately, it's not common. It's a gimmick on a few student model guitars, and for some folks a practical necessity (poor vision). And for some, it's a fashion choice.

There is (or used to be) a company selling a strip you could glue to the side of the fretboard with LED side markers.

[Red Square]

It is also an option on very high end guitars like Alembics'.

[allen082]

I feel like this was kind of big in the early 2000's. I remember seeing a few bands with them. I think I remember seeing one in a Limp Bizkit music video or something like that...

[ddewerd]

Fret Light

Cheers,
Doug

[VaSteve]

Originally Posted by ddewerd

Fret Light

Cheers,
Doug

Yeah, that was what I remembered regarding the learning system. This is what I saw last night:

http://www.fiberopticproducts.com/Guitar_frets.htm

Odd, that the photo they used was a LH guitar.

[cosmiccowboy]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

.....Also, I didn't stay the whole time, but for a country show, the telecaster was underrepresented.

This is off topic (and I'll probably be flayed and boiled in oil because of it) but thats because it wasn't representative of "real" country.

Any doubts about my allegiance, see my avatar

[claudel]

I always wanted to embed Tritium vials like they use in night sights on a neck for glowing fretmarkers.

I got as far as trying to source the things, but couldn't find any that weren't already made into gunsights.

One would probably need some sort of permit or dispensation from the Authorities to fool around with such things...

They're not cheap, either.

I did buy one of these:



Guitar Side Dot Position Markers 3mm GLOW IN THE DARK

but haven't got around to hacking up a neck to experiment...

[Triton Thrasher]

Originally Posted by claudel

I always wanted to embed Tritium vials like they use in night sights on a neck for glowing fretmarkers...

Forget tritium, with its wimpy 12 year half-life! The lights will be out before your guitar is properly vintage.

You need plutonium oxide, mushed up with zinc sulphide. Don't get it up your nose.

[claudel]

I'm fairly certain plutonium oxide is more difficult to come by than tritium vials...

[marshman]

I recall reading about a company in the UK, Sims, that can install LEDs on your fretboard. I think they did some Roman numerals on one of John Entwhistles' basses, numbering his fret positions. I don't know how popular it is, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were others doing it by now. As I recall, it was very expensive.

http://www.simscustom.com/html/home.htm

[chauncy]

http://guitarheads.net/products/acce.../fretlord.html

[SPUDCASTER]

Did it have the Roy Clark dots too?

[TC6969]

There was a guy around here modding necks to do that.

I sold him a couple of Squier Standards that I had laying around, but I never heard any more from him.

Then a couple weeks later, I went to a guitar show in Orlando and saw where a guy with some real money had started it up and he had the ugliest model ever hanging around his booth trying to drum up business.

I never heard any more from him either, so I kinda figured the whole idea had fallen by the wayside.

[andrewsadlon]

A guy I know made a guitar with fiber optics built into the fingerboard. Powered by a 9 volt in the back of the body. Just for show, it looked cool but I thought it was bordering on the line of gay. MHO.

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by claudel

I always wanted to embed Tritium vials like they use in night sights on a neck for glowing fretmarkers.
...

A friend of mine( Roger Morillo ) contacted Sig Sauer, and asked them for some glow in the dark stuff that they use in their sights. After he explained that he was a guitar builder, and loyal customer of Sig Sauer, they sent him a baggy of powder. It drills the side dot holes. Packs some powder in there, and CA glues the hole flush with the wood. I gotta say, it works like a charm. Better than any glow in the dark material Ive seen or used.

[VaSteve]

That's cool, Colt. I'm not sure I'd want to play in any venue that was dark enough I could see that. :)

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

That's cool, Colt. I'm not sure I'd want to play in any venue that was dark enough I could see that. :)

The cool thing about night sights versus most glow in the dark stuff is that Night Sights reflect light, so they are way more visible in low light situations like clubs than glow in the dark stuff which is green unless its really dark( and they are charged) or their are black lights present.

Here is a set I did using Bright Sights

http://www.brightsights.com/index.shtml



I get two responses from people when they see these side dots

1. They love the idea of it reflecting light, and think it is as useful as a pocket on a shirt.

or...

2. Why did you put that goofy green $#!+ on there for?


Check out ~1:30

[claudel]

Awesome.

Do you know what's the active ingredient in the powder?

I'm guessing that it's not a restricted radioactive isotope like Tritium, or else they wouldn't be so generous with it.

Edit: I have a couple of vials of the Bright Sight paint laying about that I got to paint the sights
of my old Colts. It didn't adhere to the metal too well, but I'll consider it for a neck upgrade.

Too bad the colors I already have are orange and glow-red

[Alamo]

Originally Posted by Colt W. Knight

The cool thing about night sights versus most glow in the dark stuff is that Night Sights reflect light, so they are way more visible in low light situations like clubs than glow in the dark stuff which is green unless its really dark( and they are charged) or their are black lights present.

Here is a set I did using Bright Sights

http://www.brightsights.com/index.shtml



I get two responses from people when they see these side dots

1. They love the idea of it reflecting light, and think it is as useful as a pocket on a shirt.

or...

2. Why did you put that goofy green $#!+ on there for?

Tell them they're "Francis" dot markers. lighten up, Francis dot markers, that is.