Seeing your fret markers in low light

[pipelineaudio]

I have a lot of trouble at dim and dark stages seeing my fret markers during really high speed position shifts. Often have a hard time telling 19 from 17 fast enough in the dark for example. I see the luminlay stuff and ordered some glow in the dark dots and am experimenting with glowing paint, but what else can I try? Most of the really cool LED stuff seems to be sold out because of the chip shortage.

I see some people use glowing or reflective tape, I think type o negative does with the benefit that you can feel the tape on the back of the neck maybe? If thats more help than hurt anyway

What do you guys do? Please spare the "learn the neck" stuff

 

[the-trooper]

but what else can I try?

Practice more, until it becomes muscle memory.

Please spare the "learn the neck" stuff

Oops, too late.

 

[norminal]

I see the luminlay stuff and ordered some glow in the dark dots and am experimenting with glowing paint, but what else can I try?

A competent luthier could replace your side dots with Luminlay if you’re willing to make that modification.

Glow-in-the-dark paint would be a little more robust than the decals. A small dot of it over the existing dots may do the trick.

 

[pipelineaudio]

Practice more, until it becomes muscle memory.



Oops, too late.

I play three different scale lengths.

 

[pipelineaudio]

A competent luthier could replace your side dots with Luminlay if you’re willing to make that modification.

Glow-in-the-dark paint would be a little more robust than the decals. A small dot of it over the existing dots may do the trick.

What sort of brush do you apply it with? The gunsight stuff is amazing, I could try that

 

[norminal]

What sort of brush do you apply it with? The gunsight stuff is amazing, I could try that

Probably a very fine brush.

Just found this:

 

[norminal]

 

[DrewJD82]

Is the only answer.

 

[pipelineaudio]

Is the only answer.

YES!!!! Unfortunately, due to the chip shortage all the really cool LED versions are sold out

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Practice more, until it becomes muscle memory.



Oops, too late.

Not what muscle memory does…

 

[laxu]

I'd try how Luminlay works for you. I've got them on my Skervesen but forget to "charge" them by shining a small LED flashlight on them.

 

[JerEvil]

I'd try how Luminlay works for you. I've got them on my Skervesen but forget to "charge" them by shining a small LED flashlight on them.

Man I’m dumb enough to be the guy wondering, “this guitar has been in my office with lights on for weeks, why ain’t they glowing??”

 

[pipelineaudio]

I've been putting in luminlays lately, but theyre so skinny. They do work pretty well and surprised how long they hold a charge. Larger, like 5mm on up sticker dots from amazon, or these 6mm x3mm deep inlays I have been buying lately are like NUCLEAR compared to them though, and just them sitting in your office lights for a very shorttime makes them bright as hell for a long time

 

[Jynx]

 

[gearJunkie]

That is absolutely crazy. Not my thing, but pretty rad nonetheless.

 

[JasonE]

I think you are on the right track @pipelineaudio. The players that I know that had shows where they start playing in the dark and then the lights come on had the best luck with a glow in the dark paint pen. The dots will wear and need to be reapplied occasionally.

This one from the video that was posted above looks very promising. Ah, the link won't post... This is the description on Amazon. They have it in a few colors.

GLOW-ON SUPER PHOSPHORESCENT, Original Color Gun Night Sights Paint, Small 2.3 ml vial. White Day Color and Green Glow. Concentrated Bright, Long Lasting Glow.​

 

[gearJunkie]

I think you are on the right track @pipelineaudio. The players that I know that had shows where they start playing in the dark and then the lights come on had the best luck with a glow in the dark paint pen. The dots will wear and need to be reapplied occasionally.

This one from the video that was posted above looks very promising. Ah, the link won't post... This is the description on Amazon. They have it in a few colors.

GLOW-ON SUPER PHOSPHORESCENT, Original Color Gun Night Sights Paint, Small 2.3 ml vial. White Day Color and Green Glow. Concentrated Bright, Long Lasting Glow.​

It works perfectly and is available on Amazon.

I use it on two of my Novo's with clay side dots on an amber finished neck.

 

[Iron1]

I bought some of that gunsight stuff and put it on my bass - works great for about 5-10 minutes. Left the bass in direct sunlight for about 5 hours - no change, still faded quickly. Then bought an LED flashlight - still fades out too quickly. Finally caved and got ghetto, bought some reflector tape, cut it into very thin strips and put it at the 3,5,7 and 12 side markers and used that. Not only easy to spot in very low light, it's raised a tiny bit which means that my thumb feels it just enough to know where I am without looking. And, it peels off easily and leaves virtually no residue behind.

 

[itchyfingers]

I don't know what you're currently using but rosewood boards without binding are the worst for playing in the dark. I find the contrast of black or red dots on white or cream binding works well, as does a maple neck/fretboard.

 

[Achilles]

Quit guitar, since it's obviously not your thing, and take up keyboards where it's all laid out in front of you.

Or, just learn your fretboard without the training wheels!!!!



* hey, someone had to be the old crusty hard ass