What is the proper or official places to have the fret dots on fifth tuned Tenor Guitars? I never look at them but seeing as I'm ordering a custom built it's good to cross the the T's & dot the frets
Where should the fret dots be?
What is the proper or official places to have the fret dots on fifth tuned Tenor Guitars? I never look at them but seeing as I'm ordering a custom built it's good to cross the the T's & dot the frets
Re: Where should the fret dots be?
Not sure there is an "official" way. It depends on whether you consider it part of the mandolin/banjo family (hence 10th fret dots) or part of the guitar family (hence 9th fret dots).
For what it's worth, my Vintage Viaten tenor guitar has dots on 5, 7 and 10 (but not 12), whereas my Ozark tenor guitar has 3, 5, 9, 12 (double) and 15.
Historically, I would suspect 10th fret markers are more authentic. The tenor guitar was developed in the 1920s to allow unemployed tenor banjo players to play guitar when that instrument started to be more in demand than the banjo. So, I would expect them to prefer dot markers as on the tenor banjo.
Martin
Re: Where should the fret dots be?
For tuning in fifths, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th and 15th.
Charley
A bunch of stuff with four strings
Re: Where should the fret dots be?
The dots on the side are vital, but the fretboard can be naked.
2007 Weber Custom Elite "old wood"
2017 Ratliff R5 Custom #1148
Several nice old Fiddles
2007 Martin 000-15S 12 fret Auditorium-slot head
Deering Classic Open Back
Too many microphones
BridgerCreekBoys.com
Re: Where should the fret dots be?
I much prefer a mark at the 10th versus the 9th when tuned in fifths.
Blow on, man.
Re: Where should the fret dots be?
Just to complete the thought(s), note that not all markers are compulsory. Some (mostly nylon-strung guitars, but others as well) have markers at only 5 and 7. Others (again mostly guitars) go for "symmetry" maybe, and add markers at 1. Some electric guitars re-produce the whole octave of markers on up to 24. Surprising to me, the 28-fret original L Loar F5s have markers only up to 15, but the cutaway fretboard does serve to indicate 20 thru 23. Here are some examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iaNu182V0w
- Ed
"Then one day we weren't as young as before
Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo
But by all those roads, my friend, we've travelled down
I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you."
- Ian Tyson
Re: Where should the fret dots be?
Like the other user said, I like side of neck markers better, I use these glow in the dark ones and cut em into little quarter moons. So they're tactile but they fall off after a few weeks/months
https://www.ebay.com/itm/GLOW-IN-THE...s/152963789402
Kentucky km900
Yamaha piano, clarinet, violin; generic cello;
a pedal steel (highly recommended); banjo, dobro don't get played much cause i'm considerate ;}
Shopping/monitoring prices: vibraphone/marimbas, rhodes, synths, Yamaha brass and double reeds
Re: Where should the fret dots be?
Some interesting history of those fret markers can be found in this article.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Re: Where should the fret dots be?
Had my mcilroy tenor's dot moved from nine to ten.
Dee is a renowned guitar luthier so I guess it was natural for him to put it on 9th.
That said he set it up for CGDA...
Only has dots on the side and yes you can see it but I'm happier!
My name is Rob, and I am Lord of All Badgers
Tenor Guitars: Acoustic: Mcilroy ASP10T, ‘59 Martin 0-18t. Electric: ‘57 Gibson ETG-150, ‘80s Manson Kestrel
Mandolins: Davidson f5, A5 "Badgerlin".
Bouzouki: Paul Shippey Axe
My band's website
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks