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Sigh........

You see the crap I have to put up with being me? My brain has not turned off for several weeks now, and constantly produces things like this...

Don't want frets, just markers, so how about this? Birch 2.5 inch hobby board from home depot. Lay out locations as accurately as possible, and mark very fine, like with xacto blade. Metal guide fence, and burn with a soldering iron, deepening the slot a bit. Now, mix some acrylic paint to your favorite color and paint the slots. A bit of paint on the fretboard is okay, because when dry, you lightly sand the fretboard, leaving a bare birch board with colored lines...and a dark outline around the color.

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Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on September 19, 2019 at 10:27am

yes, wood burned fret lines are definitely a go to when you don’t want frets? I have seen many do what you’re describing with the painted lines? A saw is also good for making fret lines? Now that you know exactly what you want, build it, so you can torture your mind on the next one, all over again :) You’re on the right track, happy building!

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Permalink Reply by James Pobog on September 19, 2019 at 11:18am

I thiink that's gonna be on the monkeypod baritone. Maybe...

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Permalink Reply by Poorness Studios on September 20, 2019 at 4:54am

I've seen folks cut a standard fret groove, fill it with plastic resin, smooth it off, and let it dry. Then you have plastic fretlines. For quick and dirty fretlines, sharpie or paint pen works. I totally agree BrianQ's comment... you won't know 'til you try.

I can't tell you how many times I've planned my next build halfway thru my current build. LOL.

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Permalink Reply by KOOL DOG HOOCH on September 20, 2019 at 12:43pm

"You can never leave!" Hahahaha. You are part of the Asylum now and forever! You must build another to satisfy the thirst, but the thirst is never quenched! Build on mortal, build on. Its in your veins now and there is no cure, only short periods of satisfaction of a completion. Then you have to build another and another and another! Searching for that elusive combination of sight and sound, but it only comes to you in your sleep. "What if I do this? How do I do that? What if? I know I'll ask others, they have great ideas, but I make a change here, a tweak there and improve on it! I'll think about it for another sleepless night." And so it goes. Its maddening I tell you! Jzust maddening! No rules, remember no rules.You see an object and think to yourself how can I use this? What will it sound like if? There's no way to give reasoning to this addiction! YOU ARE HOOKED!!! You can never leave, never leave, never leave! You are one of us now!