Fretboards without inlays

    What is your opinion about inlays on the fretboard, besides being decoration (for example PRS birds)?


    Does anybody has experience that it makes learning better/faster, because you know where are the thirds, fifths, etc. You see the shapes of penatatonics etc.


    But i heard once opinion that if you start to learn (something more than power chords) you stick to inlays. It was said by someone who switched from inlayed freatboard to one without inlays. Then after switching again to inlays he noticed that he started to stick to inlays (I don't know if I expressed it correctly)


    I must admit that every time I play (try to improvise) I notice inlays and I come around them (maybe unconsciously but...)


    What are your opinions?

    Once I ordered a guitar without inlays, and I also ordered some inlay stickers decals because I thought I wouldn't be able to play without them.
    Well I found myself not installing these decals, just relying on the side dots. After some time to get used to this, it was fine.

    Fan of inlays. And not dots either. I like obvious ones with some style.


    Being a lefty I don't mind small black dots up the top edge for MY side of the guitar, so when I switch a righty I mark them with a permanent marker.


    I've often wondered if distinct inlays would be better. Ie Rock, Tree, Duck rather than dots, triangles or trapazoids. This what I could think of my solo's in terms of discrete pictures of where I want to go on the fretboard.


    I'll buy some stickers at a teacher's supply store and see if this works!

    My main guitar has a composite neck with only side markers. Not any problem for me.
    I confess it does tend to be awkward sometimes jamming with others since it's difficult for them to identify either where I am (or going) on the neck.
    Even so, the neck is so playable, I just deal with it.
    Zero interest to install markers. (personal preference)

    Happy Kemper

    My main guitar does not have any inlays (Benedetto Benny). I find that the way I play, I don't see the inlays anyays as I am looking at the side of the neck. I do use the dots for reference on the side of the neck. I like the look of the Benny with ebony fretboard and only a bird inlay at the 12th fret. It is a very inornate guitar and I like that.

    About a third of my my guitars have no inlays in the face of the neck. I prefer the clean look of an ebony fretboard. I play a fair amount of classical guitar and none of my classical guitars have either side dots or fret inlays and I found it difficult to switch between different scale lengths or guitars with different scale lengths so I added side dots to my classical guitars.