LED Fretboard Inlays

darkshadow54321

darkshadow54321

New member
I've been thinking about these... I see people charging thousands of dollars to install these, and I can't understand why...

Wouldn't it simply be: removing the fretboard and inlays, threading the wires of the LEDs through the truss rod route, placing the LEDs where the dots were, putting it all back together and voila!

What is the really complicated thing that makes it so costly?
 
Re: LED Fretboard Inlays

Inlay work is espensive and so you have to fill where the old inlays were, also putting the neck back on, and reintonating, also running wires down the trus rod hole means making space for the wires, aka routing out the hole probably a little more, and then also adding a place to hold the batteries and switch.
 
Re: LED Fretboard Inlays

Try removing and replacing your fretboard and your opinion might change. :)

That's pretty major surgery, especially if you want to keep the old fretboard.
 
Re: LED Fretboard Inlays

So, if you built the neck from scratch the task would be much much easier and hence, should be cheaper, no?

You can see where I'm going with this... :D
 
Re: LED Fretboard Inlays

In the 80's, I think Aria Pro marketed a standard model with these. The guy from Judas Priest (Glen Tipton?) had them (red LEDs) on one of his Hamers too. I prefer no inlays at all, but whatever floats yer boat...
 
Re: LED Fretboard Inlays

darkshadow54321 said:
So, if you built the neck from scratch the task would be much much easier and hence, should be cheaper, no?

You can see where I'm going with this... :D
Click to expand...
It shouldn't be too much harder than building a neck from scratch...not that building a neck from scratch is a task I'd describe as easy.

How to you plan to get power to the neck? Is this a Strat-like guitar where you can run the wires under the pickguard to the neck?
 
Re: LED Fretboard Inlays

aleclee said:
How to you plan to get power to the neck? Is this a Strat-like guitar where you can run the wires under the pickguard to the neck?
Click to expand...

That's the slight teeny weeny little problem.... it's not. :smack: Double humbucker guitar with no pickguard. I figure the wires could run through a passageway into the control cavity, going through the pickup holes. Of course, this means I'd have to have a hole in the neck joint area, which could complicate things...
 
Re: LED Fretboard Inlays

Vai has them on a custom mirror-finished Jem in his Live at the Astoria video when he plays Bad Horsie. The look friggen awesome...

Wasn't there a site/company that marketed a variety of lasr/LED fretboard lighting systems? Someone posted one on the old board a while ago and I can't recall the name.
 
Re: LED Fretboard Inlays

Alembic made basses that had LED position markers on the side of the fretboard. They required a special cord to power the LEDs as well as the active electronics. That's probably one of the reasons they were upwards of $10,000 a pop.
 
Re: LED Fretboard Inlays

Hellion said:
Alembic made basses that had LED position markers on the side of the fretboard. They required a special cord to power the LEDs as well as the active electronics. That's probably one of the reasons they were upwards of $10,000 a pop.
Click to expand...

A guy I work with who taught bass had 2 or 3 of those, it's an active direct box/slash power supply that sits on the floor, it also powers the on board active electronics ... very cool deal, but then again those are incredible basses ... :saeek: And he's an incrediable bass player, great match ... :cool3: Almebic's idea was for dark stages ... I guess.
 
Re: LED Fretboard Inlays

Forbes said:
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeebbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33043&item=3741061748&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33044&item=3741061660&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW


:) :) :)
Click to expand...

LOL! I don't know where the guy got them from, they were used and I think the most he paid was like $1700 USD for one, but that was like mint with case, active box. Of course he also collects old Moogs and Arp synths as well.
 
Re: LED Fretboard Inlays

Now someone needs to build a circuit that makes the lights chase and flash - switches for random and ordered... oh, geezz.... half christmas decoration, half guitar.
 
Re: LED Fretboard Inlays

Blue Calx said:
Now someone needs to build a circuit that makes the lights chase and flash - switches for random and ordered... oh, geezz.... half christmas decoration, half guitar.
Click to expand...

I second that notion!
 
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