# How can I get lights on my fretboard



## XxJoeBlowxX (May 22, 2008)

Can anyone explain to me the process of placing lights on my fretboard, like on the fret position markers, without it interfering with the sound. I saw it in a few videos and was really interested.

I am somewhat familiar with electronics so don't be afraid to use a few technical terms


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## martyb1 (Aug 5, 2007)

http://www.simscustom.com/html/simsleds.htm


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

http://www.northamericanguitars.com/gtrs/fretlite.html

A forum member, and friend of mine, has one of these.

His forum name is "hamstrung"...hopefully, he won't mind if you send him a PM with questions about it.

Dave


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

The Fretlight I have is one of the older ones that doesn't interface with a computer like the new ones do however it's great for showing scales. You just dial in the key and mode you want and there it is.
Then again I think the guitar that martyb1 is linking you to is more like what you asked about. I'm not sure about retrofitting a guitar like the fretlight. They aren't that expensive to buy outright.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Buy a fretlight


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

I've never been able to understand why anyone would want one of those Fretlight guitars...to me, it's just not real guitar playing. Y'know, if you have to stop and look at the LED's before you play a note, it seems to me you would always be behind the music unless you had inhumanly quick reflexes. And do you have to stop in the middle of a tune to set up for another chord or a key change? I know I'm being a bit simplistic and ridiculous, but that's just how I feel. ON THE OTHER HAND, having some cool LED fret markers like on the Sims guitar site would be kind of neat.
-Mikey


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Spikezone said:


> I've never been able to understand why anyone would want one of those Fretlight guitars...


it always kinda reminded me of these things form old Marx Brothers films


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

Spikezone said:


> I've never been able to understand why anyone would want one of those Fretlight guitars...to me, it's just not real guitar playing. Y'know, if you have to stop and look at the LED's before you play a note, it seems to me you would always be behind the music unless you had inhumanly quick reflexes. And do you have to stop in the middle of a tune to set up for another chord or a key change? I know I'm being a bit simplistic and ridiculous, but that's just how I feel. ON THE OTHER HAND, having some cool LED fret markers like on the Sims guitar site would be kind of neat.
> -Mikey


It's primary usefulness isn't for "real guitar playing" in the performance sense but as a learning tool it's quite helpful. When you're trying to memorize different scale patterns it gives a nice visual, on the fretboard reference rather than looking up at a computer screen or over to a sheet of paper to confirm where everthing is. 
It's no substitute for a good teacher but is a very useful tool and a good suppliment. I don't think the intent was that you follow the lights while performing a song. As a matter of fact my model is static in that the settings only show the scale and mode you dial in and doesn't blink along with any particular song. (I'm not sure but I think the new models interface with a computer and will do that sort of thing). Overall it's more like having someone there telling you where everything is till you drill it in and learn it.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Hmm

If you are routing, drilling, and channelling wire and the like, wouldn't fibre optic be a better choice? You would have colour control, and even generate patterning easier maybe? Just a thought.

OH and fibre optic does not burn out, as led's do, so you would have a lamp chamber and something that is more easily serviceable too no?


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

you want what?
you are plotting to be "stick out like a sore thumb dude who always hits the right notes" or something?
mien gotte- the end is nigh!


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Just be careful you ground everything properly. You don't want this to happen:
[youtube=Option]GOXONdhZMPU[/youtube]


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Spikezone said:


> I've never been able to understand why anyone would want one of those Fretlight guitars...to me, it's just not real guitar playing. Y'know, if you have to stop and look at the LED's before you play a note, it seems to me you would always be behind the music unless you had inhumanly quick reflexes.


I've seen some of those kids on Guitar Hero with inhumanly quick reflexes.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

I think Hamstrung's guitar is a great learning tool (as he explained).

Hamstrung..does your guitar "display" *modes* and scales (you indicated that in your post).

Cheers

Dave


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

hey...christmas lights are on sale now.....get out the drill and tape an extension cord to the back of the neck.........maybe the intermitent kind.....


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

greco said:


> I think Hamstrung's guitar is a great learning tool (as he explained).
> 
> Hamstrung..does your guitar "display" *modes* and scales (you indicated that in your post).
> 
> ...


Yep! Just dial it in and that's what gets diplayed. Like I said earlier it isn't a substitute for a good teacher because it helps to know some theory to make some sense of the positions. A good teacher can help fill in the knowledge gaps (of which I have many!) For rote learning of patterns though it's useful.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Thanks Hamstrung....any chance of renting that axe from you for a while?

I had no idea that it had that much built into it. 

Cheers

Dave


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## XxJoeBlowxX (May 22, 2008)

I actually don't need it for playing, I wanted it for show i never new u cud use it to help playing


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Hamstrung said:


> It's primary usefulness isn't for "real guitar playing" in the performance sense but as a learning tool it's quite helpful. When you're trying to memorize different scale patterns it gives a nice visual, on the fretboard reference rather than looking up at a computer screen or over to a sheet of paper to confirm where everthing is.
> It's no substitute for a good teacher but is a very useful tool and a good suppliment. I don't think the intent was that you follow the lights while performing a song. As a matter of fact my model is static in that the settings only show the scale and mode you dial in and doesn't blink along with any particular song. (I'm not sure but I think the new models interface with a computer and will do that sort of thing). Overall it's more like having someone there telling you where everything is till you drill it in and learn it.


I didn't mean to be putting down anybody for using Fretlight guitars. It's just that I think you could (accidentally) tend to get used to the lights as a kind of a crutch rather than actually learning the positions. When I first learned to play guitar out of an old Mel Bay book, my teacher actually used to write the letter names of the notes above the notes, then one day, when we had worked our way down to the lower strings, it became apparent to my Mom, a piano player, that I had no clue what I was supposed to play when I got a choice of octaves. She tore a strip off the teacher and from then on, it was NO LETTERS above the notes. LOL! I just worry that for a beginner it might end up defeating the purpose letting you rely on the lights instead of your memory.
-Mikey
P.S. I still like the aesthetic idea of lighted position markers, though. There are definitely some cool ones to choose from.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

devnulljp said:


> Just be careful you ground everything properly. You don't want this to happen:
> [youtube=Option]GOXONdhZMPU[/youtube]


Isn't he a fine guitar player! (No offense, KISS fans, although to be fair I know that they have never even claimed to be virtuosos-the show's the thing).
-Mikey


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

Spikezone said:


> Isn't he a fine guitar player! (No offense, KISS fans, although to be fair I know that they have never even claimed to be virtuosos-the show's the thing).
> -Mikey


Hey, watch it Buddy! I was in the KISS Army. We have people everywhere. I think I still have my membership card somewhere...

Actually, they _were_ masters at marketing to young rock-star wannabees like myself...


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

keeperofthegood said:


> Hmm
> 
> If you are routing, drilling, and channelling wire and the like, wouldn't fibre optic be a better choice? You would have colour control, and even generate patterning easier maybe? Just a thought.
> 
> OH and fibre optic does not burn out, as led's do, so you would have a lamp chamber and something that is more easily serviceable too no?


Yep it sure is, fibre optic cable works really good. I've seen a guitar done this way and it works good and is driven by an LED in the control cavity, but you could also mount the led on the back of the headstock etc. The fretmarkers were made out of polished plexiglas dowel and the optic cable came across the bottom. You can buy fibre optic cable the bleeds the light out of the side instead of the ends, or you could run one to each fret marker. You can also get the fibre that will bend very sharply and still retain the light passing qualities.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

1PUTTS said:


> Hey, watch it Buddy! I was in the KISS Army. We have people everywhere. I think I still have my membership card somewhere...
> 
> Actually, they _were_ masters at marketing to young rock-star wannabees like myself...


Ooops, I was afraid I was gonna get myself in trouble with this one (notice I tried to vindicate myself with what I put in the brackets).
-Mikey


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