9 Notable and Distinct Variable Fret Markers

OK - so a few things right off the bat - this listing is not for those who like simple and identical fret markers on all frets - Dots, Blocks, Trapezoids, Fins, Chevrons, Moons, Crosses and the like - this is where there is a flowing pattern or sequence - and where the key frets are properly marked out - but every marker is different and distinct.

Probably PRS is the most famous brand for this - and the PRS Birds are pretty much Classic and Ubiquitous in their own way - whether Solid, Hollow, Modern, Hybrid or Semi-Precious - I really like them though!

Finding similar notable and distinct variable fret markers has been quite a tricky process. This is not for those more complex pattern inlays - which just spread an artwork across the whole board - you have to have the key frets - 3, 5, 7, 9, 12 etc. clearly indicated.

It actually proved to be quite a difficult exercise to pick out these 9 - and some guitar brands are obviously more adept at this than others. Schecter seem to have been pretty impressive with their hat-trick here - and if I had found other suitable alternatives - then I probably would not have featured 3 from the same manufacturer - but they all fit the bill. I particularly like the rare Flames edition - which the photo really doesn’t do justice to - it looks gorgeous in real life.

I also thought there would be some cool designed utilising various known motifs - like say playing cards - Ace, Jack, Queen and King etc. - but there weren’t any that really fit the pattern. Also I considered the Music Man Spinal Tap Albert Lee Mr Horsepower Nigel Tufnel special - while I felt the Jason Becker numbered frets were clearer and more iconic.

I spent several days trawling through libraries of images - and these 9 were the best that I encountered.

If you have your own favourites which I have somehow overlooked - please let me know - and I can do a further post on this same topic - as I will be doing for the Guitar Body Shapes.

Here below are the various Guitars / Fretboard Markers with the rough date of when they came into existence! A lot of these are now discontinued! The images are arranged alphabetically by Guitar Brand - where Doug Irwin is arranged by surname!

• 1991 - ESP James Hetfield MX-250 Explorer - Man to Wolf / Werewolf Markers
• 1977 - Gibson Les Paul Artisan - Floral Motifs
• 1994 - Ibanez Steve Vai Jim - Tree of Life
• 1979 - Doug Irwin Jerry Garcia Tiger - Tribal Motifs
• 2015 - Kiesel Jason Becker JB24 Numbers Guitar - Numbered Frets
• 1985 - PRS Custom 24 - Birds
• 2005 - Schecter C-1 XXX - Pinups
• 2005 - Schecter Damien-6 FR - Bats
• 2011 - Schecter Hellraiser C-1 TBK Limited Flame - Blue/Green Flames