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Dots on the Neck?

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(@oneeyeman)
New Member
Joined: 14 years ago
Posts: 2
Topic starter  

OK, this is driving me nuts.
I have a Martin D1.
On the fingerboard, I see the following dots:
0 at 3rd fret, 1 at 5th fret, 2 at 7th fret, 1 at 9th fret, 2 at 12th fret. On the side of the neck, I see the following dots:
1 at 3rd fret, 1 at 5th fret, 1 at 7th fret, 1 at 9th fret, 2 at 12th fret.
What's the significance of the dots?
Why don't the number of dots match at the 7th fret?
Why isn't there a dot on the fingerboard at the 3rd fret?
There's gotta be a simple explanation?
And please, make it simple for me.
I'm not all that musically inclined.
But I do know quite a few chords and am struggling through learning a few simple songs.
Thanks all,
Lenny


   
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(@ricochet)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

It's common to see single dots at the third, fifth, seventh and ninth frets, and double dots at the 12th. Usually the pattern repeats above the 12th fret. There's no universal standard, though. I have a couple of resonator guitars that have single dots at the 12th fret, and since the fretboards are attached by 5 dot-covered screws in an X-pattern, they have double dots at the 14th and 16th frets, with a single at the 15th. I was just playing one of those, and it's got no third fret dot, either.

BTW, there are natural harmonics at the usually-marked third, fifth, seventh, ninth and 12th frets.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@mmoncur)
Estimable Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 168
 

The simple explanation is that Martin guitars are weird. Or, if you like, unique.

My guitar teacher has a Martin and the two dots at the 7th fret drove me crazy for a while trying to follow along...


   
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(@oneeyeman)
New Member
Joined: 14 years ago
Posts: 2
Topic starter  

Thanks all.
I just wish the dots on the fingerboard matched the corresponding dots on the side of the neck.
Lenny


   
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(@ricochet)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

You're better off using the ones on the side and not trying to look at the fretboard while playing. It puts you in a bad position to turn the guitar up where you can see it, and bending over the guitar's not much better. Bad habits.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@rr191)
Trusted Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 59
 

Here's some more info from Wikipedia:

Schemes

On guitars, there are two popular fretboard inlay schemes:
• The most popular (1) involves single inlays on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, double inlays on the 12th, single inlays on the 15th, 17th, 19th, and 21st, and if present, double inlays on the 24th. Advantages of such scheme include its symmetry about the 12th fret and symmetry of every half (0-12 and 12-24) about the 7th and 19th frets. However, playing these frets, for example, on the E string would yield the notes E, G, A, B, C# that barely make a complete musical mode by themselves.
• A less popular scheme (2) involves inlays on 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 22nd and 24th frets. Playing these frets on the E string yields the notes E, G, A, B, D that fit perfectly into the E minor pentatonic scale. Such a scheme is very close to the coloring of a piano's keys and is of some use on classical guitars.

-- Rob


   
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