Dotless Fretboard

[Stan Malinowski]

The Koa HDTC has a beautiful, dark rosewood boards with no fretboard dots, only the side markers. I am very surprised at how easily I have adapted to this setup! I am having the present neck replaced by TAG with a bigger, 62 RB (My Favorite Carve). I originally speced out the replacement neck to have regular dots on the fretboard, but am now thinking otherwise.

Would any of you order a guitar with a "naked" fretboard?

[tovaldi]

Hi Stan.
First of all I´d like to introduce myself to all the people at this wonderful forum. Though I have been reading through all the topics for a while I just registered today and this will be my very first post.
Stan you´re doing a great job here.
Now concerning the dotless fretboard issue I would definitively keep the fretboard "naked".
I haven´t owned an Anderson until now, I actually don´t have it with me yet but I´m just eagerly waiting to receive it. It´s also a beautiful Koa HDTC with a lovely dark Madagascar Rosewood fretboard with no dot markers. This makes the guitar very unique and special. I like the way it looks and as you say with the side markers it is very easy to adapt. I understand that the reason you´re switching necks is to get the 62 RB neck shape, but I really like the way the fretboard looks unmarked. This, of course, is just my personal taste.
Whatever you do the guitar is amazing anyway. I love the grains in that Koa.
I´ll post some pics of mine as soon as I receive it.

[dpeterson]

i debated as well on my new drop top, but went with traditional... I have a parker without them (as all parkers have none), and it's no problem at all, I just thought that down the road, i might want them, so instead of doing something to be different, went for the traditional.

Dave

[Stan Malinowski]

Anyone know if it is a big deal to have the dot inlays added to the fretboard after the neck is already fretted? If so I can always add the dots after the fact (but I can't remove them once they're there!).

[Stan Malinowski]

tovaldi,

Welcome aboard! Where were you able to find your Koa? Just curious since they were so hard to find and now 3 new (used) ones have popped up here on the forum within the last two weeks!

[tovaldi]

Stan,

Thanks for the welcome.
My story with this Anderson is quite perculiar. Browsing through Anderson´s website a couple a years ago I saw a beautiful Koa top HDTC and I said to myself that if I ever bought an Anderson it would either be this one or one just like it. Well, this guitar was up for sale on ebay and I just couldn´t let the opportunity pass.
I think it´s the very first guitar of the week on Anderson´s website, in fact there are two of them on the picture and the other one looks just like yours, it might even be yours.
I like the way the fretboard looks without the dot markers. I have another guitar with a maple fretboard and no markers and I like it that way.
I just can´t wait to have that Anderson with me.
I´ll post some pics when it arrives.

[100watt]

I have a drop top with no fret dots and one with. It is easy to get use to no dots, but I like the fret dots. I play the one without the dots more just because it's the best playing and sounding guitar I have ever had.

[Stan Malinowski]

the other one looks just like yours, it might even be yours

You nailed it Tovali! My guitar is the other Koa HDTC in the 1st GOTW. Mine was built in 1996, yours I believe in 1998. The story goes Brian, the original owner of mine), had a friend who loved Brian's so much he had one built for himself a couple of years later. Both were brought together for the first GOTW.

[tovaldi]

I see! Mine was built in 99. What had me a bit confused was that yours was made in 96 and mine in 99 and I couldn´t figure out how they were put together for that GOTW pic. Now I understand. I really think those two Andersons are the best I have seen. Congratulations for your wonderful Anderson.

[pluto]

I've got two Andersons without the dots. I love it like that. Every once in a while, I do miss them if I'm playing stuff that requires a lot of fretboard territory. For the most part though, relying on the side markers have been easily adaptable. The coolest thing though is seeing a naked fretboard-to me it makes the guitar look stark and bold. Only other drawback I can think of may be (and a big may be since I'm not sure) resale value if you ever decided to sell it. I think some people would shy away from the board without the fret dots.