How to Install New Fret Board Inlays

Pearl dots are amongst the most common inlay designs.

Learning to install new fret board inlays on your guitar is a good idea if you have an unmarked guitar neck or wish to change your existing inlays. Fret board inlays are the markers on guitar necks which show the positions of the third, fifth, seventh, ninth and 12th frets, and the same positions on the next octave of the fret board. New fret board inlays can be made from guitar plectrums or bought as stickers.

Things You'll Need

• Drill with 1/4-inch bit
• 1/4-inch hole punch
• Plectrums
• Screwdriver
• Ruler
• Wood glue

Instructions

Stickers

1. Scratch over the surface of the stickers to stick the inlay to the clear plastic top piece. Do this with a plectrum or a coin. Cover all of the stickers. The clear piece of plastic covering the inlay will be roughly the same size as your guitar frets, so specific marking on the fret-board prior to installation isn't necessary. Count the stickers and determine whether you have a full fret board design or just markers for the third, fifth, seventh, ninth, 12th, 15th, 17th, 19th and 21st frets. If you have one too many, there may be a marker included for the first fret.

2. Pull off the largest clear plastic sticker. The inlay should come up with the sticker. Place the sticker over the third fret, ensuring that the sticker is correctly placed so the inlay sits in the center of the fret. Continue applying stickers to the relevant positions, in descending size order. These should be the same positions of the existing markers on your guitar. Guitars without fret board markers still often have dots for the marked frets on the top edge of the fret board.

3. Scratch over the surface of the stickers again to ensure the designs are stuck to the fret-board. Carefully peel back the clear plastic to leave the stickers in place on the fret-board.

Plectrum Inlays

1. Punch 1/4-inch holes in plectrums of the same color to get the required number of fret board markers. This depends on the number of frets your guitar has, but 10 is likely to be the correct number. Remember, most guitars have two markers for the 12th fret. Save the circular discs you've punched out. These are to be your inlays. Measure the thickness of the plectrum pieces.

2. Measure each fret to determine its center. Make a mark with a pencil exactly halfway up and halfway across each fret. Do this for each fret you wish to install an inlay on. Remember, there should be two markers for the 12th fret. Establish the vertical center line and split it into four. Mark the first and third divisions, leaving the center untouched.

3. Drill a hole the same depth as the plectrum pieces in the center position for each fret. Drill slowly to avoid going too far. Clear all leftover dust out of the fret using your screwdriver. Apply a small spot of wood glue to each hole.

4. Press your inlays into the holes. Tap them in with the handle end of the screwdriver if they don't sit flush with the fret board. Wait for the glue to dry.

References

• Inlay Sticker: How To Apply Tree Of Life Inlay Stickers
• "Project Guitar"; Making Position Markers for Your Guitar; Brian Johnson