Just spoke with Cambria at SE, who said the answer is NO. Bummer... Not sure why the NS necks are pre-machined for pearl dots, whereas the sticks are not. It makes even more sense to provide a bolder marker for fret location on the NS, as the necks are not angled toward the player as they are on the stick.

I also think it would look really bitchin'.

Emmett or Greg, any thoughts on this?

Kev

Hi Kevin,

Since the instrument doesn't really lean back toward your shoulder the way The Stick does, and since it's generally held less vertically, I think the linear inlays would be less useful (bitchin' though they might appear).

Since the instrument is squarely aimed at bassists and guitarists, and since they can use all of the normal playing techniques so easily by disengaging the damper, it makes more sense for the inlays to look like bass and guitar inlays, a least it does to me.

So why your sudden interest in the NS?

It isn't sudden. I've posted many times here about my interest in it, spoke to Yuta several times over the past 7 years or so, before the Phalanx landed on my lap. I've been toying with the idea of getting a new one, although I'm not the "wait 3 or 4 months for it" type. Eeek. Not that patient.

So, I am thrilled that Emmett decided to carry some in reserve stock for folks like me, and hoping that a good instrument which I like will coincide with a wad of dough in my pocket.

I'm also intrigued by the idea of the 10-string Grand (particularly with Dual Bass), but confess I can't get around the rigidity of the instrument in general. The fact that I would use it in a much different capacity than my current rock bands may assist me in that decision.

It's been a turbulent year for me, and is affecting me musically as well as every other area in my life. I've been wanting to get back to playing melodic (nice) music for some balance... Not with the NS, but with an inverted 5ths instrument. I would go with Warr, because I like the product. Alas, priced too high, I have one already, and I don't want to wait.

How will I afford an NS and 10 string Grand? Umm, dunno. But I figure I better start asking questions now. Of course, the answers may be different by the time I'm ready to shell out... That's OK.

Remember, Greg, I did play stick for almost 12 years before I said goodbye. I did so because I changed, my music changed, everything changed. I like change.

Regarding the fret markers, as a bassist, I like to see them clearly on the board. The bigger, the better so I can see them from afar, so to speak. I move a lot, so the angle is not so much of an issue. It would be better if I had a giant road sign to follow as opposed to a tiny one. Make sense?

Kev

Kevin,

Can an NS/Stick be ordered without markers? If so this, plus a little bit of tape, could be a good compromise in order to have linear markers. Now that the necks are bamboo, any competent luthier can make you linear markers (or whatever crazy design you fancy) for a very reasonable price.



Cheers, Daniel.

If it's just a visual marker you desire try white nail-polish, if you don't want to come off easy, or white-out, if you want to be able to remove it easily. That is what I do with my students' guitars which have no side markers.

i've been thinking about a NS too. Even after almost 4 years on my Grand Stick I would not feel too comfortable "sitting in" with a band. But I think I could do it almost right away with a NS.


I have some extra pearl/white nail-polish you can use if you want.