If only Fender made em this way...

[Phantom Surfdaddy]

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the bridge pickup is a P-90.

[Phantom Surfdaddy]

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[Phantom Surfdaddy]

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[Phantom Surfdaddy]

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and a three pickup Jag...

[Phantom Surfdaddy]

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...And one for the boys in the church band.

[lucksmith]

Never been a fan of the block inlays on the Fenders. I've always seen them as more of a Gibson thing. I'm curious about the P-90s though.

[davewrites]

Never been a fan of the block inlays on the Fenders. I've always seen them as more of a Gibson thing. I'm curious about the P-90s though.

I worshipped block inlays until I owned a guitar with one. I got so used to the subtlety of dots that the blocks/traps proved an unwanted distraction while playing--looks amazing from across the room though!

I'm also curious about P90s and JMs. To get even more Gibson-ier, I wonder what a chambered mahogany JM body would sound like with P90s. I can't wait for Warmoth's build-your-own-guitar tool to pre-model sound clips based on your spec designs. You know it will happen some day, prolly sooner than we all think.

[lucksmith]

Never been a fan of the block inlays on the Fenders. I've always seen them as more of a Gibson thing. I'm curious about the P-90s though.

I worshipped block inlays until I owned a guitar with one. I got so used to the subtlety of dots that the blocks/traps proved an unwanted distraction while playing--looks amazing from across the room though!

I'm also curious about P90s and JMs. To get even more Gibson-ier, I wonder what a chambered mahogany JM body would sound like with P90s. I can't wait for Warmoth's build-your-own-guitar tool to pre-model sound clips based on your spec designs. You know it will happen some day, prolly sooner than we all think.

I'm the same way with the block inlays. Which is probably why I hardly use my Epi LP.

It would be awesome If Warmoth is able to release pre-model sound clips for body designs, but I have my doubts. It will always be different when played in your room/amp, etc. It will always be not quite the same as the way they have it in the soundclip.

[Phantom Surfdaddy]

Ha, I actually agree with the comment about the block inlays.

I just found the black on rosewood on that Jazz with the black pickups really visually striking so I screen dumped it and chucked it up.

Same with the white Jag, I'd never play an all white Fender with gold hardware and block inlays. But for someone who's into that kind of thing it seemed like it needed the maple with white blocks just to visually top it off. Like I said, good one for the guy in the church band. I call it the "Mid-morning Special".

I have a 76 SG custom with block inlays. And while it is visually striking its also a bit overpowering. But it kinda works with the ebony fingerboard and white binding and faded/rubbed gold hardware. Also because ebony is such a dense wood with a sleek feel the tactile difference of the wood and the inlay under your fingers isn't as pronounced as on a rosewood board. That said my 67 SG Jr has rosewood with clay dots and feels much more natural to play (it is also what has sparked my love affair with the P-90). I find block inlays feel weirder on fenders than they do on gibson fretboards.

Ideally I'd probably choose to have absolutely no fretboard markers. I never use them for reference anyway, cause the ones on the side of the neck (fretboard edge) are visible without even having to slouch over your guitar to see them.
If I did the black blocks I'd wanna have em ebony on rosewood. Keep it nice and woody.

[davewrites]

I re-agree. Until I had block inlays, I didn't realize much I appreciated side dots. Because of that same guitar, I also learned that I prefer an unbound neck.

Block inlays also make pull-offs and bends feel... inconsistent? Even in a music store with an expensive LP, I'm slightly annoyed by the lack of traction on 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 15, etc. Maybe they need time to get broken in.

[Phantom Surfdaddy]

There's a couple of factors I can think of that go into why some guitars with block, trapezoid or whatever inlays feel better than others. One is fretboard wood. One is inlay material. Age or craftsmanship might also be a factor but I don't really know how to begin studying that variable. You'd have to be able to access a lot of new and vintage guitars with block inlays to make an educated decision. I've played a couple of really nice comfortable guitars with block inlays. Both of them were vintage Gibsons with ebony fretboards and mother of pearl inlays.

In both guitars the inlays were really well done. You can't feel the edge where it meets the wood. It's also possible that through years of play the pearl feels a bit more powdery and silky under your fingers.

Steer clear of guitars with plastic inlays in general I reckon. Especially plastic block inlays.

But I'm pretty extreme when it comes to how a guitar feels. I usually hate all new guitars. I hate the horrible sweaty friction you get during a gig when a guitar has glossy new finish on the neck or whatever. For me a new guitar would have to be a Jag with the neck tru oiled or something and no fretboard markers and a P-90 on it somewhere. If Fender made one of those I would actually buy a new guitar for once in my life. Otherwise I prefer guitars that have been played since the sixties. The neck gets real silky and enjoyable to play on once the finish finally wears off.

And I also forgot to mention, I'd be totally down with trying a mahogany Jag experiment. Would the neck be mahogany too? Doesn't seem right does it. I'm thinking mahogany body, maple neck, option of rosewood or ebony board. Bolt on. Bigsby. Clear finish. Tortoiseshell pickguard. Could be pretty cool.

[bgg927]

Block inlays are better when the neck has cream binding, just my opinion

[Pepe Silvia]

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Almost:

[bgg927]

Thats really nice! What exactly is that?

[Pepe Silvia]

Thats really nice! What exactly is that?

Fano JM6