I've grown to hate dot inlays

[PowerTube]

My recent guitar quest has brought out an observation I never thought about before: I hate dot inlays. I guess Jackson has grown on me so much that I now think "cheap" when I see dots, although I know that's not the case at all. Sharkies, Piranhas, Trapezoids, Blocks, I love them all. But dots? They just don't work for me anymore.

[Trussrod]

I hate dot inlays. I guess Jackson has grown on me so much that I now think "cheap" when I see dots, although I know that's not the case at all. Sharkies, Piranhas, Trapezoids, Blocks, I love them all. But dots? They just don't work for me anymore.

Some do say "cheap," but ebony dots on a maple fretboard are pretty cool.

[RacerX]

Really, man

[MetalMedal II]

Can't you just think of em as "Moon" inlays like PRS? I get what you're saying, but I think it depends on the guitar. If I ever splurge on a PRS, you better believe it'll be one with birds! For a neckthru Jackson soloist, V or Rhoads, I'd prefer the "custom" look of sharkies, but dot's have their place, especially with strat shapes and maple boards. I prefer the dots made from MOP or even clay as opposed to the white ones on my Charvel Model 2, but, hey, sometimes they work with a white guitar.

[Musician78]

I agree. They look great on a Strat, but really any other guitar.. no go. Speaking of PRS, I just bought one, but it has the new birds, which are basically just outlines. They are not as cool, but whatever; the rest of the guitar is sweet as hell. I can't wait until it arrives (hopefully Thursday).

[Nagash02]

I also dislike dots. They look too basic, that's why all cheap guitars have dot inlays, that's why you think "dot = cheap".

I like the Jackson sharfins, the Ibanez "sort of" Sharkfins, blocks on Les Pauls, ESP flags or arrowheads, PRS birds, anything but dots.

Anyway, I don't look at the inlays but the side markers, so infact I don't even need inlays at all.

[straycat]

Maple with black sharks looks cheap as hell to me but then I love black dots on maple.
Dots, sharks or nothing works for me.

[MetalDaze]

There's always Mike Learn Death Dots:

[PowerTube]

Really, man
[ATTACH=CONFIG]1495[/ATTACH]

Again, I know that dots don't make a guitar "cheap." It's just a perception.

[vklobucar]

I don't know about that really......

My PC1's all have nothing more than dot inlays and they looks kinda classy and rather "less busy" too. Matter of fact my 1993 Jackson Pro also has (off set mind you) dot inlays and I love the way it looks too. Nothing cheap about any of those axes thats for sure.

[RobRR]

Ive grown to like dots with binding... A LOT. Unfortunatley its so rare to see a JC with that for some reason.

[tonemonster]

I dont like dots either. they look "cheap" to me too. I am way into the shark fins. I think no inlays look better than dots. I mean anything, diamonds, lightning bolts, skulls, moons, pyramids, anything looks better than dots.

[Confuse-a-Cat]

I think it depends on the guitar. If I see dots on a Jackson I think cheap. If I see them on a strat, or my Ibanez bass for example, they work.

On most guitars I prefer offset dots to centrally positioned ones. I don't know why, but moving them to the side of the fretboard seems to reduce the 'cheapness' factor, and looks pretty good.

[DarkkWarriorr]

I don't know about the other brands, but dot's definitely look cheap on Jacksons in general, however, I still like the upper-side fretboard dots like the ones on some of the Pro models back in the nineties...
Nowadays, I cannot buy a Jackson without Sharkies and binding, but I still can settle with Crop-Circles, Scythes and no inlays...

[MetalMedal II]

Speaking of PRS, I just bought one, but it has the new birds, which are basically just outlines.

So are the outline birds the only kind available now?