Dimples instead of side dots?

[Charlie H 72]

I was just thinkin’-why not have little dimples or something else tactile instead of side dots in a neck? Does anybody do this already? Feel your position rather than see it. Or see it too if they are big/obvious enough. 

[Charlie H 72]

Well I should Google before I post.. lots of people talking about it on various forums but I have yet to see pics!

[Bizman62]

Braille dots...

That's basically interesting but other than looks it wouldn't make any difference with the classic playing style where the thumb is behind the neck. There's certain playing styles, though, where you run your thumb along the bass side of the neck and use it to fret a string or even two. My thumbs are so short and stiff that I can barely bend one to mute the low E string.

Putting the dimples on the treble side of the neck would hit the hand more often. Then again, if your playing involves rapid movements along the neck you'll soon get a numb palm. We don't like to play on extruding fret ends, dimples would do basically the same.

Your mileage may vary.

[Charlie H 72]

I was thinking of something more like depressions than bumps so it wouldn’t cause any discomfort. I do use my thumb on the low e relatively often. But I realized that the main function of side dots, at least for me, is to tell me where I am going, not where I am. If I can’t tell where I am by the sound I’m hearing-I don’t think a little bump will help me out! 

[Bizman62]

12 hours ago, Charlie H 72 said:

the main function of side dots, at least for me, is to tell me where I am going, not where I am.

I've been criticized for my map reading skills: I could easily find our location, telling which way to go is something I struggle with. Which way to turn in the next three-way crossing? Umm... Let's see... If we're now driving this way to this direction - let me turn the map to match the road and direction - err... this hand is left so the other must be right...

For side dot's real numbers might work best for me. Even better if they'd flash beforehand to tell where to move my hand next. And even better if the flashing would change and finally blink "Press this fret NOW, you idiot!" in the best ChittyChittyBangBand manner!

[Charlie H 72]

Hah! Maybe you should try guitar hero! I’m the same way though. Do they make player guitars like player pianos? It could make me sound a lot better

[Bizman62]

4 hours ago, Charlie H 72 said:

Do they make player guitars like player pianos?

There's a classic Donald Duck comic where the nephews' pet squirrel is inside Donald's acoustic guitar, plucking the strings while Donald is unconscious. I didn't know of any other until I googled for some and lo and behold, there's some! https://youtu.be/fB1N7VjYIbM

 

[Charlie H 72]

I think I like the squirrel better than the YT video-wonder if it has gone to production or if it’s just a proof of concept. 
 

[Bizman62]

Whaddayaknow! I found the comic in question in the Finnish Donald Duck digital archives (I've been a subscriber for DD since 1987) and after finding out the original name I found this gem:

https://youtu.be/RLJeCyTqA6o