One of the BEST Mods for Your Guitar...This Will Change Your Guitar!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- This is the ultimate mod for a guitar that needs a new look! It's affordable, easy to do, and most importantly, looks great!
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SOLI DEO GLORIA!
This mod is PERFECT for sprucing up a kit build, a partscaster, or any guitar that needs a cosmetic upgrade!
2 years later and the block inlays on my Tele are still going strong!
Fretlook info/link: fretlook.com/en
Enjoy :)
❤❤❤❤😮
Thanks for demonstrating Fretlook again, Darrell. Have used their inlays for 2.5 years. I've noticed literally no wear at all, they look great. I don't even feel they're there, on my Ibanezes. I kinda feel bad to replace them for fretboard maintenance. The owner Rafael is a super cool and helpful guy, too. Can't recommend them enough.
On your recommendation, I’ve had these on 2 guitars for 18 months, one showing disappointing signs of wear.
Hardly surprising bearing in mind what they are.
Give us a follow-up after playing on that for a while. I can't imagine the stickers lasting through a bunch of neck-scraping bends.
@@NickTsatsalmas They hold up to bending abuse well? When I bend, I probably use to much force because the string touches the fretboard.
The correct choice of fret sticker is going to make your guitar go faster, improve balance, and reduce its carbon emissions. Be sure to match them to your strap's tone fabric. It'll look cool, too.
Visual mods and customization are important to a lot of folks. Y'all dissing on this video must be real fun at parties.
y'all dissing on y'all must be real fun at parties.@@Matthew_Klepadlo
What's your point @@Matthew_Klepadlo?
They don't help you play faster or balance your guitar unless they're organic or if you're a vegan or do crossfit.
I heard green ones make it louder!
😂
Not sure I'd say "one of the best mods" but I definitely like it. I have a few guitars with really wimpy dot markers that could look better and make it more "my guitar". I wonder how well they hold up to cleaning and polishing the fretboard.
Update: Perused their site, and they have a wide variety of designs. I just may have to try them out.
There are several best mods, these are one of them.
I use stickers in almost all
My guitars , some designs peel off at the thinner sections especially after bending , but i also have some that lasted for years 👌🏻
I’m a fan of yours D, the stickers make both guitars look cheap imo.
Maybe it’s more about taste , cause usually cheap guitars don’t have cool inlays they usually stick to white dots or plain white plastic inlays
It's a guitar with stickers on. Of course it looks cheap. What did anyone who lives in the real world think was going to happen? 🙄
@@stuartmiller7419 i think it depends on the stickers tho
When the stickers actually try to look like inlays it looks good
@@stuartmiller7419 When they're on you can't tell they're stickers. At least not on one of mine. They do have some cheap looking designs. But it's not for everyone, and honestly I probably won't do it again. But on a guitar that has some crappy fret markers they can dress it up.
I’m not sold on this 😢
Not sure I understand the haters. I am colored blind so there are guitars I love but wouldn't use because I struggle to see the fret markers due to contrast issues. I haven't used stickers before, but I can see that this could be a genuine and easy solution for me. And if we're really honest with ourselves and claim that visual appeal doesn't matter, then why do we need flame maple tops, perloid pickguards, relic guitars, gold hardware on black, chrome pickup covers, crazy guitar shapes and a bunch of stuff that has been happening to guitars before most of us were born? It's because it looks good to some people and if something simple like this makes a guitar look cooler to a kid and that kid then sticks with the instrument, where's the harm? The rest can play chunks of unfinished wood if they think that makes them more authentic
hehe. There's more than a little truth in that. It's all about the look - nothing else. You're right about your first point, by the way. We really do get a lot of feedback from people with visual impairments and we always hear that the product helps them to recognize the frets correctly. This is an area of application that we hadn't even considered.
Thanks Darrell! The Fretbook company is very cool. The ones I just put on, the Taylor looks beautiful walnut and Custom. Great job!
I would not call this a "mod", but to each their own
absolutly!
I have a design by this brand on my tele and it still holds up really well even after 2 years of use. I really thought they'd wear down over time time but nope, still good.
Awesome feedback. Appriciate that much!
I'm surprised he didn't address whether or not how oils in the grains of the fretboard would affect the adhesive. I don't let my fretboards dry out and I'm wondering if these stickers will even adhere properly and not really look like stickers also. Can you give any feedback on that?
@@frankwebster9110 interesting how quiet they are about this question, isn't it?
@@frankwebster9110 I oiled my fretboard regularly before applying the stickers and they adhered just fine. Of course, you need to let the oil layer soak in for a bit, I'm sure the adhesive won't work properly on a soaked fretboard. Other than that, yes they will kinda look like stickers if you take a really close look because, well, they are stickers. They don't sit completely flush with the fretboard, but you don't notice it while playing, and they just make a boring-looking fretboard more interesting. For 20 bucks, that's all I'm asking. I have the brown tree of life design, and although the individual pieces on this design are quite small, they hold up pretty well.
Guitar fretboards sometimes can be a bit boring and for a lot of guitarists are more likely to pick up a guitar that is visually aesthetic because it makes us look a lot cooler having something that stands out! Dots are boring! So why not spend 15-20 bucks on something that puts a smile on your face and make you stand out from them rest!
This would be a great tool for trying different marker designs before installing real inlays. Could be a fun way to customize a guitar for a show as well. I could see a market for custom printed markers....your band name, a design your client wants to see before paying for inlay work, etc.
You are right. We have a custom shop and regularly create band logos and names for the fretboard.
Adding fret markers to a blank neck is a freaking travesty.
Especially if it is ebony.
I used Fretlooks on one guitar and they look great. No peeling. They're stuck! Yours look good.
Thank you so much!
I know Fretlook since it all was simply just an idea. I saw how much passion went into it and how important is for the founder to ensure that every single product reaches the best quality so that every customer can enjoy it.
I also know a lot of people very happy with how this simple idea helps them to change the way their guitar looks anytime they want. All this without spending a fortune and the risk of ruining the guitar.
Well done @fretlook!!!
Thank you so much! Means really a lot :)
Yeah stickers are cool way to customize guitars. I like to make my own using vinyl sticker cutter. Best thing is if you don’t like it, easy to remove and won’t damage the finish.
I have been using these for years. Totally worth the money. I have literally never had any come off because of bending and I have them on 10+ guitars and basses.
Thank you! Means a lot 😊
yep. i am glad it has been mentioned that these hold up well. i assumed they would get ratty pretty fast and would not have considered them.@@fretlook
I’m torn on this one , looks aren’t really the thing I’m going for when I have a guitar I’m playing out with. But if they don’t wear out fast, I guess it works.
Good, but I think it would be a lot easier without the guitar strings. And I would clean with alcohol before putting them on. It will last much longer. 🙂👍🥂. Cheers .
You can do it with and without the strings. Just image you just put new strings on.
even just loosening the strings would be an example of "work smarter, not harder."
I have a concern, will they peel off when putting lemon oil to the fretboard????
@@cesarbh87I have all my guitars with stickers , they don’t peel off with the oil 👌🏻
Ok, free tip from the Netherlands. Do this when you change strings anyway. 😄
It works with and without strings without any problems. Imagine you have just put on new strings.
Honestly? How long they gonna last with regular bending? Plus they look like stickers not inlays.
Plus how they gonna stick well on decently oiled fretboards? This is crazy in my opinion
The withstand a lot. Even if you touch them while playing. How you see them is of course subjectice. Regarding cleaning - even with inlay stickers applied, you can clean and oil your guitar as usual.
honestly this seems to not be everyone's cup of tea but i play 8 string and strats and my main recording guitar has no markers, you can get quite lost with that many strings and wide fretboard. it's just the customisation i need hahaha
I have trapezoid inlays stickers on two of my guitars and I like the change in appearance that they gave. I think they've been on for maybe 4 years now, no issues. Amusingly, one of the guitars I put them on is a 335 "Dot"
Wow. Thank you so much for the feedback.
Stickers? One of the best mods? Seriously?
I know, right?
This dude will shill for any crappy product that asks him.
Yup some of us play guitar to look cool and bag puss. What’s the big deal?
You should hear a tone comparison after that mod!!! Improved dramatically 😂
Yes.
If you keep your fretboard oiled, do you need to take your strings off and use a cleaner first? How will they hold up as you play? will cleaning the fretboard affect them?
Sorry, I’m not with you on this one. I sent my player series lead III neck into Sweetwater and had the black dots replaced with abalone on the maple fretboard. Yes, more expensive, but they will last and look a whole lot prettier. I’d rather change out tuners, pots and caps, saddles, fret leveling and cut a new nut before decals.
Kinda like ricing out your guitar but if you really want them block inlays then sure ig.
Yeah, uhh, Darrell, I usually love your vids, but that really screwed up the blacked out aesthetic. The Ibanez did look cool.
If I put these stickers on my guitar, they will instantly double the value of the guitar 🤣🤣
Yeah if you paid a dollar for your guitar
@@bigbasil1908 Apparently, the joke flew right over your head. But whatever, dude.
Cmon dude. What did the sticker company pay you to call this the "best guitar mod"?
I would like to send pictures, I used this on a solo strat kit that I only knew about due to your channel
as a new hobby guitar builder I think these are great
Thx man!
you got the 17 upside down on the Cort! 5:13
Pro Tip: Install when doing a string replacement
It's possible with or without. Just image you recently re-newed your stings.
Cort didn't need any upgrades to my taste.
I have some on my way, I'm very excited to get mine done :)
Tahnks for the trust :)
@fretlook the newer design is gonna look sick :) ill try do similar review for you on my channel and tiktok :)
@@GrimnerStudioUK excited to see! :)
Well, on the fretlook website itself the manufacturer recommends to replace the stickers after 1.5 years and thoroughly clean the fretboard before applying a new set. This sounds much more like what I would expect regarding the longevity of such a product ....
Yes. Even Darrell, some customers and some of our own artist justed used it for more than 1.5 years. That material can do far more but we recommend that as a friendly reminder to not forget to clean your guitar properly from time to time
Maybe they have unicorns or Dora the Explorer stickers for my granddaughter's guitar?
No. But we have a custom shop ;)
I have a really hard time believing the strings won't rip those stickers apart over time.
test before judge :) Its made for it
@@fretlook - Not interested.....
Problem with fret stickers is that they come off after a week of use.. especially if you enjoy bending
I haven’t used them, but I’m guessing if you oil your fretboard, it will mess them up too.
Didn't happen to me. Did it happen to you?
People who’ve had this brand of decals on their guitars for 2-3 years have said they hold up very well and still look great, plus they don’t damage the finish or unfinished wood underneath if you decide the remove them at any point in time. None of these customers who’ve shared their experience have complained of the decals peeling off or wearing after several years of regular use.
It should also be fairly obvious that you can’t put oil on top of the stickers - not sure why you’d do that anyway. Just do the exposed frets. If you use a cleaning product, that should be fine as long as you “sparingly” spray the cleaning product on the cloth first and then gently wipe the stickers, paying attention to steer clear of the edges.
I’d imagine that if you buy a knockoff, there would be no guarantees that they’ll be as durable and/or that the adhesive won’t peel or cause damage to the guitar. Darrell said this himself. This Fretless company was the first brand to sell this sort of decal and produce them in Germany. They are clearly high quality and a lot of R & D went into making sure they’d last and cause no damage. That’s why Darrell suggested buying the original rather than a knockoff since they’re only about $15 per pack and you’d be saving little to nothing to buy a knockoff.
Go read the comments with firsthand customer experience. Don’t make assumptions or declarations about poor quality adhesives if you’ve never tried the particular brand being shown by Darrell. Peeling is clearly not an issue if you follow the instructions.
@@MashaT22 I bought cheap knockoffs..: they actually have better designs lol
I can bend and play without any problems and the oil
Doesn’t seem to affect neither
I love it; just hard to believe that if you oil or condition your fretboard the oil won't get under the adhesive and lift it. I might have to give them a try on a project guitar.
We would love to convince you :) Even with the designs applied, you can clean and oil your guitar as usual. The stickers do not seal the surface, so all liquids can still pass through. When applied, the stickers can be treated like normal inlays - only steel wool should not be used under any circumstances.
Thanks for your feedback! I'll definitely give them a try on a guitar I'm building.@@fretlook
I bought a couple of sets after watching your video from a couple of years ago . I put them on a 79 black fender strat. It looked fantastic and still does . Thank you for the info.
Thanks for the great feedback!
That did actually improve the look of the Ibanez.
As for the Cort, not so much. No.
But these are probably a good idea for people who want a new look, but can’t afford other stuff.
Can you clean the fretboard without damaging the markers? Thanks for all the great videos btw!! 👍
Yes, you can. Even with inlay stickers applied, you can clean and oil your guitar as usual. The stickers do not seal the surface, so all liquids can still pass through. When applied, the stickers can be treated like normal inlays - only steel wool should not be used under any circumstances.
Yes, you can. Even with inlay stickers applied, you can clean and oil your guitar as usual. The stickers do not seal the surface, so all liquids can still pass through. When applied, the stickers can be treated like normal inlays - only steel wool should not be used under any circumstances.
I got them on several guitars and I love them so much. You don’t feel anything and they look like real inlays🎸😀
That Cort and the Ibanez really look awesome, Darrell. I am expecting my order from Fretlook for my Strat style guitar all the way from Germany!
They will probably sell a ton of these to PRS players so they can cover up the bird inlays. 😉😂
hahaha You can't imagine it. Some want the Birds, others want to cover them up. Totally crazy.
Stickers don't work for me they have to be carved into the guitar neck and sealed with epoxy and buffed out to Sheen and smoothness I don't agree with sticking stickers on the guitar neck it's just too primitive
kinda cheezy huh, not sure i want stickers on my neck. If i bought a guitar with stickers, i would be pissed. No excuse for quality.
That's pretty cool, but I like the bird inlays on my PRS guitar. 👍👍👍
It’s for guitars that don’t have cool unique inlays already
Sure, I understand, and it's perfectly fine, but I just like to buy guitars that have the inlays already.@@VictorIbelles
Glad you’re back, Darryl!
They do look good, surprisingly good. I hope you put a serious playing on one or both of those guitars, enough to where the fretboard would need cleaning and maybe a touch of lemon oil. I'm really interested to see how they hold up to those necessities.
In truth, I don't really see cleaning being an issue unless it's a working axe for someone in a band that doesn't really take care of their gear. Yes, I know, that seems so counter intuitive, but there are players that don't care for their gear. Stupid, I know, but then, there's lots of people that walk right out onto the road while staring at their phone...
I dunno, maybe it's the air here, down south.
Imho those stickers make those guitars look cheap
Excited by this video, I have ordered and applied two sets. And as immediate feedback, I'm not 100% convinced. Three times, when peeling off the plastic foil, part of the inlay came off with it. So I'm not sure about the durability of the solution. How long will these glued-on inlays withstand string bending? How well will they cope with fretboard cleaning? Best results seem to be on lacquered, completely even maple fretboards, but on rosewood fretboards with their tiny wood irregularities? Time will tell. At 10 € a pop, the risk is low, but what if you eventually want to sell the instrument? Will they come off without residue?
Thank you for your trust and feedback. You have to make sure that the fretboard is dry and free of dust, dirt etc, then the application will be successful. Feel free to test it over time. The material can withstand a lot, even if you touch it while playing. You can remove it at any time without leaving any residue :)
The best mod is to dye your hair in the colour of the strings. Looks great in the mirror when you sing in the hairbrush. And it dont ad any weight to your instrument. Best mod nr 2: If your ukulele is too heavy, just remove the strings.
Question: Can you feel the sticker under the fingers?
Not really. They are just 0.003" (0,08 mm) thin.
I tended my fretboards with lemon oil. I suppose those markers wouldn't stick. So, how to best prepare the fretboard for best results ?
The fretboard should ideally be dry and free of dust and dirt before attaching it. After attaching it, you can clean it as normal.
I had no idea these existed. I bought a Harley Benton with a roasted maple neck. My biggest complaint about it is the fret dots are black, which is VERY hard to see against the dark wood. I was contemplating digging them out, and baking some clay dots. I was not looking forward to that. Now that I've seen this, this is wayyy easier, and probably looks better.
Seriously stickers?
Fair warning to anyone considering buying these. I have a set on my PRS Torero and 2 years later they've held up really well. No complaints there.
However... If you try to get anything made custom. YOU WILL NEVER GET THEM. I ordered custom markers almost 2 1/2 years ago and after saying he could do them he just went silent. A FULL YEAR LATER, I managed to get ahold of him again. Again, he said he could do them and apologized for basically ghosting me as he was busy with the business expanding and all. Alright I'm not unreasonable I get that so no worries now he's making them right?
WRONG!!! He ghosted me again and now another year 1/2 later and I've just given up on ever getting them and buying anything else from this company ever again. The customer service is absolute garbage.
0/10 would not recommend. There are ALOT of other companies out there making these just as well. Find one of them that actually cares about your purchase and time invested in their products!!!
I can assure you that it certainly wasn't done on purpose. We have experienced extreme growth since we started. What you are describing are the typical growing pains that we want to apologize for. We would be delighted if you could get in touch again. Kind regards
@DarrellBraunGuitars yea you just joined 57 minutes ago and have some bs phone # attached literally to your name and you expect me to believe it's real?! Get dafuq outta here chump
I guess taking the strings off first would have been too much effort
Both ways are possible. Image that you just have changed the strings
Those guitars look really tasty with the new inlays.....
I didn't like the ones you chose, Darrell but I looked to see what else they had and there were nicer ones IMHO.
The Ibanez looks good, not so much the Cort (the markers that is). But that's just my preference.
I was skeptical about this idea, but I believe in keeping an open mind. I refurbish derelict guitars and get them in the hands of people who will play them. The end product looks better than I expected. This could be a nice way to create a distinct and relatively unique design. Thanks for making me aware of it, I might give this a try.
Thank you very much for the great feedback. We would be delighted if you would take a look at the product. Best regards!
Good video.ordered from Fretworks, but they are in Germany, and have been stuck with DHL since tuesday with no update. Therefore, I ordered off Amazon from another supplier and already have them on my guitar. I try to support other vendors, but Amazon just makes things so easy. I will use the fretworks stickers when they arrive.....but ya...who waits for shipping anymore.....
Sorry to hear. Please apologise the circumstances. Did you already sent us a mail regarding this issue? If so, we are on it.
If you ever get discouraged from YT Dearest Sir Darrell, just remember that: there are even Elderly and Disabled people who relish your amazingly Wonderful and really Cutting Edge channel here who may not be able to easily mod or even play their guitars much any longer due to painful chronic conditions. Even so, your enthusiastic and very inspirational shows here, I think, are so very uplifting and encouraging to such less fortunate folks with limited abilities and especially while hearing such well executed passages that show off an instrument's abilities. It makes me resist quitting for one since exploring new landscapes and even Flying like an Airplane like Alex Lifeson is possible with the guitar.
If you keep your guitar neck cleaned up and oiled up, will the stickers stick. or will the stickers be a constant PITA to deal with coming off, just wondering. Thanks for any reply.
Well I reckon the stickers will be fkd after treating the fretboard with lemon oil.
And probably the grease and sweat from using the fretboard will damage the stickers too.
This is awesome, very nice
The Guitar world wouldn’t be the same without fretlook ❤️ hardly in my use since 4 years ❤
Geez..the inlay stickers really make the guitars look like a million bucks! Definitely worth it....
I'll tell you right now. I would NOT buy a used guitars with this crap on the fret board. Just sayin'
Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Darrell!
Sorry, the Ibanez looked like a non uniformed mess imho. Really like the Cort though.
Looks good on the Ibanez. I do have a question, can i still oil the fret board after they are applied?
Yes, you can. Even with inlay stickers applied, you can clean and oil your guitar as usual. The stickers do not seal the surface, so all liquids can still pass through. When applied, the stickers can be treated like normal inlays - only steel wool should not be used under any circumstances.
@@fretlook thanks for the reply and information 👍
They need to sell them precut !
We are working on further development :) We are producing them mostly by hand and need to check how we can bring more usability into it
@@fretlook awesome..look forward to it!
Don't get me wrong, but I think they just look like bits of paper stuck to your gutiar. I would never ruin any of my guitars doing that.
Looks fantastic. I feel a purchase coming on 👍
hehe. We're looking forward!
@@fretlook purchase completed 👍
Out of the Ibanez and cort, I love the court. Guitars also love your videos
Love your channel, but this one's not for me. I find these a bit cheesey, I couldn't see ever doing this to o e of my guitars. Keep up the good work though, most of what you put out is gold.
Best mod??? Um...have you lost the plot? I´m not gonna put stickers on my fretboards, ooobviously!
I'm still searching for fretmarkers that glowing in the dark...
Make them , just use glow in the dark vinyl and go to those places where they laser cut it
Really not a fan of those. Actually, I'd like to have the option to order a standard guitar (not custom) without the fret markers. Same goes for pickguards. I always felt that inlays and pickguards ruined the look of a guitar.
We can also create you a "blank" looking fretboard ;)
Gives a neat look to a cheap guitar
Though I'm sure I'd probably get a lot of flack from snobbish purist, but I'd like to put dot inlays on my Cordoba classical nylon string.
Simple Dots are available as well 😊
Why not take the strings off and make it easier?
They really do make a nice change of looks. And if you get tired of them take them off and put on a new look. Great video Darrell 👍✌️
How do you get them off completely??
Are we suppose to look at the frets ?
Is this a new thing ?
Yes, in remote parts of the world, we have fret staring competitions.
Somehow I thought these had some significance for scales, notes, etc. Alas, just decoration.
absolutly. We are currently working on a cool way to display scales and notes.
"Ah Baloney"
I have used fret marker decals for a long time now never tried to install them with the strings still on the guitar. I always waited for when the guitar needed new strings. People used to hate on these but no one ever could tell they were decals on any of my guitars. None ever faded not one pealed I can't say how easy they are to take off I never took any off. I have always used Jockomo except once where he didn't make the Dean style I needed. I used to search the net looking for inlay decals but never came across this company. I will definitely check them out.
Thank you so much. We're looking forward to it 😊
A sticker, even a nicer one like these, over a dot inlay, will leave a ghosted dot clearly visible. Even more visible over time as you play over the stickers.
Just my experience.
Yea it's nice but what happens when you go to set the guitar up? .
You can just do it as normal as always. Cleaner and oil are no problem.
Looks great, good if not wanting the cost of a luthier installing actual inlays, if lacking the skill, or being able to switch easily for a different look.
Not sure why someone wouldn’t remove or change stings while doing this though, as seems applying these with no strings would be much easier done.
My thoughts are that the strings help with alignment. That is why I would keep strings on.
Okay yeah it's just stickers but it does look nice.
Cool, thanks
very cool man, I will definitely check these out!
We love @fretlook!!! Super awesome
Didn't they suggest cleaning the fretboard with naphtha or something first?
The fretboard should always be clean and dry before applying :)
Wow what a difference! Cool!
Cool video + useful. Guitars look great.
Hi Darrell, Would you recommend giving the fretboard a good clean before applying the fret markers? I loved this option to jazz up an older or indeed otherwise plain guitar. Well done. Cheers ✌️🎸
Absolutely. Before application the fretboard needs to be clean and dry. Once they are applied you can clean and oil your fretboard as usual because the stickers are hot sealing the surface.
Naptha is a good cleaner. will remove excess oil, NOT hurt lacquer or poly finishes. Camp stove/Coleman pump lantern "white Gas" will also do fine, basically same thing.
Have you tried neck illusions? I'm thinking of trying them on my Ibanez.
...watching the shark being jumped in real time...