I'm building another dobro. I was thinking of putting side dots on as a joke. I pulled out my first dobro, a cheapo that helped me decide that I loved playing squarenecks. Lo and behold....side dots! I'd have thought that since the fret markers are much larger and easier to see, that side dots would be superfluous. I'm scratching my head. I don't have an American made square-neck. Do any US made ones have side dots?
Fun story.
Frank Harlow had the Gene Wooten fancy dobro with the tree of life fretboard. He let me play it.
I asked Frank why he had paste on fret markers on the side of the neck.
He said he could not take them off. Gene put them on there. Even he needed a little help now and then.
My Redline and (Tom Warner built) Appalachian do not.
I can't remember ever seeing a squareneck resonator with side dots.
Not necessary, nor useful.
I once had a customer ask me to install side dots on the weissenborn style guitar I was building for him along with maple/walnut/maple frets. His reason for the dots was that he sang while he played and wanted "as much help as possible" so he could quickly see the fret positions.
Pic of side dots.
Jack, if those little side dots helped your customer more power to him. I don't get it myself and though not on a weissie, I have done a fair amount of singing while playing the reso over the years.
I remember him wearing glasses and had a little trouble with his sight.
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