Why is the first fret (mostly) never marked?

[Plan Zero]

Had to ask. I ordered some goofy inlay stickers and I'm contemplating leaving the first fret unmarked. Just for example, as I scrolled down Gibson's product page the only guitar that had it was the LP supreme.
Out of curiosity, why is this fret usually unmarked? Especially on necks with large inlays, where you would think the blocks would go all the way to the nut for aesthetics. This is so common it almost looks off when you see a fretboard with a first fret marker, and I planned on leaving it off when I put my stickers on, but then my friend who knows nothing about guitars asked why it was blank and I couldn't tell her. I can only imagine the responses...

 

[donepearce]

I think mostly we can tell which is the first fret without marking. But if you did mark it, what then would you do up an octave at the 13th fret? Would you mark that too - it would look a bit odd next to the already marked 12th fret.

 

[Plan Zero]

Then why do you sometimes see it marked on customs? Purely aestetic? In retrospect I should've done an opinion poll, would you leave it blank or add a marker at the first fret? All of these inlays come with one.

 

[Biddlin]

why is this fret usually unmarked?

?

 

[Plan Zero]

Hahaha thanks for the pics. Seriously though. The majority of guitars aren't marked as you know; just scroll down Gibson's product page, I'm not going to post a bunch of pics. Personally I think it looks better, especially with blocks or trapezoids, but it is not standard practice.
Again: WHY?

 

[Biddlin]

I like a blank canvas.

 

[Plan Zero]

Yeah I do too. That's also why I want to see black markers on a rosewood fretboard. I'm from a bass background normally and there's nothing sleeker than a fretless unmarked neck IMHO. I had a 70s Ibanez P bass copy with a fretless unmarked maple neck, something never offered by Fender. That's the one that got away.
But back to the question. What's up with the inconsistency across manufacturers and models when it comes to this?

 

[Biddlin]

But back to the question.

Markers indicate important intervals: minor third, fourth, fifth, major sixth, octave. For most guitarists they are just benchmarks, a quick reference to where your hand is and where you want it to go.

 

[rotorhead]

I don't think there's really an official answer to the original question. It just...is.

Some have it and some don't and it's probably based purely on what the manufacturer chose for esthetics on their particular models.

 

[Col Mustard]

I also think that this question falls under the category of "Design..."
which means it doesn't have to make sense.

IMHO it's a bad idea to stick stickers on your lovely wood fretboard.
It's something you'll regret, and end up using a knife to peel off.
...and then labor to get the glue off, if it ever comes off.
Bare wood is best, as every bass player knows.
Clean that lovely wood with Music Nomad's F1
and then treat it with Fret Doctor and enjoy the design
of it.

And if you don't always get good sound (like me) and you need to
see it as well as hear it, then get maple inlays instead of frets.

 

[Plan Zero]

Yeah I may not even use em. This is only for a cheap project guitar and they were only $8. I just saw a couple other members used em with success. Of course I only ordered from creative cuts who have been around for years using only the best vinyl with no adhesive residue. I would never stick any type of old fashioned paper and glue sticker on a guitar. I just want to see what black markers on a rosewood board (technically my board is supposed to be baked maple but looking at a cross section at the nut I swear it's rosewood) would look like. I also discovered my board is bound (fret over) in black or possibly very dark brown, so why not add something. So then this question pops up. I wanted to know if there was another reason other than simply design preference.

 

[cerebral gasket]

How about unmarked above the 12th fret?

 

[drown]

Some SGs from the 70's have a first fret inlay. See this thread:

http://www.everythingsg.com/threads/ian-mackayes-sgs-not-some-fake-a-wear.32866/

 

[cerebral gasket]

 

[bchaffin72]

I have yet to own a guitar that had first fret markers from the factory. I just assumed it was something that varied by manufacturer or even different model lines within the same manufacturer.

I've got the Iommi cross stickers on mine and, since the Iommi sig model SGs have a first fret marker, the Iommi inlay set also came with one.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

How about unmarked above the 12th fret?

I always loved the moon inlay guitars. I'd get one in Walnut or Black in a heart beat.

 

[Plan Zero]

Agreed, and it's interesting that only 5 moons are on that fretboard. I like it. Especially on a black guitar

 

[Clifdawg]

Personally, I love the block inlays and first fret marker on my SG special. I think it's a classy design touch, especially on such a stripped-down model... Makes it look minimalist, instead of cheap (although the guitar was most certainly cheap).

 

[Plan Zero]

So I think my black stickers look awesome. When the light hits them they almost vanish and look like a blank fretboard. Obviously they work on a black guitar best IMHO

 

[cerebral gasket]

The low-contrast markers work well with that color scheme.