Official Luthiers Forum!

I have a top that is approaching final thickness (about .120" currently). I plan for a really simple rosette made with 1/16" wide curved abalam strips.

1) Is there any reason that I should not try to inlay it in a 1/16" groove and not use any purfling?

2) What is the best work sequence (final thickness first, inlay deep, cover with superglue to protect it from the sander?) for inlaying abalam rosettes?

Thanks for your help!
Peter

Peter,

My preference (because that is all it is is a preference) is to border any abalone or other shell with at least a bwb border. I just thinks it makes the shell pop! If it were me, I would install the rosette now (I like to do it when the top is about .140), level it with wood backed sand paper, make your face look as good as you can and then finish thicknessing your top from the back side.

Post some pics eh!

Shane

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Canada

Thanks, Shane!

I am a photographer as well, so I should start photographing what I am doing. My trouble is that I cannot figure out how to make some of the things look good yet

Peter

P.S. Glad to see you are getting ready to send off a bunch of that Lutz.

Concur with Shane and Todd. Think Todd has it so distinctly with the stop here,start there. Contrast,Contrast....!

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

Hi Peter,
I do it both ways. I think it's all about the look you are after.
On my Jazz Classical model I use Paua shell with no border-The Paua shell has plenty of contrast with the spruce. I believe its around .090 wide.
You can check it out on my website http://www.goodmanguitars.com.

Thanks, Brad. Do you run into any trouble with the edges of the channel not being sharp enough - as in does purfling help conceal inconsistencies?

The real issue is the growth and shrinkage of the top over time. Purfling will expand and contract just like wood does fiber or fish paper being glued to the wood will move with the wood, being pulled wider to some degree as the wood expands. Shell will not expand or contract. Without purfling of some sort expect to see the inside and outside diameter of the routed channel to grow or contract depending on the environment the guitar is exposed to. For these reasons I always use a purfling both inside and outside of any ring of shell.

Peter,
I have had no trouble with the channel,just the same as usual.
Actually I have had some trouble with dyed pufling and espesially plastic purfling "bleeding" into the endgrain of the top.

As far as the movement issue ,I have guitars out there with this type of rosette that are more than 8 years old and still "perfect".
Brad

Thanks everyone!

I then would at least put black magic marker on the edge. I personally always like some line on the edge especially with abalam as the edge is always that white grayish color. But that's just me.