jsnhavoc Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Hey everybody, I am thinking about doing a simple, medium sized hummingbird inlay on an acoustic top. How possible is this, with the top being so thin? I don't have a whole lot of experience with inlays, but i've experimented on scrap wood and had good results. I plan on getting plenty more practice before starting this project. -Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 I'm not a BIG acoustics guy.... however I DO dabble in inlay. To my knowledge most acoustic guitars are 1/8" thick, and then braced. The usual inlay shell blank thickness is 1/16"... but that's usually used to fretboards since they get radiused. There's also thinner shell. Usually from .04"-.06" is what people used. Like I said, since this won't be radiused, you could easily get away with using .05" thick shell. That's leave you PLENTY of wood under the inlay. And a small inlay, only .04-.06" deep would not affect the sound or stability to my knowledge (someone else varify), especially towards one of the edges... or maybe near the soundhole? I wouldn't put it RIGHT next to the bridge myself, I'd think you'd want the MOST support there. But I mean, look at I think it was Taylor... they did guitars out of the liberty tree and had a scroll inlay go off the next and onto the top... so very do-able. And if you really think about it.... rossettes are just circular inaly anyways. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Chris is a BIG acoustic guy. He is just in denial . You need to be careful with what you do to an acoustic soundboard. Like Chris mentioned it is thin (less than 1/8") and bracing is added to prevent collapse or warpage. It is a minimal design because you want the lightest and most responsive top possible. You see shell purfling around the edges (but this is place over the kerfed bracing- not much movement there). The area above the waist is possibly a more viable area for inlay. The area that the rosette is placed has additional bracing. I try to keep my rosettes to less than half the thickness of the soundboard wood. Also many acoustics have a radius built into the top (25-30' r.). When leveling shell extra care has to be taken not to thin the surrounding wood. The Back would be much less risky,but of course is still thin and usually has a radius also. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Look out Rich... you don't know how much of an acoustic guy in disguise I may be.... just wait say.... maybe a year and you'll get this joke. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikhailgtrski Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 When leveling shell extra care has to be taken not to thin the surrounding wood. +1 The shell is usually much harder than the wood, so it's very easy to sand a depression in the wood around the inlay. There are files made for leveling fingerboards and inlays that will level the shell and leave the wood relatively untouched. I'm going to give one of them a try on my next inlay project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsnhavoc Posted July 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Thanks guys, I want to do it above the end of the fretboard where it extends onto the body, so it should be pretty solid. Where does everybody recommend as far as places to buy shell and stone blanks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Chris- I better see a killer acoustic in a year. Where was that post you put up about MOP vs Depaule. That might be handy for this fella. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 After my most recent order (however I have yet to get mine from MOP supplies yet) I'm gunna say go with DePaule anyways. I had a REAL good experiance with him this time. Chris Oh and Rich.... I can't, I'll be in a dorm for the next year again ... but it's better than me building one (THE MYSTERY!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Could this have had ANY better timing!? Look what just showed up on the OLF forum?! Acoustic With Tons of paw prints inlaid into the top Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Ok, one last thing. Now I FULLY back Andy DePaule from www.luthiersupply.com . I got my MOP Supplies blanks from Australia today. The green abalone is riddled with what I can only describe as the abalone's version of "bark inclusion" like you get on burl. The washboard mussel was a LITTLE better... but still had this issue to a degree. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsnhavoc Posted July 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Alright ill check out MOP Supplies and Luthier Supply. Im pretty sure ive been to these sites a while ago while cruising around the forum. Thanks again to all who replied. -Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Could this have had ANY better timing!? Look what just showed up on the OLF forum?! Acoustic With Tons of paw prints inlaid into the top Chris Thats so cool. The figure on the koa almost looks like a dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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