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Just finished this up for Andrew White. All I need to do now is slot it!

Materials are blue acrylics, black pearl, white river pearl, MOP, gold pearl, ebony, brown lip pearl, abalone, red abalone heart, solid gold wire (coral polyps- not really visible in these shots) silver dust, and some stone here and there. I think I got the effect I was looking for, a large school of powder blue tangs moving through the neck. They are awesome in real life. Matching the colors was challenging- thanks to the acrylics it was easy to accomplish!
More sea life soon. I am on a role here with marine stuff- orca acoustic, and then great white sharks on a Rickenbacker 4001 bass fingerboard. Being a huge RUSH fan that will be a personal favorite!
Thanks for looking guys!

Craig L.

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www.handcraftinlay.com

A little over the top for my taste on a guitar, but your work is astounding!! Very fine craftsmanship.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Inlay IS art..... that is a fact!!

This is some of the prettiest inlay I have seen. I am in awe at your talent 

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Reguards,

Ken H

Great work Craig.
What is the name of this little fish?
Looks like a whole school of 'em.



Congratulations to you and Mr. White.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

That is some really great work, and some cool fish.  Very realistic.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

what he wanted to begin with!
This is the "scaled back" concept. Originally Andrew wanted a full reef scene like on my Living Sea guitars, but given the acoustic is a smaller size, and an acoustic, I felt strongly that it should be a more cohesive concept, not all over the place color and species wise. Eventually he gave in to letting me do what I felt was best, and this is the result. I always appreciate that!

If anyone is interested in a full blown Pacific reef with a spotted eagle ray passing through a turquiose sea with fan corals, then down the neck ornatissimus butterflies, powder blue tangs, and a blue ringed octopus in the corals just let me know. I have it drawn up. It aint cheap though!!
Bruce those are powder blue tangs, a member of the sugeonfishes (they have a scalpel-like cutting scale at the base of the tail for defense, and offense).
In real life the yellow is more lemon, but I wanted to get pearl more than plastic in the piece.
Thanks all!
Craig

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www.handcraftinlay.com

Wow Wow Wow

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Very nice work Craig! Great detail and design.

Do you prefer cutting the slots after you inlay, or before?

Long

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"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” -Heraclitus of Ephesus

That is really nice Craig... Great work as usual.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Incredible!

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Amazing as always, Craig.

How do you cut the fret slots afterwards?

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Thanks again guys.
I have just recently started my own re-slotting as I used to leave it to the luthiers' type of wire, etc..
But given that- I use the stew-mac miter box and saw and just carefully START the re-slot line that way. It's straight due to the saw kerf. Once that's started I go through the kerf with a dremel and a .02 bit to deepen the lines. I like having the straight kerf line as a guide first. I wish there was a better jig for this.
Any designers out there have any ideas?
There is so much inlay- but really no focus on re-slotting. I would like to see a jig made to lock the stew-mac router base into that can move in a perfectly straight line across mounted and un-mounted fretboards.
It needs adjusstible height ranges as well.
It also needs a fingerboard positioner, that can slide the board up fret by fret but keep it perfectly still along the width.

Who has time to build one for me? I'm buyin'!!!

Craig L- Oh- NOT joking on this one.. !!

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www.handcraftinlay.com

There is no doubt that is a fantastic piece! As usual youve hit it out of the park again. Good work!
Cheers
Charliewood