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As I was cutting the rosette channel in a very nice Italian spruce top, the set screw on my rosette cutting jig decided to work its way loose, causing a bit of a gouge in the top.

I didn't want to scrap the top, so I decided to do a little inlay to cover the offending area..I am not a big fan of soundboard inlays, but I couldn't see using this top for firewood!

Anyway, here are the preliminary results, the top still needs to go throught the thickness sander, and the inlay needs some engraving, etc., (possibly even some green ab antennae), but so far, it's looking OK.






The inlay is gold MOP, green ab, a bit of black MOP, and the whole inlay is framed in a thin black veneer. The rosette ring is paua ablam.

Inlaying into spruce is a little daunting, to say the least! Now that I have done this on the soundhole, I may have to go all the way, and make the rest of the guitar fit the butterfly (or insect) theme...maybe just a couple of small butterflies in the end graft...hmmmm....

Very creative solution. Better craftsman aren't perfect, they just know how to hide a mistake or, better yet, turn it into a feature.

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Mark Joy

mjoy Guitars

Nice recovery. I doubt I could ever do that...

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Good job! I have not been able to make a butterfly that I like.

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

Russ that looks terrific. If you didn't say anything it would look like it was planned that way. Nice job.

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Yeow! That's some tight, tight inlaying there, and a very elegant design to boot. Nice recovery!

absolutely georgeous. I'm sure the stuff I do "as planned" won't turn out
like that!

Mark,

I found a pattern book of Japanese designs that had this butterfly in it (along with lots of others)...I can't draw to save my life!

That looks great. Can I send you all my mistakes?

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

Very nice, Russ. I agree that a couple more small butterlies would be good. Maybe have one perched on your logo. Just don't go overboard. You don't want it to look like something out of the Grizzly catalog

Beautiful!    Put a caterpillar on the 12th fret.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

I was thinking a cocoon...then a caterpillar....maybe that's too much!

That would be too cool, Russ. Fret markers of increasing size cocoons, then a caterpillar, to that great butterfly.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

Hamana Hamana Hamana Hamana Hamana Hamana Hamana Hamana!

That looks AWESOME!!!

What mistake?? it was an opportunity...

Great Work...

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Russ, fantastic recovery! I have to agree with Paul, it was an opportunity!

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Watch your back Craig...Russ is sneakin' up behind you!

Nice work Russ!

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

Do you guys think i should make the soundhole bigger, or leave it this size??

[QUOTE=russ] Do you guys think i should make the soundhole bigger, or leave it this size?? [/QUOTE]

I'm thinking just a hair bigger. Tiny amount.

Uh...yeah good point! I recommend AGAINST using a circle cutter for this one! You're going to want to shape the soundhole differently, so perhaps a router setup to cut it round part way would be a good thought.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Nice Work Russ

Nice recovery Russ. If you go with the caterpillars and coccoon scenario, have the caterpillars get larger. The cocoon doesn't get any larger once formed and sometimes are just a bare pupae (which might be more interesting). How about an egg at 5, small caterpillar at 7, full caterpillar at 9, and cocoon at 12th. Hey, I can't help it...I'm bug person Actually, I don't think it will need any more inlays to look good and might actually distract from the nice butterfly you created.Don A38592.8959606482

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

I've dome it both on purpose and by accident and have always enjoyed the outcome. Nice creative work!!

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

Yep, if ya can't hide it, make it pretty! Good job!

I'm going to add this idea to my bag of tricks. Great work!

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
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House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
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Great job, Russ. I'm with Don, any more might distract from the elegance of that one butterfly. Less will be more. As for the shape of the soundhole, cut it normal up to the butterfly, then leave a margin of spruce around the wings--protruding into the soundhole--and further outlining the shape, as well as lending support.
Harry Fleishman does stuff like that.

Looking forward to your next mistake!

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

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