Official Luthiers Forum!

I have this set of Indian rosewood which has a beautiful glassy tap tone but has this awful discoloration right in the center:



It looks even worse under a wipe of shellac. In the past I have thought about gilding a guitar in silver or copper leaf and applying a chemical patination to explore different textures and colors than wood allows. This seems a great opportunity to try it and use a great sounding but aesthetically unacceptable wood. Has anyone heard of someone doing this? Can you think of a reason why I shouldn't?

I can't really see the discoloration in the photo, but If you don't like it I would just paint or shade it. I don't know about gilding though. Harpsichord trim and picture frames do alright, but on a guitar back I would be concerned with how gracefully it would weather and wear. Back and sides of a guitar may be a high traffic area for gold leaf.

I guess if you try it though I can check back in thirty years and find out.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

What about staining so you still get the wood grain? That way you could have the back, sides, and headstock veneer all matching.
Just a thought since know nothing about gilding.

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Jamie M

Their is a builder, Tom Cerletti who has done gilded/patina'd finishes on his instruments and they are absolutely beautiful. I don't believe Tom is currently building (but don't really know either) so it may be hard to find a picture of one, but if you can find one it'd be worth a look.
Here's a cello maker who's on the wild side for cellos anyway and uses gold leaf on some of her instruments. Anne also likes to paint on the inside of her instruments. Have a look:
http://www.annecoleviolinmaker.com/cellos.php
I've personally seen the gold leaves and it's really nice.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Thanks Jim; I found an archtop that David Marks gilded:

http://www.djmarks.com/portfolio/cerlettiguitar.asp

I bet close up that is one spectacular instrument.

Glad you found one.
On Anne Coles web site it's the Aspen cello that has aspens leaves falling down the back done in gold leaf. I should have been more specific, you can click on the back image and get a good view of it. Very nice.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

You mean the yellowish spots, they seem to be common on IRW. How about doing a bit of FP over it see how it looks. I think under finish it could look much better.

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Build log

Very tastefully done. I love her scroll carvings.

Under a wipe of shellac they look pretty awful.

What's wrong with putting the center "outside"? Should fall around the waist.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Oh well, sorry it didn't work. But read this thread. In the end they sent me a different set without yellow patches so I have no follow up

viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=15509&hilit=

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Build log

Pitch pockets on the outside

Ringo,

I use an oil-based pore filler that I tint with oil-based stain. It doesn't take anything away from the wood grain, in fact it enhances it. It also greatly evens out the colors. This would probably greatly reduce the problem. Sanding will also help.

I used minwax brand Brazilian Rosewood gel stain on my last guitar. It was a set of opportunity grade EIR from Allied. The stain worked beautifully and really made the wood pop. I say go with stain...although a gilded guitar would be interesting.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

I like the staining idea, and would certainly try that before either gilding, or in frustration throwing it away.
In fact, you could try wiping it down with acetone, which will pick up the oils in the wood surrounding that spot, and move them all over the piece. That will be tricky if you use a light colored seam inlay, but do-able without one. Or, could you trim out that section, and perhaps fit in a center piece for a three piece back?

More grist for your mill...

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Thanks for the suggestions, but I'm really more interested in potential reasons why I shouldn't gild than ways to cover up the stain. I think I am going to go for it; if it turns out badly I can always scrape the gilding off and start fresh...