Official Luthiers Forum!

I am considering using rosewood as a binding and tail graft, it is a mahogany box, will i run the danger of the rosewood color bleeding into the mahogany when I sand or otherwise? i have read this is a consideration with sanding rosewood rosettes on spruce. thanks Jody

Hi Jody.

If you level the bindings using a scraper blade, you will not have any bleeding problems. Final sanding of the guitar should not generate much bleeding either. If so, a little scraping will take care of the stains. Just don't try to wash it out using naphta or some other liquid; you will just make the stains deeper!

If you intend to level your bindings by sanding them down, then I suggest you tape over the mahogany next to the bindings.

At least that's my experience with this kind of issue.

_________________
Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

thanks Alain , considering your statement I will probably give the areas a thin coat of shellac before I begin ... thanks again ,, jody

I have never had a problem with color bleeding from rosewood and I generously use naptha during the build. I generally glue my bindings on with LMI white.

I am sure you will be fine.

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

Yep me either - I use BRW bindings and rosettes fairly frequently with mahogany sides and spruce tops and I have never had any bleeding what-so-ever.

In addition I level my tops after the rosette is installed and while the Titebond is still tacky and I do this in a thickness sander. As the passes start hitting the proud rosette I do get some smearing but as soon as I lower it to make contact with the top it comes out clean as a whistle.

thanks guys ! Jody