Official Luthiers Forum!

Thanks Jimmy, been waiting for an answer on this for sometime now!

Here is a cedar/mahogany guitar I'm working on - the customer wanted
bloodwood. I think it looks great; however, if it were my guitar, I would
go with a darker wood like wenge or rosewood.



SimonF38810.7685532407

Oops sorry, Been gone awhile. Yes it is Jim Olson. The guitar and some others are on his web site under gallery. When ever I need to feel humble and yet inspired I go there and drool.

Serge,
I don't know if he made the purfling but I'd guess he did, and the rosette. He is one of the masters in my opionion.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Paddy, you probably have this one... On the Olson guitar fingerboard inlays, how do you get that almost purfling outline around the inlay? Is it actuall purfling, or some CNC magic?

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

No problem Joe, thanks for the input and good luck for that bid! You might need it, the set is just to die for!

Serge

hey joe.... (where you going with that gun in your hand!!)

the purflings are probably 14k gold, and yes it is indeed CNC wizardry, you basically draw your inlay design, then press the offset button to make a shape a bit larger, then separate the middle from the outline and cut the middle from abalone or snakewood or something cool, then cut the outer "purfling" from the gold, although it is a pain in the butt as the gold conducts heat so well that it melts the glue or double stick tape you are using to hold it down!

paddy

Depending on the color of mahogany, I think curly maple can look gorgeous. If the mahogany's too light there's not enough contrast.

Andrew Wright
Managua, Nicaragua

Paddy... Thank you. Now I have an excuse not to try it. (although I did try to wrap a wood inlay with purfling once...what a mess that was.

One other binding that would be really nice on mahogany is (I don't think I'm going to spell this right) curly eucalyptus. It looks almost like Koa but with a nicer curl. Bob the Zootman just shipped me some. It is nice stuff.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust