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I'm building a copy of a 1952 J-45 that I fixed up a while back and would like to imitate the old Gibson single line rosette ring which is b/w/b and wide white ring, all in one piece. So how did they do that? I mean the ring is entirely visible since it is a 19 fret board and there is no visible seam around the ring. Anyone?

Mike, check out this thread where I was helped with a similar situation. Hope it’s helpful to you, as well.

http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=44661&hilit=Ukulele

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sweat the small stuff.

If I was doing it I would use 45 degree cuts and stagger the white and black a little.

The white will be the hard one to hide. If it still shows I would try a solid, one piece white just a little smaller than the width of the B/W/B rosette. I would cut a channel in the top to fit it and glue it in place. Once it is dry I would use the circle cutter to cut a channel on both sides for the black using 45 degree cuts on them.

Keep in mind I've never actually made a rosette like that.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Thanks guys,
If I visited the mandolin and uke forum I might have read about the method that Ken McKay suggested about using a mandrel and wrapping veneers around, then cutting slices off. I bet that that's what Gibson did since they were building many of the same style. Since I'm only making 1, I 'll probably just make a extended "point" on the fretboard to cover the joint.

My guess is that Gibson used celluloid and cut the pieces a hair long and mashed them together with a little acetone or a mix of celluloid and acetone. It was common to keep a small jar of "celluloid paste" handy when doing celluloid miters or joints...

The acetone method works for ABS binding material too.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I've done this a few times. It occurs in French romantic guitar rosettes but instead of one white line there are as many as six white lines. It's not easy to get perfect joints but it is possible. I used the wallpaper joint technique. If I was doing just the single line I'd do a scarf. The ABS/plastic with acetone should be easier.

just did 4 of there I use .060 white 20 blck 20 white and do the scarf joint staggering them.Duco cement works best then tap the ends it welds them together nicely

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Well, at least give it a try. If you don’t succeed, then you can cover it if you must.

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sweat the small stuff.

Gibson would put the joint at 3 o'clock, not 12. If you look closely at the right spot, you should be able to see it.

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John

Probably one reason why the pickguard doesn't fit...

I've done a bunch of 360° rosettes. I sneak up on the length using a new razor blade (a good one, not Chinese junk). When fitting the rings, you'll get a better idea of how it's going to fit if you put the join ends in first and check the fit around the circumference. I overshoot the trimming a lot less that way.

And yeah, put the join anywhere it's not expected.

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com