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Seconds after thinking, "I really should not be doing this..." the guide bearing on my binding router hopped into the binding channel. I was widening the purfling route after realizing that I was going to put the herringbone purfling on this parlor. I've done this before without a problem, but my binding channel must be just slightly deeper than normal on this one. It as about time to get a new router bit, so I grabbed a new one from SM that has the little extender washer and finished it up. I figured it was an opportunity for a "feature". And if that totally failed, I'd just retop it.

The main gap is about 0.75" long, but there is a little bit of roughness running up the purfling line for another 0.75". This is a pretty traditional 12 fret parlor, so I can't get too wild with it. Or can I?

I'm open for ideas.

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Tony Thatcher
Bozeman, Montana

You could pick a grain line to follow and simply inlay a new little wing onto the lower bout. It would likely be supported by the kerfed lining for most of its surface area, and following a grain line could make it easy to hide.

You saved the cut-off from the soundboard, right?

Patch, sunburst and play.

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Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

That's exactly what I was going to suggest. Would have been a lot easier before gluing the binding/purfling on there...

That's a pretty good idea.

You will never be able to 'patch' it even with the same top wood with the same grain patterns. I've tried it and while it was just about spot on under finish it stuck out like a soar thumb. But inlaying an entire wing would probably be invisible. Wished I had thought of it !

If you go the route of inlaying an entire wing in that place, be sure to match the runout—pull your patch from that same side of the book match and keep it oriented the same direction, or flip it 180 degrees if you pull from the other side.

If not, it will show lighter or darker than the neighboring wood as the light reflects differently off of the grain run out. (We all like to think there is no run out, but its there, and you'll see it later under finish.

Agreed that patching would have been easier before binding, but I'm thinking of being more creative than that. I'd like to avoid the burst option, too. Dark IRW on the sides, and feel it will just be too much dark. Might end up going that way. I have a couple of potential inlay options that might look good. I'm going to do some mock ups tonight to see what I think.

Any other "creative" options?

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Tony Thatcher
Bozeman, Montana

The chip out looks a little like a mouse body. Inlay a piece of pearl, some ears and a tail. It will look like a tiny mouse sneaking along the edge of the guitar. You then inlay a cat at the 12th fret on the fret board to complete the theme.

That's more like it! And along the ideas that I have. DePaul Inlay has a few options that I'm kicking around. A wave. They have a tiger that could be crawling along the edge of the purfling, and could inset a paw into the purfling. And a compass rose that could be used. I'm a cartographer by trade, so that has appeal to me.

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Tony Thatcher
Bozeman, Montana

This is why the sunburst was invented.

Ha! I love the creative output idea.

Hi, not to derail the thread, but what is meant by "inlay an entire wing"? What is meant by wing?

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

We're referring to the portion of lower bout soundboard that is outside the waist.

Thank you, Dennis.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

I'm for the mouse.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Three options that I came up with. But I have to say that I'm currently leaning towards patch and burst.

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Tony Thatcher
Bozeman, Montana

Voice of inexperience here, but...the only one I like is the tiger. And it borders on too big, to my eyes.
I would do a burst, if that is something you are comfortable with.
Just an opinion from the peanut gallery.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

"Hi, not to derail the thread, but what is meant by "inlay an entire wing"? What is meant by wing?"

Hi Mike,
Sometimes you have a spruce top that is slightly too narrow in the lower bout but by taking the off cuts from the waist area and gluing on these "wings" the top can be made wide enough. If well done it is usually undetected and perfectly sound. Matching the grain direction and runout is critical to a good result.

Thanks, Clay.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Mike, take the off cut from the waist area and hold it over the area. Align the grain lines as best you can. Look at it several different lights, from different angles and with a splash of shellac on each piece. Can you see a major difference? If not then you'll want to cut out the offending piece, along the grain and then inlay the new piece. Getting the wing the perfect shape will be the challenge as you have the bindings/purflings installed already. But it can be done.
Then you live with it or burst.
I had to do this with a cedar topped guitar, it wasn't seamless and I couldn't live with it (this was after I had dropped the body in the spray booth after 10 coats already) so I end up re-topping. That was the celtic guitar I build... it was a major headache building that guitar... but it was worth all the problems in the end.

So, what you have to ask yourself is... do I just want to get this guitar finished, or do I want the guitar to be THE guitar I want? Not what I'm satisfied with... that might help with your decision.

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Or turn it into a trucker's guitar!

Here ya go. Younger members may not get it.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.