Roy's Guitar, Chapter 18, Inlaying the Neck

1. With the pearl logo in-hand the placement on the headstock was found and traced. 2. A Dremel tool was used to route a cavity to the appropriate depth. 3. It is not the black oil from X-Files. Epoxy and black dye were mixed together to make a black filling mixture. This will fill the negative spaces of the logo and will set it off visually. 5. America's best beer, possibly the world and or universe, held the headstock at the perfect angle for drying epoxy. 6. Sanded down to 220 grit the Marshwood Logo on Roy's future guitar has come alive. The drops are not tears of joy but super glue. This was used to fill tiny air holes that sometimes develop in epoxy.

Roy's Guitar, Chapter 18, Inlaying the Neck

The neck is at the pearl inlaying stage. For the headstock on this guitar the Marshwood Logo will be inlayed out of mother-of-pearl. First the logo is re-sized on the computer to the appropriate scale and printed. It is glued onto the two mother-of-pearl pieces which have been also joined together to form a larger piece. Small access holes (for the saw) are drilled into the pearl. Using the saw the parts not wanted are cut out. It is good to set up some kind of vacuum for this task. Once the logo is completely cut out files and sandpaper are used to smooth lines and saw marks. The finished logo. Next we will inlay this into the headstock.. Stay tuned...

Roy's Guitars, Chapter 17

Roy's Guitar body is 90% complete, the tremolo system and control cavity covers have been made, all the accesses (knob, switch, etc) have also been routed or drilled. Some small adjustments still need to be made to the cover plates. Magnets will be installed so that when you look at the back of the guitar one will not see any screws. This should have a cleaner look. The body has been sanded to about 100 grit and will eventually be sanded to 220. After that it will be time to spray lacquer.

Roy's Guitar, Update

On the player's side of the neck there are small position markers, these have now been installed in Roy's neck (close-up picture). Tortoise shell material (synthetic, not real shell) was chosen and looks right at home with the color-tones we have established. The mother-of-pearl blocks for the position markers on the fretboard are on the way and should arrive next week. Once the blocks are inlayed on the fretboard the neck shaping can begin. The body has been carved and scuff-sanded. The neck has been fitted into the neck pocket.