Pearl Inlays

[Malibu]

G'day All,

After a few sales of my 'speck' truss rod covers, I'm rapidly running out of stock and need to get some more happening... but with a few custom jobs done as well, I thought I'd show off a few pictures.
'Lennon' and 'Abbey Road' have gone to Japan while 'Dark Side of the Moon' is in America.

Abbey Road Finished.jpg Lennon Finished.jpg Dark Side of the Moon Finished.jpg

Here's a couple I've been working on in the meantime...
The LP Jr. 'custom' was a commission that went to Japan, the same guy that took the other Beatles covers.

'20th Anniversary' was one of my customer's headstock inlays. A nasty (re: enjoyable!) piece of inlay work because of the size (the dot on the 'i' was .35mm diameter), but a nice challenge!

Just finished the 'Grim Reaper' as another speck job. Fourteen pieces of black, gold and white pearl, engraved and colour filled. The sickle handle and top knob are slightly tarnished copper, while the blade is mirror finish cupro-nickel to try and get a metal blade look and the reflection that goes with it.
This one has no shape at the moment. When someone wants it, I'll put it back onto the table and cut to their order, depending on what shape they want.
EDIT: I just noticed, right at the tip of the blade is a tiny speck of reflected light... That's the sort of thing I was trying to get

I've got a couple more specks that are in the design stage, so I'll get back with a few pictures when they happen... Enjoy. hope you like them

[woodturner777]

Great workmanship John, regards Bob

[fletch123]

G'day John,

Beautiful work mate ! I'll be in touch soon, I need you to do a couple of headstock inlays.

Do you do the artwork too ?

Cheers

David Fletcher
David Fletcher - YouTube

[Malibu]

Beautiful work mate ! I'll be in touch soon, I need you to do a couple of headstock inlays.
Do you do the artwork too ?

Thanks Bob and David,

No worries David, hopefully I can help out with something.
For the art work it's a 'yes' and 'no' answer. I can do it, and I do it regularly, but for logo's, you would really need to start off with a good design of your own. If you already have one, I can convert from most formats or at a very least, you would need some good ideas for what you want to 'project' from your logo.

Send me a PM when you're ready, and we can work it out and maybe scratch out a few conceptual designs.

[kamusur]

Really nice work Mal well done, hope all the luthiers start picking up on your work.

Steve

[woodturner777]

G'day All,

After a few sales of my 'speck' truss rod covers, I'm rapidly running out of stock and need to get some more happening... but with a few custom jobs done as well, I thought I'd show off a few pictures.
'Lennon' and 'Abbey Road' have gone to Japan while 'Dark Side of the Moon' is in America.

Abbey Road Finished.jpg Lennon Finished.jpg Dark Side of the Moon Finished.jpg

Here's a couple I've been working on in the meantime...
The LP Jr. 'custom' was a commission that went to Japan, the same guy that took the other Beatles covers.

'20th Anniversary' was one of my customer's headstock inlays. A nasty (re: enjoyable!) piece of inlay work because of the size (the dot on the 'i' was .35mm diameter), but a nice challenge!

Just finished the 'Grim Reaper' as another speck job. Fourteen pieces of black, gold and white pearl, engraved and colour filled. The sickle handle and top knob are slightly tarnished copper, while the blade is mirror finish cupro-nickel to try and get a metal blade look and the reflection that goes with it.
This one has no shape at the moment. When someone wants it, I'll put it back onto the table and cut to their order, depending on what shape they want.
EDIT: I just noticed, right at the tip of the blade is a tiny speck of reflected light... That's the sort of thing I was trying to get

I've got a couple more specks that are in the design stage, so I'll get back with a few pictures when they happen... Enjoy. hope you like them

Hi John what are you working on at the moment.? regards Bob

[Malibu]

Hi John what are you working on at the moment.? regards Bob

G'day Bob,

Mainly working on trying to get myself organised! Trying to get a Labels Extreme | Facebook page up and running, plus we're looking at moving house so that's keeping me flat out as well...
I've been doing some inlays and other custom jobs for existing customers plus a few new ones (some from here, so they can show the inlays if/when they want), so that's taking a little time, but I'm getting a couple of speck jobs done as well.
Here's one I've been working on this morning. It's still only initial design stages - there's lots more coffee and head scratching to go before this one is ready! I'm still not happy with the look of it all, so I'll keep plodding along.

SRV WIP.jpg

Here's a couple that are in the final polishing stage. The fairy is white pearl with opal wings, and the screaming face (all the Pink Floyd fans will know this one!) is black and white pearl - both on rosewood ready to be shaped to what is required.

[woodturner777]

G'day Bob,

Mainly working on trying to get myself organised! Trying to get a Labels Extreme | Facebook page up and running, plus we're looking at moving house so that's keeping me flat out as well...
I've been doing some inlays and other custom jobs for existing customers plus a few new ones (some from here, so they can show the inlays if/when they want), so that's taking a little time, but I'm getting a couple of speck jobs done as well.
Here's one I've been working on this morning. It's still only initial design stages - there's lots more coffee and head scratching to go before this one is ready! I'm still not happy with the look of it all, so I'll keep plodding along.

SRV WIP.jpg

Here's a couple that are in the final polishing stage. The fairy is white pearl with opal wings, and the screaming face (all the Pink Floyd fans will know this one!) is black and white pearl - both on rosewood ready to be shaped to what is required.

You sound like your as busy as me John, as I am also moving 2 weeks tomorrow as I have bought a place out in the country bigger house also it has a double block so once I have built my new work shop everything will be able to be done in the one place so I woult have to travel between home and my shop all the time.
I have got some beautiful Tasmanian Abalone shell that I will be sending to you soon.
Cheers Bob

[simso]

For those that are unsure, dont be.

We are a commercial guitar repair centre in perth, Johns artwork and resultant logos are exceptional.

We have become a repeat customer.

Steve

[Malibu]

You sound like your as busy as me John, as I am also moving 2 weeks  tomorrow as I have bought a place out in the country

Hey Bob, I recon that there's no chance that I'll ever be as busy as you! It's early days here for me, and I'm heading in tomorrow and going to try to put a deposit on some land. We'll see how it goes
Best of luck with the move - it's one of the worst jobs in history! I hope it all goes well

... travel  between home and my shop all the time.

It's great to work from home! A bit of work when I want, a cup of coffee when I want, yadda yadda yadda.... I can recommend it

I have got some beautiful Tasmanian Abalone shell that I will be sending to you soon.

Totally looking forward to it! I'll reserve it for something special.

Johns artwork and resultant logos are exceptional.

Thanks Steve, I'm happy to see that you're happy with my stuff
Glad that I could do some work for you; I'm looking forward to more too


As an update, here's the final on the Stevie Ray Vaughan inlay vectors... MUCH better I think, so I'm cutting it now. So far, 6 hours of cut time in it, which I could trim a few hours off, but I'd be breaking bits all over the place and they're not cheap, so I'll cut slow and keep the bits in one piece.
Tomorrow will be to pocket the wood and then glue it all up.

[Malibu]

All the pieces are cut, the rosewood is pocketed and everything has been glued in. Here's the result from the vector design to the finished inlay - still to go is the polish and with the finishing touches.
Made with white and black pearl, re-con stone and polished copper. The tuning keys on the headstock are 0.25mm diameter
Again, sorry for my dodgy photography skills!

[fletch123]

John, the SRV inlay is outstanding