# Post me some awesome inlays!



## Variant (Oct 15, 2010)

Not necessarily really overdone, ornate kind of stuff... just simple, interesting takes on the standard inlay scheme. I'm looking for some inspiration.


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## Inazone (Oct 15, 2010)

Green abalone dots and split blocks on a Jackson Dinky:















It's hard to tell from the flash, but each one has unique figuring, including some "liquid" patterns. All from the shell, none from dye or artificial means. I got to pick out the abalone blanks myself.


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## bostjan (Oct 15, 2010)

I'm not a huge inlay guy, but I dig these:





DNA inlay. 





Runes, if you are doing viking metal. 





It's a sticker, and it's over the top, but there is something I like about it.


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## Murmel (Oct 15, 2010)

Honestly, I think this is among the most gorgeous inlay there is. Nothing special really.


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## Randy (Oct 15, 2010)

In B 4 Daemoness


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## mikernaut (Oct 15, 2010)

cuz I'm bored.

It's been brought!


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## Hybrid138 (Oct 15, 2010)

There was a topic about one with a bunch of fiber optics in the fretboard and it was insane but I don't have time to search for it right now...


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## technomancer (Oct 15, 2010)

Not inlayed yet, but something I designed that will be on some of my forthcoming guitars.


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## yellowv (Oct 15, 2010)

Best inlay ever


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## j13777 (Oct 15, 2010)

mikernaut said:


> cuz I'm bored.
> 
> It's been brought!



 Where is that inlay from?!?


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## MFB (Oct 15, 2010)

Space, apparently


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## j13777 (Oct 15, 2010)

MFB said:


> Space, apparently



I meant what guitar is that.


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## xJeremiahx (Oct 15, 2010)

Drool.


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## SYLrules88 (Oct 15, 2010)

j13777 said:


> Where is that inlay from?!?


 wow ive never seen a space themed inlay until that one. that is fucking incredible!!!

here's a pretty nice inlay but honestly now that ive seen those space ones, this one seems kinda boring!


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## TheSilentWater (Oct 15, 2010)

Basically, everything PRS Dragon/Daemoness/mentioned in mikernaut's post.


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## troyguitar (Oct 15, 2010)




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## SPBY (Oct 15, 2010)

technomancer said:


> Not inlayed yet, but something I designed that will be on some of my forthcoming guitars.



this is amazing, must post pictures when you're done. I love scarabs, i was actually thinking about getting a big egyptian themed half-sleeve tattoo in the near future.

But, those inlays look sick, definitely do it.


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## GeoMantic (Oct 15, 2010)

More Daemoness Content

http://www.daemonessguitars.co.uk/gallery/hadian_ffVII/DaemonessHadian_ffVII_6.jpg


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## bostjan (Oct 15, 2010)

Variant said:


> *Not necessarily really overdone, ornate kind of stuff... just simple, interesting takes on the standard inlay scheme.* I'm looking for some inspiration.





mikernaut said:


>





TheSilentWater said:


> Basically, everything PRS Dragon/Daemoness/mentioned in mikernaut's post.



 And I thought the ones I posted were pushing it...


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## White Cluster (Oct 15, 2010)




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## Randy (Oct 15, 2010)

technomancer said:


> Not inlayed yet, but something I designed that will be on some of my forthcoming guitars.



Steve, do you live in a pyramid? Semi-serious question.


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## technomancer (Oct 15, 2010)

SPBY said:


> this is amazing, must post pictures when you're done. I love scarabs, i was actually thinking about getting a big egyptian themed half-sleeve tattoo in the near future.
> 
> But, those inlays look sick, definitely do it.



Definitely will. The first guitar using it is Cocobolo with the following shell materials tentatively:

Suns- gold mop
Snakes- green abalone (darker green) 
Wings- donkey shell (off white till light flashes EXTREME greens and red/pinks)
Scarab body- green abalone (darker green) 
Scarab legs - green abalone (lighter green)

It'll probably be a while though as it's still more-or-less in the planning stages.



Randy said:


> Steve, do you live in a pyramid? Semi-serious question.



 no, I do not


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## adaman (Oct 15, 2010)

^^


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## technomancer (Oct 15, 2010)

Some Thorn love


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## Necris (Oct 15, 2010)

mikernaut said:


> cuz I'm bored.
> 
> It's been brought!



I'm not big on pentagram (or septagram) inlays but that looks really nice.


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## scherzo1928 (Oct 15, 2010)

a fe from Ran:




























































This one is pure win:










some random ones I found on google:


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## scherzo1928 (Oct 15, 2010)

or how about some conkling madness!











slightly offtopic.... but who cares.
















Hartung:
















also, from this thread:
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/sevenstring-guitars/107357-7-string-bubinga-custom.html




I think Im done posting inlays, someone else post all of Dylan's work, lol.


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## Imalwayscold (Oct 16, 2010)

Im pretty sure that man to wolf inlay is james hetfields. Correct me if I'm wrong however!


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## -Nolly- (Oct 16, 2010)

I know Dæmoness has been brought up already but here's the inlay on mine:







here are a few others he has done:


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## shadscbr (Oct 16, 2010)

Wow, sweet eyeball!! 

Shad


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## Esp Griffyn (Oct 16, 2010)

Those Daemoness ones look fantastic, but the mountains and moon one on page 1 was stunning, I love it!


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## TheSilentWater (Oct 16, 2010)

Can't exactly see the inlays all that well in these pics, but I thought this one was kinda cool (not a fan of the body shape, but that's got some hella nice figuring):


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## gui94 (Oct 16, 2010)

I'm totally in love for these ones:


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## jymellis (Oct 16, 2010)

my favorite is still the water drop


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## Tristoner7 (Oct 16, 2010)

jymellis said:


> my favorite is still the water drop



Agreed.


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## gui94 (Oct 16, 2010)

I always loved the ones Murmel posted. Simple and minimal. Just beautiful. I don't need necks who look like the 4th of July!


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## Kurkkuviipale (Oct 16, 2010)

scherzo1928 said:


>



This one is beautiful.


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## ittoa666 (Oct 16, 2010)

I love these.


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## lava (Oct 16, 2010)

White Cluster said:


>



My god, that is incredible!


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## TomAwesome (Oct 16, 2010)

My favorite simple take on standard inlays is probably my own take on offset blocks that I applied to my Intrepid.





Sorry, I don't have any pics of the guitar by itself with those inlays on it.



technomancer said:


> Not inlayed yet, but something I designed that will be on some of my forthcoming guitars.



I love it!


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## Skanky (Oct 17, 2010)

Someone likes to play rhythm. LOL!


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## techcoreriffman (Oct 17, 2010)

I'd use the treble part of the neck like a fretless.


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## ittoa666 (Oct 17, 2010)

Skanky said:


> Someone likes to play rhythm. LOL!



Scott Ian back in the day. 



techcoreriffman said:


> I'd use the treble part of the neck like a fretless.



Good idea. Never thought of that.


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## jl_killer (Oct 17, 2010)




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## soliloquy (Oct 17, 2010)




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## flo (Oct 17, 2010)

Ormsby Guitars Image 4


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## CFB (Oct 17, 2010)

I demand to know who made that sheet music inlay. Stunning.


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## soliloquy (Oct 17, 2010)

CFB said:


> I demand to know who made that sheet music inlay. Stunning.





i wish i knew. i was just googeling it, and it came from this blog site:
The Bluegrass Blog: News at the speed of bluegrass!


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## LUCKY7 (Oct 17, 2010)




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## PirateMetalTroy (Oct 17, 2010)

soliloquy said:


>


You have GOT to be kidding me. How in the hell?


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## SirMyghin (Oct 17, 2010)

Has to be a single piece, as in the notes are not wood but just similar colour sort of etching on the inlay.


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## JamesM (Oct 17, 2010)

SirMyghin said:


> Has to be a single piece, as in the notes are not wood but just similar colour sort of etching on the inlay.



Most definitely not a single piece of inlay, I can promise you that. 

It is most likely different pieces, etched and inked then placed in correct order.


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## flo (Oct 17, 2010)

soliloquy said:


> ​



I just hope it's a photoshop.
Or a sticker. 
Maaaaaybe a really wellmade CNC job.



If this is done by hand, it's fucking amazing. Who the hell made this? God?


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## JamesM (Oct 17, 2010)

^


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## Variant (Oct 18, 2010)

TomAwesome said:


> My favorite simple take on standard inlays is probably my own take on offset blocks that I applied to my Intrepid.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 Yeah, that's really cool. I'm definitely not into the "graphic-novel-on-your-fingerboard" thing. I think it might be cooler if they went over the fingerboard edges, maybe.


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## CrushingAnvil (Oct 18, 2010)

Variant said:


> Yeah, that's really cool. I'm definitely not into the "graphic-novel-on-your-fingerboard" thing. I think it might be cooler if they went over the fingerboard edges, maybe.



I lol'd.


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## Louis Cypher (Oct 18, 2010)

ittoa666 said:


>



Gotta love that Becker guitar and the fridge magnet style number inlays! 

Can't find the thread but the guy on here with the tele shaped custom with the trainers (sneakers) inlay... very cool and original! 

couple more I found











found this too and cracked up! know its not inlay related but still had to be Shared!! haha!!


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## bostjan (Oct 18, 2010)

Louis Cypher said:


> found this too and cracked up! know its not inlay related but still had to be Shared!! haha!!



Wow! And I thought the Fernandes Star Wars guitars were geeky!

Also, did anyone answer the OP's question? Only the first couple posts were related to dressed-up dot inlays.

Honestly, I prefer blank boards. I think that dots and such make a guitar look like a starter guitar, and to me, those 5000 man-hour 10,000 piece Michaelangelo-meets-Salvador-Dali inlays make the guitar look pretentious. The blank boards, to my aesthetic, just look classier and more appropriate.

But some things like little scarabs or geometric shapes, or even little card suits can look great if it fits the guitar. That water drop looks really cool, too, even if it is a bit extravagant IMO.


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## wannabguitarist (Oct 18, 2010)

TheSilentWater said:


> Can't exactly see the inlays all that well in these pics, but I thought this one was kinda cool (not a fan of the body shape, but that's got some hella nice figuring):



That's not figuring but a really awesome paint job. The inlay is sick though


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## gui94 (Oct 18, 2010)

I'd love an inlay on the 12th fret/first 5 frets saying:

2+2=4 or 2+2=5

it would kick so many ass!


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## J_t3ch (Oct 18, 2010)




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## MikeH (Oct 19, 2010)

> There are 863 individual pieces of inlay in this guitar. The materials used include: mother of pearl, black lip mother of pearl, gold mother of pearl, paua, paua select, fossilized mammoth ivory, orange spiny, snakewood, ebony, gold, silver, green ripple abalone, pink abalone, and more.



You all lose.


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## Variant (Oct 19, 2010)

*^*


Variant said:


> Not necessarily really overdone, ornate kind of stuff... just simple, interesting takes on the standard inlay scheme.



It's been awhile since I've quoted myself.


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## khournos (Oct 19, 2010)

The picture Ibz posted is fuckawesome =D

Do you have any more pics of that?

cheers from Vienna


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## Skanky (Oct 19, 2010)

Ibz_rg said:


> You all lose.












Crikey - what does something like that cost? I shudder at the thought.


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## -Nolly- (Oct 19, 2010)

The PRS Dragon inlays are impressive to look at, but they are CNC'd, unlike alot of the custom work in this thread.


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## bostjan (Oct 19, 2010)

Variant said:


> Not necessarily really overdone, ornate kind of stuff... just simple, interesting takes on the standard inlay scheme. I'm looking for some inspiration.





bostjan said:


> And I thought the ones I posted were pushing it...





bostjan said:


> Also, did anyone answer the OP's question? Only the first couple posts were related to dressed-up dot inlays.





Variant said:


> *^*It's been awhile since I've quoted myself.


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## -Nolly- (Oct 19, 2010)

And to answer the OP more directly, here's the inlay scheme I went with on one of my customs - offset blocks kinda similar to the ESPs. I dig it because it has the sleek appearance of a mostly blank board, but the markers are still easily visible when you need them.
Weirdly this is probably the best pic I have of them:


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## Thrashmanzac (Oct 19, 2010)

^ very classy


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## scherzo1928 (Oct 19, 2010)

dont forget the bullet inlays from Timse's bullet:





I love that they are visible while playing, so you dont need side dots.


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## ibanez254 (Oct 20, 2010)




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## Stealthdjentstic (Oct 20, 2010)

^


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## Daemoniac (Oct 20, 2010)

>



That (the one on the left) still stands as one of the most stunningly beautiful inlays I've ever seen. I'd have that on my guitar for sure.


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## turdwrangler (Oct 20, 2010)

I've always loved Terrence Hobbs' inlays


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## Variant (Oct 20, 2010)

-Nolly- said:


> And to answer the OP more directly, here's the inlay scheme I went with on one of my customs - offset blocks kinda similar to the ESPs. I dig it because it has the sleek appearance of a mostly blank board, but the markers are still easily visible when you need them.
> Weirdly this is probably the best pic I have of them:



See, that's more like it.  I don't need to make a saving throw vs. breath weapon with respect to that guitar.




One of my favorites is this Pagelli bass:






Granted, it's fretless so the scheme is based on where the frets would be, but I might go with some adaptation of that following that somewhat parabolic shape.


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## Hemi-Powered Drone (Oct 20, 2010)

Ibz_rg said:


> You all lose.



That is pure win!

Are those knobs amber?


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## bostjan (Oct 20, 2010)

Variant said:


> One of my favorites is this Pagelli bass:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That is awesome in so many ways!


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## MikeH (Oct 20, 2010)

Skanky said:


> Crikey - what does something like that cost? I shudder at the thought.



They have one at a GC somewhere in Texas for the amazingly discounted price of $27,999.99.



khournos said:


> The picture Ibz posted is fuckawesome =D
> 
> Do you have any more pics of that?
> 
> cheers from Vienna


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## TemjinStrife (Oct 20, 2010)

Variant said:


> See, that's more like it.  I don't need to make a saving throw vs. breath weapon with respect to that guitar.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I love that Pagelli. However, are you sure those are inlays and not partial fretting?


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## Drow Swordsman (Oct 21, 2010)

May I plug my own guitar?  I've honestly always been a fan of disappearing pyramid inlay...


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## MapleMan (Oct 21, 2010)

The sheet music inlay a few pages back was done by William "Grit" Laskin and it was done completely by hand. He is the father of etched and detailed inlay. Grit is a true legend, and a master at his craft. He is also a world renowned luthier, and collaborator.

I am in the midst of trying to organize some training from the master himself on inlay technique.

some samples of his work:


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## Skanky (Oct 21, 2010)

This thread is just stunning. Wow! I can't get over the level of artistry and craftsmanship displayed here. This stuff should be in a museum.


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## bostjan (Oct 21, 2010)

MapleMan said:


>



Thanks for the information.

By the way, is it just me, or does the guy at the bottom, holding the books, look like George W Bush?!


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## leandroab (Oct 21, 2010)

My RG7321


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## ralphy1976 (Oct 21, 2010)

nice stickers!!! i bet you just did this, didn't you?


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## leandroab (Oct 21, 2010)

ralphy1976 said:


> nice stickers!!! i bet you just did this, didn't you?



Yes. I did.. That's green ducktape hahaahah

I have an album in my profile.


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## Razzy (Oct 21, 2010)

leandroab said:


> Yes, I did.. That's green duct tape. hahaahah
> 
> I have an album in my profile.



Fixed.


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## bostjan (Oct 21, 2010)

Get some green knobs, STAT!





Inlays that have a personal meaning are a lot more interesting to me.


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## DevilsAngel (Oct 21, 2010)

bostjan said:


> That is awesome in so many ways!



No you can't have it. That bass does look really cool though.


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## leandroab (Oct 21, 2010)

Razzy said:


> Fixed.



Sorry, I've seen 3000 ways of saying that. And that was actually the brand of the tape so, yeah.. haha

I WAS going to type duct tape but I dunno why I typed the brand..

O well, I do need green knobs and switch knob..

AND NEON GREEN STRINGS (now possible)

Someone buy me a set and send it to me! I can't find them here!


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## Alberto7 (Oct 21, 2010)

I have such mixed and ambiguous feelings about this thread... While I can definitely see the artistry in all of them, I think that an awful lot of them are overdone. There are some extremely nice ones, however 

FWIW, I find my Washburn's inlays to be rather neat. I don't know what other people's thoughts are on them 









I don't have more pics right now... So... Just that


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## Neil (Oct 21, 2010)

Hybrid138 said:


> There was a topic about one with a bunch of fiber optics in the fretboard and it was insane but I don't have time to search for it right now...


I'de really love to know what guitar you are talking about!


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## cSuttle (Oct 22, 2010)

flo said:


> I just hope it's a photoshop.
> Or a sticker.
> Maaaaaybe a really wellmade CNC job.
> 
> ...


 
This is not as hard as you might think, and nowhere near as hard as some of the other nice pieces shown here. How it's done is with a laser. You put the picture you want in the program and start is up like you might do if you were printing something. After the laser burns out the design, you fill the holes with epoxy and your done. Start to finish on a job like this is about three hours. No biggy as long as you have a laser (and those are expensive).


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## cSuttle (Oct 22, 2010)

lava said:


> My god, that is incredible!


 
Thanks! I'm almost done with this guitar. All I have left is some final polishing (you should see that the finished did for the color!), frets and wiring.

On my web-site, in the workshop section is the entire process I use to make this guitar including videos.


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## cSuttle (Oct 22, 2010)

I couple more off my web-site.


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## White Cluster (Oct 22, 2010)

Welcome Cliff.I really enjoy your work.


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## cSuttle (Oct 22, 2010)

White Cluster said:


> Welcome Cliff.I really enjoy your work.


Thanks! This is a fun thread.


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## Hemi-Powered Drone (Oct 22, 2010)

cSuttle said:


> I couple more off my web-site.



Vikings and Runes on an SG! Too much win!


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## schecter007 (Oct 22, 2010)

This is a awsone thread  I'd love to get some neons like on Sam Rivers bass


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## cSuttle (Oct 23, 2010)

schecter007 said:


> This is a awsone thread  I'd love to get some neons like on Sam Rivers bass


 
I bought some stuff called "moon glow" form masecraft. I got it the highlight on the War of the Worlds crafts, but the glow in the dark properties are pretty cool.


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## cSuttle (Oct 23, 2010)

dragonblade629 said:


> Vikings and Runes on an SG! Too much win!


 
I have a page on my site that show this inlay being done including video if your interested.
Shark Inlay - The Viking Custom Guitar


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