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You are here: Home / Building A Monarch / Building a Monarch: Pearl Inlay

Building a Monarch: Pearl Inlay

Shell inlays are a time-honored way of adding flair, beauty, and value to musical instruments. The two primary types of shell used in making guitar inlays are Mother of Pearl and Abalone. Each of these come in several color varieties. There are many options available for using inlays to dress up a guitar. Fretboard and peghead decoration is commonly seen on high end guitars, and inlay work can be added to the bridge, heel cap, pickguard, and back. As shown in the binding gallery, shell is also a beautiful material for purfling. All Dogwood Monarchs have the Dogwood logo inlaid into the peghead with hand cut Mother of Pearl. Cutting and inlaying shell is one of the most challenging aspects of lutherie work and is a learned art. In the gallery below you can see a little bit of what goes into cutting and inlaying a logo and also a customer’s name.

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The Mazzaroth Guitar

The Mazzaroth Guitar, Special Edition of the Eminence Model This fine instrument is the culmination of an idea I had in the 1970's after seeing a guitar that luthier Steve Klein made for Dan Peek, founding member of the group America. Inspired … [Read More...]

FAQ’s

Answers to some of the most common questions I get about my guitars, ordering, etc. What is the current turn around time for orders? My build schedule is determined by my current repair load and teaching schedule, as well as orders already in … [Read More...]

Blog: 1932 Martin Repair

Its not often that a luthier has the opportunity to work on a pre-war Martin. This 1932 0-18 parlor guitar needs a crack repair and a neck reset. Great care must be taken when working on such an old and fragile guitar. Get out the hot hide glue. … [Read More...]

Blog: Jumbo Neck Set

It is always exciting to arrive at neck setting day when working on a new build. Several weeks of careful work precede setting the neck: Rosette making; bending and boxing; bindings and purflings; inlay work; voicing and tuning; all separate skills … [Read More...]

Bending Machine

Building a Monarch: The Box

Bending the sides begins the process of making a guitar body. A bending form is required for each type and size of body, and the appropriate form is installed in the bending machine. This jig uses a heating blanket and spring loaded cauls to gently … [Read More...]

1968 Fender Jazz Bass Neck Work

A customer brought me a very cool 1968 Fender Jazz Bass neck. The neck is fretless and- as the Beatles would say, "very strange"- it had no nut slot. There was also a piece of binding missing at the heel. The customer was interested in having the … [Read More...]

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Technical Articles

Why do old guitars sound better?

Why do some old guitars sound so good? Even inexpensive guitars can age into really good sounding instruments, and some old guitars attain legendary tone. Why is this? The answer can be found in one of three factors and the best … [Read More...]

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Viewpoint Articles

Why Buy a Handmade Guitar?

There are a lot of choices out there for the prospective buyer of a fine guitar. It's no secret; a handmade instrument can cost a lot. For that matter, any of the better guitars purchased from a quality manufacturer is going to command what most … [Read More...]

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