Inlaying wire cross-sections as position markers

[Wade Hampton]

Hi. A local guitar builder here in Anchorage is building a custom koa 12 fret Triple O for me. Although it's obviously an old-fashioned body style, neither he nor I feel any need to make it a close copy of a Martin: he's going to use his standard asymmetrical headstock, I don't want the headstock slotted but prefer a solid headstock, and so forth.

One thing I've always liked about my 1998 Larrivée OM-03W is that it has so-called "micro-dot" position marker inlays that are simply cut off cross sections of aluminum wire. They're small and inconspicuous but do the job just fine. Being aluminum, they don't tarnish, and all in all, using wire for that task is a clever idea, I think.

So my question is: I'd like to use that idea, but because of the colors of the guitar would like to have copper wire for "microdot" position marker inlays. But I don't want them to get tarnished to the point where they're not as visible.

It is feasible to use ordinary copper wire as a fingerboard inlay, then coat it with Superglue so that it doesn't tarnish? Or is there some other wire out there that has the same reddish color as copper but which will remain that way without having to be coated or polished?

Thanks in advance for any guidance you can offer.


Wade Hampton Miller

[fazool]

Yes.


The copper will tarnish and oxidize, turning brownish-greenish. But it only does that from exposure to the air.

If you simply install the dots then coat over them with lacquer, nitro, etc. it will seal them away from the air so they won't tarnish or oxidize.

And, you could coat the dots before installing them, to seal the air out.

For color, instead of copper also consider bronze or brass as both are stiffer and easier to keep from squishing and deforming while trying to work with very small pieces.

Your doorknobs, for example are clear lacquer coated brass and they don't tarnish.

And if you wanted to get REAL fancy you could gold plate the dots (which is much cheaper than you would think) and gold does not oxidize at all (which is why we use it in manufacturing), then coat it clear once installed to protect it from scratching.

[Larry Pattis]

FYI, copper may get "lost" amidst some stage-lighting, even if it stays it's original color. Probably (!) not an issue with your church-gigs, but with dark or reddish stage-lighting you could have a problem.

Simon Fay uses both brass and aluminum tubing for side fret markers...so you have a circle-of-metal...I like the aluminum, since it's better for on-stage.

Have your guy email Simon to ask him how he does this...or maybe it's not such a hard trick...

[theEdwinson]

I've been using 3/32" outside diameter copper tubing for fingerboard edge position dots for several years now. I love the look. So do my clients.
I usually fill the tube core with powdered mineral pigment (usually used for making your own oil or acrylic paints), and drenching it with superglue.
Then when it's finish time, the neck shaft, including fingerboard edge, gets either an oil varnish or lacquer finish, effectively sealing the copper against oxidation.
Even if the copper does oxidize in a decade or three, I think it will look pretty fetching anyway. The woods and the finish will age; why not the copper too?

[leftybanjo]

You can buy metal powder in many colors , mix with epoxy and fill any size hole you drill. Flatten when set and put any finish on, very easy and allows any size and shape.

[WhistlingFish]

Would gold MOP dots fit the bill?

http://www.lmii.com/products/mostly-...ial/shell-dots

[quentinjazz]

Hi,

I like those fretboard markers too, I fill them with wood cut from the leftovers of the sides, sealed with ebony powder and CA glue:



cheers

Q.

[jeastman]

Are you using jascar fretwire? You could use some of that for the markers to match.

[harvl]

Wade,

Sorry for not returning your call. I had rotator cuff surgery on Monday so I've been a bit limited in my response time. I'm back to being able to type with two hands now... amazing how much faster I can type with that second finger!

I've only used copper exposed on a fretboard once and it did tarnish, fortunately the customer was expecting the new patina. I would think that setting the wire below the surface and adding a cover of CA or epoxy help. The trick would be to get it just far enough below so that it was still easy to see. It will also be tricky to get the reflective qualities of all the dots to match without the process of sanding them flat. I might suggest creating a boring jig out of aluminum and then leaving the wire slightly high, slide the jig over the wire and then rebore the top of the wire away, if you have a depth stop all the wires should look the same.

Hope this helps...

Harv

[fazool]

Hey Harvey - hope you have a speedy recovery. I had mine about 6 months ago and it was an amazing improvement. I feel 99% healthy again. It really is a wonder surgery!

Good luck and stick to those wall crawl exercises.

(PS my "The Three" box is nearing completion)

[harvl]

Originally Posted by fazool

Hey Harvey - hope you have a speedy recovery. I had mine about 6 months ago and it was an amazing improvement. I feel 99% healthy again. It really is a wonder surgery!

Good luck and stick to those wall crawl exercises.

(PS my "The Three" box is nearing completion)

I was fortunate that I got it done before it got to damage to the cuff itself, mine was just to clean out the bone to make more space. I've been living with it for about 20 years in both shoulders... in that time I have become an expert in not aggravating them but every once in a while I'd sleep wrong or over do it an BAM... about a month ago I had both shoulders so inflamed I was basically a T-Rex for a couple weeks so I finally broke down and had the right one fixed... I'll do the left one later this year. It's amazing... I had surgery on Monday and was cutting inlays today... can't do anything above the shoulder level but fortunately that isn't very necessary in luthiery Right now my right shoulder has less pain than my left one so I'm happy I did it. The most painful part was the cost!

Harv