Rosette restoration?
 

I have a 58 J-50 that's been through the ringer. One issue, which is mainly aesthetic, is the rosette was "Customized."


Attachment 19320

It's not a huge deal, but I don't care for how it looks, and I would rather have the classic simple rosette. Is this something that can be repaired/restored to look more original?

Never seen one like that before, but I am not knowledgeable about Gibsons. I kinda like it.

For a few moments, I was wondering if a previous owner had enlarged the sound hole, and then someone else tried to “restore” it...but I see that the wood grain matches on either side of the rosette.

I imagine that can be corrected by the right craftsman, but I don’t have a name to provide you.

That’s what I’m hoping. I live in Nashville, so I have a pretty good selection of luthiers and techs to take it to. The question is gonna be how much it will cost and if it’s worth it.

A number of luthier supply stores have rosettes that you can purchase and they are not too difficult ot put on. Stewmac has a supply of these you could order and replace that one.

That looks like a standard rosette that someone added black dots to or drilled, I can't tell from the photo. If the guitar has already gone "through the ringer" I wouldn't put any work into the rosette other than cleaning that entire guitar and having it set up and play the heck out of it.

A rosette is only $10.00.

Not on any guitar I own. Maybe I just assume something would be an inlay not a sticker. Do you, somehow, know what the OP might be going to install? I certainly wouldn't put a sticker on a 50 year-old guitar - that never had a sticker. The rosette it was inlaid with, is still there.

Of course it's a sticker but he wants his guitar to look better. So for $10.00 it will look better.

I wonder what it looks like under the sticker?

Sorry, no sticker will ever make a guitar look better to me. Plus, again, that guitar's rosette is still there with the addition of some dots or holes. This is the factory original rosette. There never was anything else before the black dots/holes.

Attachment 19331

Agreed. :) Stickers always do.

https://i.imgur.com/hMLPHsPl.jpg

The dots were added with what looks like sharpie. I do plan on having it set up, but I really dislike the look of those dots. They were done very poorly and take away from the overall look in my opinion. The guitar has a couple other issues, and I think I'm gonna have some work done to have it restored.

The finish on the back is pretty much stripped, so I'll probably have it refinished with some nitro. I got the guitar for a good price, (well under $2k), so it seems worth it to get it in better shape.

any luthier is capable of doing that, maybe not a guitar tech but luthier yes.

Cost would be somewhere IMHO around 90 bucks fitted

Steve

This is what I was thinking/hoping. I called Carter Vintage and they said they could do it. I'll take it to a few shops around town and see who has the best price.