No doubt you've seen Jason's stunning "stained glass" rosettes before.
My preference was for:
- small segments;
- muted/subtle to integrate with colouring of the back and sides (no reds);
- no abrupt colour changes/ pro smooth colour variations (if there are any).
Yup, I'm officially a demanding customer (aka a "PITA").
Jason said he had an idea... a blue rosette. I was a bit surprised and maybe a bit sceptical too - it sounded rather bold! That said, I was conscious I didn't have the benefit of being in the room with the actual woods, which may suggest their own path. Jason said he had been trying with walnut but thought that something more complimentary would work better with the back (he likes to design the rosette bearing in mind the aesthetic of the whole guitar, and by holding the top against the back).
I thought Jason was in the best position to judge, and - given his superb taste on his other builds - left in his hands.
A few days later, he sends me some photos of what he had in mind and had worked up ... not only that, but of another rosette as an alternative option. Talk about service! So, here's the one that won out for me - which, perhaps unsurprisingly, was the one that Jason had in mind all along.
Well, that was a yes from me! It looks to be quite a subtle bluey-grey. I really like how in brings out the darker bluey/purpley/grey shades in the walnut but also has the lighter browns showing through to match the back's overall tonality.
That top looks fantastic too: regular and tight grain with lovely, consistent cross silking...
Exciting!
Dan