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  #16  
Old 01-14-2021, 11:09 AM
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I'll toss a couple more into the mix...

https://www.indianhillguitars.com/rosettes-gallery
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  #17  
Old 01-14-2021, 11:12 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaymarsch View Post
Not to derail the thread, but as alohahris mentioned the history of the rosette, I am curious if the rosette still has any function other than aesthetic at this point in the evolution of guitar construction. I had read that some luthiers feel that it plays a role in the vibration of the top and the air moving out of the sound hole and other's think it detracts. Do you have an opinion, Tim, based on your experience?

Best,
Jayne



Hi Jane,

Thats a great question although I’ve not seen any tests or evidence of the rosette contributing to the tonal signature, it certainly is possible. John Greven used to say anything south of the X intersection contributes to tone and anything north supports structure and prevents the top from folding itself into the sound hole.

I do believe the rosette helps to seal the open end grain around the soundhole edges. Quartersawn wood exchanges moisture with the atmosphere through its end grain. The top and back’s perimeter binding and the top’s rosette help to seal those end grain exposure surfaces.
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Last edited by Tim McKnight; 01-14-2021 at 11:26 AM.
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  #18  
Old 01-14-2021, 01:54 PM
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I have taken all this into account. I sent him a bunch of images and talked about why I liked a few images of bindings. I did the same for the rosette so he could get a sense of the aesthetic that I like.

I appreciate the comment about the rosette being the luthier's domain and ability to show their style, etc. He now knows what I like and I'll let him take it from here.

Tim,

Your rosette page was really helpful. There are more than a handful that are exactly what I hope to get. There are others that are more complex than what I gravitate toward but are so extremely beautiful. Thanks for sharing and for the inspiration.

I bought a used guitar through a lefty forum some years ago and it turned out to be a prototype that this guy built for a model he was working on. It has no fancy details but sounded incredible. Unfortunately, the shape, size, fretboard width, etc. just wasn't perfect for me. But man, I loved the sound that came out of the instrument. I was thankfully in a position to sell that one to somebody I hope it is perfect for and commission him to build one that is perfect for me. I know it will sound good, the rest is just going to be the fun aesthetic choices.

Thanks again everybody. This is a lot of fun.
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  #19  
Old 01-14-2021, 03:44 PM
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On my African Blackwood Franklin Jumbo, Nick used figured maple for the bindings, set off with b/w/b purfling on the top, and thin b/w "filets" on the side
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  #20  
Old 01-14-2021, 04:02 PM
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Indian Hill Mike,

The rosettes at the top right, second row middle, and bottom row middle are all right in line with what I'm looking for. The background rosette on the bottom middle image is my favorite. That spalted wood with the two rings around it! Beautiful! I'm going to show him and see what he thinks. I would love something like that but with the two outer rings darker. I love that one so much.
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  #21  
Old 01-15-2021, 12:33 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mad5427 View Post
I have taken all this into account. I sent him a bunch of images and talked about why I liked a few images of bindings. I did the same for the rosette so he could get a sense of the aesthetic that I like.

I appreciate the comment about the rosette being the luthier's domain and ability to show their style, etc. He now knows what I like and I'll let him take it from here.

Tim,

Your rosette page was really helpful. There are more than a handful that are exactly what I hope to get. There are others that are more complex than what I gravitate toward but are so extremely beautiful. Thanks for sharing and for the inspiration.

I bought a used guitar through a lefty forum some years ago and it turned out to be a prototype that this guy built for a model he was working on. It has no fancy details but sounded incredible. Unfortunately, the shape, size, fretboard width, etc. just wasn't perfect for me. But man, I loved the sound that came out of the instrument. I was thankfully in a position to sell that one to somebody I hope it is perfect for and commission him to build one that is perfect for me. I know it will sound good, the rest is just going to be the fun aesthetic choices.

Thanks again everybody. This is a lot of fun.
Now we're all looking forward to you posting a few photos as the build progresses.....
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  #22  
Old 01-15-2021, 08:46 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mad5427 View Post
Indian Hill Mike,

The rosettes at the top right, second row middle, and bottom row middle are all right in line with what I'm looking for. The background rosette on the bottom middle image is my favorite. That spalted wood with the two rings around it! Beautiful! I'm going to show him and see what he thinks. I would love something like that but with the two outer rings darker. I love that one so much.

Spalted rosettes sure can be pretty and it's nice to just let the wood speak for itself!
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  #23  
Old 01-15-2021, 10:20 AM
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Now we're all looking forward to you posting a few photos as the build progresses.....
Once I get some photos, I'll share.
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  #24  
Old 01-16-2021, 09:45 AM
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Hope I’m not too late to the post these...

Fred Tellier built me an African blackwood baritone guitar, and we decided to stay away from flashy pearly stuff also. Ebony on the blackwood.





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  #25  
Old 01-16-2021, 03:16 PM
Neil K Walk Neil K Walk is offline
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As a former graphic artist and a sometime tinkerer on luthery with aging eyes I'd suggest that you keep it simple and not fall into the trap of going overly extravagant. I'm a firm proponent of "keeping it simple" and focusing on contrasts over ornamentation.

FWIW my long time albatros of a build is Carpathian spruce over East Indian rosewood. I opted to go with flamed maple binding but if I had to do it all over again I think I would have gone with plain maple because you can't really tell at a distance and the stuff tends to split. In contrast, my first was cedar over mahogany and I chose to go with rosewood binding to accent it.



As for the rosette, while I like the mozaic look it's a bit "busy" IMO. I find that I like radial rosettes and just a simple ring of zipflex:



Radial rosettes are still a lot of work though:



As for the headstock, again I like the wood to "be the bling"



though I do think that tuners make the headstock:

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  #26  
Old 01-19-2021, 02:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J-F C View Post
Hope I’m not too late to the post these...

Fred Tellier built me an African blackwood baritone guitar, and we decided to stay away from flashy pearly stuff also. Ebony on the blackwood.





I know most necks are typically mahogany. Is that a flamed maple neck for an acoustic? I love the look of that and thought of having him do that. Are there major reasons to not have a maple neck? Tonal differences?
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  #27  
Old 01-19-2021, 03:34 PM
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It is flamed maple. My maple SJ Fred built me also has a maple neck. For me, the maple option was an aesthetic demand/suggestion I made to Fred. If he had any reason not to do it, it would have told me, has we previously discussed the type of tone I was after, and that was more important.

I’m not en expert on tone wood and guitar building so all decisions regarding the choice of wood is made with the good advices of Fred.

He would certainly give a better answer to your question than I do. For what is worth, he is build me a third guitar (parlor) and the neck is flamed maple just like the one on my baritone.
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  #28  
Old 01-19-2021, 03:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J-F C View Post
Hope I’m not too late to the post these...

Fred Tellier built me an African blackwood baritone guitar, and we decided to stay away from flashy pearly stuff also. Ebony on the blackwood.





I know most necks are typically mahogany. Is that a flamed maple neck for an acoustic? I love the look of that and thought of having him do that. Are there major reasons to not have a maple neck? Tonal differences?
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  #29  
Old 01-19-2021, 04:51 PM
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Maple is a bit harder to shape than Mahogany, as far as strength since I use carbon bars to reinforce the neck it is not an issue. Jean pushes me to do different things but that is how we grow better.
Since I started building for others my philosophy has been to be open to all ideas from my clients and to communicate as much as possible.

Fred
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  #30  
Old 01-19-2021, 05:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fetellier View Post
Maple is a bit harder to shape than Mahogany, as far as strength since I use carbon bars to reinforce the neck it is not an issue. Jean pushes me to do different things but that is how we grow better.
Since I started building for others my philosophy has been to be open to all ideas from my clients and to communicate as much as possible.

Fred
Have you discovered encountered tonal issues with the maple that made you have to change your routine ?
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