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  #1  
Old 03-13-2016, 07:49 AM
capohk capohk is offline
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Default Herringbone purfling question

Vey quick question:

Should herringbone purfling run in one direction around the guitar, or be bookmatched with a join at the butt?

Cheers

Capo
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  #2  
Old 03-13-2016, 08:20 AM
pjmacd pjmacd is offline
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I don't think I've ever seen a guitar with the herringbone running in one direction around the entire guitar. On the only herringbone I have, the purfling is book matched at the tail.
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Old 03-13-2016, 08:47 AM
Tom West Tom West is offline
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Most likely a break from tradition to just run it one way.............one can never have that as far as guitars go. And if one goes in 2 directions do we want an "X" or a "diamond at the tail...? Personally I would not be upset by any one of the three choices. I have limited my self to running in 2 directions with the "diamond" at the tail...................generally.............have run the bone pointing down a FEW times. Confession is good for the soul.....I feel so much better now...!!
Tom
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Old 03-13-2016, 10:59 AM
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Traditionally, herringbone would be a mirror image, breaking at the center of the tail block. I would not want it running one way around the whole guitar.

Martin runs it so that the pattern "points" to the neck. My Proulx OM/D runs the opposite direction. I find it a little odd, but I try not to think about it too much.

Proulx



Martin

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Old 03-13-2016, 11:44 AM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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Quote:
My Proulx OM/D runs the opposite direction. I find it a little odd, but I try not to think about it too much.
The first time I ever saw herringbone pointing down was on a Gallagher guitar. I have heard about one 1940's Martin D-28 that had the herringbone running the same way (not bookmatched), but I am sure it was a mistake that was allowed to pass. Probably a Monday or Friday guitar.
Re: bookmatching:
Some luthers get upset when the darts are not aligned in a herringbone strip (like the fine herringbone on the left Martin), but I just trim the strips until I get a mirror image. It won't always produce a perfect diamond shape at the joint, but at least it is symmetric.
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Old 03-13-2016, 12:27 PM
Howard Klepper Howard Klepper is offline
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The darts cannot stay aligned because the strip is going around curves where one side will be longer than the other.

I try hard to get a perfect diamond at the joint. It's not always possible with commercially made herringbone strips.
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Old 03-13-2016, 06:20 PM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
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The only outfit I am aware of who install herringbone running the same way all round is Brook guitars in Devon, UK.

I have owned three of their instruments over the years... they are really fine instruments, and the fretwork is just about the best I have ever seen on a factory guitar , but the way they run the herringbone all the way round in the same direction has always been a source of minor annoyance.

This picture of my latest Brook shows this reasonably clearly. It didn't leave the factory like this btw.

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Old 03-13-2016, 06:26 PM
Tom West Tom West is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post
The only outfit I am aware of who install herringbone running the same way all round is Brook guitars in Devon, UK.

I have owned three of their instruments over the years... they are really fine instruments, and the fretwork is just about the best I have ever seen on a factory guitar , but the way they run the herringbone all the way round in the same direction has always been a source of minor annoyance.

This picture of my latest Brook shows this reasonably clearly. It didn't leave the factory like this btw.

Murr: Time for a bit of anger management training by the looks of things.
Tom
Sorry to see your guitar suffer such damage. Joking about the Anger management of course.
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  #9  
Old 03-13-2016, 06:33 PM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom West View Post
Murr: Time for a bit of anger management training by the looks of things.
LOL ... the anger came after the accident, Tom ...immediately after ... but had only myself to blame.
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  #10  
Old 03-14-2016, 05:46 AM
capohk capohk is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post
The only outfit I am aware of who install herringbone running the same way all round is Brook guitars in Devon, UK.

I have owned three of their instruments over the years... they are really fine instruments, and the fretwork is just about the best I have ever seen on a factory guitar , but the way they run the herringbone all the way round in the same direction has always been a source of minor annoyance.

This picture of my latest Brook shows this reasonably clearly. It didn't leave the factory like this btw.

Ouch...

Thanks to you all for the answers - I can proceed with confidence now
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