MOTO Celluloid Inlays

[mikeluke]

Wez/Jonathan/anyone

Where would you get a set of inlays for a Les Paul? I got some over the web but there are far too thick - would you buy them ready made or would you buy a celluloid sheet and cut your own?

Need to redo a Les Paul Standard - crown set

Thanks

Mike

[FernandoDuarte]

Why not get the real Mother of Pearl? :D

http://www.custominlay.com/detail.aspx?ID=114
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Inlay,_pearl/Pre-cut_inlays/Inlay_Sets_for_Les_Paul.html
http://www.luthiersupply.com/blockfretinlaypage.html
David Dyke has it too for £40

[WezV]

i wouldnt bother cutting them myself if its a standard shape, lifes too short

all i can find at the moment ar real shell ones which i would be tempted to go for myself.  axesrus have sets for £15

too thick is fine, too thin is a problem

[mikeluke]

2 reasons:-

1. Only Customs had MOP ones - Standards had celluloid
2. From a previous thread - MOP takes a lot more fitting and finishing - ideally should be done with a refret and I can't afford that!

The celluloid ones that I have look great - they are just too thick!

[mikeluke]

Might be tempted to give those a go - not the Abalone ones - the MOP ones

[WezV]

The celluloid ones that I have look great - they are just too thick!

can you not simply make them a bit thinner?

[FernandoDuarte]

2 reasons:-

1. Only Customs had MOP ones - Standards had celluloid

Blah :? I can think in a person who wouldn't like MOP instead of plastic, if you're thinking in future selling...

2. From a previous thread - MOP takes a lot more fitting and finishing - ideally should be done with a refret and I can't afford that!

Ideally, of course, but once you put it and level with the neck it should be fine... very tough work, as you could destroy the fingerboard, but for times where the money is short, it can be done on "improvisation"...

[ToneMonkey]

Don't wnat to teach you how to suck eggs (not that I've ever sucked an egg, or could offer any advice on the subject), but do a fair few practice runs on some scr@p first.

[FernandoDuarte]

but do a fair few practice runs on some scr@p first.

Good advice :D

[ToneMonkey]

but do a fair few practice runs on some scr@p first.

Good advice :D

From experience too  :lol:

[FernandoDuarte]

I know it :lol:

[mikeluke]

Wez - dumb question - best advice/method to thin then down? Very fine saw? I need to remove about 1mm

Thanks

[FernandoDuarte]

Wez - dumb question - best advice/method to thin then down? Very fine saw? I need to remove about 1mm

Thanks

Sand paper...

[ToneMonkey]

Just reread your post and I think I got the wrong end of the stick.  Presume that the holes are already in the fretboard.

Not that I've done this, but I would inlay them and then sand/file them down (very carefully indeed).  You're going to have to sand them anyway to get them smooth with the fretboard.  If you're doing that, make sure you protect the frets when you're sanding.

[WezV]

i would inlay them frst and file/sand down but since i pressume you are not refretting then it makes sense to thin them a bit first

i would get a flat surface like a bit of kitchen worktop and attach some sandpaper.  i have offcuts of worktop for this but if actually doing it in the kitchen use some double sided tape and clean up the residue afterwards with some white spirit... or just find another flat board to do it on

then once you have a sanding board its easy to sand them thinner, taking the inlay to a sanding board is much easier than trying to take sandpaper to the inlay

because the inlays are flat and the board has a radius you will still get the edges sticking up slightly which can be taken down once they are installed, file/sanding sticks/stanley knife blade used as a scr@per should get you close neough for final sanding