Crushed Pearl Inlays

[collin]

Try it and let us know how it goes! Interested to see

Personally I wouldn't waste time over something that potentially doesn't look right when a known material will do the job well. But that's just me, the cost of the correct material is way less than the value of my time in experimenting.

[FabGearHead]

I agree with Collin in all respects! By far, the easiest way is to use the sheet material. Even at being more expensive, it is much easier, = far less time, much cleaner to work with since it is a solid material, = far less time, and it looks correct, = no frustration with the outcome!

Jim

[Kopfjaeger]

Mark Arnquist has a wonderful tutorial with fotos depicting how he creates his inlays. He actually harvests his own shell material!!

Sepp

[Gilmourisgod]

I agree with Collin in all respects! By far, the easiest way is to use the sheet material. Even at being more expensive, it is much easier, = far less time, much cleaner to work with since it is a solid material, = far less time, and it looks correct, = no frustration with the outcome!

Jim

I see your point, but the crushed pearl material and Envirotex in small quantities are so cheap, and my time playing around with basses is free of charge, so I have very little to lose in experimentation. If I can achieve 90% of the look at 10% of the cost, it's a win in my book. I ordered a 1 oz. bottle of crushed MOP and will post results when I have a sample made up. Thanks for all suggestions and leads to techniques.

[Gilmourisgod]

Mark Arnquist has a wonderful tutorial with fotos depicting how he creates his inlays. He actually harvests his own shell material!!

Sepp

Sepp,
Do you have a link to his tutorial by any chance? Is he a RRF forum member I can search for by name?

[Kopfjaeger]

Hmm, Mark is no longer a member here. He was an employee at Rickenbacker during the early 70's to early/mid 1980's. Tons of Rickenbacker know-how in his head and hands!! I'll ask him for permission to re-post.

Sepp

[Gilmourisgod]

Thanks Sepp

[Kopfjaeger]

OK, spoke to Mark. RIC purchase bags of MOP chips that the employees then made into sheets of inlays when mixed. They used huge cookie sheets to do this. The company that sold them the chips stopped making the product or went out of business in early 73 so that required a different inlay method. Mark pretty much makes them today the same way RIC did in the 60's, except in small batches. He won't discuss his method of how he does it. I really can't blame him. Sorry i can't be more help.

Sepp

[Gilmourisgod]

Sepp,
Thanks, I understand him wanting to protect a trade secret, particularly if he does restorations, though there doesn't seem to be any great mystery about the process. It's decoupage with crushed MOP. Given that it's been done different ways over time, I don't think there is a "correct" way to do it, just personal taste. I like the granular effect of the crushed crushed MOP flakes better than the laminated sheet MOP, so I'll try that route first. Science! Fun with Epoxy!

[aceonbass]

Because this process requires routing through half the fretboards depth to pour or fit the material into, the neck is significantly weakened. One member here had this done to his relatively new 4003 and now the neck won't hold an adjustment.

[sloop_john_b]

Because this process requires routing through half the fretboards depth to pour or fit the material into, the neck is significantly weakened. One member here had this done to his relatively new 4003 and now the neck won't hold an adjustment.

Not certain that that's the culprit, but it very well could be.