Fancy Stuff

What makes a Custom instrument really to something special are the small but fine details. Only inlays, Bindings, Airbrushing or special paintworks provide the really special appearance of Custom instruments!
I will come in and try to show you the possibilities of this extras in the following.

-Inlays-

An inlay consists out of differently materials (wood, shell, metal, gemstones) which are ordered so besides each other they become a picture in the end. This picture then is let in into the strap material. Therefore arises the impression, if it is made well, as if the picture is component of the whole not as on painted. Boundless possibilities don't command the creativity any limits. The pointed here shows only a small portion of the possibility. Who has an idea for his instrument should get in touch with me and we talk over this!
This head plate inlay I made for Dommenget-Custom Guitars ... The heart is made of white mother-of-pearl, the upper part of the shield of black Trochus, the lower part of a green abalone. The handle of the sword is made of a blue abalone and the blade and the frame of the shield then became silver.The whole piece was engraved and colored with black, or red ink.

The head plate is a classic place for discreet inlays as for the rest which indicate the instrument as something quite special in a simple way. Because not everybody likes large, splendid ornamentations - some even may find this a kitsch. I don't understand this, but I must accept it ... Although a personal, small head plate inlay then is an alternative!

I also have conjured this lovely prehistoric tiger for Boris Dommenget. Due to his length of almost 18 cm he was joined together from 6 single pieces of mother-of-pearl and later also engraved and inked .

According to latest information Mr Dommenget has kept the guitar with this inlay and plays it himself. What fulfills me with pride a little anyway! *´smile*

This beautiful angel is the soundhole inlay to my "LilGothic" acoustics guitar - is here very nice to see having combined shell and wood inlays. The wings are made of flamed maple, the little dress from walnut root, the hair is of lovely shimmering abalone and all parts of the body are out of mother-of-pearl. I have engraved also here and then inked the face. Such a work really increases the value of the instrument and completely makes it to something special.
 
Monograms like this are a simple but very effective way to decorate a guitar. one can choose between all sorts of materials again, too! Whatever one can imagine - I insert it! Initials, names, strokes, band-logos...

By the way my name finds itself automatic as an inlay on every head plate - couldn't be canceled either! *smile*

Fingerboard inlays always were a popular and far common way to decorate guitars. Usually this is dots (fenderstyle) or block-/ trapezium inlays (gibsonstyle). But there are also no limits set the imagination: Also for this work one can strokes, birdies (allusion to PRS), wolves, dragons, trees of life... for this work one can use all materials which are possible also for all other inlays!

-Binding-

A Binding is an edge edging at the neck, body and/or the head plate of a guitar. It has both visual and technical sense. First bindings look more nobly as no Binding and secondly the very sensitive sharp edges of an instrument are protected by the tenacious material fo the bindings - how fast has it happened, that one rubs the wrong way up with the guitar someplace? And one already has an extremely angry and ugly notch in the edge.

A Binding consists of material that is substantially harder than the material of the original edge. They are usually made of synthetic material (ABS or celluloid) or a hardwood mostly. This decimates the risk that smallest inattentivenesses result in bad gashes.
Here an example for an a little more effortful layered Binding:
It has 4 layers: Black/white/black/Perloid.
Right besides this a simple cream-colored Binding...

Some cheap guitar manufacturers only paint their Bindings on the edge - It really can happen with the time, that the paint flakes off by enemy contact - and then the whole looks extremely mangy (see second illustration). Who has seen an older instrument of these manufacturers before, knows what I talk about! And this shitty a binding can look if it isn't 20 years old and just painted on. One can see very beautifully, there is no more paint directly at the edge but you see the wood lying under this -- this wouldn't have happened with a genuine binding! I have restored this classical music guitar, she was in a desolate state.

-Airbrushing-

It requires a lot of the time and exercise to learn the high art of airbrushing... I can claim with good cause now that I after all have understood the basic concept. Simpler graphics are no problem - and everything more complicated is welcome! One finally grows with his challenges! Who would like to have a certain picture on his instrument can send me a pattern and I see what lies in the area of the feasible!

And it is here to see my logo which decorates the lid of a guitar suitcase as Airbrushing.
As you see one can do a lot of funny things, to let become guitar a shimmering, scintillating beauty. But saying just at the front therefore: this work is extremely filigree, complicated, time effortful and appropriately expensive. But it always was so: whom the good isn't good enough, must grip into the bag more deeply. After all this is the kind of work I love the most to do - so, do me and you a favor and don't order any 0-8-15 guitars.