Rosewood filler around inlays

[Runewalker]

Anyone know what the filler is around inlays on Rosewood fretboards?

Where do you buy the stuff?

RW

[R]

do you mean if the inlay is too big in a spot cause i belive you could mix sawdust with glue and set it in there

if its too deep you could use clear casting resin you could find that in most hobby stores

[eljib]

To the best of my knowledge it is just rosewood sawdust and epoxy.
Check this link for various tutorials on inlay work:

www.projectguitar.com/tut/tutorial4.htm

I haven't read them recently, but I know you'll find your answer somewhere in there.

[RandomHero]

I'm positive you could find a wood putty at a lumber store that would match the shade of your neck.

[Runewalker]

Ok, I researched this a little. Wood putty would be too soft for a fretboard.

Stewmac sells a powder that is like a dye in a medium that is mixed with clear epoxy for inlays, and that seems to be the dominent approach.

I have some nicks that either need wood inlays or this rosewood/epoxy amalgam.

Thanks for the responses Nutz.

[jorg]

Hmm, would it look good enough as a replacement for position markers? Probably the darker the fretboard the better?

[sumgai]

RW,

My favorite luthier learned to mix rosewood sawdust stored from her inlay cut-outs with just enough resin to make it all hard. She uses the same resin as boat builders and Corvette repairmen use for fiberglass.

The large amount of very fine rosewood particles make the color correct, but no matter how you stir it, it'll never appear uniform in grain. All of this works to make the final appearance very close to the surrounding area.

I've seen her work (in a shop display and on a friend's guitar), and I couldn't spot it at all. She does the same thing with maple, and I can see that only under a strong and direct light. Under stage lighting, no way José.

HTH


sumgai