The rosette is the design that surrounds the sound hole. Using my old 1950 Gibson J-50 as my inspiration, I’m going for a very simple, almost utilitarian, yet classic look. I’ve kept the thin 1/8” overall width, but I’m using three rings featuring wenge and holly, the same woods I’m using for the binding and elsewhere on the guitar.
Top is mounted on a locater pin for the sound hole cutout.
Circle cutting tool is used to cut outside edge of rosette groove into the top.
Both inside and outside edges of rosette are now defined.
Router plane is used to remove the material between the inside and outside lines. Depth of cut is 2mm into the 3.5mm top.
Inside material is slowly and carefully removed.
1/8” wide “trough” is now ready to accept inlaid wooden rings.
Here I begin slicing the wenge for the center ring of the rosette.
Here are the two strips of holly and single strip of wenge sanded to final thickness and height.
All three strips combined for total 1/8” thickness.
After wetting and heating the wood strips, I bend them around the correct size jig to form the rosette rings.
Bent rings are ready to be dry fitted into the rosette trough.
The dry fit confirms correct thickness of the rings.
Glue up begins!
Rings are carefully but quickly inserted into the wet glue.
Glue is dry!
Hand plane is used to bring height of wood rings flush with top.
Beautiful Lie-Nielsen hand plane set to remove a thin ribbon of shavings with each pass.
After planing, sanding brings the wood rings flush with top. Sealer coat is removed during the sanding process.
Sealer coat of shellac is re-applied.
2nd coat applied
3rd and final sealer coat… ain’t she pretty?