Replacing Dot Inlays.

[Johnhamdun]

Does anyone have any idea how difficult it is to have the dot inlays on a neck replaced? If I had a luthier do it do you have a ballpark estimate of how much it would cost? Any DVDs or videos I should look up?

I want to replace the Warmoth Creams with MOP from Stew Mac. Maybe even MOP and Abalone interchanging.

Thanks in advance guys

 

[stubhead]

I have to make some dot inlays for a bass and I've been researching. The usual way from scratch is to drill the holes with a bradpoint drill bit that makes a shallow, flat hole, then put in the precut dots. LMII has dots in all different diameters and the drill bits to match:

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Shell%2FInlay&NameProdHeader=Shell+Dots
http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Shell%2FInlay&NameProdHeader=Chinese+Turquoise+Position+Markers

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Shell%2FInlay&NameProdHeader=Brad+Pointed+Twist+Drills

There's some books I'm going to request and read from my library (Maryland has a killer interlibrary loan program, you can get anything).

http://www.artmarquetry.com/Books/art-bk11.html

Search the net for "wood inlay" and "marquetry" and stuff come up:

http://www.inlay.com/marquetry/wood_inlay_part1.html
http://www.marquetry.org/mop_demo_p1.html

I'm going to be staring at those dots the rest of my life, so it seems as though being careful is a good idea. :guitaristgif: I'm pretty sure you could drill out Warmoth's 1/4" (6.35mm) dots more easily than trying to pop them out. The centering punch mark has to be PERFECT, you know....

 

[Funky Phil]

Brad point bit for sure.
(Also, it's easier to replace dots with ones of a larger size...otherwise, you have to be VERY accurate with your drilling!!)
I use super glue (medium) to stick them in.
Is it a rosewood or other dark unfinished board?
If so, then you can make a undetectable job by very carefully scraping and sanding.

 

[rahimiiii]

Couldn't you drill a smaller hole in the old inlay, then attempt to crack the inlay and remove them safely? if Warmoth used CA glue you can probably carefully put a bit of acetone to help soften the glue. I did that before on another guitar.

 

[line6man]

Couldn't you drill a smaller hole in the old inlay, then attempt to crack the inlay and remove them safely? if Warmoth used CA glue you can probably carefully put a bit of acetone to help soften the glue. I did that before on another guitar.

honestly, i have absolutly no idea. however, it seems to me that you would take out some chunks of wood if you tried to crack it out

 

[blue313]

Depending on how its glued in, they can usually be steamed loose with a small wet cloth (not much bigger than the inlay itself so you can see what your doing) and a soldering iron.  Watch it around the frets though, you don't want to heat em up unless you mean to remove them.  It gets a little hairier above the 12th fret so consider some protection

Removing and replacing isn't that bad, but it's really best done during a refret. 

 

[stubhead]

There seems to be two approaches to getting them level. One is to cut some dots out of rod stock really close to the right size, just a bit over, then glue them in, then level them IN the fretboard. This is usually done with plastic, not abalone. The other is to get the precut .050" thick dots, and level the hole undeneath each dot before you glue them. There are plenty of inlay experts and luthiers who know how to level shell, stone and metal inlays mounted in a fingerboard, but doing that in-between some frets... sheesh, sounds like a level of precision I'd be afraid of. You need special stone-cutting files. (One advantage of popping out the old dots would be that Warmoth's holes are probably a consistent depth).

There are various clear, colored and black fillers that are used around the inlays to fudge them in there, but of course among luthiers the mark of coolness is how little you have to fudge. :cool01:

 

[Mr Real Nice]

There are various clear, colored and black fillers that are used around the inlays to fudge them in there, but of course among luthiers the mark of coolness is how little you have to fudge. :cool01:

What if you just really like fudge?

 

[jackthehack]

"Does anyone have any idea how difficult it is to have the dot inlays on a neck replaced?"

If you're asking the question, you might want to consider getting quotes from a luthier.

If you want to get the materials/tools requisite and try learning the skill yourself, I'd strongly recommend buying a real cheap guitar from eBay/a pawnshop and experiment/practice on that first.

 

[stubhead]

Two more articles:
http://www.guitarnotes.com/links/rgoto.cgi?query=5520&sort=fret&title=Fret+Marker+Inlay+Dots&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.frets.com%2FFRETSPages%2FLuthier%2FTechnique%2FStructural%2FInlayDots%2Fdots1.html&rank=2.0&rnum=0

Right at the end of this one, he discusses dot inlays:
http://www.guitarnotes.com/notes/noteget.cgi?pearl_inlay

 

[rahimiiii]

I just found this... this guy is installing dot inlay in a fretted neck, should be easier with an inlayed neck (just drill a smaller hole then pop the inlay off)

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Structural/InlayDots/dots2.html