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Fret markers in something that looks like emerald

AndyP

AndyP

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Well same colour would do.
I’ve a gem of an idea to make a gift for a 90th birthday. Recipient’s birth stone is emerald.
Ideally what I would like are something the size and shape of guitar fret markers (5 or 6mm diam) but in something that looks like emeralds. These would be inlaid into a turned wooden object the design of which might depend on what I can find to decorate it with. I’ve used mother of pearl dots for decoration in the past.
I’m currently looking at sold plastic or nylon coloured rod but am getting bogged down in the different types available.

Any thoughts or suggestions welcome.

Adv thanks ance
 
You can get abalone, frequently used to mark the fret spacings on guitars and for inlays generally, in iridescent green. I've got some in my stock of old stuff, but mine is streaked. I've seen it in quite dark green and with shades of black. Gibson used to do their usual curved edge trapezoid inlay on some SGs that was available in green shell sourced in Australia I believe. Possibly Australian green mussels (guessing).

You can get green ormer shells, which is some kind of sea snail which can look very deep when polished. You can readily get green mother of pearl (nacre) and I have seen jade used as well as soapstone. The latter may be too soft - never used it personally. Some people sell buttons and such like made from green mother of pearl and that could be reshaped as a plug (sold on Etsy etc). It cuts well with a fine jewellers saw. As does abalone.

Remember that the dots are also usually replicated on the side of the neck (for standing players) so you don't want a mismatch, and for the between fret positions, markers are positioned where there may well be wear from pressing the strings down, so don't choose something too soft. Fret 5 position is very susceptible to wear for players reliant on first position pentatonics.
 
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Would epoxy with an added colour do? Or some of that Lilliput putty (is that what it's called........a 2 part putty which sets rock hard when mixed?)?
 
Sheesh.........26 minutes later and I can't edit my previous post. I meant "Milliput" rather than "Lilliput", of course.
 
^^ 'tis in hand apparently. Milliput is good stuff I agree. Repaired a greek style large urn with it, that lives outdoors in rain and frost, and it remains fine three years later. Also worked to permanently stop a leak in a huge water feature pot. Not expensive either and comes in several colours.
 
Actually - why not just use emeralds rather than something that looks a bit like emerald?

Security measure

www.ebay.co.uk www.ebay.co.uk

As long as you don't go for premium gem quality, natural emeralds are quite cheap and from one of the typical suppliers you could get them in a flat cut top. What might be cool and very unusual (but would only work with an offset pattern, (to avoid the truss rod, so you could just do two dots at fret 5) is to mount the stone above a clear perspex rod running through the neck so that light can pass through. Or use an LED kit for guitar necks (not sure how they are fitted - probably utilise the truss rod slot?

Not sure if the link will work for others - it does for me. It is to musaibgems on eBay.
 
I think the only way I am going to get the effect I am after is to use glass beads. Which I can probably get locally. The stone dots and abalone are have too many flaws/streaks.
I’ve never seen that Milliput stuff before. Looks useful for all sorts of stuff.

Thanks All
 
Malachite is very emerald like, might be another material to consider, and not too expensive either.
 
thetyreman said:
Malachite is very emerald like, might be another material to consider, and not too expensive either.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I had seen some and may well give it a try. If they can be polished up to a bright glossy shine after I have inserted them they may look good. Will have to run it past the chief design authority .
 
The CDA has ruled that malachite is the way to go. I was after a glossy glass jewel lock but she maintains polished real stone will look better and less tacky. She had better be right as I will not have time for a test run.
Just ordered these. I am hoping, expecting, that 2mm will be thick enough for me to insert, sand flush and polish.🤞

Not entirely sure how I will use them yet inset into a bowl/platter probably.:unsure:

Thanks again
 
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