Each Lindsay Wilson custom inlaid neck is like a glimpse into another world, as seen through an arrow-slit window. This approach was influenced by the work of guitar maker Grit Laskin and I have honed my technique whilst studying his work, and the literature of the undisputed master of Inlay, Larry Robinson.

I use oriental artwork as the inspiration for my neck inlays, not only because I love the detail and subjects captured in these ancient scenes, but because their delicate beauty and composition complement the Ebony fingerboard so beautifully.

All the scenes I use are carefully chosen from my own library of images, and carefully composed to achieve the perfect balance of space between the imagery and the fingerboard. Once I have chosen a suitable image, the design is hand-drawn to suit the fingerboard and used as a basis for all the individual elements of the design.

This paper template is cut into the individual elements and glued to the respective inlay material, this is then carefully cut by hand using a jewellers saw. Next a complete copy of the design is overlaid onto the neck to give an absolute position for every part of the design. Then one by one, each piece is glued to this overlay, slowly building up the picture. When this is complete, each of these sections is used as a guide to score the fingerboard ready for cutting, to achieve an exact fit.

The final overlay is then removed to expose the fingerboard, into which white chalk is dusted to pick out the score lines, these are then used to route out the relevant areas to a depth of 2mm, ready to accommodate the inlay pieces. The penultimate stage is carefully test-fitting each piece in its respective position and adjusting to ensure exact alignment before gluing in place. Finally the whole fingerboard is sanded in several stages to make the entire neck and inlay flush for a flawless smooth surface, It is then hand polished with lemon oil for the ultimate lustre! 

At this point each material reveals its own unique qualities and this is the most satisfying part, certainly worth all the work!

“A glimpse into another world”

Design