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Just need some feedback on my rosette that I will be installing on my Bouzouki. It is a cedar top with a Koa Rosette. The question is...do I orient the grain of the koa with the cedar top grain, or do I make it horizontal to the cedar grain, or at a 45 angle to the top grain. Which grain orientation of the rosette looks the best? Thanks for your input!
Tracy

Tracy,
My guess would be you would want to go with the grain. I have seen against and it likely depends on the wood choice for your rosette and if you wrap it with other woods or not. Is it figured? Any pics?

Wade

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Wade
Nashua, NH
http://www.wadefx.com

It is not highly figured, but it does have some light streaking. I don't have my camera with me, so I can't send pics. For stability it makes sense to go with the grain, but I've seen all wood rosettes put the grain at angles. The inside of the rosette will have no border, but the outside will have a .10/.10 Black/White border. Thanks!
Tracy

I have seen some other builders orient the grain in the opposite direction and it had a nice effect. I guess it just depends on the entire composition.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I'm with Brock, I usually like to see it perpendicular to the top grain for the nicest effect. It helps the rosette stand out a little more, especially if there isn't much figure or color otherwise.

John

Tracy,

I like the grain at a slight angle. I'm currently building a cedar/maple guitar with a Kingwood rosette and here's a pic to show the effect:



I don't think there are any big issues about stability whichever way you choose to orientate the grain.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

When I use curly koa, I orient the grain at 45 degrees to the top.

Al

I like the grain running 90* to the soundhole or straight accross. From what I've seen on spruce this looks best IMHO. In your cedar,maybe going with the grain...

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Thanks everyone for your opinions! Dave, that rosette looks very nice at a 45 degree angle. I guess I'll just have to put the rosette on all 3 angles and see which one has the most visual effect. I'll send pics after I get it installed and sanded down. Thanks again!
Tracy

Tracy, here's one, koa on Adi. that's running with the grain.

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Got the rosette in last night and decided on the grain running at 45 degrees. To me it looked more interesting. This picture is after scraping and sanding, but not completely done. Thanks again for all the great suggestions!



Tracy

Pretty darn tight there Tracy!
Nice job!

Wade

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Wade
Nashua, NH
http://www.wadefx.com

Whew hew hew hew hew, yep, not much room for a mosquito there!

Thanks Serge and Wade. It's amazing what a large hammer can do for you After I was done, I said "...like a glove". Nice and tight. Thanks for looking.
Tracy

Tracy, if i succeed at this like you just did, my words will be : WHO'S YER DADDY!!!! Serge Poirier38793.9489699074