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Here are a few pics of cutting out the soundhole. I just use a Ryobi lam trimmer. This lam trimmers only use in life.. it's a crappy lam trimmer otherwise... well I suppose it still runs so that's a positive, but the height adjustment is a joke. It's the first lam trimmer I ever bought... about 14 years ago.

No fancy jigs here!! The medallion pocket was cut with a forstner bit. The pilot does go through the top, so keep that in mind. I put a soundhole brace over the 1/16th hole (give or take depending on how far you sand on the back), and then I use a small half plug backer on the part that extends into the soundhole.

After I cut this initial pass I break out another lam trimmer and freehand the area around the medallion. I leave it rough and slightly oversize for now and clean it up later by hand with sandpaper and files.

I don't mind if people borrow the idea. I think you would be best served using a rough idea and morphing it into something different and unique, but if you are resolved on copying it straight away I would appreciate credit for the inspiration/design.

Heck my original inspiration for it was a mosaic in NYC subway combined with a Somogyi rosette. Of course it looks nothing like either really, but they got the juices flowing and I used that to create something unique. I suggest the same for anyone inspired by the idea.





And as it so happens I took pictures of the mosaic in the subway. Like I said the two don't look anything alike, but they served inspiration to get my own creativity going.





And this rosette of Ervins gave further inspiration. Combine them both and throw in a big part of my style and there you have it.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Hi all. I just wanted to chime in and say I'm the "client" for this guitar and I'm ecstatic about the job that John has been doing.

Thanks for your comments and appreciation!

Cheers,

Phil

I suppose a cool rosette needs a matching endgraft yeah?

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

John, the medallion rosettes on your guitars are such a simple, wonderful idea! I envy you for this idea and enjoy the beauty of your instruments at the same time!

Well done!

florian

Nice, John!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Thanks for showing the process, John. Seeing the process makes it look a lot less intimidating.

And VERY nice work!

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Ken Mitchell
Durham, NC

Very, very cool, John! Thanks for sharing that.

Nice rosette John !

I like the idea and the job is clean and elegant.
Well done !

both of them very, very nice!

Hey John

Very nice work there, i`ve never seen rosettes done this way before, just one question, i see you seal your tops before starting to glue the parts in is this clear laquer that you use, as i see in the pictures it has a colour to it, is there a reason for the coloring or was it just left overs from another job.

Do you use veneers for the tiles and the maple lines.


Jeremy
South Africa

Thanks everyone.

I shellacked the rosette area to prevent CA bleed.

The tiles were offcuts from headplates, sides, backs, ect. The maple lines are just .020 purfling.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com