Not another knot

[Freeman Keller]

I'm building three more guitars out of some funky old barn wood which is just full of knots and nail holes. I'm using some commercial necks on them and had the bright idea of inlaying some of the knots into the headstock to sort of carry the theme thru from the body. My wife didn't like it and most of you didn't either (I hate it when that happens). Here's the knot picture from a previous thread

 

 

Several of you said you liked the pearl initials that I use in my other guitars. Here is a gold MOP and white MOP on the maple headstock

 

 

I really don't like either one - they don't stand out against the maple and besides, putting bling on a telecaster is like putting lipstick on a pig. Oink oink.

 

Next thought was to cut out some wood initials. I have to make the wood ones wider that the pearl because it wants to split. The set on the left happens to be cut out of that knot from the first picture, the ones on the right are some scrap rosewood (just happens to be Brazilian which seems all wrong but its what I had in the scrap bin)

 

 

Those of you who remember the original Barncaster remember that it had a rosewood great horned owl inlay to honor the owl that lives in the barn. I was thinking about retiring that inlay because a nice guy paid a lot of money for that guitar - I thought he should have the owl.

 

 

However I could use it again and it does sort of fit the theme. Last question, there are three slightly different headstock shapes here. In the pictures above the one on the left is pretty much a true tele shape, the one on the right I used a butter container to draw the shape. The owl is different still, a little more strat shaped. Any preferences? And if you don't like any of the above, how about a winged skull

 

 

 

[gardo]

How about a burned on insignia ? Just make up a branding iron heat with a torch and there you go. Telecaster simplicity and it would match the character of the wood. Here's an example I found

[Grant Harding]

I still like the idea of the FK inlay, but in the darker colour and rotated CC so it's in the same orientation as most guitars with that headstock. ie: right way up when the guitar is being played.

[t_e_l_e]

as for headstock shape i personally all over for the big cbs one, but normal tele is also just fine, so no real preference from me.

 

FK initials made out of knots? hell yeah i like this idea.

much better than adding an artificial knot, is using the knot to make something out of it...

 

still love the owl, as for the skull, depends for whom you make it. its not for me. but there are definitely people who would love it....

[Les Paul Lover]

I like the knot wood colour best - seems to blend naturally with the headstock wood?

 

I agree with grant harding, the inlay should be aligned so that it can be read when it's being played.

[Les Paul Lover]

That's nice too.

[u6crash]

I think the inlay knot idea is cool, but maybe you need something in addition to it. I could see putting the knot in, and then the initials in gold MOP on inlaid into the knot. I know that is probably difficult, but maybe after the knot is initially glued in it would be more stable?

 

If your inclination was to retire the owl, I think that you should stick with retiring it.

 

Other ideas that might go with the theme of barn wood:

Corn/Wheat/Other stalk

Barn (they come in all shapes and sizes)

Silo

Grain elevator

Scarecrow

Horseshoe

Barn quilt

 

Can you tell I grew up in a farming community?

 

As for the headstock shape, I feel like it depends in part on what the body shape is.

 

[Les Paul Lover]

They're telecasters.

[badpenguin]

Knot Knot Knot... oooh,,,, horseshoe is good too!