Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

[Jeff_H]

I want to dress up my Taylor just a little with a rosewood truss rod cover inlayed with an abalone design. The sad thing is, I'm not all that creative when it comes to things for myself. Here is an example of his work, but I did not care for the Dove.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3748675711

This guy will inlay virtually any design I want, provided it's not too complicated...for the same price. I've thought of the following so far, but they're pretty unoriginal.

My Initials
My full name
30th Anniversary 2004
The open leaf design that's inlayed on the fretboard currently.

The guy had a cross done in ebony/pearl that was kind of neat, but I'm usually not into overt religious symbols. I do however like a simple cross, and wear one occasionally.

Give me your suggestions. Remember, it has to fit on a truss rod cover. Thanks for you help, since I'm so vanilla when it comes to this stuff.

 

[beandip]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

A texas flag inside of a star

Hmm.....I'd go with the design that's on the fretboard, that'd be kinda cool, and add an overall balance to the entire guitar.

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

This may sound really really weird comming from a member of my age... but your daughter's name popped into my mind for some reason. You're a great father to her, I'm sure she wouldn't mind a guitar named after her!

 

[Skullkrusher]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

Jeff, check this site out. This guy is kinda expensive, but seems like good work.

http://www.nicholsguitars.com/trc.htm

This guy does custom tuners too.

 

[Tom M]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

How about a skull and crossbones?! It'll help remind you of your rockin' roots while you're playing some sweet fingerpickin' sonic-panty-remover.

 

[theodie]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

I got it Jeff, how about a mudflap girl inlaid into it?

 

[Norman_T]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

That pic in your avatar would go really nice - particularly if its wriggling its ar$e as well :saeek:

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

Skull -

That's an awsome site...thanks. I think I'll go that direction since he's in the US and not Argentina. I may also look at having a custom pickguard done. In short, please send $150 USD to my attention for providing that link. :laugh2:

What do you guys think about this? To represente the balance I'm finally achieving in my life.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

Hey Jeff,
Congragulations on the new guitar. I have a very close friend who is a guitar builder. A Luthier in the sense that he builds arctop Jazz guitars and Acoustics as well as Flattops. He does not use any screws in his truss rod covers. He fits them to Pop in to the hole, and designs them to be more 3 dimensional. I don't have any shots of his work but you might check out his website At www.mirabellaguitars.com. Good Luck!

 

[Wattage]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

Cris Mirabella is an unbelievable craftsman and a great guy!

 

[Fatty]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

Jeff, check this site out. This guy is kinda expensive, but seems like good work.

http://www.nicholsguitars.com/trc.htm

This guy does custom tuners too.

I'm currently working out a deal with Bill Nichols on a custom truss rod cover. I asked a luthier buddy of mine, and he said his prices are about average for inlay artists.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

Thanks for all the help so far guys....keep the idea's comming for the truss rod cover. Thanks to the link that Skull provided, I'm now planning the following upgrades to my Taylor in the next little bit.

Rosewood Tuning Buttons, to match the rosewood headstock.
Fossilized Elephant Ivory Nut and Saddle
Bridge Pins of either Ivory with abalone inlay tops, or ebony with abalone tops
Possibly a custom pickguard in rosewood with some type of custom abalone inlay.

Since joining this site, I cannot leave well enough alone. Most people are happy with guitars in their stock form, especially when they cost $1500 or more, but not me....not any longer. :yell:

Donations accepted via PM. :laugh2:

 

[xerxes]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

personally, for truss rod covers, ive allways liked either names or initials. could just be me though.

 

[Rstlessone]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

OK here goes......

I like the idea of the fret board inlay design...
Your daughters name is a good one to...
The guitar was made in California...how about a palm tree graphic?
How about R & R.... for rovk and roll.....
How abou a four point diamond or star?
Or a symbol that represents your past...football, high school, college etc....
How about the wifes name or intials....

Hope it helps.....

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

I like many of the suggestions listed, and can't fit them all on the truss rod cover obviouslly, so here is what I am thinking.

Truss Rod Cover - Abalone inlay copying the fretboard inlay. 30th Anniversary written under that, with my initials below that....again, all in abalone.

Custom Pickguard, like the one attached with the following:

Melissa & Brittni 2004 in the lower lefhand corner
Right hand side under the sound hole have 30th Anniversary written again, so in keeping with the fact that the guitar is a 30th.

Top corner (RH upper) having a ying/yang symbol, or one of the other suggested symbols....this is really where I'm undecided, and have moved this idea from the truss rod cover to the pickguard.

Or.....I could just leave well enough alone and be happy with it the way it is. Sometimes I tend to get too anal. Do you think if I do all of this it will be too much?

 

[Skullkrusher]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

I like many of the suggestions listed, and can't fit them all on the truss rod cover obviouslly, so here is what I am thinking.

Truss Rod Cover - Abalone inlay copying the fretboard inlay. 30th Anniversary written under that, with my initials below that....again, all in abalone.
Do you think if I do all of this it will be too much?

Im glad you liked that site Jeff. I figured it be just what you were looking for.


I think I would just get a custom TR cover, custom tuners and stop there. A custom pick guard would be cool, but I think it might take away from the guitars beauty. Unless you just get a it in a nice natural rosewood or something, without an inlay. That's just my opinion anyway.

 

[darkshadow54321]

Re: Help Me Design A Truss Rod Cover For My Taylor

I think that's going a bit overboard... just stick with the custom truss rod cover

Don't forget that if you ever want to sell the guitar (could happen, ya never know) serious mods would harm the value...