AREE GUITARS (Arianna Colombo)
Beautiful artistic sensibility, impressive technical skills while remaining sensitive to the composition, and many hours choosing precisely the right pieces of material for each element. Can export to the USA, but to do it legally is
STUDIO GRUSS (Alex and Lorelei)
CNC and hand work, and does original designs. Have their own catalogue of elaborate Jewish temple furnishings. Can do everything from boxes and humidors to very large wall panels! 396 Classon Ave. Brooklyn, NY, 11238
HUDSON RIVER INLAY
Wood and shell marquetry design and production of wall décor, tables, mirrors, boxes, etc. Has a color catalogue of production furniture produced by their factory. 207 Wembly Rd. New Windsor, NY, 12553 Phone: (800) 745-0744
STUART PARKS FORENSIC ASSOCIATES (Rick Parks)
Rick is a nationally recognized instructor of composite art, and has done very detailed and accurately rendered figure and portraiture work for over thirty years (much of it as a trained forensic artist!). He’s worked
GIULIETTI, DAVID
A fine custom jewelry maker who does master-grade engraving on metals and shell. Works closely with inlay guru Larry Robinson and did the engraving work over Larry’s inlay on C.F. Martin’s $1,000,000.00 guitar (their millionth)!
WARTHER, DAVID, II
A third-generation ivory worker and former legal dealer, who now accepts tax deductible donations of estate ivory for his Warther Museum. He supplies very realistic faux ivories to the guitar, knife, firearm, billiard, and other
UNIVERSAL AGENCIES, INC. (Ric Chopra)
Knife making materials: has bone, stag, horn, and pearl in slabs, rounds, and rough. 4690 Old Peachtree Rd. Ste. C Norcross, GA, 30071 Phone: (678) 969-9147 Fax: (678) 969-9169 Email: rcchopra@uai.org Website: www.knifesupplies.com Also located
TURTLEWORKS (John Greven)
A professional guitar builder who invented and makes “Tortis”, a very convincing imitation tortoiseshell, in sheets and guitar pickguards of several types. Can do small custom runs to match your exact color specs or samples,
STEWART-MACDONALD MFG.
The other oldest and biggest U.S. luthier’s supply warehouse, with an impressive stock of shell blanks, laminates, strips, dots, and pre-cut shapes. Famous for their large inventory of specialized luthiery tools and supplies, instructional books,
SMALL WONDER MUSIC CO. (Mike)
Very possibly the best selection of shell inlay products in all of Europe and England! Does some pretty slick-looking custom inlays also. 2 Summerhill Cottage, Chapmans Town Rd., Rushlake Green, N. Heathfield, E. Sussex, England,
RESCUE PEARL CO. (Jo Ann Tompkins)
Carries a full line of shell products, at the best prices for small users, and with no minimum order. Has a lot of stuff on sale at far below wholesale (odd-lot, overstock, discontinued, out of
MASECRAFT SUPPLY CO.
Very well known and highly respected specialists in knife handle materials, thicker and larger shell slabs and laminates, reconstituted (“recon”) stone, imitation shell plastics. 254 Amity St. Meriden, CT, 06450 Phones: (203) 238-3049; (800) 682-5489
LUTHIER’S MERCANTILE INTERNATIONAL (LMII)
One of the oldest, largest, and friendliest luthier’s supply warehouses in the world, carrying a gigantic selection of inlay materials, as well as woods and tools. 7975 Cameron Dr. Bldg. 1600 Windsor, Ca., 95492 Phones:
LETTERHEAD SIGN SUPPLY (Ron Purcell)
Artistic sign making supplies, including thin shell for doing reverse-glass work. 60480 Christy Lane Angie, LA, 70426 Phone: (800) 531-3359 Email: custserve@letterheadsignsupply.com Website: www.letterheadsignsupply.com
GRIZZLY INDUSTRIAL, INC.
A major supplier of woodworking equipment and tools, with a large catalogue. Owner Shiraz Balolia is also an accomplished luthier, so has added an extensive selection of instrument making parts, woods, and inlay materials to
CUSTOM GUITAR CO. (Len Wood)
A professional guitar maker and player with facilities in the Philippines where he manufactures flat blanks from Green and Red abalone, and white and gold M.O.P. 5339 Prospect St. San Jose, CA, 95129 Phone: (408)
CULPEPPER & CO, INC.
Another very well known and highly respected supplier of exotic knife handle materials including thick and large M.O.P. and abalone shell slabs and laminates, bone, legal ivories, corals, and fancy leathers. 8285 Georgia Road Otto,
“CHAINSAW” CHUCK ERIKSON ENTERPRISES, LLC
Yes, this is the same character who also claims to be the Duke of Pearl, but in this manifestation peddles sundry items such as reconditioned vintage Swiss and German jeweler’s saws and finely crafted antique
AQUA BLUE MAUI, LLC (Scott Ventura)
Supplies proprietary “Thin-Lam” plastic-laminated/reinforced shell sheet and tile for cabinets, countertops, flooring, and architectural applications. Laser-cut inlays for guitars, ukuleles, small boxes, etc. 5805 Lower Kula Rd. Kula, HI, 96790 Phone/fax: (808) 876-0217 Email: aquablue@maui.net
ALLEN LUTHIER’S SUPPLIES
Laminated shell sheets and extra-long strips, as well as guitar and mandolin woods and hardware. Also has an excellent and widely used fingerboard fret-slotting service, for almost any scale imaginable! P.O. Box 1883 Colfax, CA,
ADVANCED SHELL TECHNOLOGY (Kevin Ryan)
The maker of Ryan Guitars and inventor and patent holder of ZipFlex®, totally flexible abalone shell strips for guitar and furniture edge binding. Used by Taylor Guitars, Kamaka Ukulele, Deering Banjo, Paul Reed Smith Guitars,
ROCKFORD CARVING CO. (Bob & Sara Klingler)
Since 1987, CNC and large production runs only of musical instrument inlay, and stamped parts of steel, brass, fiber, and wood. Used by Gibson, Martin, Heritage, Washburn, and other guitar factories. 837 Degurse Avenue Marine
PRECISION PEARL INLAY (Tom Ellis)
Collings Guitars, PRS Guitars, . Maker of Ellis Mandolins. 7208 Cooper Lane Austin, TX, 78745 Phone: (512) 442-4941 Email: ellisppi@sbcglobal.net Website: https://precisionpearl.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/tom.ellis.14606
PEARLWORKS (Bill Seymour)
30033 Business Center Dr. Charlotte Hall, MD, 20622 Phone: (301) 884-0400 Fax: (301) 884-2627 Email: orders@pearlworks.com Website: www.pearlworks.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/inlaypioneers Founder Larry Sifel (deceased) was a co-inventor with The Duke of the now ubiquitous Abalam,
N.C. SOLUTIONS (Steve Carlson)
A former V.P. of Gibson Montana Division, and the founder of Flatiron Mandolins, does CNC inlay cutting and profiling of wood guitar parts and will consider small runs. Sells CNC systems for doing your own
LEONARD, JAMES
A very small shop specializing in CNC machine sales and custom cutting in all materials. Will accept smaller orders, and also sells inlay supplies such as reconstituted (“recon”) stone, legal ivory, and shell materials. P.O.
J.S. TECHNOLOGIES (Steve Smith)
CNC cutting, works for Suhr Guitars and others. Large production runs only. 601 Crane Street Units A&B Lake Elsinore, CA, 92530 Phone: (951) 471-2334 Fax: (951) 471-2557 Email: johnsuhr@suhrguitars.com Website: www.suhr.com
GURIAN INSTRUMENTS
A grand old man of esoteric methodology, doing computerized laser cutting of thin shell (under .012”), and is the main U.S. source of decorative wood inlays, sound hole rosettes, purflings and wood strips, and other
CUSTOM INLAY (Bryan England)
Uses CNC and pantograph, is one of the largest inlay shops in the U.S., doing both large and small jobs. Many custom and standard shapes in stock, in all materials. Clients include guitar makers Gibson,
AULSON INLAY (Doug, Ellen, and Jaime)
CNC cutting to your supplied drawings, or their in-house professional artists can work with you to develop beautiful simple to complex designs. They do large production runs but are also small shop friendly! Customers include
ROBINSON, LARRY
Author of “Art of Inlay” and three inlay instructional videos/DVD’s, Larry is one of the world’s premier inlay artists. An old-fashioned blade-breaker who cuts only by hand and can supply original designs ranging from ultra-traditional
NICHOLS CUSTOM INLAY (Bill)
Hand cutting only, and prefers doing “one off” pieces rather than multiple quantities. Has worked for PRS Guitars, Dan Erlewine, Taylor Guitars, Bee Basses and many small luthiers, but mostly for private guitar owners. 271
MEMMEL, RAY
Cuts by hand and small orders are welcome; will do inlaid belt buckles but not suspenders. Brian Moore Guitars has used his services. 80 Mountain View Rd. Patterson, NY, 12563 Phone: (845) 878-9013 Email: inlay@hotmail.com
LEACH, HARVEY
Highly original designs all cut by hand, and will accept small or large jobs. Works for Martin, PRS, Godin, Ryan, Warrior, and others. Very innovative and detailed work, and has developed entirely novel inlay effects
HANDCRAFT INLAY (Craig Lavin)
Hand cut contemporary designs, and since he’s a card-carrying Marine Biologist specializes in depicting the watery realms, but will do anything. Works on guitars for Lowden, Kinnaird, Superior, and Jordan Violins. 12624 N.W. 14th Place
DEPAULE SUPPLY (Andy)
A professional guitar maker with shops in Vietnam that produce very nicely hand-cut inlay shapes (your design or theirs) such as dots, strips, rosettes, peghead and fingerboard sets, and fully inlaid pegheads and fingerboards as
CUSTOM PEARL INLAY (Dave Nichols)
Hand-cutting only, best known for doing the “Custom Shop” work for C.F. Martin Guitars for many years. Specialist in older-style foliage/vine style inlays. Makes custom guitars and mandolins, and offers classes in inlay work. 177
BORDEAUX INLAY AND DESIGN (Paul)
Hand-cutting, smaller orders O.K., does work for guitar makers Buscarino, Campellone, Kent Everett, and Martin. Can do original design compositions. 3 King Street Massena, NY 13662 Phone: (518) 521-7535 Email: paul@bordeauxinlay.com Website: www.bordeauxinlay.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/Bordeauxinlay
