Anyone ever replaced the Inlays on their Epi?

[terran236]

I did and I dont regret it! Changed bridge to Gotoh with gotoh tail piece, changed tuner buttons to keystones/tulips, and put real MoP inlays.

Before and after.

[Yorgle]

Looks great.   I just finished I laying a vintage pearl Epiphone into my Alleykat’s headstock  (it can easily be hidden by the bikini plate logo if I ever want to go back to stock.”  The fake block inlays on the neck are next.  Where did you get the pearl for your neck?

[terran236]

5 hours ago, Yorgle said:

Looks great.   I just finished I laying a vintage pearl Epiphone into my Alleykat’s headstock  (it can easily be hidden by the bikini plate logo if I ever want to go back to stock.”  The fake block inlays on the neck are next.  Where did you get the pearl for your neck?

Hey, I bought the precut MoP from stewmac

[stevo58]

I’ve been thinking of doing this on my casino, just because. How thick were the original acrylic inlays, and how thick is the MOP? Did you have any problems removing the acrylic - I would probably drill through the center and try to pry it out, at least as a first attempt. How did you radius the blocks without removing the frets?

[terran236]

20 hours ago, stevo58 said:

I’ve been thinking of doing this on my casino, just because. How thick were the original acrylic inlays, and how thick is the MOP? Did you have any problems removing the acrylic - I would probably drill through the center and try to pry it out, at least as a first attempt. How did you radius the blocks without removing the frets?

hey It isnt very hard but you need nerves of steel. if you make a mistake you cant freak out. I used a soldering iron with damp paper towels. Dude on youtube shows how he does it. I dont like the drill method. I tried it on my ibby and it didn't work. In fact i doubt the drill method will work if there is too much glue under the inlays.  I fear of removing wood doing that method. Which imo is better suited for small inlays.

Anyway! After removing the inlays I radiused the new inlays using a stewmac radius block.

 

Good luck! have fun! In the end its worth it because becomes more "yours." Seems Epiphone and Gibson fans are more conservative when it comes to customizing guitars.

Edited January 12, 2021 by terran236

[Yorgle]

You can make a one-time radius block good enough to shape the new inlays by sticking a piece of 220 sandpaper to the fingerboard (between the 1st and 2nd frets) and rubbing a small block of pine or other softer wood back and forth between the frets until the radius is “transferred” to the pine block.  The new inlays can then be mostly shaped with the block before they’re installed.  Once they’re glued into the fingerboard, razor blade works great to scrape them flush with the surrounding wood.