Bezel Setting Faceted sapphire Side Dot Inlays in a Guitar

[@philrichards7240]

Can't help but feel that you missed an opportunity to shout "BURNish IT!"... anyway, good to see this type of content back again, and looking forward to the super-cuts of the full builds (and the rest of the CCG team).

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Next time! 😂

[@davedavem]

I enjoyed the irony of Ben not having the "proper workholding" given I bought my jewellers clamps from Vintage Tool Shop...

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Proper workholding readily available in this chaotic workspace 😅 It's somewhere...maybe still at Crimson HQ

[@kennethluebberke8216]

Ben, are you building your own signature £40,000 guitar? The inlay on the dragon guitar was, in all honesty, beautiful, but I think your inlay mastery would put that to shame! I really can't wait to see what these necks go onto. Ben, you truly are an artist! And the lust to learn more is inspiring! I've been a fan for years, and I look forward to every spec of your content!

[@TheGuitarCurator]

I like the way you're doing these videos now, Ben. Not that there's anything wrong with the full build videos (those are super fun too), but it's nice to watch shorter tutorials as well. As someone who is learning luthiery, the smaller tutorials are great as a reference to things I may be working on (or thinking of trying). Thank you so much. Informative as always. I really appreciate your work.

[@ianthomson9363]

I installed cubic zirconia crystals from a cheap piece of jewellery into the side of my bass's neck after getting the idea from a Danny Gatton interview. They work up to a point, but it does depend on having fairly bright light sources- I'm sure the silver tube that you've used will make your side dots better than mine. Because they were slightly proud of the wood, they gave a physical reference as well (I play with my left thumb over the side of the neck to mute strings I'm not playing, which isn't the 'proper' way!). Recently though, a couple of them have fallen out as it was a quick & dirty job of installation so one of these days I'll dig them all out and replace them with Lumilite dots. Incidentally, a blob of beeswax moulded into a blunt point is good for picking up tiny bits & pieces.

[@ianthomson9363]

My mistake- it's Luminlay, not Lumilite.

[@marcialavine1272]

Bigger stones! And yes, I'm aware of the triple entendre, and I should be congratulated for not sniggering like a school girl over my own clever but juvenile sense of humor, thank you very much (sly wink and a grin almost too quick to catch). Anyway, aside from that, I'd set the bezel smaller than needed, but most of the way to finished without the stone in, then drop it in from the back instead of setting from the front, then sizing it to fit around the stone. I find working from too small/smaller to correct fit/larger to be easier when working with such tiny things, provided the material is malleable or forgiving. Also, I know not what that "sticky rubber" you mentioned is, but I use fine white clay to pick up and hold stones and other parts, pieces, things, and bits of various sizes and shapes. No residue that won't rub or brush off easily, it's cheap and easy to find.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you very much for the advice. 🙏

[@muttcrewmusic]

Well done, really beautiful work. I love this kind of creative tinkering, though I don't know if I'd trust my eyesight to do it properly with such small stones. I did do a bit of rough-cut semi jewel setting, as it were, on my latest build, but it was 6 mm pearl dots set in rings of 9 mm brass tube. Not exactly micron scale, so no comparison.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you very much!

[@radionicsoftware5026]

I haven't seen another Archimedes drill for years, I inherited one from my grandfather, so useful.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I'm so glad you agree. What a treasure from your grandfather

[@tonyhunt4250]

Love the editing again! Very cool idea.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Glad you liked it!

[@ChrisWilliams-cb9kt]

Nice Hofner Verythin on the wall there Ben. ❤️

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Love these things, the vintage ones at least.. On the reissues they have a centre block which kills all the character the old ones have, they are so loud!

[@ChrisWilliams-cb9kt]

Yeh, my brother has a 66 one with about 30 knobs and switches

[@kaptainkmann7808]

Opal would interesting garnet as well plus both are not too expensive in small pieces anyways. LOL now that I've said that all I can see is those large rectangle markers made of Opal. Sorry it just popped in there. ✌😎👍

[@stephencarey6114]

Absolutely fascinating

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you

[@moogoomoogoo5990]

I loved the coffee break. 😂

[@antrazitaj5209]

When you put them in the jig to saw, just put painters tape on it to keep it in place, you won't have to hold it with your other hand through the saw that way. If painters tape it's strong enough because of the sawing motion, blue tack should do the trick

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you for the advice

[@amc1308]

Ben, you need to go to Birmingham Jewelery Quarter, the home of Jewellers for years and years

[@tonydixon3701]

I wonder if a little bit of the glow in the dark fillement inside the silver tube would add anything.

[@davedavem]

I made cufflinks at a jewellery class once. They were sterling silver with sapphires mounted in them. They were shite. The fun thing was I sawed them out so they were mounted in cylinders of silver and mounted one of those in a Kirinite guitar pick. Looked awesome! Then it got lost in the post 😭

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Oh no!!!! ☹️

[@normbarrows2]

Looks like you could use a small Pana-Vise to hold your holding tool. Turned out nice - next time make them bigger! BTW, took your advice - 30mm long obsidian and amethyst crystals for headstock logos are on the way for my current build.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

That's great. I hope you'll share photos of the finished headstock?

[@normbarrows2]

@@CrimsonCustomGuitars I just finished the build yesterday: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWKYop2dn6yNg80

[@Nug_Lord]

You should reach out to Gems of Science! It would be so cool to see some laser garnet, LuAG/other scintillator, or Moissanite inlays! Either on the side or top!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

That would be cool!

[@andrewscarlett4080]

Hi Ben I have recently taken up micro soldering on electronics. I have found a cheap microscope camera off Amazon for £40 incredibly useful for verification delicate work you may want to give one a go.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Nice one, I'll check it out

[@stephengent9974]

Ben , I recommend you check out Ford Halam, who is a master metal smith. He was classically trained as a goldsmith, and now specialists in making tsubas. Amazing work. I would recommend getting a new mini anvil and polish it, likewise polish your hammers to mirror finish, and keep them just for this kind of work. Any imperfections in surfaces that you strike with or on, will print on to the material. Not good. Lastly please get some decent lighting for filming. Your current setup sucks.

[@davedavem]

To stop all the small things pinging away, scissor tweezers are good. Squeeze to open, release to close style.

[@Fishmander]

Next time you're handling the small rocks, clear your bench and lay down a white terry cloth first. Then when you drop them, they just.. won't bounce. Easier to see against white too.

[@scottiecasey9312]

Ben.. all the clamps and different jewelers vises and u hold it in ur hands lol 😂

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Oops 😅

[@decomputerleraarable]

Lookijng for the fallen stone? Take a pantyhose over your vacuum cleaner.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Great advice, thank you

[@amdgsound1175]

Ben check out Armand Serra from Crazy pig designs in Covent Garden in London. I think you will love his work and maybe able to trade a guitar for some jewellery training?

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Cool, thanks!

[@NATO_Believer]

Hello, I am a new guitarist and I want to hydrate and clean my brand new guitar but I dont want to use products that have dangerous chemicals in it. I looked Dunlop System 65 products and I think they have petroleum and silicone, so I started searching for safe alternatives and a dude on Reddit said crimson guitars. Can anyone confirm to me that these products are 100% natural, safe, and dangerous chemicals free? Thank you for reading and helping me.

[@rockpilerising]

I'm a bit torn with these necks Ben; On the one hand it's fantastic to see you invested in building again and back to loving what you do, but on the other hand you've pretty much vajazzled that gorgeous wood.

[@dawnr8511]

The sapphires make that guitar look really cheap. I used synthetic rubies on my Strat.

[@johngrant5749]

Any chance of better film lighting please?

[@patrickkeenan6331]

17:44 Booooo...