Luthiers Mercantile International, Inc.

Shell Alternatives
by Chris Herrod
LMI Sales Manager

Shell (Mother of Pearl and various types of abalone) is a traditional and widely used inlay material. Inlays cut from shell have adorned headstocks, rosettes, and fingerboards on countless instruments. During the last decade, the enforcement of a United States export rule has made it both costly and time-consuming for instrument makers to send shell-adorned instruments to customers overseas. This is why LMI and other supply places cannot send dots and other shell products to their international customers.

Luckily, luthiers and their customers are now more inclined to eschew traditional appearances than they used to be and are happy to accept new and unique materials - as well as new inlay motifs.

Many builders have embraced stone and stone composites as a replacement for shell. We carry a popular faux turquoise material sold as a blank, as well as red jasper, gold and turquoise reconstituted stone inlay pieces (dots, position markers, rosette ring blanks).

If wood inlay appeals to you, as it does to many, then, of course, LMI has you covered. We have some blank material listed alongside our other inlay material, but please do not neglect our extensive menu of headplate veneers. These are thin enough (or close to thin enough) for cutting inlays and the color and grain variety we have available should suit all your needs.

Finally, the option most often chosen by the manufacturers is plastic. We don’t carry blanks, but most of the common position marker sizes are available in white and black, and we have tortoise patterned dots as well.

DOTS! 

See a quick video featuring Maegen Wells 
demonstrating position marker inlay. 

Blocks for radiusing 
your fingerboards

3M Stickit Sandpaper

Great for sanding fingerboards

Cyanoacrylate (super) glue
for wicking around inlays

Micropipettes for
cyanoacrylate glue

Synthetic fingerboard oil

AFC - Fingerboard Clamp

Fingerboard Clamps

   Due to the new CITES rulings on Rosewood, LMI now offers 
   Select Rosewood parts in Canada with no extra cost.  

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