Uploaded October 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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Master inlay artist Craig Lavin joins us and demonstrates the fundamentals of guitar inlay. In this 3 part series Craig will show you how to install a custom headstock logo into your guitar. We show you step-by-step everything you need to know to design, cut, and inlay a custom pearl inlay into your next guitar build.

00:00 Introduction
0:50 3 Critical steps to a good inlay
1:05 Logo selection / design
6:54 Material selection
9:40 Prepping the logo to be cut
14:12 Setting up your saw
17:22 Cutting and shaping the pearl
29:02 Removing the paper pattern
31:03 Getting ready to locate the logo for routing


Items used in this series:

Ebony Peghead Overlay Veneer
stewmac.com/item/0991

Pearl Cutting Saw
stewmac.com/item/4611

Pearl Cutting Jig
stewmac.com/item/5194

Abalam Inlay Blank
stewmac.com/item/4444

Pearl Inlay Blanks
stewmac.com/item/0950

Pearl Fretboard Side Dots
stewmac.com/item/0964

StewMac Super Glue
stewmac.com/item/0010

3M Stikit Sandpaper
stewmac.com/item/5772


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StewMac has everything you need to repair, build or maintain your guitars.
Everything we sell is backed by our Lifetime Promise, and we offer fast worldwide shipping.

Shop StewMac: stewmac.com

Instagram: @StewMac_Guitar (Free T-shirt Drawing Every Tuesday!)
Facebook: facebook.com/StewMac

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🎥 Gear We Use in Our Studio
We get a lot of questions about the gear we use to make our videos, so here’s our current setup!*



Camera / Mounting Gear

Canon C70 à bhpho.to/3UOUkef

Canon XC10 à bhpho.to/4n4urD3

Sachtler Ace XL Fluid Head Tripod System à bhpho.to/3Hz9YHF

Manfrotto Deluxe Autopole 2 à bhpho.to/45SCNqs

Glide Gear OH 75 Overhead Portable Pole Rig à bhpho.to/4maFBpf



Lights

Aputure 300 Bi-Color LED à bhpho.to/47m0ASc

FotodioX C-700 Flapjack LED à bhpho.to/4fUL9Cs

Quasar Science Q-Lion LED à bhpho.to/4p3OROA



Sound

RODE Wireless PRO Microphone System à bhpho.to/45FLK7F

Sennheiser MKH 416 Shotgun Microphone àbhpho.to/4oUAsUR

Sennheiser e 609 Microphone à bhpho.to/4mxRJRW

TASCAM DR-70D Multi-Track Field Recorder à bhpho.to/3URMwbG



🛠 Workshop Tools & Supplies We Use
While most of the tools we use in our shop are StewMac (shocker!), we’ve also outfitted our shop with some other essentials. If you’re looking to pick up anything to make some improvements to your own shop or bench, here are a few of our essentials.*



Storage & Organization

We love Craftsman toolboxes in this shop! à shoplowes.me/4mYqhwV

Storage Cabinets àshoplowes.me/3HVk9pO, shoplowes.me/3T4wSsw, shoplowes.me/3ZHXN0V

Small Parts Organizer à shoplowes.me/4l9cSkY

Storage Chest à shoplowes.me/45wIrA7

Workbench and Toolbox Stations à shoplowes.me/43YRlVX

Wire Storage Racks à shoplowes.me/4loDrSW



Tools

Craftsman Drill à shoplowes.me/4nghEOW

DeWalt Drill à shoplowes.me/4l1LVzz

Drill Bit Set àshoplowes.me/44tvxlh

Screwdriver Bit Set à shoplowes.me/4lEOGXx

Screwdriver Set à shoplowes.me/3I8iTiS

Silent Shop Vac à shoplowes.me/40chXjO

Spindle Sander à shoplowes.me/3T6RPmz



Shop Supplies

Blue Shop Towels à shoplowes.me/4l4xjzo

Shop Rags à shoplowes.me/4nqDpf6

Power Strips à shoplowes.me/4llBfLP

Work Lights à shoplowes.me/4ljsK3F

Dehumidifier à shoplowes.me/46LWAd8

Mixing Buckets à shoplowes.me/4ekkUVf



*These are affiliate links, which means if you pick something up through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. That support helps us create more great content for you—thanks for being a part of it all!