Gamut Music. Inc.

Thank you for purchasing a rose from Gamut Music. Here are some helpful tips for the successful installation of the rose into your instrument.

This process is modeled after the European tradition of instrument construction, where the decorative rose was glued onto the underside of the instrument front.

Basic Installation

The rose comes without any finish on it, so you can use a wood coating of your choice to protect the wood and paper. In the Gamut workshop, we use a spray lacquer, but almost anything will do. However, be careful not to pour the finish on too thickly, as that might hide some of the fine details. When finishing a rose in our workshop, we use two or three very light coats of the spray lacquer.

Please note that the ring around the rose design is going to be the surface that glues against the underside of the front. The coating will inhibit the adhesion of the glue, so any finish that gets on this rim will have to be scraped off before attaching to the front.

The rim around the rose design is about ¼” (6.35mm). If you feel this is too wide a surface, you can reduce the rim by cutting it back. This operation can be done with a saw, knife, or disc sander. However, be careful that the underside is well backed up to reduce the possibility of separating the layers.

Cutting the Hole in the Front

There are two ways to approach the size of the hole relative to the size of the design. One is that the hole should be exactly the size of the open design spaces. The other is that the hole is slightly larger to give the feeling of a border around the open spaces in the design. Keep in mind that this second method makes it somewhat more difficult to center the rose in the soundhole. I recommend that you use some scrap wood to test each approach to see which method you prefer.

Once you have the hole cut into the front, and it is nice and round, you will need to treat the edge of the hole. Historically, the edge was usually rounded over, but you can bevel it, or round it as you wish. It is helpful to utilize the two test holes with different methods to see what is most pleasing to you.

Gluing the Rose in Place

When the hole is round and beveled, it is time to glue the rose in place. It is essential to make sure the rose is precisely centered and secured so that no movement will occur as it is being clamped in place. I find that four strips of masking tape work well for securing the rose in place before gluing. Make sure you have removed any finish from the ring around the rose before gluing.

Center the rose in the hole and hold it in place with two strips of tape. Look at the rose from the front face and make any adjustments necessary to center the rose precisely. When you are confident it is perfectly centered, put two more tape strips in place to secure the rose so that it does not move, as in the picture below.

For clamping, I like to use two wooden rings, as in the picture below. These rings allow airflow so that the glue dries thoroughly, and give you a chance to make sure the rose has not moved with the clamping pressure.

When you have the rings or other clamping blocks ready, it is time for a dry run with the clamps. This test clamping will allow you a chance to get the clamps set at the most convenient opening so that you can quickly put them in place when the glue is ready. Some practice with this operation helps establish a clamping routine.

When everything is set and tested, you can put the glue in place. I recommend the use of hide glue, but any water-soluble woodworking glue will work for this purpose.

To put the glue in between the rose and front, lift the tape strips one at a time and slip the glue in with the tip of a pallet knife. Secure the tape again as you go around the rose, and you will be able to place the glue without moving the rose safely. When all is done, have another look at the rose from the front to make sure it is still perfectly centered.

When you are confident that all is secure and positioned correctly, put one ring on each side and place the clamps in place with very light pressure at first. At this point, have another look to make sure the rose has not moved. If it has, unclamp everything and make adjustments as necessary. Then, put the clamps in place again. If you are confident that the rose is set, gradually increase the pressure on the clamps one at a time until the clamps are firm. It does not take a lot of pressure to secure the rose.

Clean off any glue residue on both sides with warm water on a brush, and the job is done.