Can anything be done about an ugly inlay?

mrleon83 · April 5

So about 7 years ago I bought this guitar as a cheapie don’t care about it guitar (was living on a farm with no central heating, single glazed windows, doors never locked for a few months) and it’s actually become one of if not my favs

its a Ibanez sz520 with a very early naughties inlay which I feel is totally in congress to the rest of the guitar which is a really nicely made (full depth maple cap with veneer!) guitar.

last time I played it live I put some gaffa tape over it, is there a better thing that can be done?

https://imgur.com/a/CzFDeIB

Roundwound · April 5

I rather like and would personally keep that inlay.

My first ever electric was an Ibanez sz320- gloss black with dot inlays. Shouldn’t have sold it.

HT986M2 · April 5

Another vote for keeping the inlay. That's actually quite nice, and unique!

Offset · April 5

Nowt wrong with that inlay - doesn't look too, errm, incongruous. You'd probably feck up the guitar if you tried to excise it.

Keep it and go with the flow :-)

steamabacus · April 5

If you removed the perloid and replaced the inlay with a matching rosewood (? or whatever), include two new 12th fret dots (in whatever you fancy) - I reckon it would be pretty invisible from a distance.

Fingers657 · April 5

Nothing wrong with that IMO.
In fact I quite like it.
I don't understand the problem.

Roland · April 5

Looks like a standard inlay to me. Removing it would involve a bit of work, or cost if done by someone else, and would only devalue what looks like a nice guitar. I’d leave it alone

Funkfingers · April 5

Live with it.

Alternatively, add more inlays to distract from the "offensive" one.

Sarge · April 5

Don't listen to them, it's a hideous inlay!

LionAquaLooper · April 5

Jesus H Christ. Sorry mate but that is the most hideous looking inlay I've ever seen on a guitar.

.....(just kidding

I agree with everyone else. It looks fine)

BigPaulie · April 5

I'm a "less is more" kinda guy and am actually in agreement with most above. I don't find it offensive at all.

To remove it would require some skill, a partial refret, and would incur a cost in line with the quality of work done.

Were I to change anything on the guitar it would be the pickup rings

Kittyfrisk · April 5

Phew! Thought this was going to be about PRS birds...

I'd leave it.

ICBM · April 5

I’ve seen worse, but I understand why you don’t want it on your guitar. As steamabacus said, you would need to remove it and replace it with matching wood - not easy, since the frets go across it and would need to be removed and replaced. A job for a professional, and likely not that cheap.