Introduction
Rosette motifs and purflings are the two visual elements of a guitar that do not affect the sound, yet contribute decisively to the aesthetic success of an instrument — and to the expression of the luthier's personality.
Youri Soroka's approach to marquetry is largely inspired by that of Antonio Torres (1817–1892), the father of the modern Spanish guitar. Torres used herringbones, alternating dots, slanted lines, diamonds and checkerboards — all tastefully combined. His rosettes resembled one another, yet no two were ever identical. Most of his motifs reveal face grain wood, unlike the end grain seen in mosaic work. Face grain reflects light; end grain absorbs it. The result is more contrasted marquetry, more vivid colours, and patterns that stand out with greater clarity.
I
Preparing the veneer
Cutting & stacking
As with most marquetry work, we begin by cutting the veneer using a special veneer saw. Stacks of contrasting colours are then assembled: two black layers of 0.5 mm for the background, and 0.3 mm maple for the herringbone motif itself. It is advisable not to glue too many layers at once — better to make several separate glue-ups and join them once dry.
The clamping stage. To prevent the veneers from slipping and shifting, clamping pressure must be applied very gradually in successive passes.
II
Cutting the herringbone
The 10-degree angle
Once the stack is glued, cutting begins. The herringbone has a 10-degree angle of inclination. Using a sliding bevel, the number of cuts is marked out — this depends on the final length required. For example, 35 cm are needed for the central rosette motif. If the same motif is also to be used for purflings, the required length rises to 75 cm.
Jig, band saw & numbering
A simple jig holds the piece securely and the cuts are made on the band saw. It is essential to preserve the order of the cut pieces — for this reason, they are numbered immediately after cutting.
III
Reassembly & facing
Wedges, planing & facing
Wooden pieces cut from the same jig at the same angle serve as wedges during reassembly gluing — they ensure the correct angle is maintained across the full length. Once glued, the stick is planed until its faces are perfectly square, keeping the marquetry lines parallel. A length of black veneer is then glued onto each face to maintain the integrity of the piece during the thicknessing that follows.
IV
Thicknessing the strips
Precision thicknessing
Strips are cut just over 1 mm thick on the band saw, then cut again into narrow slats — a scrap piece placed under the blade prevents tear-out and helps guide each cut. Slats are always numbered in cutting order, in pairs, since veneer thickness is never completely uniform. A practical thicknessing method: a groove of the exact desired depth is made in a piece of MDF. The plane remains stationary while the hand pulls the slat through — when no more shavings come off, the final thickness has been reached.
Why preserve the order?
By keeping slats in their original cutting sequence, any slight variation in thickness can be compensated by applying more clamping pressure on one side than the other during final assembly.
V
Assembly & inlay
Final assembly
A central veneer strip, prepared to two-tenths of a millimetre thickness, is placed between the two herringbone halves. The assembly is then glued very simply: a groove, a waxed stick, and a few clamps.
His rosettes all resembled one another — yet no two were ever identical.
Everything is glued very simply: a groove, a waxed stick, and a few clamps.
Bending & inlay
To inlay the finished motif into a rosette, the wood must be bent by exposing it to heat. Moisture must be avoided — it would cause the assembled motif to come apart. Once bent, everything is ready to be inlaid into the soundboard.