What do you use to draw up guitar blueprints?

[chrisxrome]

Is there like a specific program that's super awesome compared to the rest and easy to use? Just wandering what everyone else uses to see if they can make some recommendations.

ALSO. If there's a thread on here or link that explains how to calculate stuff like: Length of nut to bridge, get certain frets perpendicular on a multiscale - just general guitar measurements. Would be cool if someone could put me in the right direction!

 

[turenkodenis]

My soft for bluprints - Corel Draw X6

Link for you - http://www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fretfind2d/
or - http://liutaiomottola.com/formulae/fret.htm

 

[RG570LC]

Inkscape is my favorite. Really intuitive interface and it is free on both mac and pc

 

[foreright]

You want some sort of CAD program to draw accurate blueprints - DraftSight is a good one. It's also free.

As for fretting measurements etc., FretFind2D is your friend

 

[fwd0120]

You get in touch with a CAD god like Decibel Guitars' Darren.

 

[ElRay]

Here's all the threads I've tagged with CAD over the years:

cad - SevenString.org - Threads Tagged with cad​

I have Inkscape, but I haven't done much with it, because I'm not keen on running X-Window programs on my Mac. The X-Window implementation is good, X-Window in general just too olde-school-Windows-like for my preference.

I recently found a good deal on ViaCAD 2D. So far it's OK, but I did find a fatal bug within the first week involving tracing a scanned image with splines and moving control points. I should give Inkscape another shot.

For the folks that have more experience with consumer/pro-sumer CAD software, how easy is it to load a PDF/JPEG/GIF/PNG and trace it into splines?


Ray

 

[Berserker]

 

[redstone]

I'm currently using Sketchup, easy in 2D, not so hard in 3D (many useful free plug-ins here and there )

For the folks that have more experience with consumer/pro-sumer CAD software, how easy is it to load a PDF/JPEG/GIF/PNG and trace it into splines?

Copying a guitar shape from a .jpg is dead simple with the arc tool.

 

[HaMMerHeD]

Plans: How I make them. (Lots of images.) - LuthierTalk.com

 

[jarnozz]

There are lots of prints only for most standard shapes. I usuallu use those, print them out and change them with pencil to my liking. I keep on going untill I an happy with the shape

 

[pondman]

^ All you need + a little imagination.

 

[chrisxrome]

^ All you need + a little imagination.

I've got the imagination, I sell my illustrations all year round. Check the thread! AND rough pencil sketches/ideas etc

It's just for printing out 1:1 scale stuff and finalising designs in a cleaner format for first time builders. I'd rather a computer do the exact lines I need and know it's gonna be perfect as opposed to me potentially messing up big time.

Does that make sense?

 

[Watty]

Ray, you might try DeltaCAD? I use it all the time at work for tracing over scanned stuff and general photos. It's not overly powerful, but hard to beat for $30. I don't recall whether the pro stuff I used had a good means for doing what you've asked after....

 

[ElRay]

Ray, you might try DeltaCAD?

I'll have to check that one out.

Ray

 

[ElRay]

Plans: How I make them. (Lots of images.) - LuthierTalk.com

DraftSight I just re-downloaded. eMachines is Windows-only.

Ray

 

[AwDeOh]

Pffffffft.

 

[pondman]

I've got the imagination, I sell my illustrations all year round. Check the thread! AND rough pencil sketches/ideas etc

It's just for printing out 1:1 scale stuff and finalising designs in a cleaner format for first time builders. I'd rather a computer do the exact lines I need and know it's gonna be perfect as opposed to me potentially messing up big time.

Does that make sense?

I was only joshing

 

[Stereordinary]

Personally I use Adobe Illustrator. My background is in graphics design, so it was only natural for me to pursue guitar design in Illustrator. It's 2D only though, so importing files into other programs for laser or CNC purposes can sometimes be difficult.

 

[dougk]

AutoCAD. Old school like that because it's all I know. I really need to learn Solidworks though.

 

[Not The Same as Yours]

I would also recommend AutoCAD. For blue print, measuring, planning and the all pack of features that design may need, AutoCAD delivers it. And it has the advantage of going 2D and 3D.

Any other vector software can do blue prints, Corel Draw, Adobe Illustrator, Rhynoceros, etc...