Sobot Posted June 4, 2005 Report Share Posted June 4, 2005 Hi. I'm new to the forum. I'm planning on making my own homemade guitar, and I have already planned out what I want it to look like, the pickups, hardware, etc. Here's the thing. My dad owns his own buisness and has 3 CNC router tables. I know for a fact I want to make my first guitar a strat shape, because it would be easy because I already have a strat. Anyways... Do you think It's be good to use the CNC? I think the hardest part would be to draw the strat on autocad or something, it would be hard to get all the exact measurments. I know that you can go and buy strat templates and stuff and use a bandsaw, but my dad doesn't have a bandsaw. SO what do you think? good idea? bad idea? Thanks for any input. PS. I'm using a 1 piece 20"x14"x1.75" piece of mahogany... and the guitar will hve 1 pickup and no pickguard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted June 4, 2005 Report Share Posted June 4, 2005 use the cnc.it is just a tool that will make your life very easy.some guys will tell you the guitar will "have no soul",but i believe that it is the years of playing that give a guitar a personality,not hours on a bandsaw and with a sanding block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sobot Posted June 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2005 use the cnc.it is just a tool that will make your life very easy.some guys will tell you the guitar will "have no soul",but i believe that it is the years of playing that give a guitar a personality,not hours on a bandsaw and with a sanding block. ← Alright thanks for your input. Yeah, I've heard of people saying that it's not truly homemade when you do CNC work But I'm only gonna do CNC for the shape of the body I'm planning on doing the routing myself for the neck joint area, the pickup, the jack, and... that's it, not trem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 I'd say if you have access to it, go for it. There's always the added plus of learning to use the CNC router too. I can't be sure of your age, but knowing how to opperate one of those could turn into a job, to earn money, to build more guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 Anyone that tells you using a CNC doesn't make it home made is jealous and/or has never used one. In fact, why use any tools at all...you should be able to knaw on a chunk of wood for a few years until you get the right shape you want.... I think you should do as much CNC stuff as possible. If you can do the neck pocket on the CNC, do it. No sense not using a tool just because it makes things easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sobot Posted June 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 Good news. I now know exactly what I need to do to use the CNC router. And I already put my design into AutoCAD... and it's no longer a strat design! Thanks for the inputer guys. I WILL post pictures of it being made on the CNC table and once the body is done etc.... final product.... but that will come in a few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOJO Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 Good news. I now know exactly what I need to do to use the CNC router. And I already put my design into AutoCAD... and it's no longer a strat design! Thanks for the inputer guys. I WILL post pictures of it being made on the CNC table and once the body is done etc.... final product.... but that will come in a few weeks. ← Love to see pics when your done.. Man i wish i had Cad knowledge and access to CNC machine..i'd probably never have to buy another custom guitar again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGGR Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 I just want to say......why make strat when you have CNC available.........but I think you figured that out yourself already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 I'd just like to say... If you need more practice on CNC, I could help you out by supplying a plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGM Guitars Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 The only reason I would say build your first by hand, is simply so you get a FULL understanding of building a guitar and what goes into it. Understand why there is a neck angle, understand why there is a radius, or body cutaway's etc. By trade I am a machinist. I learned machining initially on manual machines. If I hadn't done that first, when I started working on CNC machines I would have been doing nothing more than pushing buttons. Understanding the materials, how the cutting tools work, and why a design is the way it is allows you to trouble shoot when there is a problem. After you've built by hand, building by CNC just becomes easier. If I had a CNC machine now I'd use it, but I don't. That's ok though, I like working by hand still. I would suggest building one by hand, but that's just my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanKirk Posted June 5, 2005 Report Share Posted June 5, 2005 But I'm only gonna do CNC for the shape of the body I'm planning on doing the routing myself for the neck joint area, the pickup, the jack, and... that's it, not trem. Personally, I would CNC the routes and shape the body by hand. The routes need to be precise while the body shape is more forgiving if you need to alter it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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