SguitarM527 Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 im in a real mess. the templates i ordered for my guitar didnt come in time, so long story short i have to make due without them. whats some helpful tips on getting the guitar shape, the next shape, and everything else such as routing right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minideluxe Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 Make-em. better to stuff up some ply or mdf than the good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 Who'd you order from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fidgec94 Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 im in a real mess. the templates i ordered for my guitar didnt come in time, so long story short i have to make due without them. whats some helpful tips on getting the guitar shape, the next shape, and everything else such as routing right? I may have missed this from another thread but what's the rush anyway? I dont think you should 'make do', accurate free-hand routing is a skill to say the least. Template making may take time intially, but with a good template you can produce a very clean cut/rout time and time again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 i ordered from guitarbuildingtemplates.com, not knowing that they take a while to deliver. anyways, how would i go about making a template... i dont know the routing paterns or anything, this is my first guitar... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travis Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 What template did you order? Why the hurry? Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmo Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 i ordered from guitarbuildingtemplates.com, not knowing that they take a while to deliver. anyways, how would i go about making a template... i dont know the routing paterns or anything, this is my first guitar... Bad choice! You should have gone to a strat like guitar... easier projects to begin with are the way to grow the likes of building up things... That sort of project isn't quite helpfull in that matter... just my thought Best of luck for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 i dont like strats so i went with a tele...i need help desperately, how would i go about making a template its too late to turn back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travis Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 That is why I ask. To get you started you could download the dxf drawing from guitarbuild.com You can download a free viewer/printer from there as well. Print it out on several pieces of paper, tape them together, and you can start laying out your wood. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 I hate to say it but patience is a great skill to have when building guitars, it can keep you from totally messin up a project, I should know, I've done it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 I hate to say it but patience is a great skill to have when building guitars, it can keep you from totally messin up a project, I should know, I've done it.. It's also the most important tool to have beside knowledge of what your getting into....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 Just wait for the templates!!!!! it'll save you time in the long run. if you try and not use them and make a mistake you'll have to go back to square one and start over. Being impatient at the beginning of a project doesn't bode well for it later on when you HAVE to wait for such things as glue drying, paint/laquer drying etc. I've said this a million times before. If you find yourself saying "thats good enough" STOP!!!!! Put it down and back away!! Go find something else to do and come back to it tomorrow with a clear head and keep working Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 smart words guys, i tend to agree, what's so important thatit can't wait for the proper tools and blueprints/ templates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 ok heres the whole story: i am at my grandfathers house in upstate ny, (i live in nj). my grandpa builds furniture for a living so he has a woodworking shop which is very nice. anyways, he has 2 houses a vacation house and a normal house, they are about 5 hours apart. i ordered the template delivered to the vacation house, and we just left there yesterday, and wont be going back untill about 2 days before i leave ny. there is no way i can build a guitar in 2 days so as you know im in a bit of a mess... thats it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 No, but if your wood blank is already ready, you could cut out the body and do all the routing and rough-sanding in one day, easy. If the wood is already there, just have your grandfather join and glue the blank together (I'm assuming it is a 2-piece body) and thickness-plane it for you. Then it's ready for the template work when you show up. Patience grasshopper.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 No, but if your wood blank is already ready, you could cut out the body and do all the routing and rough-sanding in one day, easy. yes i understand that, but the problem is, how do i know the shape, the routing areas and everything else without the template... i mean, obviously i can try to do it freehand and stuff, but its my first guitar and i dont wanna mess it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travis Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 That is why I told you to go and download the drawing. You can get everything but the neck pocket and the pickup routing from the drawing at guitarbuild.com That way you can at least cut the body out and get started.. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 well i did that but for somereason turbocad 2.0 2d wont recognize anything... i dunno, probably something with my computer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 there's no reason you can't make a guitar in 2 days....the part that needs tools at least.... like erikbojerik said, just wait for the templates... you know you need a glued up blank that measures at least 14"x18" x1.75" cuff cutting, shaping, routing, and drilling a body takes a bout 3 hours with the right tools... especially a tele, since there won't be a arm rest of gut cut that's half the work right there. same thing with the neck, if you already have the blank glued up and planed to proper thickness it would take less then an hour to rout the truss rod slot and rout out the shape of the neck, then glue on your fretboard (i'm asuuming you got a preslotted and radiused board) Slapping those templates on and using a good sharp template or flush trim bit will take no time at all. Just make sure you ruff cut the body and neck shape once you get the templates in THEN rout, it will help prevent tear out, and reduce wear and routing time. Again easily do-able in 2 days, after that all you need is a spokeshave, some sand paper, maybe a drill, and a radius sanding block for radiusing.Fretting and finishing the guitar doesn't really require wood working tools other then a fretting hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 ok that sounds easy enough... i guess im just OCDing (if thats a word) cause this is my first custom guitar and iw ant it to come out right. I go back to my grandpas vacation house on wednesday, where hopefully the templates will be waiting. i ordered a pre-radiused, pre-slotted fingerboard, a neck blank, and an ash body blank all from stew mac, so thats all set. i just wish this turbocad program would work so i could get the correct body shape... also, i can have it overnighted, how much binding do you think i need... im not sure how much to order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 measuring the perimeter of my tele i got 54 inches (four and a half feet), that's taking into account the cut away aswell, so i'd say get 5 feet or more to give yourself so room to play with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 ok thanks alot, also, turbocad just started working so now im printing out plans for a tele, therefore, i can start, thanks so much guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 just make sure they're the right size, check as many measurements on the page with an actual ruler, it would suck to get stuck with a blank that was to small once you do get your templates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 ugh... it may not matter as much as i think it does, but when i printed out the "template" of the telecaster from turbo cad, it came on 8 sheets of paper, except there is about 1/10 of an inch on all four sides of each sheet thats just white, no ink is printed, therefore, between each sheet of paper there is 2/10's empty space... im cutting that out using a ruler, a pencil and some scissors, but im afraid my cuts wont be straight and the body will come out a fraction of an inch too small... does this matter as much as i think it does? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajunboy2k Posted July 18, 2004 Report Share Posted July 18, 2004 SguitarM527: The printout of the RG body did the same thing on my printer. 1/10" from the edge. I used the pencil and ruler method, the cut slowly with scisors. It turned out real nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.