P90

I applaud the creative thinking behind this, but how does one actually use such a guitar-bass in a musical context?

The closest I can think of is Mike Rutherford (Genesis) and Geddy Lee (Rush) who used a dbl-neck guitar/bass, and they tended to use bass pedals when they were using the guitar side (because their prmiary function in their respective bands is as the bassist)

Thanks! So when building a wireframe grid, are you mainly starting with one curve, copying it to a nearby location, modifying it slightly, copy, modify, etc (using whatever top/front/right grid as necc) methodically until that wireframe is complete?

And what command did you mainly use in the pic in post #11 to surface the grid, networksrf? loft?

Just to give this a bump update. I was able to find a dirt-cheap v3.0 of Rhino on Ebay, and I've got the 2D shape down using polylines, no problem. All x and y axis so far.

Now where to even begin to shape a carved top onto the 2D outline I've got so far?

I can use Surface | Extrude curve | Straight to bring it into the z axis and give it thickness, but that's not really a carved top.

How to start to create something like the carved back in post #11? (obviously Rhino) What menu items?

Yes, but I never understood the "tonewood is king" marketing ploys For best sustain I would suppose the hardest woods (maple and ebony) would be best - but according to the marketing hype, these woods aren't "warm". So use an EQ!

http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator

Maybe now would be a good time to give yourself a break on the over thinking the "tone wood". Sounds like in your last three posts you are caught in the viscious cycle of marketing hype and small points.

Excellent point - 99% of an electric guitars sound is the pickups, effects, and amp! There are certain companies that have perpetuated the hype of magical "tonewoods" because that's where they make their money.

you don't need that zero point thing...not with a cam system.because there is no friction to counter

Until you break a string

(that's the point of centering devices like Ibanez zps or hipshot trem-setter)

Is the ZR the only one of Ibanez's trems to have that Zero Point tension bar thing? Where it has extra springs and extra stops to bring it back to a middle spot?

(I think the Trem-king also has a variation of that)

I'm curious how one would do a Strat with a carved top (like an LP) on CNC. There are 3 things going on the top-side: the carved top, the perimeter edge rounding, and the forearm contour.

Would each be done in separate passes?

If so, I guess the carved top comes first, but which is done next? Rounding the perimiter edges and then the forearm contour? (or the forearm contour, then the rounded edges?)

Nice work! Is there a picture of the full guitar? You can only see about half of it at the end of the video.

Hey Maxim, why not a Warmoth? If you really wanna build from scratch, great, but IMO your requirements don't really seem all that extreme.

It looks like all you need is the Soloist body:

http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/bodies/soloi...=flatop_soloist

And the Jackson headstock (or get the paddle and cut out your own design)

http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/necks/necks.cfm

(and get all the Floyd routing, and shark inlays, and whatever you want there)

Another CAD software question - what grid dimensions are most commonly worked in?

For instance, fret slots are usually done in 100th's (IE: 6.397" for the 5th fret on a 25.5" scale) whereas the most common nut width is 1 11/16" which would imply working in 1/16ths or 1/32nds (1 11/16" converts to 1.6875").

So is 1/100ths or 1/32nds for the grid?

This year there was 16 OEMs at namm with Kahlers on them last year there was.......1. Its the 80's al over. Floyd id dead.

With my marketing hat on, I'm curious as to WHY...

Are players getting tired of locking strings and allen wrenches?

Is it the routing thing if you wanna pull a Floyd up?

Does the Floyd have an "image problem" being too closely associated with hair-metal crowd?

they cannot accept drawings with splines on them.

Tonemonkey - could you explain? Do you mean something like an LP carved top?

GuitarEng - where are you located?

Also (anyone) this is a good animated demo of Rhino:

http://www.k2cnc.com/videos/GuitarProjectw...thCallouts.html

Bottomline: if I were to invest in just *ONE* software package, would Rhino be the one? ...that would allow me to model the guitar AND then bring the dwg file (and the wood) to a shop w a K2/Haas/Fadal?

Thanks! I went to the K2 website and they seem to be marketing their KG-3925 toward luthiers. Here's a FAQ page with links to a video and software demo near the bottom:

http://www.k2cnc.com/FAQ_GuitarMaking.asp

Also - moderators - should this be moved to the tools & shoptalk forum? (I dont mind)

Wammi - here is the recent Trem-King thread:

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=28692

(IMO the fixed saddles and arm positioning are sorta "Kahler-esque" )

Most any CNC shop will be able to run toolpaths off of dwg or dxf files.

Thanks! So what I need to do next is get a software app which will produce .dwg/.dxf files? Is AutoCAD a defacto standard? (You can get older versions of AutoCAD cheap on Ebay)

BTW, which Fadal/Hass machines are the most popular for luthery? What working envelope? I'm guessing the VMC2216 or VMC4020 for the Fadal or the VF1 or VF2 for the Haas?

http://www.fadal.com/?id=711

http://www.haascnc.com/VMC_MODEL_20IN.asp#VMCTreeModel

Welcome John - I've emailed you before about questions I had, and you were very helpful!

2 questions/suggestions in this open forum:

Perhaps Kahler should consider a non-behind the nut clamp, like the old original Bill Edwards finger-tite?

There's a new trem called Trem-King (they post here too - and judging by their placement of the arm between B&E, Kahler was maybe an influence) who seem to have had some luck with the strings sliding over flat Graph-Tech inserts instead of rollers - maybe you guys should experiment with something like that?

I'm a total noob at CNC. I've read through all the threads here and the one linked from here to the Gear page. I had some experience with AutoCAD at school years ago.

Is there a piece of software where I can layout on my home PC in 2-D the exact dimensions of what I need, then bring a file on a disk (CD) to a shop with a CNC, insert the disk and have it carve out what I need on a piece of lumber (which I would also supply). I would presume the most popular CNC's for this seem to be Haas or Fadal?

What software might allow me to layout the 2-D cuts at home, and bring the disk to a CNC shop?

Does anyone know if it would it help to place a small piece of material at the nut to extend it move that point closer to the bridge, kinda like an earvana?

Edit: I probably should have said to make a notch and move the nut point back, not forward.

Here's a page on the Warmoth site with a variety of 2-post trem routing dimensions - notice the width of almost all are 2.2" The exception is the Floyd.

http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/options/opti...dge_routing.cfm

Now here's the StewMac templates:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Routing_..._Templates.html

Wouild it be safe to assume that you can use the outer 2 holes of the 6-hole template for those 2-post trems above? (except the Floyd)

Second question: I don't have a Strat or a template handy. Is there any website which has those routing dimension measurements? I can't find one on Google.

Ciao! This might help:

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=16098

I had to watch the video a few more times before it hit...

Now THAT's clever! The tension bar assembly is sort of a secondary assembly that's upblocked to dive only, and the spring tension is slightly more than the string tension... which is sorta how I had my old upblocked Kahler... so even if you REALLY bend the strings, the trem wont start to dive... or if you break a string, the tension bar wont push the tremblock forward. The tremblock rests against that when diving. The trick is that the tremblock disconnects from the tension bar assembly when pulling up, and only the string tension is being used from that point. Sound about right?

(if so, I would presume it requires just *slightly* more finger pressure to dive rather than to pull up?)

Kudos to the inventor!

Thanks - I had a Kahler for years, so I'm familiar with the rollers issues. Kinda ironic considering all the manufacturing and construction that needs to go into rollers, and yet a simple piece of teflon-plastic works better.

GregP - I had a very early 80's Kahler and it had no stabilizer, so I'm not sure what they use now, maybe some kind of "zero point" thing like a tremsetter? I had mine set to dive only, so that solved the tuning issues if a string broke.

I also like how the Trem-King attaches the bar between the hi B&E strings - I liked that about my old Kahler.

But I'm still trying to figure out (looking at the pics and video) how the Trem-King addresses the "break a string and stay in tune issue". Is it by having a zero point ground onto the pivot? Or is it because the string angle coming out of the middle of the block is so slight that there's much less leverage acting against the spring/tension bar?

Interesting... Carvin sells that same neck thru as StewMac for a slightly better price: ($209 vs $243)

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_necks,...uitar_Neck.html

Otherwise, I agree with what others are saying about the router. Get a good one. Mine is an old Sears 6.5 amp and has served me well. I'm also looking into getting my own small benchtop bandsaw (about $100 - Delta, Ryobi, etc) instead of constantly borrowing others.