Has anyone built a guitar looking for plans (pay is fine) and any sort of advice

It’s mostly in the title, building a guitar has hit my “oh I have to try that list”. So at this point I am just looking for the basics.

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I have had it on my list for ages as well but never happened. There are some good tutorials out there on how to design one if you are looking for an electric guitar, but I didn’t get to it yet. It’s half finished. :smiley:

I just can not believe the PrusaCaster was not in @Tokoloshe’s response :grin:

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That’s plastic. Boo! :smiley:

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Mostly millable, no?

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I’ve got an STL of a Telecaster, not knowing whether it’s correct, but maybe it helps:
Tele Body.zip (106.4 KB)

That would be fun in aluminium… :stuck_out_tongue:

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I don’t play guitar…but I’d make one just to say I did lol…

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This is also on my list to try someday. I would likely just make the body and buy a neck the first time around.

The important part of the prusacaster link maybe is that there is a 3D model that works with a known kit that cost $80.

So 3D print or mill, it might be a good starting point to read through

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Current status of my project (two years ago):

I’ve built 7 electric guitars. Non with CNC though as my in progress LR4 will be my first. I’m happy to help with any questions or point you to resources. I’ve been planning on building an acoustic for a long time but haven’t gotten around to starting the build so I can only really recommend some books/resources that seem helpful to me on that front.

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For my brother I created a guitar body, - took the parts from a donor guitar and made this one Guitar. there are a bunch of templates available here with a little work you can get parse out some toolpaths. Guitar Templates Archive | Electric Herald

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Thanks for the replies, lots to look over.

I was thinking with the Prusa body to mill then epoxy fill the honeycomb.

What should i be planning for budget wise for the hardware. I am assuming the kit link hardware is “entry level” I not looking for top of the line but 80% top of the line.

As for wood there was that slab of purple heart at the lumber shop but that’s another thread :slight_smile: and I have to get my LR4 built.

ooooofffff my back hurts even thinking of a purple heart guitar! If you want purple heart I would make it a cap on a chambered body!

that’s why guitars have straps :slight_smile: … another thing to consider

mid you I watched a youtube they used a blank that was a curly maple face plain wood on the back , the neck was curly. With a black stain job on the body and the neck was natural it looked very nice.

Yeah, that’s pretty standard practice. Highly figured wood is expensive and often heavy so they are almost always used as veneers. The veneer thickness can vary anyway from 1/32 inch for something cheap up to a half or full inch thick for a fancy carved top like a PRS or Les Paul. A chambered body is a fancy way of saying that pockets are cut in the main body before attaching the decorative cap to further reduce weight. This picture illustrates it well. But if you did a light wood like alder or similar that’s probably not 100% necessary.

Here are a few I’ve built with that construction style:
Burled maple on a cherry back

New Zealand Rimu on a Sapele back

Painted maple on a Sapele back

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Those are very nice

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Look at my picture above… The body is red… :smiley: I do have red heart now but I first wanted to make it out of purple heart as well… :smiley: