# What do you use to draw up guitar blueprints?



## chrisxrome (Nov 27, 2013)

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!


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## turenkodenis (Nov 27, 2013)

My soft for bluprints - Corel Draw X6

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


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## RG570LC (Nov 27, 2013)

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


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## foreright (Nov 27, 2013)

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


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## fwd0120 (Nov 27, 2013)

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


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## ElRay (Nov 27, 2013)

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


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## Berserker (Nov 27, 2013)




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## redstone (Nov 27, 2013)

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



ElRay said:


> 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.


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## HaMMerHeD (Nov 27, 2013)

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


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## jarnozz (Nov 27, 2013)

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


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## pondman (Nov 27, 2013)

Berserker said:


>



^ All you need + a little imagination.


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## chrisxrome (Nov 27, 2013)

pondman said:


> ^ 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?


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## Watty (Nov 27, 2013)

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....


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## ElRay (Nov 28, 2013)

Watty said:


> Ray, you might try DeltaCAD?



I'll have to check that one out.

Ray


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## ElRay (Nov 28, 2013)

HaMMerHeD said:


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



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

Ray


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## AwDeOh (Nov 28, 2013)

Berserker said:


>



Pffffffft.


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## pondman (Nov 28, 2013)

chrisxrome said:


> 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


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## Stereordinary (Nov 30, 2013)

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.


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## dougk (Nov 30, 2013)

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


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## tmo (Dec 3, 2013)

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...


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## DistinguishedPapyrus (Dec 3, 2013)

I use Microsoft Paint to make the shape of the body in relation to a 1x1 grid, then transfer that by hand onto a full size sheet of poster board with a 1x1 grid.


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## HaMMerHeD (Dec 4, 2013)

tmo said:


> 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...



DraftSight by Dassault Systemes is basically a port/copy of AutoCAD 2008. And it's free. It's definitely a good way to go for anyone looking to a reasonable alternative to forking over one's life savings to Autodesk.

Also, for people who prefer a more art-like approach (rather than the decidedly engineering approach of AutoCAD), Inkscape is a free open source alternative to vector drawing programs like Illustrator. It's not perfect, but it's free and functional. Some people are doing some pretty amazing stuff with it.

ALSO:

Once you have your drawing, if you then want to go to a full-size print, you can use CutePDF Writer (also free!) to print to PDF on large format paper, which can then be taken to just about any FedEx Office type place and printed on a plotter or just a few bucks.


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## tmo (Dec 4, 2013)

I do appreciate freeware, however, I also do work with AutoCAD, so...


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## Fretless (Dec 4, 2013)

autocad. I draw things, and I never build em!


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## HaMMerHeD (Dec 4, 2013)

tmo said:


> I do appreciate freeware, however, I also do work with AutoCAD, so...



Right...but I figured other people might appreciate the options.


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