Custom Carbon Fibre Guitar

[Pugsport]

well as some of you may know I've just started up my own composite and one of the first people to come and ask me about me stuff was a nice bloke that wants a custom carbon fibre guitar made.

well as I've not got much of an idea about guitars i maybe looking to some of you lot that do to give me information on parts and also looking for advice from the rest of you for other input like what weave pattern you think looks best and what fabric to use etc etc

i was dumped in at the deep end really with starting on a project that i know very little about so I've been doing some reading up on them and making drawings from which i can work when it comes to it. The customer has also made things that little harder by just saying that all they want it a acoustic guitar and the rest is down to me, which means i have no idea whats parts to use. i have now made up my mind thanks to Damageinc for his input that I'm going to be going with a 20 frets board but as yet not much else has been sorted out. I'm still trying to make up my mind if i should use a wooden neck (for the kind of modern meets old school tech look) or get one to mold from and make a full carbon fibre neck so looking for your thoughts on that one.

so far my workings out are as follows



if anyone would like to recommend a good neck for fair money then please feel free and like wise with any other parts that would be needed to make the guitar complete

ill also try and keep this up to date as things move along

 

[Voodoo]

Composite == 3d printer?

Unsure with Terminology here.

If it is a 3d Printer - please keep this updated. I think 3d printers are awesome, but I barely understand the basics of how they work etc. etc. I understand a few varieties and I know how the image is constructed into materiel, but the programming stuff perplexes me. Well, pretty much everything except system.out.print in java confuses me lol.

Also, what is the price range for this kind of stuff? How much does it cost?

 

[Bambi]

Pug, could you make carbon bike frames from this process, or am I thinking too large...?

 

[Pugsport]

Pug, could you make carbon bike frames from this process, or am I thinking too large...?

this is how they make carbon bike frames so to answer your question yes you can

- - - Updated - - -

Composite == 3d printer?

Unsure with Terminology here.

If it is a 3d Printer - please keep this updated. I think 3d printers are awesome, but I barely understand the basics of how they work etc. etc. I understand a few varieties and I know how the image is constructed into materiel, but the programming stuff perplexes me. Well, pretty much everything except system.out.print in java confuses me lol.

Also, what is the price range for this kind of stuff? How much does it cost?

nope its not with a 3d printer altho i am looking at getting one

 

[Bambi]

this is how they make carbon bike frames so to answer your question yes you can

Oh, sorry, with all this talk of 3D printers thats what I thought you were using - which massively confused me. Looks good. I'll be interested to see the updates. I read about a guy who made his own mould and bike frames.

 

[DamageINC]

Yeah, i can't wait to see how this progresses and turns out.

 

[Pugsport]

Oh, sorry, with all this talk of 3D printers thats what I thought you were using - which massively confused me. Looks good. I'll be interested to see the updates. I read about a guy who made his own mould and bike frames.

no worries man and if its bike frames you want i could make you one lol. yes its all about 3d printers for most people now but that is one thing i do want and will have soon

Yeah, i can't wait to see how this progresses and turns out.

well man if you get time/bored between doing what ever you do during the day you can find me a bridge and all the other metal parts in need for the guitar. looking to keep everything brass, copper, stainless steel or nickel (not sure if i want a floating tho bridge as i just think it looks cheap)

once i have them we can choose what matting to use out of this list

Bronze Carbon Fibre

Standard 2/2 twill weave Carbon Fibre

Silver Reflective Carbon Fibre
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii131/pugsport85/carbon%20fibre%20and%20glass%20matting/reflectivecarbonfibersilver.jpg[/IMG]
also possible 4/4 twill weave Carbon Fibre but not sure it would look as nice as 2/2

 

[DamageINC]

I'm pretty sure most acoustics don't use floating bridges.

I'll try and find some stuff. I'm not really very knowledgeable on guitar parts. I had to pay someone to install my pickups lol.

 

[Pugsport]

I'm pretty sure most acoustics don't use floating bridges.

I'll try and find some stuff. I'm not really very knowledgeable on guitar parts. I had to pay someone to install my pickups lol.

haha well anything is better than nothing at the moment i have a few bit to do before i can think moulding and making and im so wanting to make a start already lol

 

[Pugsport]

well there could have been a little change of plan with this build. it started out as a one off build but could now turn into this one and another one although the second guitar would be a little different to look at and also would be a little different in the way it would not be for sale but rather given away.

so far ive found: -

Gold/brass fret wire: - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271166037992?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
or
Chrome fret wire: - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160543757839?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Truss Rod: - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130814168202?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Chrome Bridge Pins: - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271167900550?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
or
Brass Bridge Pins: - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400452775319?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Chrome end strap button: - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111047122426?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
or
Brass end strap button: - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290707099469?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Set of machine heads tuners 3 a side acoustic chrome or gold: - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400456660...eName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

but im still not able to find a metal bridge let alone a chrome or brass one. also apart from strings is there anything else i need to add to the parts list?

 

[Pugsport]

ok well ive been looking around forages now and still not able to find a metal bridge i like so think its going to end up a carbon fibre bridge.

my next little issue is the metal parts on the guitar. Should they be Gold plated or should they be chrome or maybe even another colour, what do you guys think on this one?

 

[Bambi]

Either will look fantastic. Chrome and black gives a really clean finish, whereas gold and black looks classic and rich. I would probably opt for the latter, but it is personal taste, and matching it with the customer I guess. Is this your work or a hobby?

 

[Pugsport]

Either will look fantastic. Chrome and black gives a really clean finish, whereas gold and black looks classic and rich. I would probably opt for the latter, but it is personal taste, and matching it with the customer I guess. Is this your work or a hobby?

yes i think the gold and cf would look and could very well be the route i go down. what as in build guitars or work with carbon fibre?

sound hole cover design for the guitar

not sure yet if this will be made of carbon fibre with a metal M inlay plated to match or if it will be made of metal and plated to match the rest

 

[Bambi]

Work with carbon fiber? I'm guessing yes. If not, dang thats some awesome passion.

Also, thanks for the bike offer, maybe in the future when I have lots of money, but for now I am most poor.

Looks good, what is the significance of the M?

 

[Pugsport]

Work with carbon fiber? I'm guessing yes. If not, dang thats some awesome passion.

Also, thanks for the bike offer, maybe in the future when I have lots of money, but for now I am most poor.

Looks good, what is the significance of the M?

well i part own a carpentry company and have also just started up the carbon fibre business (started out as an interest and has grown from there). so yes there is a passion for cf there lol also liking the idea of a challenge of making the guitar as ive never made one before

your welcome although it maybe something i do at a later date even if its just a project for myself and to show what i can do. so you could see it happen at some point along with some pc, xbox, ps3 and other one off stuff

thanks i was toying with the idea of not having the 4inch round sound hole and going for something different but i like the classic look in some ways. all will become clear when you see the photos of the head stock design

 

[DamageINC]

Is this what you're looking for? Not sure if they would ship to the UK though.

And i agree with Bambi. Either gold or chrome would look good. Personally, i'd prefer gold.

http://www.allparts.com/acoustic-guitar-bridges

Looks like they have a UK distributor.

http://www.allparts.uk.com/

 

[Pugsport]

Is this what you're looking for? Not sure if they would ship to the UK though.

And i agree with Bambi. Either gold or chrome would look good. Personally, i'd prefer gold.

http://www.allparts.com/acoustic-guitar-bridges

aye man although i think im gonna go with something like this http://www.allparts.com/GB-0850-0E0-Ebony-Acoustic-Bridge_p_1595.html but maybe make if from cf or get it done in metal and gold plate or chrome it (not sure how the metal version would be at vibration transfer tho)

yep for sure im swing more to the gold route lol.

Head stock design (might lose the company logo from there tho as i think it makes it look cheap and nasty)


Scratch plate (photo out of focus tho lol but will be metal and plated to match everything else)


also gonna try for a custom cf fretboard and gold frets and if i get time and can by arsed by that point some gold plated string pegs. im hoping the only stock ish bits are gonna be the nut and saddle

 

[DamageINC]

Martin is also a very well known maker of acoustic guitars so it would probably be a good idea to leave it off.

So you're going to cut the fret slots and fret it yourself?

 

[Pugsport]

Martin is also a very well known maker of acoustic guitars so it would probably be a good idea to leave it off.

So you're going to cut the fret slots and fret it yourself?

haha i was talking the EA Composites by the nut lol. the Martin S is the persons name the guitar is for

its possible or i may by a fret board to take a mould of, so i dont have to do all the markings out etc

 

[Jack]

if you were thinking of using wood for the neck/fretboard, id recomend mahogany, it seems to be pretty good for strength, tone, etc. for fretboard itself, rosewood or ebony are the best, most hardwoods are the best, i used ebony when i made mine, if you really wanted to make something crazy, try snakewood, coolest looking and most solid wood there is.