Michall Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Hi everybody! I just want to make quick question: What materials are suitable for making prototypes of the guitar bodies? Or for some tests of your own design? I dont have any experience but i imagine that there will be lot of cutting, testing and lot of failure attempts, so wood is little bit hard to work with.. Thx! Michall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Of course we use wood for prototypes...and wood is the easiest to use as well...you just use inexpensive woods for the prototypes...sometimes.A lot of the guys around here use construction grade pine for their first..even I tested my first laminations and cutting on pine,although I hate pine and would never put strings on it. Alder is one of the cheapest woods around,and is used in guitars by all of the higher end manufacturers...maple for the neck is only a bit more expensive,but it takes very little of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Poplar and basswood are also very cheap and are commonly used in factory guitars. There are quite a few tonewoods that are also cheap enough to experiment on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michall Posted July 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 Ok I thought there is some plastic-like material:), nevermind.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim37 Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 Ok I thought there is some plastic-like material:), nevermind.. you could buy some machinable plastic if you just want to prototype up a body but wood would proablaby be cheaper. lol i said "wood would". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 At least you didn't say "but butt"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuntinDoug Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Here is something I keep on hand for CNC prototypes. It is extruded polystyrene shiplap insulation. It is light weight, easy to machine, and cheap. I just picked up a 4 x 8 x 1 1/2" sheet. with tax it was $25.01. This link shows a 1/2" sheet. My local Lowes carries both 1 1/2" & 1/2": polystyrene sheet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm99 Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 (edited) You can make a guitar body out of anything you like, as long as it has enough strength to support the pull of the strings. Even if it doesn't, you can do a string through design or something. EDIT: I once made a guitar out of nothing but ambient air, help together by the power of my mind. It wasn't very loud, but the tone I heard was better than any guitar I've ever heard in my life. Hmm...Maybe I ought to make a copy of that and sell it. Air guitars, anyway? Is there an interest? I could produce proprietary parts as well. Edited July 23, 2011 by dpm99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim37 Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 i guy sold one on ebay a few years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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