Official Luthiers Forum!

Help needed,
Can anyone tell me where to find plastic templates for all the different Guitar Sizes.
Regards Robert,

Robert--

Commercially, Stew-Mac has some as I believe does LMII. I've made my own from 1/8" thick plexiglass. I typically just make 1/2 of the guitar, so any little boo-boo's in the shape are symmetrical. I'm sure that more folks will chime in here with other ideas. John Hall at Blues Creek guitars can supply paper tracings of many of the Martin models as well as others.

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

Almost all of mine came from either friends guitars, or taking a tracing off one at a local guitar shop wher ethey knew me.

For the covert operations , I would go in with just a notebook and pencil, sit down in a quiet area and play one, and then take the body shape in three goes while having it lie on my leg .. one lower, one waist and one upper, then put them together at home. Close enough for me.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Try Martin Guhl at http://www.best-eurospruce.com/index.html
he has a nice selection of templates.
Some pics here:
http://picasaweb.google.de/eurospruce/CNCDTemplates

LMI has some nice clear plastic ones that have the bracing pattern and holes drilled in it to help copy the bracing pattern to your top.

I draw my own in Corel Draw (sometimes using a photo of a guitar that I like the shape of as a guide), then cut them out of 1/4" acrylic sheet in my laser engraver. I cut small pencil-width slots in the acrylic sheet to mark the bracing positions (back and top bracing, all on one template) and center line, and a tiny round hole to mark the soundhole center.

If you have a custom shape that you need a template for, I'd be willing to make you (any OLF'er) one at cost. Let me know.

Dave F.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

John Hall at Bluescreek was mentioned. He can supply templates for many, many standard models, and he'll also make a custom shape if you send him your drawing. He does molds for all those, too.

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Carlton Macksam
Muskegon, Michigan