Official Luthiers Forum!

Does anyone have any fret board art that they would be willing to share?

I would be willing to cut anything that is shared for that person on a laser using the Universal - HPDFO lens that will cut shell or other substrate nicely. I would be willing to cut on a cnc if need be. Files for best results would need to be vector. It is possible to raster and color fill the micro-fractures that the laster leaves but this doesn't always make for a full proof job. Could also use real wood something with a lot of contrast like osage orange etc.

Are any of you guys familiar with CLTT (color laser toner transfer- look at Sawmill Creek Engraving forum for more info) and have you used it effectively on instruments?

Thanks,

Kevin Waldron

That is quite an offer...are you looking for inlay style art, or engraving? I will probably answer my own question when I visit your site, but I figured I'd ask...

Stephen

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www.ziegenfussguitars.com

Stephen,

I'm looking for inlay primarily.

Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Are you looking for something with a cohesive theme, such as Michael Payne's maple leaf set?

Or a vine?

And if it is a set that will only work at a specific string scale (such as a vine set with specific position markers connected to the vine, then what scale length are you looking for?

Here's Michael's set (as available from Ande DePaule at Luthier Supply)



Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Dennis,

I am looking for something similiar to what you show from Depaul.

The problem with Depaul is that he only has his things in JPG or PDF format. For me to use these I will have to convert using a trace program and then clean them up befor I can cut them. I was hoping that someone had already done this kind of work in a vector format, dxf,eps,wmf,dwg, etc.

My goal is to try and use more real wood in contrasting colors than using the shell products.

I haven't seen any guitar makers using any 3d wood carvings on the peghead or neck heel. It is possible to do 3d in great detail with the laser or cnc, not sure why more people are not experimenting with this.

No one has responded to using the color transfer technology, are any of you guys using any pictures or anything on the backs or fronts of instruments and then sealing/finishing into the instrument?

Kevin

This is how I do mine , it's not 3d, it's 2-1/2d. Here is some work on the back of the headstock. My logo on the face.

Lance,

That looks great. That's what I'm talking about.

Thanks, for the show and tell.

Kevin

The guys at Petros guitars have all kinds of laser cut and laser engraved widgets on their instruments.

It's hard to put in 3D carving, relief, etc while keeping the look of the instrument elegant, at least to my eye. Pulling it off technically is easy if you have a well equipped shop, but pulling it off aesthetically is much harder. Of course, there are as many different views on aesthetics as anything else (just look at all the different preferences in the aesthetics of woods used!)

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Ouch! Those guys are nuts. They claim no CNC though, what's up?

Well, it quacks like a duck. I feel slightly worse for saying it considering what they say, but it's an awfully big coincidence that every one of their carvings has all the signs of laser cutting (darkened floors, only 2 1/2D details). I know of one prominent luthier, also very critical of CNC, who has his bridges CNCed for him as well.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Not critical enough to not want to buy some well made parts though I guess...

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http://www.PeakeGuitars.com