guitar plans

[Dan of SC]

Hello All, Can anyone here recommend a set of plans to build a dreadnought guitar? There are a lot of them out there but I'd really like to have a recommendation. Thanks, Danny Gray

[bpatrick]

I have built a dread using plans from GenOne Luthier Supply (formerly Georgia Luthier Supply). https://genone-luthier-supply.com/co...t-guitar-plans. These plans are pdf digital downloads. If you want full large prints, you will have to take them to a print shop with a large scale printer. I have access to a large printer, so no problem for me. I also print out plans on a regular small laser printer and tape the sheets together. This can be done with accurate results if your printer prints to accurate dimensions.

I have built L-00s and OMs using free plans from Monsieur Grellier: http://grellier.fr/fr/telechargements. In my opinion, the Grellier plans are better than non-free plans available from the usual Luthier Suppliers, GAL, etc. These plans are available as .dxf files. I have modified the Grellier plans using QCad as needed to suit my needs, such as bolt on necks, open headstocks, different bridge designs, etc.

There are also plans for a ukulele, and 00 guitar on the Grellier plans webpage...

[Jonathan Ward]

The plans from GenOne are good. I've also used the Stew-Mac dread plans for many years with excellent success.

[Dan of SC]

Thanks to both you guys for responding to this. Now I'm getting somewhere!

[Dan of SC]

The plans from GenOne are good. I've also used the Stew-Mac dread plans for many years with excellent success.

I assume you're talking about StewMac's Herringbone guitar plans. It's the only dreadnought plan they have that I can see. It's been noted that this plan does not include the top and back radius. What measurements did you use for these?

[Dan of SC]

Last night I downloaded the dreadnought plans from GenOne. Just looking at them on my computer I'm very pleased. Everything on the plans is crystal clear, plus they contain some explanations and some helpful instructions. Thanks to bpatrick and Jonathon Ward.

[Jonathan Ward]

I assume you're talking about StewMac's Herringbone guitar plans. It's the only dreadnought plan they have that I can see. It's been noted that this plan does not include the top and back radius. What measurements did you use for these?

I forgot that they don't call it a regular dreadnaught. I use a 28' radius for the top and 15' for the back. If memory serves, Stew-Mac recommended 18' for the back radius.

Eliminating the herringbone purfling and rosette gets you a D-18. Leave it in, and you get a D-28. (Extremely minor construction details, in my opinion.)

Best of luck on your build.

[bpatrick]

If you're into modifying plans, I've used Adobe Illustrator (expensive) and Affinity Designer (not very expensive) to convert pdf plan files into dxf plan files. Once in dxf, plans can be modified using QCad (open source - free CAD program) or most any other CAD program.

PDFs can be directly edited using Illustrator or Designer, however, drawings are hard to manipulate in these programs because of their lack of technical CAD specific capabilities.

[HoGo]

If you're into modifying plans, I've used Adobe Illustrator (expensive) and Affinity Designer (not very expensive) to convert pdf plan files into dxf plan files. Once in dxf, plans can be modified using QCad (open source - free CAD program) or most any other CAD program.

PDFs can be directly edited using Illustrator or Designer, however, drawings are hard to manipulate in these programs because of their lack of technical CAD specific capabilities.

I've created whole F-5 drawings in Adobe Photoshop. I never regretted the step and still use it when I need to start drawing using photographs as base material. Only later I converted teh drawings to Illustrator (when my old PC wasn't able to handle the file size anymore) and even later I went to Rhino (CAD) just to create 3D model.
Illustrator or similar vector graphics SW packages can be easier to learn and less expensive even though they don't offer zillion of mighty tools.