Guitar design - what programs are people using?

[JohnH]

Super belated thanks for all the help guys. I'll have a crack at Inkscape to see if I find it any more intuitive, but have been finding Illustrator ok so far (if very confusing).

I do have one question for anyone who uses Illustrator (here's looking at you Sonic). how in god's name do you set scales for things? Like the width of the nut, or the length of the neck? I've done some googling but am drawing a blank (possibly using wrong terminology?)

[FrankenWashie]

Super belated thanks for all the help guys. I'll have a crack at Inkscape to see if I find it any more intuitive, but have been finding Illustrator ok so far (if very confusing).

I do have one question for anyone who uses Illustrator (here's looking at you Sonic). how in god's name do you set scales for things? Like the width of the nut, or the length of the neck? I've done some googling but am drawing a blank (possibly using wrong terminology?)

Yes, i have had some similar issues, particularly in trying to measure things up and get things right.

[JohnH]

Yes, i have had some similar issues, particularly in trying to measure things up and get things right.

I'm finding it pretty infuriating. It was one of the reasons I stopped working on the designs I'd had on the go; I could draw designs I was mostly happy with, but couldn't figure out how to render them as genuine technical drawings. I got reinspired when I found this fret calculator today (http://www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fretfind2d/), but a few hours in and I'm tempted to give up again. It's so much easier to draw by hand! (At least for me)

[FrankenWashie]

I'm finding it pretty infuriating. It was one of the reasons I stopped working on the designs I'd had on the go; I could draw designs I was mostly happy with, but couldn't figure out how to render them as genuine technical drawings. I got reinspired when I found this fret calculator today (http://www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fretfind2d/), but a few hours in and I'm tempted to give up again. It's so much easier to draw by hand! (At least for me)

Yes. I know EXACTLY how you feel....

[Sonic Mountain]

Super belated thanks for all the help guys. I'll have a crack at Inkscape to see if I find it any more intuitive, but have been finding Illustrator ok so far (if very confusing).

I do have one question for anyone who uses Illustrator (here's looking at you Sonic). how in god's name do you set scales for things? Like the width of the nut, or the length of the neck? I've done some googling but am drawing a blank (possibly using wrong terminology?)

Hi John,

Yeah its a bugger. I completely understand how frustrating it can be. The problem is that you can do so much in it the options are daunting.

I started writing a "quick" crash course, but there is so much to cover. To answer your question - I use the shape tool to create objects to scale.

So for a nut that is say 42mm x 3mm I select the rectangle tool in the shapes pallet and then click on the work space. This brings up a little dimensions dialogue box. So I enter the width first and height second (to avoid extra mouse work hit tab to switch fields). You can draw a box like that to 3 decimal points of a mm. You can work out all your sizing like that and then either lock it or create a new layer, and draw over the top of it.

Have you played with the pathfinder and align pallets? Apart from the pen and selection tool those are the most important thing to know how to use. The pathfinder pallet allows you to merge shapes and cut shapes from each other as well as several other useful functions. The align and distribute pallet allows you to exactly centre objects to each other or the centre of the art board. It also lets you evenly distribute objects between them selves or to set distances. With those tools + a bit of creative fiddling with the pen tools and anchor points you can do a lot.

To do the kind of stuff you want I would look for tutorials on those things.

Selection tools (black and white pointers)
Shape Tools
Pathfinder
Align and Distribute.

I'd love to be able to demonstrate exactly what I'm talking about, but its hard to describe succinctly on the forum and I'm sure there will be videos of people better than me at explaining them.

EDIT: Yes there definitely is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSkmAwIEHKI

This guy moves very quickly, but of course you can scroll back and watch again.

The thing I always say about illustrator is - its like eating an elephant. You just need to take one bite at a time. Its good that you have something you want to do as that gives you specific things to learn. Keep at it and I'll try and answer any questions as best I can.