Guitar manufacturing
Frets and strings, for example, are now almost exclusively made out of metal, which is much longer lasting and more ideal than organic material.
Some common tools used by luthiers today are a Band saw, Drill Press, Table Saw, Stationary Sander, Jointer, C Clamps, Sanding Board, Column Sander, Power Planer, Dovetail Saw, Scraper blades, Hand Files, Router, and Sand Paper.
Typical woods used for the body and neck of a guitar today are Mahogany, Ash, Maple, Basswood, Agathis, Alder, Poplar, Walnut, Spruce, and holly.
Some of these exotic tonewoods include Koa, Rosewood, Bubinga, Korina, Lacewood, Zebrawood, Padouk, Redwood, and Wenge.
Other parts of the modern guitar such as tuners, frets, the bridge, and pickups are made out of metals and plastics.
In addition, as tonal woods that offer the best sound quality become increasingly hard to come by, manufacturers are exploring different materials for the neck and body of guitars.
[4][5] It is highly machinable, weldable, and strong enough to withstand the tension created by the strings while maintaining a relatively low weight.
A common choice of a CAD (Computer Aided Design) system is Solidworks, which is utilized by Taylor Guitars.
This allows for consistency and convenience in the design process, whether the guitar is made out of wood, metal, polymer, or any machinable substance.
The CAM software takes the 3D model created in the CAD system and uses a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, also known as a CNC router (typically a vertical machining center) to cut out the 2D pieces from, in the example above, a sheet of aluminum.
The pieces cut from the sheets of aluminum are assembled by a worker using a TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welder.
It is merely a tool to reduce variance between guitars, allowing the craftsman to do their jobs more efficiently and quickly.
Gibson Guitar Corporation has had 2 policies relating to the manufacturing of quality instruments throughout their 100 plus years of manufacturing: "Buy or invent machines for dangerous or repetitive operations requiring great accuracy and employ a highly skilled worker when the human touch or the musician’s ear is required.
