What kind of engineer works with guitars/bass construction?

ehlert99 asked:


I was trying to figure out which job goes with the engineering of guitars and basses but cant think of it.. can anyone help?
there has to be some kind of work behind it due to making of pick ups and the change in shape and wood can alter the feel and sound of a guitar

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 and is filed under Bass Guitars. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

3 Responses to “What kind of engineer works with guitars/bass construction?”

  1. Don S on March 27th, 2009 at 10:18 am

    I am not aware of any engineering field specifically concerned with making guitars. You may be thinking of a “luthier”, which is a guy who makes guitar-style instruments. Bear in mind that basic guitar design has not, and in all likelihood will not and CANNOT, change much in the last several hundred years. The principles governing how a guitar works have been well-established for a very long time… there isn’t really a need for “engineering” per se.

  2. Masteropie on March 30th, 2009 at 12:25 pm

    Guitars can’t be calculated, it is all trial and error. Even if the sound could be calculated what is “good sounding”? Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t.

    Electrical engineering might help with amps, but amps are mostly trial and error too.

  3. Mike on April 1st, 2009 at 1:57 am

    I disagree with both of the previous answers. I’m a drummer, and I didnt want to become a musician. so i went with materials engineering in the hope that someday i might be able to design custom cymbals :)

    But there are a few options you could consider. My school USED to have an audio engineering program. I wouldve done it too if they werent cancelling it. but look into that.

    Mechanical is just good all around. Im sure you can put it to use in designing guitars.

    Electrical would be good if you’re designing pickups or amps etc. Having engineering background is important if you’re going to be doing any sort of designing. In reality, however, to be a guitar maker, i think you just have to be a guitar maker lol. good luck

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