How to Make a Guitar

The origins of the modern guitar can be traced back to 15th century Spain. The original guitar was a small instrument with four strings. The six-string guitar that we know today came into being around the end of the 18th century. The first electric guitar was not developed until the early twentieth century. Guitar makers are called luthiers, and with perseverance, you can become a luthier and make your own guitar.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Vector drawing program
• Wood
• Woodworking tools

How To Make A Guitar

1. Read literature on guitar construction. "Make Your Own Electric Guitar" by Melvyn Hiscock at Amazon offers detailed instructions on designing a body, binding, gluing and finishing (see Resources below).
2. Decide on your design. There are many elements to take into consideration when you make a guitar including body contour. It is important that the design must match your style of playing, including the type of neck (fixed, bolt-on or thru-neck) and bridges (tremolo or fixed).
3. Transform your ideas into a plan. A vector drawing program is helpful for this. Accurately draw almost every component of your guitar: body shape, pick guard, pick-ups, switches, potmeters, cable connector and bridge. You should have a entire "paper" guitar.
4. Choose your wood. Spruce and Brazilian or Honduras mahogany are "musician grade" woods. Steer clear of gumwood and birch veneer. They require a thick coat of finish which doesn't lend itself to a good sound.
5. Assemble your tools. Most of the tools needed are run-of-the mill woodworking tools like a handsaw, block plane, drill bit, chisel, rasp, file, microplane or surform tool, router, band saw, drill press and a jointer.
6. Cut your wood along your design pattern and assemble your guitar pieces. Log on to Building a solid-body guitar for a step-by-step "how to" (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• If you are cost-conscious, eliminate the ornamental banding and purling found on commercial guitars. They don't effect the musical quality.
• Buy rather than build the pick-ups. They are the most important part of an electric guitar. Pick-ups convert the mechanical vibrations of the strings into electric pulses which are sent to the amplifier. Building them requires knowledge of magnetics and can be time consuming and frustrating.
• If you are a first-time guitar builder, make a solid-body guitar rather than a semi-acoustic guitar. A solid guitar is easier to make because the sound quality comes from the electronics. A hollow guitar will not sound good if the shape isn't just right. You need a lot of expertise to build a semi-acoustic guitar.