How to Make a Guitar-String Bracelet

Want to look like a rock star? Guitar string bracelets are the perfect fashion accessory to go with your rock 'n' roll style. Requiring little more than a guitar string you can buy at any music store or pull off your guitar when it is worn, a guitar string bracelet is cheap and can be made in just a couple of minutes.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Guitar strings Locking clasp of stud-style earring Wire cutters or sharp scissors Beads or charms

1. Start by unwinding your guitar string and laying the balled end flat in front of you. New guitar strings work best for bracelets, but if the strings on your guitar are sounding dead and you'd like to get a little more use from them, they will work just fine. The best strings for bracelets are the "A" and "D" strings, as the thickness is the easiest to work with.

2. Lay your wrist down on top of the string, giving yourself about two inches of string ending in the ball or the plastic or metal end of the string that goes into the bridge of a guitar.

3. Wrap the string around your wrist once, then thread it through the ball. Pull the length of the string all the way through the eye of your new loop, wrapping it around so it is flat against the table once again.

4. Keep your wrist and the ball firm on the table and wrap the string around and around your wrist to the desired number of rings you want for your guitar string bracelet or until you run out of string.

5. Cut any remaining length of guitar string not needed in your bracelet with wire cutters or scissors. Cutting at a 45-degree angle will make it easier to thread it through the ball a second time. It can be a tight fit. You want to leave a 1/4-inch of space after the final thread is complete.

6. Thread the remaining short length of string through the eye of the ball a second time, pulling the entire guitar string bracelet tight but not so tight that it cuts of circulation or leaves indentations in your wrist!

7. Snip the string once again, this time straight across so that you have a blunt edge. Using a clasp taken from the back of a stud-style earring or purchased from a craft store, fasten the loose end. This will keep it in place and prevent it from cutting your wrist.

8. Adjust the string on your wrist until you have the look you like.

Tips & Warnings

• Try using guitar strings that come wrapped at the top with thread for added color to your guitar string bracelets.
• Do not use the all-nylon classical-style guitar strings for bracelets, as they lack the end necessary to make an easy clasp.

[xephyr]

on 10/30/2009 Tip: I made a couple of these but instead of putting it through the loops I used a small short amount of duct tape to tape down the end and heat shrink tubing (I used 3/16" tubing, it shrinks down to 3/32" with a lighter, but you may use smaller tubing if you're skilled enough or use more tape to make it thicker where the tubing will melt for a better fit), much easier, comfortable with rubber tubing where the sharp point end of the string is. They look and feel great, thanks to the original poster for giving me an outline of where to go with making one.