Steps on How to Make a Guitar

A guitar can be made out of a variety of materials.

If you like to play guitar, or you just like interesting projects to do around the house, why not try making your own guitar? It's fairly straightforward, and a homemade guitar can be as elaborate as a stained rosewood and steel string masterpiece, or as basic as a plywood guitar box with rubber band strings.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil and paper
• Wood
• Guitar strings
• Frets
• Bridge with pins
• Tuners
• Carving router
• Glue
• Nails or screws
• Wood clamps
• Table vice
• Sandpaper
• Stain or paint
• Heat source

Instructions

1. 

   Draw an image of the guitar to use as a template for cutting the guitar pieces.

   Draw the design of your guitar and use it as a guide to trace the shape onto the wood. A guitar can be made out of any wood, in any shape you desire. Use a plunger router or precise carving drill to cut out the guitar pieces, carefully following the lines of the template. The wood for an acoustic guitar should be about 1/4 inch thick for the front, rear and side body sections.

2. 

   Use the front and back sections as a template for bending the side panel.

   Cut a strip of 1/4-inch thick wood at least 65 inches long for the side panel of the guitar body. It should be about 4-5 inches in width. Soak the strip of wood in hot water for about five minutes, turn the strip on its side and secure one edge in a table vice so it stands firmly upright. Position one of the pieces for the guitar's body so it is lying flat and abutting the edge of the side piece. Secure the two sections together with a small nail or screw. Working on one section at a time, slowly bend the side strip to follow the contours of the guitar body. The wood should begin to take shape as you mold it, but if you have difficulty, try using a heat source like an iron set on low or a light bulb placed close to the wood. Once the side panel is shaped, apply glue to adhere the top and bottom pieces with the side panel and secure with wood clamps. Let the glue dry for at least 24 hours.

3. 

   The guitar neck can be shaped traditionally or in a unique style.

   Cut a section of wood about 1/2 inch thick for the guitar neck. Most guitar necks are at least 25 inches long and roughly 2 inches wide, but you may alter the length to your preference. Carve out a niche about 3 inches long beginning at the top of the guitar body and extending to the cavity opening. Slide the neck piece into the niche and secure it to the body of the guitar with glue or screws.

4. 

   Metal fret strips along the fretboard divide the scale length.

   Make a fretboard by sawing fret slots about 1/10th of an inch into a separate length of wood about 1/4 inch thick and matching the length and shape of the neck. If you plan to build a musically exact fretboard for your guitar, you will need to consult a measurement chart like the one available at www.projectguitar.com as measurements for fret intervals are mathematically determined and depend on the overall scale length. Hammer frets into the fret slots. Frets can be purchased or cut from metal strips. Glue the fretboard to the neck.

5. 

   Decorative additions or a unique stain can make your guitar one of a kind.

   Smooth the guitar surface with fine sandpaper and remove the dust. Glue the saddle, or bridge piece about 4 inches below the body opening. Finish with paint or stain to your preference. Drill tuner holes at the top of the neck and install string tuners according to the manufacturer's instructions. Most acoustic guitars have three tuners spaced one inch apart. Secure the guitar string into the bridge holes with bridge pins and tightly wrap the strings around the tuner pegs.

References

• Happy Living: How to Make a Homemade Guitar With a Shoe Box
• Build Your Guitar: Building an Experimental Acoustic Guitar