How to Build Your Own Electric Guitar

Creating your own Work of Art

The electric guitar is a fascinating icon of the world of music and there are few greater pleasures than to play one that you personally had a hand in creating.
Building an electric guitar is a true labor of love: it will take time, a great deal of patience and above all, dedication.
The reward, however, comes when the first note sings and the first comments roll in from other musicians regarding your instrument as a true work of art.

Things You'll Need

• Bandsaw or Jigsaw
• Drill and drill bits (if you have access to a drill press, take advantage of it!)
• Router and bits - 1/4" (6mm) bit, a 1/2" (13mm) bit with ball bearing guide and a 1/2" (13mm) round over bit
• Clamps
• Soldering Iron and solder
• Chisels of varying sizes, very sharp
• Dremel (optional, but potentially handy)
• Orbital Sander (optional, but potentially handy)
• Belt Sander
• Flat and Phillips head screw drivers
• Plane
• Spoke shave
• Finishing material (oil and wax, lacquer, paint etc.)
• Components (pick-ups, pots, bridge, tuning heads, jack etc.)

Instructions

Start with a good guitar neck

1. Decide on what neck you'll use for your guitar.
   There are many options for an electric guitar neck but building one from scratch is not an option unless you are an advanced woodworker.
   Cale Gontier, a former guitar tech with Three Days Grace and the bassist with the group "Art of Dying," says its best to leave the neck to the experts.
   "If the neck isn't bang on, all you'll end up with is a piece of firewood."
   Instead, shop around for the best deal on the style of neck you like and bear in mind that prices range significantly.

2. Design a 1:1 scale template for the body of your guitar on a thin piece of ¼ inch plywood. This template will act as the guide when you cut your actual body out of more expensive wood. On this you can mark where the cavities for the electronic components to better picture how the completed guitar will look.

3. Choose your wood and build your body blank.
   There are many choices when it comes to electric guitar bodies: they can be made out of one solid plank of wood or a number of pieces layered together. It is easiest to simply find a reputable wood dealer in your area and secure one solid block of wood to fit the shape you have in mind. Maple, alder and mahogany are common choices.
   Look for a board that is at least 2 inches thick. Plane your blank it flat on both sides before preparing to cut the shape.

4. Trace your template onto the body blank in pencil and, using a band saw, cut the shape just outside of your line.
   Clamp the template to your blank and cut it with a router, using the template as your guide.
   With a planer you can shape the body contours on the sides for your particular comfort and with elbow grease and heavy-grained sandpaper, you can smooth it out.

5. Mark out the cavities for the neck slot and the components, making sure to have your depth right, especially for the neck, and carefully cut them out with your router.
   Your neck slot should allow for a snug fit with a slight bit of wiggle room to allow for the finish.
   For the cavities, it's best to pre-drill with a brad-point bit or a Forstner bit before turning on your router.
   You can also use a sharp chisel to clean out the bulk of the hole before cleaning it up with your router. Remember, it's always better to be too shallow when routing your cavities rather than too deep.

6. Drill holes to fasten all components including your bridge, volume and tone pots, jack, strap and pick guard.
   Use a center punch on your marked holes before drilling to ensure that the drill bit does not slip.

7. Test fit all components before applying your finish to be sure everything fits well.
   With all the components removed, start to sand the guitar body with a heavy-grained sandpaper to remove imperfections, gradually move to light-grained, 1000-grit sandpaper for a finer finish.
   The more the body is sanded at this point, the better your guitar will look when it is finished.

8. Apply your chosen finish to the sanded guitar body and allow plenty of time for it to dry completely before wiring your guitar, fastening your components and setting the neck.
   For this process, it is best to allow a professional to set-up your guitar to be sure it is done properly.
   Setting the neck is an intricate process and if it is done poorly, your efforts to this point will have been wasted.

Tips & Warnings

• Guitar experts can be found at almost any music shop and they are passionate about their trade.

• Most are happy to discuss the building process with ambitious guitar-builders so don't be afraid to ask questions throughout the process.

• Their tips and tricks are invaluable.

References

• Cale Gontier, Bassist, Art of Dying, Former Guitar Tech, Three Days Grace