How to Build Your Own Awesome Guitar

Making your own awesome guitar is a challenge.

There are many styles of guitars that can be bought for a few dollars up to thousands. The satisfaction of making your own guitar, however, is a highly rewarding challenge. Rock stars such as Brian May of Queen have been reported to have made their own guitars, and he still uses his "Red Special" today. Setting about making your own guitar requires that you plan the style and shape of the guitar body and decide on the right type of wood to use.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Block of Ash (or hard wood)
• Skill router
• Rounded bits
• Jigsaw
• Thin white card
• Drill and bits
• Clamps
• Belt sander
• Orbital sander
• Paint
• Polish
• Solder iron
• Solder flux
• Input jack
• Control switch
• Ferrules
• Ready-made guitar neck
• Capacitors
• Pick ups
• Screws
• Perspex or guitar plastic
• Control knobs
• Strings

Instructions

1. Plan your shape for the guitar body. Your inspiration could come from anywhere that you find a shape you like. It does not have to be a regular guitar shape. When you have decided on the shape for the guitar body, mark it accurately with pencil and cut the shape out with a jigsaw.

2. Plot your guitar pieces by placing them together as a dry fit. Mark the point on the body where you need to carve out the space for the neck to fit. It is a very hard job to make a guitar neck so it is preferable to purchase the ready-made neck so you can choose the style of machine head (i.e. Gibson, Les Paul, Fender style).

3. Cut the thin white card template to the shape of your guitar body and mark where you will place the cavities for the control knobs and electric pickups. Keeping the template attached to the guitar body, drill pilot holes just inside the pencil lines to mark the wood. Use tape as a marker on the drill bit to prevent drilling too far into the wood body.

4. Rout out the cavities for the pickups and the control knobs. Do not rout outside the lines and take it slowly so the router does not run away with itself. The cavities must be at least half the thickness of the guitar body. Drill thin pilot holes between the cavities for the wiring.

5. Attach the neck of the guitar to the body. Clamp the neck to the body in the correct position before drilling it. Pre-made necks may come pre-drilled and if so, follow the pilot holes set in the neck to attach it to the body of the guitar.

6. Shape the body and sand it with the belt and orbital sanders. A belt sander can be used to create a dip in the wood at the top of the guitar body and shape the edges of your particular style of guitar. The orbital sander will get into the smaller areas to create the smooth finish you require.

7. Paint your guitar body or varnish it. It is your choice how you design the body and the colors you want. Let the body dry before applying the varnish. Cut the Perspex shapes for the backing plate and the finger plate. Attach with small screws and fit the control knobs.

8. Assemble the electrics into the guitar body by following the instructions for that particular item. Not all pickups wire the same way, although they are basically similar. Set the items into the cavities and connect them through wires via the drilled holes. Add the strings and your awesome guitar is complete!

References

• Brian May.co.uk: homepage
• Projectguitar.com: body