Learning how to build a guitar is not an easy task, but with patience and determination, you should be able to pull it off. Bear in kind that this project requires knowledge of handling various tools.
Required Tools and Materials
Wood
Guitar design sketch
Spray paint and primer
Soldering iron
Guitar electronics (wire, capacitors and pickups)
Bridge
Tuners
Nut
Truss rod
Pickguard
Radius sanding block
Fretwire
Wood glue
Drill
Step 1
Draw the design on paper or on a computer program. Make the drawing large and detailed.
Step 2
Get the wood and trace the design you made on it. Don’t forget to trace the outline as well as the areas where the electronics and holes will be.
Step 3
Get the jig saw and cut the wood according to the desired shape.
Step 4
Make the holes for the pickups and electronics. Hollow the section where the neck will go. Drill openings so the neck will fit in. Sand the edges.
Step 5
Take the wood you will use for the neck. When learning how to build a guitar, it’s important to create rough cuts to make the fundamental neck shape. Slice the part where the truss rod will be in. Place the truss rod at the channel using glue.
Step 6
Glue on the fretboard. Use a ruler for measuring the frets, and then make the slots.
Step 7
Use the radius sanding block to radius the fretboard. Sand it out and make the slots deeper. Get the fretwire and bend to the radius size. Hammer it into place.
Step 8
Make the final cuts to the neck. Use the drill to make holes for the neck blots and tuners. Sand the neck to attain the desired shape. Put the guitar together to see how it looks. If it looks all right, disassemble it.
Step 9
Apply the pain and primer. You can be as creative as you want here. Allow the guitar to dry for two weeks.
Step 10
Get the soldering iron and put the electronics and guitar together. After the electronics are in place, string it up. Now you can plug it in and start playing.
Reminders
This isn’t a project you can just do over the weekend. Before you begin, make sure you are committed sto starting and finishing the task.
As you learn how to build a guitar, keep in mind that the wood quality is of the utmost importance. Good choices for the body are ash and alder. For the neck, it is maple. For the fretboard, rosewood and ebony are highly recommended.
