Playing and learning to play a guitar both necessitate a certain level of commitment and natural talent, the same holds true for building a usable yet attractive guitar.To build a guitar, you will thus need to be relatively adept working with wood and also have a good ear for identifyingseveral pitches and sounds. However, after you have completed your project to utmost satisfaction, you will undoubtedly obtain a strong sense of fulfilment. The following instructions should help you to an extent in doing this project, do not expect to automatically complete your guitar the first day you choose to start building, it will require a lot of patience and hence should not be rushed.
How To Build A Guitar
Required Tools
Drill and attachment
Bandsaw or jigsaw
Light sandpaper
Router
Required Materials
Two clamps
Three sheets of wood
Pre-made neck and bridge set
Wood glue
Lacquer or wood stain
No less than a dozen wood braces
Two small blocks of hard wood
Guitar strings
Two light weight sections of a durable type of wood measuring 3 by 2 feet. These should be about ¼ of an inch thick.
Instructions
1)The first thing that you will need to do is create the front and back of the acoustic guitar. This will be done by using tracing paper to make the shape of the guitar. Use this tracing paper to create an outline of the shape on each guitar piece that will be utilized on either side. After the shape has been formed cut the pieces of wood, for improved symmetry of both front and back you may clamp both sections together and cut using the jigsaw or band saw.
2)Next you will need to make a sound hole for your guitar. This will be put on the front section. The smaller the hole the more pronounced the bass or low pitched sounds while the bigger the hole the greater the treble or higher pitched sounds. The choice will depend on personal taste. To do this use a large round drill attachment for more accuracy.
3)Make the sides of your guitar. This will necessitate two pieces of wood that are adequately long enough to wrap around the outer areas of the larger pieces with an allowance of 5 inches. You can then mould the wood by hand by putting the sections in very hot boiling water for a couple seconds. You may have to re-dip the sections of wood to obtain the desired shape. This part of the process will require that you be patient, though quick with your fingers while the wood is still malleable.
4)Join the two sides with blocks of very strong wood glue. When gluing the pieces together you must be sure to let the blocks of glue remain on the inner portions of the guitar where they will be virtually unseen. Ensure that they are glued firmly and use your clamps to keep the sections in position while they dry.
5)You will then have to glue the body sections to the guitar using the wood glue. Like the assembling of the base sections, you will need to allow them time to dry thoroughly before making any more adjustments.
6)Once the glue has set you can then sand the guitar body, but gently.
7)Place a lacquer or stain over the guitar body to infuse it with a nice finish. The stain or lacquer should come with its own set directions for application.
8)You can now install your neck and bridge these are best bought pre-made for better accuracy. You will need to cut small grooves in your guitar to allow these to fit perfectly, utilize a routing tool here. Take measurements while doing this for once again, accuracy. When you are finished cutting you may then attach the neck and bridge utilizing the wood glue and let dry.
9)Put on your bridge utilizing small screws and some glue, this should be affixed just below the sound hole.
10)Put on your strings as you would when changing strings on any guitar.
11)Test your guitar to ensure that it plays the notes as you would expect and be alert to pinpointing any possible flaws in the overall sound.
Tips and Warnings
The total time to finsih this project may take a few weeks to guarantee that the glue is set.
You can use templates to increase the correctness of the guitar’s shape.
Look on a professionally designed guitar to get some fundamental ideas and essential understanding of what your guitar should look like.
The fumes from the glue may be hazardous, hence it is best that you work outdoors or in a well ventilated area.