The guitar body shape can be rounded, like a Gibson Les Paul or a Fender Stratocaster, or angled, like a Gibson Explorer or Flying V. You can also choose a unique shape for your guitar, such as a square or circle. Some guitarists prefer a single cutaway to access the higher frets, some like a double cutaway, or you might choose not to have a cutaway at all.
Some of these woods are rare or protected, and hard to come by. You can experiment making an electric guitar with any kind of wood you would like, however. There is room for variation in terms of the thickness of an electric guitar body. Select a wood size based on the thickness of an existing guitar, or on what feels comfortable to you. Each kind of wood has its own tonal quality that makes a unique sound. Woods that are dense and heavy, like walnut or mahogany, have a tone that’s thicker and more base-heavy. On the other hand, lighter woods, like basswood or alder, have a tinny, brighter sound. [3] X Research source Aaron Asghari. Professional Guitarist and Instructor. Personal interview. 15 February 2019.
One or more pickups (single coil or humbuckers) A bridge Tuning pegs A nut Volume and tone controls and knobs A pickup selector switch An input for a ¼ inch cable A pickguard (optional) Strap pegs (optional, but recommended) A truss rod (optional, but recommended) Fret wire (if you are building your own neck) Strings
It’s possible to create an electric guitar using hand tools alone. However, having access to an electric jigsaw, drill press, and router will make things much easier and faster.
Sand the sides of the body blank after cutting it out. If you would like to round off the top and bottom edges of the guitar, use a sander for that as well.
You can position things like volume and tone controls, the pickup selector, and the plug input more or less wherever you like. Follow the design of an existing guitar, or choose what feels comfortable to you. Pickups should sit under the strings, centered with the fretboard. Mark the position of the pickups by referencing the center line you drew. The bridge needs to be positioned so that the distance between it and the nut on the neck correspond to the scale length of the neck, which varies somewhat depending on the guitar. If you purchased a pre-manufactured neck, use its scale length to position the bridge accordingly. Otherwise, most guitars have scale lengths ranging from 24-26 inches.
You will also want to rout a cavity where the neck will attach to the body that is wide enough and deep enough to secure the parts together.
For the bridge hardware For the volume, tone, and pickup selector controls To allow the pickup wires to pass from the front cavity to the back one To fit the cord input in place For the strap pegs (if you are using them)
An oil finish to give your guitar a natural look A colorful paint and either a high-gloss or matte finish Multiple colors to create a striking pattern Painting an image or design on the body for a standout look
Neck widths are usually about 1. 5–1. 75 inches (3. 8–4. 4 cm) at the nut, and widen slightly as the frets get higher. Make the headstock whatever contour you like. Routing a hole through the length of the neck to insert a truss rod is recommended, but not required. If you are adding a fingerboard to your neck, cut a thin piece of wood to the same width as the neck, and glue it on top. Round the edges of the fingerboard to give it a “radius. ” Cut fret wire to size for each fret, then gently tap the frets in place, then file their edges smooth. Measurements need to be highly precise, so use a spacing template (available online). [14] X Research source Glue the nut where the fingerboard meets the headstock. Attach the tuning pegs to the headstock, drilling holes if necessary.
Once the electronics are in, cut a piece of hard plastic to cover the cavity you created in the back of the guitar body. Fix it in place with small screws.
You might need to make small adjustments to perfect the guitar’s intonation, such as changing the bridge pins or saddle height. If you need help doing this, take your guitar to a local shop.
