How To Make An Acoustic Guitar PDF

instructables
How to Make an Acoustic Guitar
by deluges
How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 1

Look I'm building a guitar! resonate with me in the first place. Enough
introspection. Let's get crafting.
- Me
Overall, I estimate the time spent working physically
You're doing what now? on this project in the 300 hours ballpark. That's 10
hours a day every day for a month, which made me
- Quite literally everyone else understand the price tag on handmade instruments.
However, this does not take in account all the
research, reading, material sourcing etc. which
account for about the same amount of time, I'd say.
Hi and welcome to my longest woodworking project Depending on where you source your wood and what
so far. Let me tell you the story of how I ended up grade you're after, and assuming you already have
building an acoustic guitar with only little the necessary tools (see below) this project could set
woodworking skills, no previous instrument building you back anywhere from 200 to 1000 euros (or
experience, almost no fancy power tools and dollars). This is more than an entry-level acoustic
definitely no clue what I was getting into. Oh and I guitar but damn, I love this one so much it makes me
don't know how to play the guitar play the hell out of it every day! And actual musicians
have told me it sounds better than most mid-price-
I was cruising the interwebs when I stumbled upon range acoustic guitars out there, which is more than I
this amazing, exactly one-hour-long documentary could have hoped for..
about one of the great modern acoustic guitar
luthiers, Michael Greenfield. Whether you consider TL;DR: Let's make a guitar in a garage and drink
making a guitar or not, this documentary is a great whiskyyyyyyy
way to spend an hour: I found it riveting and his
craftsmanship in nothing short of art. Note: Pro tip, there are a LOT of pictures in this i'ble,
most of which will be invisible unless you click the "X
When I get to experience something beautiful, it more images" button. And most pictures will be
sometimes happens that a part of me thrives to annotated with tips and tricks or simply descriptions.
participate of that thing even for just a moment, to try Don't miss out on those :)
and emulate what I just saw, heard or tasted. Find the
recipe to try and remake that great meal I just ate for
instance, or ... craft that guitar. Now I'm very aware
that I'll never make anything as good as the original. I
guess my desperately Cartesian mind is trying to By the way, this is an entry in the woodworking
decompose and process those beautiful things from contest. If you deem it worthy, please hit me up with a
the inside to try and rationalize what makes them sweet vote! Cheers :)

2
1. me
2. a prickly project
Step 1: Tools and Other Materials

There are no bad tools, only poor craftsmen. over in your head that you will know what tools you
need and what tools you really want for each step.
- French proverb by some cretin who obviously Using tools you want to use is a very overlooked part
never used a bad plane of any project. Sure, that fancy orbital sander will do
the job I need to do and it'll do it fast. But do you
Well to be fair there is some truth in this statement enjoy using it? I don't. What I love to use, when
but not in the first sense I could think of. I guess this possible, is a card scraper. It allows me to feel the
is a somewhat similar statement to "It's a poor wood and I really enjoy the sharpening and
craftsman that blames his tools" which could be burnishing.
understood in the sense that a good craftsman will
pick the right tools for the job and save up for a few Anyways, here is what I ended up using (Brand,
nice tools if he can, rather than buy a bunch of poor comments):
ones. Either way you see it, here is the bare minimum
tools I reckon are needed for this project. Most of Tools
them are very common woodworking tools which may
represent an interesting investment if you are already Good chisels (Kirschen)
working wood. (Which you probably should if
considering guitar building!) The tools that are Card scrapers (Kirschen as well)
specific to guitar making are underlined. (Notice that
it's just the book! Every single other tool I used was a A jack plane (Veritas)
common woodworking tool. No fancy jigs or anything,
just the one book. This makes the build very A dovetail saw (No name from amazon)
affordable and accessible to anyone with a casual
woodworking workshop.) A hand drill (Makita)
Here's one piece of important advice: do not simply A coping saw/scrollsaw (Old stuff from my granddad
hope for a list of which tools to buy and go buy those and my great great grandfather)
tools. That goes for any job but is even more
important when considering what may very well be a Some files and rasps (same)
one-off project such as this one. There are two
reasons why this is a bad idea. First, money. A bunch of clamps
Straightforward. Second, not having the exact right
tool for a specific job will make you smarter. A router (a fancy Festool, optional, bits detailed later
Improvisation is important and there are many ways, on)
and therefore many tools, to complete a task. You will
pick one way to carry that task that employs either a Guitar building, tradition and technology, by
tool you own, a tool you'll buy/borrow or a tool you'll Cumpiano and Natelson. Do not skip this one...
make. I always try to avoid the second option.
In the end, it is only by building the guitar over and
Materials
Quartersawn, bookmatched spruce (Tonewood, for

the top, AA/AAA grade)
Quartersawn, bookmatched cherry (Tonewood, back

and sides, AAA grade)
Ebony (Kauffer, fingerboard and bridge)

White flamed maple (Kauffer, neck)
Various veneers (Had them around, decoration)
Quartersawn splitted spruce logs (Tonewood,

bracing)
Some cow bone (Kauffer, nut and saddle)
Tuning machines (Gotoh)
A truss rod (from china, you can make your own

easily)
Strings (D'Addario, 2 sets)
Fret wire (Kauffer)
Sandpaper (various grits)
Water-based clear gloss finish (Rothko and Frost,

sanding primer + top coat)
Polishing compounds (Rothko and frost)
Yellow wood glue
Different types of tape

Step 2: Sourcing Wood
Viva fui in silvis / Sum dura occisa / Securi dum vixi surely be found outside europe, find people who are
tacui / Mortua dulce cano passionate and to whom you can ask a lot of
questions. Don't buy master grade wood for your first
I was alive in the forest / The cruel axe fell me / In life guitar unless you are feeling very confident.
I was silent / In death, I sweetly sing
At the very least, wood must be quartersawn and
- Inscription on an Elizabethan lute exempt of knots. Else, it might structurally fail when
put under the tremendous tension of the steel strings.
I sourced the crucial wood (top, bracing, sides and
back from tonewood.ch). An equivalent option can

Step 3: Literature & Plans
Stop playing with matches and go read a book. href="https://youtu.be/lxoa-vAV7z4">A great Youtube
video
- Papa et maman
The most valuable resource aside from the book was
I used multiple sources from the internet in addition to an open source 1:1 scale plan of an Orchestra Model
the book by Cumpiano. While it would be hard to list guitar.
them all here, here are the most important.
The full-size, high definition pdf of the plan is attached
http://projectelectricguitar.com/how-to-install-a-... and if you print it at 100% scale you can simply trace
it on the wood. It's licensed under creative commons
https://www.instructables.com/id/Building-an-Acous... and has been made by the great Mr Grellier, who also
provides on his website the CAD files in case you
https://www.jsbguitars.com/guitar-building-tools/ want to modify the plans. A great time we live in. He
also has up a lot of pictures of how he made the
http://passyworldofmathematics.com/guitar- guitars, which compliment the plans very well and are
mathemat... extremely helpful. Check him out!

Download
http://www.instructables.com/ORIG/FQY/PTKU/J80GMWIZ/FQYPTKUJ80GMWIZ.pdf
…
Step 4: Cleaning and Setting Up Your Workshop (or Garage...)
Out of clutter, find simplicity. proper lighting and a clean work surface makes all
the difference between terrible and great work
- Albert "Bébert" Einstein conditions.
If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of You will find the parts you need, work better, tire less
what, then, is an empty desk a sign? quickly and be more accurate in all things.
- Laurence J. Peter See the before and after pictures : the only
differences are 15 minutes cleaning and about $15
This is a very straightforward yet important step! spent on a pine board and a neon light.
In my experience, cleaning the clutter and setting up

Step 5: The Neck Pt.1: the Scarf Joint and Heel Block
The first thing we will do to our neck blank is the do as people have been doing even if I don't
crucial scarf joint that defines the angle between the understand why. The reason why people do things
fingerboard and the headpiece. The angle has the way they do appears sometimes way later down
historically been anywhere from 0° (on some electric the road, and i'll keep experimentation for the next
guitars) to 90° ! (on some renaissance lutes, for guitar!
instance)
The angle is measured and cut, then the two gluing
The joint angle will determine the string tension to a sides are planed exactly flat together with the jack
large extent. plane. The ensures the best gluing for this critical
joint. Trueness is checked with a straightedge (or the
The larger the angle, the weaker the joint will be as side of the plane if you're sure it's true). Before gluing,
the gluing surface diminishes. For most contemporary the head plate is thinned with the plane to the right
steel-string guitars, the angle most often lies thickness that will accomodate the tuning machines
somewhere between 15° and 17°.
Next, one face of the heel block is trued with the
This is a point that will come up very often in this ible plane and it is glued onto the neck and will be shaped
: This is my first time making a guitar, therefore I will later.
not reinvent the wheel. This means if I don't have a
strong technical reason not to do what is usual, I will

1
1. 20 cm
1. 15° angle

1
1. clamped caul at 15° to guide the saw 1. checking for trueness while planing
1. marking down the final thickness

1
1. thinning with the jack plane 1. those parallel lines help you remain straight while planing
1. cleaning up with the card scraper 1. set-up for gluing the scarf joint!

1
1. claaaaaaaaaamp this downnnnnn
1. cleaning the joint with the jack plane

1
1. scarf joint done and nut placement drawn
1. gluing the heel block

1
1. and that's our neck, almost finished ! (ish...)
Step 6: The Neck Pt. 2: Truss Rod Installation
One can easily make a truss rod (see "tools and that a strip of basswood can be added onto it and the
materials") but I found one for 3 euros on amazon and metal does not push directly against the fragile and
was happy using that. precise fingerboard.
A middle line is drawn, along with the final shape of Note : in the book they said explicitly NOT to try and
the neck and a truss rod slot is routed by hand with a make the truss rod slot by hand but use a router
chisel along the middle line. The truss rod must fit instead. After having done it by hand, I can tell you
snuggly in there so as not to rattle later on when the they're in the right : my work on this part was
guitar is played! passable at best, and the fit is not quite as good as it
should be. Use a router if you can!
The truss rod slot is routed about 5 mm deeper so

2
1
1. middle line
2. this will be removed
1. 14th fret 1. truss rod comes right under the nut

1
1
1. chiseling the truss rod slot out 1. ta-daaaaaaaa it fits

1
1. thinning the truss rod cover

1
1. done !
Step 7: The Neck Pt. 3: Head Veneer and Shaping
I chose some contrasting veneers to sandwich between the neck and the head plate, which is the same cherry as
the sides and back.
I cut the head shape on the scroll saw, but ended up changing the design way later on. This can easily be done by
hand with a coping saw!

1
1
1. veneer sandwich! 1. ugly saw marks that we'll get rid off

Step 8: The Neck Pt. 4: Tenon and Rough Shaping of the Neck
With a dovetail saw, I cut the rough shape of the shaft of the neck and, very precisely, the tenon which will attach
the neck to the body.
The shape of the neck is refined with a drawknife.

Step 9: The Neck Pt.5: Heel Block Carving
This step is purely aesthetic but one of the most sandpaper.

enjoyable for me!
I didn't really get creative with the shape but sculpting
The pictures are annotated. First, a primary and is really enjoyable as it is quite different form the kind
secondary facets are established with a plane and of woodworking I usually do, square angles and all
chisel respectively, then the shape is refined with a that. This feels almost artistic!
rasp, card scrapers, a kukri knife and finally

1
1. done! 1. rough

1
1. primary facet 1. rough

1
1. secondary facet cut 1. after some rasp work
1. after some scraping

1
1. just before sanding

Step 10: Fingerboard
The fingerboard is where the player will spend most tabulated. Without going into music theory, it is a
of his time. separation of the whole musical spectrum of each
strings into "pleasing" intervals, defined by
This one is made out of ebony, which is hard and not Pythagoras back in the old days (pepperidge farm
sensitive to moisture change, a very determining remembers)
factor in whether the guitar will keep proper intonation
throughout its life. Using a scoring knife, I marked the fret intervals then
cut the slots with a dovetail saw guided by my best
The spacing of the frets has to be as precise as you square.
can make it. It depends on the length on your scale
(the distance between the nut and saddle) and is

1
1. converting to metric
copyright cumpiano & natelson
1. abutt perfectly here 1. slide this along the fingerboard

1
1. marking the depth of the fret slots

1
1. i originally did this, then realized it was a pain in the ass and cut the fret
slots across the whole fingerboard.

Step 11: Gluing the Fingerboard
Because of it's crucial geometric properties and as a perfectly matched pin. You'll get those back don't
position compared to the nut, the soundboard must worry :)
not move during glue-up. It's hard to stress this
enough. Then I made a clamping caul with chamfered holes in
order to accomodate the pins, and glued the
In order to ensure this, I first dry-clamped the fingerboard down with white glue.
fingerboard exactly where it was supposed to sit on
the neck, that is abutting the nut at a perfect 90° Once dry, the pins/drill bits are removed and the
angle. fingerboard is shaved down with a drawknife to match
the neck width.
Then, using a tiiiiny drill bit I drilled two pin holes in
the fret slots and used two drill bits of the same size
1. good lighting ensures that the fingerboard's edge sits right under the nut

1
1. practice/test hole 1. a hole was drilled here and the corresponding drill bit used as a pin
1. reference pins

1
1. holes in the clamping caul to accomodate the pins
1. Niiiiice shavings

Step 12: Jointing and Gluing the Soundboard (and Back)
This is one of the 3 most critical glue joints of the of the joint. We want no visible light shining through!
guitar, along with the neck scarf joint, and the bridge
joint. If this joint is not perfectly tight, the soundboard
Once a good joint is reached, it's time to glue! For
could simply break in half under string tension. this, I made a simple setup in which the two halves
are flat on the bench and wedgy cauls are gently
First, the two book matched halves of the soundboard hammered from the side to clamp everything
have to be jointed together. For this, a so-called together.
"shooting board" was made, in which the two halves
are held together flat on a surface and the plane is Proceed in the same way for the back, then cut on
shot across the side to be jointed while sitting at a the scroll saw approximately 1 cm or 1/2 inch outside
90° angle (see pictures). of the outline of your guitar.
Adjust the plane so it takes only a minimal amount of Note: Use paper underneath the joint so the
wood out on each pass (see pic) and once you get a soundboard does not get glued to the bench! This is
continuous shaving along the length, check the two the kind of mistake that generally happens only once
halves together against a source of light such as a ;)
window, which will allow you to assess the continuity
1. before jointing

1
1. we're getting rid of those 1. This is smart. Copyright Cumpiano.

1
1. shooting board setup. Make sure your plane is true on the side.. 1. this is how little is removed with one pass of the plane as we joint the
two halves.

3
1 4 2
1. weights atop some paper 1. hammer this in gently

2. nailed to the bench
3. clamped to the bench
4. paper so the soundboard does not glue to the bench :)

Step 13: Thicknessing the Soundboard, Sides and Back
Now, we need to bring the soundboard and back to Here's how it was done, after one side was sanded
an almost final thickness, all the way from the rough down to 180 grit and was facing down on the bench:
lumber dimensions. The wood was about 5 mm thick,
and is brought for the sound board at 2.7 mm and 2.4 (1) Clamp the work piece from the top end.
mm for the back.
(2) Diagonally remove material starting from the top
There is a lot of different guidelines on what the left and working your way down
thickness of the soundboard should be with regard to
sound and structure. The main principle, as for many (3) when the clamp is in the way, unclamp the piece,
other aspects of guitar building but more so in this rotate it 180° and clamp it from the bottom
step, is that we want to remove as much wood as
possible, so that the string vibrations make air vibrate (4) Finish removing material
(sound!) rather than the mass of wood (heat!), but not
so much that we compromise the structural integrity (5) measure thickness
of the guitar in which the wood is under tremendous
stress because of string tension. (6) remove material following the opposite diagonal,
repeating steps 1 through 4
Too thick a soundboard will deafen the sound.
However, to avoid frustration as this was my first (6) measure again!
guitar, I erred on the safe side! The next one will be
thinner :) Thickness of the back is of lesser And repeat all of this until the desired thickness is
importance as it is subject to less stress and not as reached, then smooth the whole thing down following
important for sound. the grain with a card scraper.
The thicknessing was all done by hand! Thickness Do the back in the same fashion.
planers are not an option here, as they would destroy
such thins pieces of wood. Professionals use drum Note: Do only one pass at a time! I used a toothed
sanders but I did not have one of those. Eventually, plane blade, which allowed me to see where I had
what seemed a daunting task ended up being one of been and not go over that area again, which is crucial
the most reflective aspects of the project. Doing it by to retain homogeneous thickness all over the work
hand allowed me to feel the wood in a way that a piece.
machine wouldn't and I learned to work a bit more
with the wood rather than against it.

Step 14: The Rosette and Sound Hole (a.k.a Scary Part I)
Alright. This was the first of a couple of nerve- calculated so that the router is drawing a circle of
wrecking steps for me, but in hindsight it went juuuust exactly our dimensions of interest (see pics!)
fine and I guess I shouldn't have worried about it that
much! I chose some burly veneer for the inlay because I
liked the way it looked. Traditionally, mother of pearl
Here we use a router to and 1) remove material from is used for acoustic guitars but I wanted the first one
the soundboard in order to accommodate the rosette to be a very down-to-earth, unpretentious guitar as I
inlay and 2) make the sound hole had no idea how it would sound. The inlay is cut on
the scroll saw and glued in place, highlighted on the
The middle of the sound hole is marked and drilled to side with red and black (ebony) veneer strips.
fit in a metal pin made from a nail. Then, a new base
for the router is made with clear acrylic, in which two Then the sound hole is cut out.
holes are drilled in which the pin will fit tightly, and the
distance of which to the center of the router bit was

1 1
1. base of the router. the center of the router bit is used as a reference and 1. reference pin
holes are drilled in the base

1
1. cleaning up with 400 grit sandpaper 1. the almighty scroll saw!

1
1. Inlay!

1
1. veneer strips

1
1. chiseling down the extra height

1
1. hand tools only option for cutting out the soundhole
1. What it will look like later on!

Step 15: Bracing the Soundboard (a.k.a the Fun Part)
The voicing of the guitar is where the difference the waist and lightly tap with a finger, holding it close
between a wooden box and a musical instrument to your ear and note the sound it makes.
happens.
The tapping is done before bracing, after adding the
- Someone but sadly I don't remember who braces and again as they are thinned down. Before
bracing, you should hear a full sound with a lot of
Here are somevideos on how to brace and voice a harmonics, which will be reduced considerably,
soundboard. especially in the bass side, when the soundboard is
braced as it becomes much stiffer and should come
The idea is to add bracings to the soundboard so that back to some extend as the braces are shaved down.
it becomes stronger. The wood of choice for this is Do not shave them down too much, at the risk of
quartersawn, split billets of spruce. Bracing patterns mechanical failure!
are well established and vary depending on the
luthier, the model of guitar, type of strings etc. The Again, I erred on the safe side here and left the
braces are glued and material is removed from them braces probably much rougher, or bulky, than I could
with a chisel in what is likely the most defining step have. But I did NOT want this guitar to break in two
(apart from guitar model and wood choice) in what the when I added the strings ;)
guitar will sound like.
A hard wood bridge patch of 3 mm thickness is also
I am no luthier. This is one of those times in this added, which will strengthen the soundboard in the
project where the knowledge is not at all that of the crucial spot where the bridge is glued and string
woodworker and belongs to a whole other world, that tension is the strongest, and where the bridge pin
of musicians and luthiers and I am not in this world. hole are drilled.
Hence I will say little and refer you to better
authorities in this domain. Here's what I can say The x-brace (see pics for nomenclature) is reinforced
though: at the joint with strips of fabric soaked in yellow wood
glue.
Again the idea here is to maintain structural integrity
with as little wood as possible. However, we are Note: a lot of annotated pics in this step! Look at
using one more sense here: our hearing! The those for the actual process
soundboard is "tapped": hold it with two fingers near

1
1. diamond little thingy. Looks pretty. probably useful as well! 1. rough spruce billet

1
1. splitting it to maintain the best grain 1. planing blanks to size

1
1. splitting the billet

1
1. wax the bottom of the plane for a smooooth, effortless motion 1. bracing pattern

1
4
6
3 5
1. "tone" braces 1. cutting the blanks to size

2. bridge patch
3. x brace
4. top graft
5. finger braces
6. soundhole braces

1
1. radius sanding the blanks to match the radius of the top 1. go-bar gluing setup!

1
1. bridge patch 1. it abutts the X-brace here

1
1. gluing the bridge patch

1
1. braces are shaved as there are glued rather than all at the end because
the geometry of certain braces can prevent the shaving of others
1. pyramidal shape

1
1. marking the x brace joint

1
1. go bar gluing

1
1. soak the fabric in glue

Step 16: Bending the Sides (a.k.a Scary Part II)
There are not many pictures of this step as the whole This step was stressful, but incredible. This is as
process was both stressful and time-sensitive, but I close as you can get to working wood with your own
will walk you through it! hands, no tools in the way! You actually feel what is
happening in the wood, in your hands, and in your
We need to bend the sides in the shape of a guitar. nose as you smell the hot aromas come out. The
cherry I used, when heated, smelled of hot
First, they are thinned down in the same way as the applesauce and flowers. It was truly incredible.
soundboard and back, with the hand plane. Then,
they are soaked in 60°C water for 1/2 hour. When you set the wood onto the bending iron and
add a bit of pressure, you soon feel it give way under
The idea is that by applying heat to the moist wood, your hands and throughout the process you get a
water vapor will form within the thickness of the wood better understanding of when you can bend and when
and make it plastic rather than elastic, which to say it would break. Start with the wide angles and finish
that rather than spring back after being deformed it with the waist, which is much more tricky.
will rather retain the deformation. Then, when cooled
down, the wood will remain "stuck" in the shape given After each bend, let the wood cool down in air so it
to it while it was hot. doesn't spring back to its natural flat shape !
My homemade bending iron consists of a soup can The whole process took about 4 hours for me, the
and a gas blowpipe. time to learn what was happening and how to
respond to the various feedback and gain confidence.
The wood has to remain wet throughout the bending
or it might break or turn to coal. I simply kept dipping The sides are then clamped overnight to dry
the wood in water as I went. thoroughly.

2
1 1
1. holes and stuff 1. hot

2. bend wood here
1. plywood template

1
1. clamped and drying
Step 17: Bracing the Back
This step is very similar to the bracing of the sound board, not much to say here.
A graft of spruce is added all along the back joint and is chiseled away where the horizontal braces will stand.

1
1. make room for the braces here!
1. nice, tight fit. That's what (s)he said

1
1. little brother inspecting the work
Step 18: Fretting
We are going back briefly to the neck in this step, and The links in this step explain better than I could how
installing frets! to do this process.
Fretting is a precise step, in which we have to make My notes are that you should spend a lot of time on
sure that all the frets are level, crowned and dressed this and do it properly. I didn't at first, thinking it was
(flat in regard to each other, and not flat at the top but not too big a deal (I wanted to play the guitaaaaaaar),
rather in the shape of a dome) and that they are not and ended up with a lot of buzzing. I went back to it
presenting any burr on the side that would harm the and did it properly, the difference is incredible in
player's fingers. playability and sound. Don't skip this!

1
1. Holes under the fret tangs are filled with epoxy 1. this is then filed at 45°
mixed with ebony saw dust
2 1
1. blue marker on the high spots!

2. the flattest file you can find

Step 19: The Bridge
From an ebony blank, the bridge is drawn and the pin saws and chisels and it is sanded to 400 grit.
locations as well as saddle slots are precisely marked
(use the 1:1 scale plan of the guitar provided above. Note: I didn't guide my router well and the ensuing
The pins holes are marked with an awl and drilled saddle slot looks... Terrible.
and the saddle slot is routed out with a well guided
router. Then the shape of the bridge is cut out with
1. truing the blank with a plane 1. straight-ish

1
1
1. that is some terrible work. I apologize. 1. BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY SHOW SO WHO CAREEEES AYYLMAO
Step 20: Assembly Pt. 1: Soundboard and Sides
Kerfed linings are made from basswood and glued onto the sides, where they will be glued to the soundboard. The
sides are then glued to the soundboard, along with the neck mortise and bottom end block.
The kerfed linings are chiseled away to accommodate the bracing of the soundboard, which abuts the sides.
Yes, it's as easy as that :)

1
3
2
1. neck mortise
2. bottom block
3. not glued yet, which is why it isn't tight
4. remove kerf lining here

Step 21: Trimming the Sides
The back of the guitar is not flat, there is a recline from the waist to the neck.
Using a flexible piece of wood or cardboard, a straight line is drawn from the waist to the neck mortise.Then, the
sides are trimmed along that line with a jack plane. This makes a sharp angle at the waist, which is then smoothed
using a 120 grits sanding board.

1
1. draw a line here

Step 22: Assembly Pt. 2: Closing the Box!
In the same way as the soundboard was assembled to the sides, kerfed basswood lining are added, trimmed to
accommodate bracing, and the back is glued to the sides, closing the box. It now looks like a guitar! Almost...
1. cauls and stuff

Step 23: Binding and End Graft
Penultimate stressful step ! Messing up here is not I made a small attachment to my dremel routing bit,
dramatic, but it makes a very visible ugly dent in your but this can be easily done with any router. Specific
instrument... Hence the stress! bits exist for this task but I wasn't bothered to buy
one, as they're quite expensive and serve too specific
First the end graft is added, it is simply a trapezoidal a task.
piece of wood that goes at the bottom of the guitar. I
made room for it with a chisel and hand saw. Go all around the body on the front and back, then
tape and glue the binding strips in place with specific
The binding is not only aesthetic, it also adds strength binding tape (it is reinforced with nylon strips so that it
to the sound box and protects the guitar should it fall does not yield to the binding strips wanting out)
on its side. I chose a simple ebony/maple binding
with the black one on the inside to discretely highlight Once dry, the tape is removed and the binding
the contour of the guitar. shaved down flush with the body using a hand plane.
1 3
4
2
1. This follows the side of the guitar and is adjustable 1. routed

2. adjust depth of cut on the router directly 2. not yet routed
3. 3mm flat routing bit
4. binding strips, maple and ebony

2
3
1
1. shaving the excess binding. 1. this side is binded

2. this one isn't
3. end graft

Step 24: Final Shaping and Attachment of the Neck
The shape of the neck is refined with a rasp, symmetrically to the marked centerline then smoothed with scrapers
and sandpaper.
They say a good rasp gives you super powers and I had no idea how true this was. I found this old rasp of my
great great granddad in the garage and man, is that thing a dream to use. It went through the maple like butter and
gave such good sensations. The neck is then dry fitted to the box for fun.

2
1
1. flamed maple !
2. this joint is a bit too visible to my taste.
1. Looks like a guitaaaar

Step 25: Finishing
Stewmac has a great guide about nitrocellulose acoustic effects, the finish looks half-assed (which it
finish. This might be the finish you want to go for if is) and I will know better for the next one! We
you live in the US, however getting nitrocellulose sometimes learn from our mistakes, here at Humans
lacquer is quite difficult and expensive in France, so I Inc. ;)
went for a cheaper, safer water-based finish instead,
which I applied with a paintbrush. I am not very happy Here are the links I used!
with the work I did so I won't give much advice on
how to do this part, as there are much better ways of http://keithhillharpsichords.com/on-musical-instru...
doing it. The truth is, even with all the advice and
words of warning against it, I rushed it because I http://lichtyguitars.com/2016/05/02/applying-water...
wanted to play the guitar. While this has no real

Step 26: Cat + MMORPG Mandatory Pause While the Finish Dries
Self-explanatory !
Tools required: a cat and a video game to play with your brothers while waiting !

Step 27: Nut and Saddle, Tuning Machines, Strings, Set-up
Well. We are almost there! leaf in the wind.
Add the nut and saddle, making sure they're a tight fit Set-up is a big deal. It determines playability, tone,
then add the tuning machines and screw them in fatigue of the player, buzzing sounds and much more.
place. Today, I'm considering having it done by a
professional (costs 50 euros) just to see the
Add the strings and tension them a little, marking their difference. Luthiers can tell you how much of
place on both the nut and saddle, then remove them determining step it is.
and add grooves to the nut and saddle to
accommodate the strings. More info on how to set up Overall, this project took me from early August 2017
a guitar can be found here for instance. Again, we to late February 2018. This is the longest I've been
step in the world of the instrument maker and I do not working on one thing, and the outcome was worth
pretend to explain this part to anyone as I do not every second, every penny, every drop of blood and
grasp it entirely myself. Here is what I can tell you: sore fingers. I am now happy with what I have made,
I see the flaws in the final object and can relate them
Look forward to the moment your stringed guitar to errors which will be corrected in the next one. I
makes a sound. It is a magical one. learned a whole lot of new techniques, tools,
vocabulary and more general lessons such as
Putting the strings on was one of the most stressful patience and humbleness.
experiences of the past year. Damn I didn't want it to
break. I was sweaty and swearing and shaking like a
1. not yet screwed in place

Wow... just... Wow...
This is one of the best Instructables I ever saw...
Absolutely fantastic work on your guitar... Amazing....
Presentation of your amazing work: also amazing...
Voted. Hands down. Nothing tops your project. Ever.
Dude this is fantastic! but i'm going to need a video to hear that bad boy
Hey, thanks! As soon as my roommate is back early July, we'll try to find a decent mic to record
some tunes. I'm a passable player at best and would like an actual musician to showcase it for me
:p
It sounds great to me but I have a poor ear for music, however actual musicians have told me it
has great sustain, reasonable responsivity and is lacking in the bass department, which is a bit
overpowered by the treble. This was foreseeable from several factors: it is acoustic rather than
classical, steel strings sound more metallic with a dominance in the high frequencies, the cherry
wood in the back, like most fruit tree woods, favors trebles and the chosen format, an orchestra
model, is known to sound quite bright, sharp and less warm than other formats (such as
dreadnought for instance) as well as to favor the trebles over the mediums.
I'll update the I'ble when I have a sound file!
if it sounds good to you, thats all there is too it. i find that strings can make a huge difference. this
instructible has inspired me to make my own guitar. i've alwasy planned on it, but have found
reasons not to start. i have 2 projects ahead of it but will start as soon as those close up.
What an incredible build and patience.

I want to make myself a guitar and this Instructable will be of great help!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful work :)
Let us know when you have, I'd love to see it !
wow, just wow. I rarely comment but i am very impressed. Are you making another one now that
you have one under your belt?
To be honest, not right now! I've got a PhD thesis to write, and I think I want to make a banjo and a
kayak first :)
Maaaan, life is too short
Awesome job! You are an artist
Thank you, it means a lot coming from you as I admire your work
Well done! I'm just skimming now on my phone but I'll take some time to read more thoroughly
when I get to my computer. Thanks for the reference link.
Your I'ble was a source of inspiration, and as a scientist I'm trained to quote my literature ;)
Probably one of the best instructable I've seen ever

It clearly showed how far you re willing to go for a project you believe in, fantastic job
P.s. ( and shameless plug) if you want you can check out my 'ible on wooden guitar picks
Aw thanks a lot! I did, they're cool!
Dang dude! This is incredibly awesome!
thank you!

I saw the instructable in the e-mail that arrived and was not even going to read it because I had
already decided I would never build a guitar: 1. it seems too difficult and 2 . I know nothing about
music. Well I am glad I changed my mind and read through the instructable. I am amazed you
dedicated so much time and passion in this project and then took the time to write such a long and
detailed instuctable on it .
We have all seen many guitars and can perhaps buy one cheaper. However, your one is special
because you made it and I am sure the sound is magical. it is priceless. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your kind words! Yes this is definitely the cheapest nor the simplest option.. But again,
few things of interest are, in my opinion
What an amazing project with an absolutely fabulous outcome, described and documented very
clearly and written with wit, intelligence and humility. There is nothing I don't love in your 'ible.
Congratulations from a guitar player.
Thanks, much appreciated :) I've been trying to learn how to play for the past couple of months. I
can recognize and play most basic chords and know some finger picking patterns but my rhythm is
just terrible! Any advice?
The secrets: practice, foot tapping, head bobbing, playing with a metronome, playing with songs
you know/love... Did I mention practice, practice, practice?
What a talent and such a beautiful craftsmanship, I wish I had the passion to put in the hours on
such a project.
Thanks. I think it's all about finding what you like doing, once you do the hours just happen and
you're always surprised at how fast time passed by!
One of the best Instructables ever written - you have my vote for sure.
Thank you, much appreciated!

By the way I liked your bubble felt i'ble
Your output is very impressive!.nicely done bro..
Thanks man!
Love this instructable! While I can't do a lot of stuff I like watching and reading about other people
doing things like this. However I have a serious disagreement with you. In step 9 when you were
describing the shaping of the heel block, you wrote "This feels almost artistic!". I totally disagree. It
IS artistic! Not just the heel block but the entire guitar is a work of art. You are sculpting wood, you
are creating a form out of that wood that will make a beautiful sound. And remember, music is also
art. So no, there is no "almost art" here. Your work IS art. For what it's worth, that is my opinion.
thank you for those kind words. I've come to learn the line between geometrical shapes and art is a
fine one...
My first handmade guitar was a four-string shoebox style with a through-neck. My second was an
electric that I started from a tree cut from my acreage. The first was challenging, especially shaping
the neck and fretting, the second a bit more difficult. Next I'm going to make a tenor ukulele. After
that I may be ready to build an acoustic guitar.
I would love to see pictures of those. As I was progressing in this build, I actually felt that I had
skipped a couple of learning steps which in hindsight would have been time and effort savers. You
probably are doing it the right way :)
Wow I have been wood working for years always wanted to build a guitar but never found the time
or ambition I love playing my guitars now may be with your wonderfully written instructions I will
give it a try. I might even use a water activated glue rather than a water soluble or animal glue for
putting it together as water activated glue pushes it way into wood grain more than standard wood
glue does. Thank You for sharing you tips and tricks
WOW! Great job I am inspired !
Wow, nicely done!
The craftsmanship is inspiring, the writing is entertaining and informative, and the documentation is
well put together.
I don't vote in contests often, but you've definitely earned mine.
Your instructable is inspiring. It is not that I would want to build a guitar but with dedication and the
willing to learn one can accomplish anything. Thank you.
Thanks this means a lot :)
What an awesome project you completed and the awesome write up of same.
Excellent!
I too succumbed to the temptation to build my own classical guitar. Great fun, became obsessive
over a year or more and would like to say that this proved to me as nothing else in my life to date
did, that the journey is point, not the destination.

My final guitar----I had to attempt over a dozen---proved to be likely the worst musical instrument
ever crafted.
In the end I realized that no amount of craftsmanship could begin to approach the creations of the
large guitar makers. The use of precision tools, mass production, and expert luthiers with a wealth
of experience put my creation to shame.
I abandoned and finally destroyed every thing that I has worked on. A visit to Guitar Center
provided me with a fine instrument for less than $400.00 not a flaw in it, and sweet action, sound
and sustain. Beside mine, I nearly cried at the comparative results.
I wish you better outcomes than I experienced. I can say that I enjoyed the processes, the
education I gave myself even if the result was a travesty.
Considering the expense, in the thousands, that I gave to this effort, I don't necessarily regret the
loss of money. However, what it taught me about my own overestimation of my woodworking skills,
my hubris in even thinking I could match the instruments made nearly entirely by machines, was an
eye opener.
I should have quit after my first fret board turned out a complete mess. (It only takes millimeters to
throw off a string placement so that the guitar will never be in tune) .
I'm not sorry about my adventure and it occupied my time that would have otherwise been wasted
on something less absorbing.
But I would never again attempt to do it without sitting for quite some time with a skilled luthier as
his apprentice.
Buona fortuna, to you.
A very creditable achievement - very very well done.

Only one comment - I don't know who advised you to fit steel strings, but they are quite wrong on a
guitar of this construction. This is designed on Spanish/Classical lines and nylon strings are the
order of the day. Steel strings will cause the bridge to 'belly-up' over time and a beautiful instrument
will be damaged. Please change them before it is too late.
I am not a professional, but have been playing and building guitars for over 60 years (as a
hobbyist) and have learned a little in that time.
Again excellent work.
The belly will likely happen to one degree or another with steel strings on any acoustic guitar.
However - this plan is for a steel string guitar and not a nylon stringed instrument. There isn't really
anything I can see about this guitar that would make me think nylon over steel. The bracing is
designed for steel string as well. I am adding the plans for a typical nylon stringed instrument as a
photo to demonstrate the difference between the two bracing designs.
Hi and thanks for your constructive comment! However this is an Orchestra Model which is a very
common Acoustic (or steel-string) guitar: The bracing of the soundboard is purposefully made for a
steel-string guitar, as is the truss rod and the thicknesses of the various pieces of the body. It is the
steel string guitar described in "Guitar building, tradition and technology" by Cumpiano and
Natelson, without any alteration
Wow that looks like a professional hand crafted guitar. I'm tempted to make one but I'm afraid I
already have more guitars than space.
Haha musician problems :)
This is the best acoustic guitar instructable I think I've seen yet! Beautiful work!
Thank you for the kind words !
Woah that is commitment and a great job. well done
Thanks man :)
Fantastic! Making a guitar is on my bucket list of things to make too. And like you, I don't play
either!
This is so cool - well done for taking the leap and seeing it through to the end. Very impressive and
inspiring :)
Thanks! if you ever get the time, do it. it is a very enjoyable project to complete :)
Fantastic work mate ! Looks amazing, hope you'll be able to make it sound like so :)
Cheers

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instructables

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 1

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 2

Step 1: Tools and Other Materials

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 4

In the end, it is only by building the guitar over and

Quartersawn, bookmatched spruce (Tonewood, for

Quartersawn, bookmatched cherry (Tonewood, back

Ebony (Kauffer, fingerboard and bridge)

Various veneers (Had them around, decoration)

Quartersawn splitted spruce logs (Tonewood,

Some cow bone (Kauffer, nut and saddle)

Tuning machines (Gotoh)

A truss rod (from china, you can make your own

Strings (D'Addario, 2 sets)

Fret wire (Kauffer)

Sandpaper (various grits)

Water-based clear gloss finish (Rothko and Frost,

Polishing compounds (Rothko and frost)

Yellow wood glue

Different types of tape

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 6

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 7

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 8

Step 4: Cleaning and Setting Up Your Workshop (or Garage...)

In my experience, cleaning the clutter and setting up

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 9

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 10

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 11

1. marking down the final thickness

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 12

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 13

1. claaaaaaaaaamp this downnnnnn

1. cleaning the joint with the jack plane

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 14

1. scarf joint done and nut placement drawn

1. gluing the heel block

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 15

1. and that's our neck, almost finished ! (ish...)

Step 6: The Neck Pt. 2: Truss Rod Installation

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 16

1. 14th fret 1. truss rod comes right under the nut

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 17

1. chiseling the truss rod slot out 1. ta-daaaaaaaa it fits

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 18

1. thinning the truss rod cover

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 19

Step 7: The Neck Pt. 3: Head Veneer and Shaping

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 20

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 21

The shape of the neck is refined with a drawknife.

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 23

This step is purely aesthetic but one of the most sandpaper.

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 25

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 26

1. primary facet 1. rough

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 27

1. secondary facet cut 1. after some rasp work

1. after some scraping

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 28

1. just before sanding

How to Make an Acoustic Guitar: Page 29