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How to decorate a guitar at home. How to decorate a guitar? Useful tips. Making minor changes

You will need

  • - guitar;
  • - sandpaper;
  • - sanding sponge;
  • - Grinder;
  • - wood putty;
  • - primer for wood;
  • - velor roller;
  • - nitro or acrylic paint;
  • - nitro varnish.

Instructions

First, completely disassemble the guitar, remove all accessories and carefully put it away so as not to lose anything. Then clamp the deck to the floor and remove the old paint. To do this, use sandpaper, orbital or any other sanding paper.

To facilitate the process, treat the surface with a special compound that removes paintwork, or acetone. Please note that after this the surface must still be sanded.

If there are chips, gouges and dents, be sure to fill them up, having previously primed the surface. Use woodworking adhesive primer as a primer. Apply it with a small velor roller or brush (the brush may leave streaks).

After the soil has dried, take the putty and begin sealing all the defects. You can use alkyd or automotive putty, the main thing is that it forms smooth surface.

Sand the guitar until it looks like a mirror. Prime the surface again and finish lightly with a hand sanding sponge (grain 220-400). Wipe the deck with a damp cloth and dry. Now you can start painting the guitar.

Select the paint depending on the chosen pattern; it is better to buy imported good nitro paint in an aerosol can, or acrylic paint.

Before painting, screw some kind of stick to the deck where the neck is attached (through the bolt holes) so that you can keep it suspended. Tape the fretboard masking tape.

Cover the guitar with several layers of varnish, each time waiting for the previous layer to dry. Sand each layer with fine sandpaper or a sanding sponge. You can use varnish from a can or nitro varnish, but it is better to choose a varnish for use on outdoors, it is marked “NC 1xx”.

If the paint on your guitar has faded or the varnish is cracking, you might want to consider purchasing a new instrument. But you can do it differently. Repaint the old one, improving and modernizing its design. Painting your favorite guitar yourself is a labor-intensive process, but very exciting. You will need some time and quality materials for work.

You will need

  • - Sander;
  • - sanding sponges;
  • - paint remover;
  • - velor roller;
  • - primer;
  • - paint for wood in aerosol cans;
  • - coating with cracking effect;
  • - Matt lacquer;
  • - rags;
  • - paper tape.

Instructions

Take the guitar apart. Unscrew the neck and remove the fittings. Place everything in a separate box so as not to lose any of the important parts and put it away until the work is completed.

Before thinking through the design, you need to completely remove the layer old paint and varnish - otherwise the new coating will instantly become covered with bubbles and cracks. In addition, thick layers of fresh paint placed on top of existing paint can distort the sound. Cover the surface with a layer special means to remove paint and leave it for the time recommended by the manufacturers. Read label instructions before use.

Arm yourself with a sanding machine and thoroughly clean the surface from any remaining paint and varnish. Be careful not to damage the wood. After processing, wipe the guitar with a clean rag. Cover the wood with primer using a small velor roller and let it dry for at least 24 hours.

Use putty to cover defects, scratches and gouges on the body. Do not neglect this point, otherwise the paint will lie unevenly. Proper restoration of wood will improve not only appearance instrument, but also its sound qualities. After puttying, set the guitar aside to dry for a day or two.

Cover the wood with another coat of primer, dry and sand by hand until the surface is mirror smooth. Use round-shaped paint sanding pads. Wipe the guitar with a damp cloth, removing small debris and dust.

Try it simple, but very original version design - craquelure effect. It does not require artistic skills, and the process of work itself is very exciting. The most convenient way is to use a ready-made set of two cans of paint. Before starting work, read the instructions carefully.

Apply two coats of base paint from the first can to the surface. Dry them for at least half an hour. Apply the top coat from the second can - it creates a cracking effect. The more layers of product you apply, the larger the cracks will be. Dry the finished guitar for about a day.

Varnish your guitar. Please note that craquelure makes the surface a little rough - decorative cracks will be felt under your hand. If you don’t like this effect, apply a matte varnish to the instrument, dry it and sand the surface with a sponge. Repeat the procedure several times. Gradually, layers of varnish will fill the cracks and the surface will become perfectly smooth.

Paint it. Seal the overlay with paper tape. Fill minor defects with putty and sand with a sanding sponge. The headstock can be painted using the soundboard technology, decorating it with craquelure. Cover the neck itself with one or two layers of enamel that matches the tone. Dry it, remove the tape and assemble the guitar.

Video on the topic

The good thing about the step-by-step drawing technique is that it allows even a novice artist to quickly get results. You can do without the complex constructions necessary for academic drawing. The artist examines the object, mentally divides it into parts of a simple form and depicts each fragment sequentially. This way you can also draw musical instruments. For example, a guitar.

What does it consist of?

Looking at the guitar, you will see that it consists of a body, usually resembling a stylized number 8, and a long, straight neck. There is a round rosette on the body of the guitar. The strings are attached to the stand (on the plane it looks like a strip). The neck has a head. If you imagine the projection of a guitar on a plane, the headstock will appear to be a parallelogram or a strip extending from the fingerboard at an obtuse angle. Having analyzed the “nature” in this way, you can safely start drawing.

Where to begin?

When drawing step by step, you can start depicting an object from any fragment. In this case, it is more convenient to start with the body. Lay the sheet horizontally. At an angle of approximately 45° to the underside of the sheet, draw a straight line - the axis. It is needed to make the guitar seem symmetrical. Mark the length of the body on this line. Between the marks, draw the number 8, the narrower and shorter part of which is adjacent to the fingerboard. The figure eight should be slightly asymmetrical. The half that is further from the viewer appears narrower and shorter. The laws of perspective must also be observed in step-by-step drawing. Round the charcoal between the loops and remove the intersecting lines. You now have the outline of the top deck.

Neck and rosette

Approximately in the middle of the deck, draw a rosette. This is a circle. If you look at it from a certain angle, it looks like an oval. Just like the body, the far part seems slightly narrower and shorter than the one closer to the viewer. Set the direction of the fretboard - this is simply a straight line running parallel to the axis. At an angle of approximately 135° to the fingerboard, draw the outline of the head.

Box

The guitar is by no means a flat instrument; it has volume. Therefore, you need to draw the side deck. From the corners of the bottom of the figure eight, lower the perpendiculars down. Those that pass closer to the viewer have the same length. The perpendicular line coming from where the guitar is notched will be slightly shorter. Connect the ends of these lines in a smooth curve parallel to the contour line of the deck. On the deck itself, draw a stand - two strips running parallel to the center line.

Volume and shadows

Taking a closer look at the rosette, you will see that through it you can see the bottom of the guitar, and also determine the thickness of the top. All this can be conveyed in the drawing. Draw an arc parallel to the outline of the rosette in the part that is closer to the fingerboard. Specify the lines of the stand - it may have the shape of a trapezoid, for example. You can leave it rectangular, but then you need to draw a line in the middle, parallel to the long sides, but slightly short of the short ones.

Final rendering

Draw the neck. Draw a second contour line parallel to the first. Draw frets across - lines perpendicular to the contour lines. Draw a second circle around the rosette. Draw the strings - long straight lines going from the bridge to the fingerboard. Convey the volume with chiaroscuro (you can shade the recess with a soft pencil or make a spot and then rub it).

Sources:

  • Guitar 1
  • Guitar 2
  • Guitar 3
  • Guitar 4
  • Guitar 5

You will need

  • - Sander;
  • - sanding sponges;
  • - paint remover;
  • - velor roller;
  • - primer;
  • - paint for wood in aerosol cans;
  • - coating with cracking effect;
  • - Matt lacquer;
  • - rags;
  • - paper tape.

Instructions

Take the guitar apart. Unscrew the neck and remove the fittings. Place everything in a separate box so as not to lose any of the important parts and put it away until the work is completed.

Before thinking through the design, you need to completely remove the layer of old paint and varnish - otherwise the new coating will instantly become covered with bubbles and cracks. In addition, thick layers of fresh paint placed on top of existing paint can distort the sound. Cover the surface with a layer of special paint remover and leave it for the time recommended by the manufacturers. Read label instructions before use.

Arm yourself with a sanding machine and thoroughly clean the surface from any remaining paint and varnish. Be careful not to damage the wood. After processing, wipe the guitar with a clean rag. Cover the wood with primer using a small velor roller and let it dry for at least 24 hours.

Use putty to cover defects, scratches and gouges on the body. Do not neglect this point, otherwise the paint will lie unevenly. Proper wood restoration will improve not only the appearance of the instrument, but also its sound quality. After puttying, set the guitar aside to dry for a day or two.

Cover the wood with another coat of primer, dry and sand by hand until the surface is mirror smooth. Use round-shaped paint sanding pads. Wipe the guitar with a damp cloth, removing small debris and dust.

Try a simple but very original design option - the craquelure effect. It does not require artistic skills, and the process of work itself is very exciting. The most convenient way is to use a ready-made set of two cans of paint. Before starting work, read the instructions carefully.

Apply two coats of base paint from the first can to the surface. Dry them for at least half an hour. Apply the top coat from the second can - it creates a cracking effect. The more layers of product you apply, the larger the cracks will be. Dry the finished guitar for about a day.

Varnish your guitar. Please note that craquelure makes the surface a little rough - decorative cracks will be felt under your hand. If you don’t like this effect, apply a matte varnish to the instrument, dry it and sand the surface with a sponge. Repeat the procedure several times. Gradually, layers of varnish will fill the cracks and the surface will become perfectly smooth.

Paint it. Seal the overlay with paper tape. Fill minor defects with putty and sand with a sanding sponge. The headstock can be painted using the soundboard technology, decorating it with craquelure. Cover the neck itself with one or two layers of enamel that matches the tone. Dry it, remove the tape and assemble the guitar.

Content:

Guitars look cool enough without any decorations, but if you want to make them even cooler, you can learn how to decorate them using the DIY method, making both minor and major changes. If you want to learn a couple of ways to shoe a guitar, learn how to properly dress electric and acoustic guitars.

Steps

1 Making minor changes

  1. 1 Replace or decorate the trim. The simplest and easiest way to add some flavor to your guitar without having to damage the instrument itself or spend a lot of money is to replace the pickguard with a brighter alternative, or buy a regular pickguard and then finish it with markers or paint.
    • Most pickguards on electric guitars can be removed using a small Phillips head screwdriver after removing the strings. To replace it you just need to insert new trim and retighten the screws. Pickguards are sold at any guitar or music store.
    • The easiest way to decorate the guitar's pickguards and body is with acrylic paints and permanent markers. More detailed description Guitar coloring is described in the next section.
  2. 2 Hang something on the head of the guitar. Jerry Garcia sometimes inserted a rose between the strings in the head of his guitar, and a variety of little decorations hanging from the head or from the guitar's tailpieces can look pretty cool.
    • Try taking some ribbons or pretty scraps of fabric, wrap them under the strings on your head and tie them tightly.
    • Wrap a couple of strings between the tailpiece and the guitar's strap to hold it in place.
  3. 3 Apply stickers. The second is incredibly easy and effective way Decorate your guitar by using various stickers on the body of the electric and acoustic guitars. Some people believe that this will negatively affect the wood modulation and resonance of the guitar, but the difference is quite difficult to notice, and on cheap guitars it is not noticeable at all. The following items are great for decorating a guitar:
    • Group stickers
    • Bumper stickers
    • Logos
    • Stickers along the fretboard
  4. 4 Get a bright belt. This could be a leather belt with a psychedelic symbol, with zippers or with a bandolier. A cool belt can have the same effect on your stage presence and atmosphere as a decorated guitar. Search online stores for a suitable belt, or consider making one yourself.
    • Adjust the height of the belt according to the style of music you are playing. That is, lower it low if you play in a punk band and raise it to the top if you play in an indie band.
    • Attach pins of your favorite bands to your belt. This is also a great opportunity to visit select music stores, bookstores, tattoo parlors and hair salons in your city.
  5. 5 Decorate toggle switches. Most electric guitars have plastic toggle switches that can be removed and replaced with something fancy, or removed altogether for a more punk or industrial look. Most toggle switches have a durable metal core that can be used on its own or decorated with anything you like.
    • Pull out the volume control on your guitar and insert a dice with drilled hole, and then glue it to the metal rod. In addition, you can also attach clay balls, LEGO people and medicine bottles.
  6. 6 Write the slogan on your guitar.“This machine kills fascists,” read the inscription on Woody Guthrie’s guitar, and Willie Nelson’s guitar, Trigger, was filled with autographs from hundreds of famous people. A few words can highlight the uniqueness of your guitar, no matter what message you want to convey.
    • Use a permanent marker and let it dry completely before touching the lettering. It is very easy to smudge and then the smudge will remain on the guitar forever.

2 Painting guitars

  1. 1 Get the right guitar. Use only cheap guitars for finishing and painting. If you have an old guitar that you want to modify a little, then go ahead. But if it's a Les Paul Standard '66 that you inherited from your grandfather, then it's best to leave it as is. If you want to change the color of an expensive guitar, buy a guitar in the right color or take it to a guitar store for refinishing.
    • You must understand that painting a guitar can seriously change the modulation of the wood and affect the sound the instrument produces. Consider yourself warned.
  2. 2 Remove the tuning machine and strings. Before finishing and painting can begin, it is important that the guitar is ready for modifications and in working order. To remove the strings, loosen them completely and then unwind them from the pegs. To remove the pegs, simply unscrew them from the head with a small Phillips screwdriver and then pull them out of the socket.
  3. 3 Remove anything you are not going to paint. If necessary, remove the pickguard and pickups, as well as any toggle switches and volume controls that you do not plan to repaint in the color of your choice. Typically, you can simply pull them out and then put them back in.
    • If you accidentally break a knob during the removal process, buy a new one from any guitar store or online store that sells guitar components, provided that the guitar was a standard model.
  4. 4 Remove trim. Depending on the type of guitar finish, you will use different methods to remove it.
    • Most acoustic guitars are made from stained wood and a finish, so before attempting to repaint the guitar, you'll need to sand it first. Overall this is a terrible idea and will have a negative impact on the tools. If your guitar is of decent quality, use small embellishments or paint over the trim.
    • In order to remove the lag coating from an electric guitar, it is necessary to thermally treat it with a construction hair dryer. The lacquer finish looks like the outer shell of your guitar is made of hard plastic, and to remove it you must use construction hair dryer on low setting so it softens so you can scrape it off with a spatula.
    • Of course, you can take the easy route and use acrylic paint or a permanent marker to simply add skulls, panthers, or your band's logo on top of the guitar's current finish. It won't look as professional, but that's probably what you want.
  5. 5 Apply primer and an even coat of water-based paint. Guitars are painted just like any other wooden object. First, they need to be carefully sanded to create a smooth surface to work with, then apply a wood primer, and finally cover with at least two even coats of latex or oil paint, suitable for wooden work.
    • It is better to use high gloss paints, which are more common on guitars. It will also help hide defects on the surface.
    • Allow each layer to dry completely before moving on to the next.
    • In general, you shouldn't use spray paint unless you want your guitar to have a junkie look, which can also be cool.
  6. 6 You can add even more decorations on top if you wish. Once the base coat of paint has dried, you can take a brush and acrylic paint to add additional details and patterns. Keep these details simple. Consider using any of the following patterns as additional detail:
    • Spiked branches
    • Flowers
    • Various ornaments
    • Skulls
    • Stars
    • Your group logo
  7. 7 Apply top coat. Guitars start to wear out after a while, which is why it is important to apply a top coat of varnish to keep your guitar as safe as possible. It is this layer that makes the body of the guitar look like hard plastic.
    • Find a topcoat that matches the type of paint you are using. For example, some of them do not combine well with latex paint.
  • If you want to maintain the sound quality of your guitar, do not use stickers, glitter glue, or any other adhesive.

What you will need

  • Guitar
  • Dye
  • Creativity

A guitar already looks cool, but many musicians want to celebrate their personal instrument by decorating it in a special way. Decorated with your own hands, these items become more valuable and close to the heart. We offer several ways to decorate a guitar.

The first thing that comes to mind when wondering how to decorate a guitar is to change its color. Yes, so that it is not simple, but, for example, some bright, poisonous color. You can apply an interesting pattern to the surface. Various stencils can help you in the process.

You can change the color of your guitar in a store, but it's not as fun as doing the job yourself. The main thing is to treat the process with special caution, because painting can affect both the modulation of the wood and the sound of the instrument.

Maybe you shouldn't take such a risk if this is your favorite guitar? Let's look for easier ways, without the risk of damaging the musical instrument.

Maybe painting the whole guitar is risky, but working on the pickguard is quite safe. It won't hurt, but it will add variety.

In addition, you can replace the guitar pickguard by purchasing a new one at the store, or paint it yourself. Remove it from the instrument using a screwdriver, after removing the strings. You can decorate it with paint, markers, use stencils or stickers.

If you are wondering how to decorate a guitar, you can follow the example of Jerry Garcia, who inserted flowers between the strings of his instrument, various decorations. Bright scarf or wide satin ribbon, tied at the top threshold, will become distinctive feature your guitar. Such decoration is inexpensive, does not spoil the instrument, does not interfere, and can be removed at any time.

Tie a piece of fabric or a small scarf tightly - this is the simplest approach to how to decorate a guitar with your own hands.

This is the second simplest and equally popular way to decorate an instrument. You can attach only a few stickers to the body, but some people completely cover their instrument with images.

Some believe that such decoration can ruin the sound of the guitar, but it is almost impossible to notice the changes in practice. As for cheap instruments, the difference is not visible at all.

To decorate the guitar you can use:

  • images of musical groups;
  • bumper designs;
  • logos.

Stickers are bright and interesting. They can also be removed if necessary.

Do you know what can make an impression without harming the instrument in any way? Cool belt. It's not only interesting decoration, but also practical. You can look for such an accessory in musical instrument stores.

Adjusting your strap can tell others about your playing style. For example, you need to lower it low if you prefer punk, and raise it to the very top if your music is indie.

You can attach badges to your belt to suit your taste.

We offer another way to decorate a guitar for owners of power tools. Plastic toggle switches are easily removed and replaced with something interesting and original.

You can use anything as such an item, for example, clay balls, dice.

Using a marker or paint, you can put a quote from your favorite song or poem on your guitar. “This machine kills fascists,” was written on Guthrie’s instrument. Write your slogan, appeal, popular phrase or acronym, name or stage name on the guitar.

Surely one of the seven ways to decorate a guitar presented in the article will appeal to you. Decorate your musical instrument by adding a piece of yourself, your imagination, and fill it with personality.

source

Greetings to all readers of Guitar School. Since most of the Guitar School audience are guitarists, I would like to discuss today how to decorate your guitar. Reading topics on forums about various methods of decorating a guitar, I often come across opinions that decorating a guitar is not worth it at all, that it is unnecessary. Good game on the guitar and nothing more - some say.

I don't agree with this either simple example I'll explain why. There are smart, capable people, BUT their appearance spoils everything. According to statistics, such people are more often refused, even in some small things.

It's the same with guitars. When you perform at concerts, the audience evaluates everything: the quality of the playing, the appearance of the performer and, of course, the appearance of the instrument. To be convinced of this, you don’t need to look far for an example; just remember any famous guitarist, be it Steve Vai, James Hetfield or Joe Satriani. Their guitars are made from a unique pattern, exquisitely painted, or come with stickers.

So I actually listed 3 ways How to decorate a guitar. Let's try to analyze each of the ways to decorate a guitar. I will try to identify the advantages and disadvantages of each method:

1. Unique guitar template. The method is the most effective. A guitar made according to a unique template will be remembered by the viewer for a long time. Many famous guitarists order custom guitars from the best guitar manufacturers, such as Gibson and many others.

But the costs for this are simply colossal. For guitarists on a small stage, I can advise finding guitar makers and ordering a guitar from them. But the price will still be high and not everyone will be able to afford it.

In addition, there will no longer be an opportunity to change the design. Playing a guitar like this every day is not practical. You can have such a guitar in your arsenal for large concerts, but nothing more.

So, I can attribute the appearance to the advantages of the unique guitar template. Disadvantages: price, inability to change the design and inconvenience of playing (depending on the guitar manufacturer).

If this method of decorating your guitar is not for you, move on.

2. Airbrushing on a guitar. The method is much cheaper than creating a unique guitar template.

But still quite expensive.

Airbrush is a method of applying paint to a guitar under high pressure. The guitar remains as smooth as ever. The paint does not wash off and stays on perfectly.

If you get tired of the picture, you will have to repaint the guitar to draw a new one. This should be considered a minus, and we should not forget about it. Therefore, when choosing an airbrush specialist, find a good one, otherwise you risk repainting the entire guitar.

The cost of airbrushing on a guitar will be from 5,000 rubles. and ad infinitum. Therefore, the disadvantages include the price and difficulty in changing the picture. Dignity like others ways to decorate a guitar - appearance.

If this method is too expensive for you, or if you are going to do something with your guitar for the first time, I suggest you pay attention to guitar stickers.

3. Guitar stickers. Guitar stickers are currently gaining popularity among local musicians.

This way to decorate your guitar is available to everyone. The stickers are made of vinyl, which means they are resistant to mechanical damage.

These stickers look no worse than airbrushing. In Russia, such guitar stickers can be ordered in the online store Guitar stickers. You can choose any color and size you are interested in.

It is also important that if you get tired of one picture, you can easily replace it with another. The stickers use glue on water based, it does not leave marks on the guitar and holds the sticker well.

Therefore, I would consider the advantages: good price, good appearance, ease of changing the picture to another. I don’t even know what to classify as disadvantages. I can attribute the service life, but it will be about a year. During this time, I think, the picture will get boring and you will want to replace it.

That’s why I painted my guitar with stickers.

source

A selection of 64 famous guitars from the 75-year history of rock and roll

Tales by the fireplace. MK Cat with a guitar. Part 1.

Romantic cat with a guitar

Romantic cat with a guitar

Guitar cake for a teenager

Guitar cake for a teenager

I remember Komsomol construction teams. and there was a 12-string guitar too.

Pendant “Bunny with a guitar” with enamel and rhinestones. Size 33X20 mm. Chain length 72 cm. Cost 210 rubles.

Cushion-guitar - MK for tailoring

Cushion-guitar - MK for tailoring

Electric or Acoustic Guitar Capo One Hand Tune Key Changing in Guitar Parts and Accessories from Sports and Entertainment on Aliexpress.com


Another attraction of impressive size is the Golden Guitar, (.)

Giant monuments in Australia
Another landmark of impressive size is the Golden Guitar, installed in 1988 opposite the famous Longyard Hotel on the road to Sydney. The creator of the sculpture is Slim Dusty, a famous country singer. The Golden Guitar is traditionally considered the symbol of the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

At the age of 15, I picked up a guitar for the first time and realized that it was mine. I think it's all about talent. If you have hands (.)

At the age of 15, I picked up a guitar for the first time and realized that it was mine. I think it's all about talent. If your hands grow out of your ass, then most likely you will become a stagehand. Personally, I easily mastered the guitar... it’s just my thing and that’s all! (c) Jake E Lee

I love to travel and also play the guitar. Angus plays the guitar and wears a backpack. Enough to make you love what he does (c) George Lynch

How to play chords on guitar

How to play chords on guitar

What is a chord? A chord is a consonance of strings. In guitar chords, this is the sound of three or more strings. In a chord, there is a main note and a consonance that is adjacent to the main note. When playing chords on the guitar, there are some guidelines to follow that will help you good teacher.
Learn all the most famous chords: D, Dm, E, Em, A, Am, C, Cm, F, Fm, G, Gm. These chords make up 90% of all chords used by most popular musicians around the world.

Learn how to pluck chords correctly right away. If you give yourself some slack, it will be very difficult to relearn later. Most guitar books tell you how to position your fingers when placing them on the neck of the guitar (which finger is on which string).
Try to hold the chords completely. This will give you all the depth of sound. Press the chord and move it along the strings; if you hear unpleasant and dull sounds, press the chord even harder. These sounds indicate insufficient pressure on the strings.

As you pluck the chord, pay attention to the placement of your fingers. The fingers should be slightly bent (not straight), i.e. be a semicircle. Don't try to bend your fingers for the sake of what is written here. Try to do it organically, you should be able to do it without too much effort.

To play your favorite song beautifully, you need to practice and hone the performance of this composition. The easiest way to enter the world of guitar music is to learn how to extract a clear rhythm from the guitar. The chord system of the game is the basis of the rhythm in music played on the guitar. A properly tuned acoustic guitar. If you decide to memorize a song, then do not be alarmed by the poorly-produced accompaniment. When rearranging chords, you may experience pauses - this is quite normal. After several practices, you will achieve competent performance of the song.

Leo Fender, creator of Fender guitars, never knew how to play guitar

Argentina: Guitar-shaped forest. Comments: LiveInternet - Russian Online Diary Service

source

Simple and clear instructions, how to make a guitar out of cardboard at home especially for those who like to make musical instruments with their own hands.

If your child, after watching the cartoons “Rock Dog”, “Kubo: Legend of the Samurai” or “The Secret of Coco”, is fired up with the idea of ​​learning to play the guitar, this does not mean that you need to immediately run to the store to buy an instrument. First, make a guitar out of cardboard with your own hands. It is quite possible that this will be enough for children to set their teeth on edge.

We offer three ways to make a guitar out of cardboard with your own hands.

In order to make a toy guitar out of cardboard using the first method, you will need:

  • cardboard (you can use unnecessary cardboard boxes)
  • scissors and paper knife
  • glue gun
  • two unnecessary pencils to make guitar bridges (4 and 7 cm)
  • two paper clips
  • string material, such as fishing line

Print or draw a template for a toy guitar on paper. Cut it out.

Cut out parts for the guitar from cardboard. There should be five elements in total.

Glue together two large parts with a glue gun.

We make guitar bridges from pencils. To do this, cut two parts from the pencil: 4 and 7 cm.

We mark on the soundboard a place for the nut and strings on the front side of the guitar, moving away from bottom edge circle, 2.5 cm, draw a 7 cm line in the center. Then we mark with dots the places where the strings exit:

  • step back from the line 0.5 cm down
  • then we retreat 1.5 cm from the edges
  • put dots at intervals of 1 cm

We attach the saddles to our cardboard guitar. To begin, use a paper knife to draw along a 7cm line under the circle.

Then press the cut inward a little with your fingers.

And using a glue gun, we glue a 7-centimeter threshold, which we made from a pencil, to the resulting crease.

We glue the nut to the neck in the same way. The only difference is that you need to make 4 notches on it for future strings.

We attach strings to a cardboard guitar. We take the material that we have prepared for the strings: fishing line or elastic. We cut 4 strings to the length of the guitar, plus 7-8 cm for fastenings.

We tie one end of the strings with a paper clip.

We attach a paper clip to the neck, to the back of the guitar. We pass the strings through the holes and bring them out to front part.

We thread the free ends of the strings into the corresponding holes on the soundboard of the guitar and bring them to the back, where we fasten them with a paper clip. Then we fix the paper clip itself with glue.

Glue the remaining parts to the back of the guitar. Trim the rough edges using a paper knife.

This cardboard guitar is not as naturalistic as the first one: its strings will be drawn. But there is one undeniable advantage - doing it much faster and easier than in the first master class. And you can also make yourself not ordinary acoustics, but electric guitar like real rock stars.

So, what you will need to make a toy cardboard guitar:

  • cardboard
  • paper knife
  • paints or markers

We cut out the deck and neck from cardboard according to the template. Glue them together and let them dry.

After the glue on the guitar has dried, draw the strings, nuts, and pegs. And we will also decorate the deck as soon as your heart desires.

With this master class, how to make a guitar from cardboard box, even a child can handle it.

To make a guitar from cardboard boxes, you will need:

  • cardboard box
  • bushing from paper towels or a piece of cardboard for the neck
  • string material (thick fishing line or elastic)
  • glue or tape
  • pencil for sills

In fact, whatever is at hand will come in handy. Take a cardboard box (cereal is fine) and cut a circle in the middle. Glue a neck cut out of cardboard or a paper towel roll.

Attach the saddles and strings to the box. And the guitar is ready.

We hope you enjoyed the master classes on how to make a guitar from cardboard or a cardboard box with your own hands. And the children will be delighted with such a craft.

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Guitar making is a rather complex but interesting area of ​​music. Of course, it is not suitable for beginners, but experienced guitarists can try their hand at this. This will allow you to make an instrument that suits you, as well as create custom guitars, and get pretty good money from it. In this section we will talk in detail about how to make a guitar, and also give detailed guide on this matter.

Before you begin making a guitar, you will need to prepare your tools. This includes:

Different Types of Wood You Need

Besides, you will need drawings for marking. This will be enough to make an acoustic guitar.

The most common wood used to make an acoustic guitar is cedar and spruce, but you can experiment with different types wood to create your own sound. Very common Walnut, which is popular in Western guitars. We recommend starting with these materials as they are the easiest to work with.

Also, pay attention to the quality of the wood. It varies from A to AAAA, and this greatly affects the price. For the first time, take medium-priced wood, and later start purchasing the most expensive options. This way you will protect yourself from losing money due to unsuccessful production.

We have already described this point in detail in the paragraph above. We used walnut and cedar wood to make the acoustic guitar in this tutorial. Next, try to consider mahogany or rosewood, as they give a rather warm and unusual sound to the guitar.

So, first of all we need to make the soundboard of the guitar. In this case, you need to make the top and bottom of the back of the deck. In this case, the back part of the deck consists of two halves. You need to achieve such a result that the line of the junction of these two pieces is not visible when gluing, and that they are perfectly even relative to each other. To do this, take the two sheets of wood that you prepared initially and start sanding them using sandpaper. It will take a long time to sand to ensure that the deck is smooth and without any splinters or chips. In addition, you need a special thickness - this is 2.5 millimeters for the top part, and 3 millimeters for the bottom. The most convenient thing in this case is to use a grinder, but you can try to do this with sandpaper, which will be much longer and more problematic.

After this, you will need to draw the deck on the finished pieces of wood. You can find the diagrams on the Internet yourself - since there is no single format, and everything is limited only by your taste and imagination.

For the next step, you will absolutely need a wood carving tool. This can be a regular jigsaw, but it is best to purchase a specialized tool for cutting wood. After marking the location of the socket with drawings, you will need to cut it out. Drill a hole in the center first, then use the circle cutting attachment. Be sure to keep an eye on the diameter and double check everything carefully - this is critical to good sound.

After this, you need to cut strips of wood that will be glued into the inside of the deck in accordance with the drawing. Their thickness should be approximately 2mm. Make sure they fit perfectly with the body of the guitar.

After that, we move on to decorative stickers. Here the matter is limited only by your imagination and the ability to make the guitar individual.

The next step in making an acoustic guitar is assembling the side clamps that reinforce the thin wood. The recommended wood for this is Sita spruce, but you can also use cedar. Cut the pieces according to the drawing and place them according to the drawing. After this, fasten them to each other and make two halves, onto which the deck will later be placed. They should be slightly narrower than its diameter.

The next step in making a guitar is to create a strip of wood that will cover the clamps and give the guitar one-piece look. The first option for making them is to create something from pieces of plywood that follows the shape of a guitar, or to create the same thing, but from two large pieces. For this you can use pneumatic fillers. You will need a 2x4 panel.

The hardest part is bending the wood. To do this, you will either need to soak it for a long time, or use steam and special tools. In addition, you will need an iron mold, which also needs to be either made or purchased online. Once you have soaked the wood and made it flexible and pliable, you will need to place it in a mold and bend it to suit your needs. Be sure to secure it and leave it to dry before removing it. Next, glue it to the clamps using wood glue.

To begin, you will need to attach two strips of wood to the inside of the rim, one of which will hold the neck. First, soak them in water for better plasticity, then secure one to the bottom of the strip. Give the glue a day to dry and then repeat the process. Use sandpaper to polish them so that they do not protrude beyond the edges of the bend sheet.

The easiest way is to purchase the neck on the Internet rather than cutting it yourself. They are usually sent with a pre-cut cutout for the guitar truss, as well as bolts for attaching. Cut off wooden panel, which closes the hole for inserting the anchor, and also dry the wood. Sand it down. Mark the two holes that are on the neck of the guitar on its body and match them correctly. Everything needs to be aligned perfectly, and after all the markings are done, connect them with bolts.

After this, place the anchor in the neck cavity. Cover it with a special strip so that the neck is solid, and you can later apply a pickguard to it. After this, separate the neck from the body - later you can attach it using the bolts that you marked before.

After that, it's time to assemble the body. First, carefully cut out the required gaps for the neck and fingerboards on the top and bottom of the body, after which the task becomes less difficult. You just need to connect the finished parts to each other as accurately as possible, glue them, secure them with electrical tape or something else, and then give the glue time to dry.

After this, cut out small strips of wood that you will place along the edges, gluing them and protecting them from dents. Soak them so that they bend well and stick to the edges.

The next step is preparing the neck of the acoustic guitar. Using tools, shape it into the shape you want, mark the holes, and then drill them. Use sandpaper to sand the neck so that it is smooth and without any splinters. After this, apply paint to it, or leave it original color tree.

If desired, the neck can be decorated with wood inserts. To do this, you will need to make an indentation in the shape of the decorations you want to place, and then place the addition on the glue, pressing it firmly.

The next step in how to make an acoustic guitar is making the fingerboard. This way you will mark the frets using special inserts. First, of course, you need to prepare it - cut it to shape and clean it. After this, it was time for marking. First you will need to mark the frets. Do this according to the instructions, or take measurements from a ready-made neck. After this, make indentations along the lines of the frets - in the future you will insert steel strips there. The next step is to drill small holes for the washers that will mark the frets. Next, you will need a strong press to help you push all the metal parts of the wood into place. It is advisable to slightly soak it and dry it after setting the frets.

First of all, you need to fill the anchor groove and cover it with a specially prepared board. After this, coat the fingerboard with glue and place it on the fingerboard. Press it down using additional wooden board, then let everything dry and sand the neck again with sandpaper. In addition, you will need a cover for the anchor. It can be made from any piece of wood, cut to shape and mounted on bolts.

You can make it in any shape you wish. Simply cut out the protective drop you need from plastic or thin wood and place it on the glue. The most important thing here is to polish it just as well.

This is followed by the varnishing stage. Everything is very simple here - using polyethylene, separate those parts that need to be varnished from those that do not. This is, first of all, the fingerboard, rosette, and also a place for the stand. Just stick it on top of the guitar so that you can separate it later.

After this, check how well the strings fit after installing the bridge. The best way to do this is to take a simple measurement, roughly imagining its height. If they lie on the bar, this is bad. Try raising the bridge with a piece of wood placed underneath the bridge.

Once you have everything you need in place, it's time for varnishing. Use any tool varnish, especially a good option– in aerosol cans. It is best to apply 10 layers of varnish, sanding each layer a little for smoothness. In addition, it is recommended to make a separate box to apply the varnish in. Of course, use protective equipment respiratory tract and bodies. After the layers have cured for a week, polish them.

After that, it's time to install the bridge. Drill holes for the strings according to the markings inside the body and the bridge itself, and then attach it with glue. Your task is to calculate everything as accurately as possible. If you did everything correctly, then you will have a spot on the body under the bridge, which forms after applying the varnish - focus on it.

The last thing to do in the How to Build a Guitar at Home challenge is to polish the instrument, tighten the strings, and adjust the string height on the acoustic guitar on the truss rod. Remember that the glue must be allowed to dry thoroughly, after which you carry out all these manipulations. If you did everything correctly, then you should have a playing acoustic guitar.

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The idea of ​​starting to make musical instruments comes to many musicians, including guitarists. Of course, it’s hard to expect that the first time you’ll get a masterpiece that will sound great two or three hundred years later. But all great masters started somewhere, so why not try? How to make a guitar with your own hands will be discussed in our article.

Before you make a guitar with your own hands at home, you need to understand what exactly you will have to do, that is, figure out what this instrument consists of. At first glance, two parts are visible:

If you examine the body more closely, it becomes clear that it is not at all hollowed out from a single piece of wood, like some other instruments. WITH outside visible:

  • lower deck – solid or two parts;
  • the top soundboard is a plate with a round resonator hole, decorated with a rosette, that is, an ornament;
  • shell, which connects both decks;
  • stand - a small plate on the top deck;
  • the bottom sill is an elevation on a stand.

The stand is used to fasten the strings, and their height above the top deck depends on the lower nut. There are springs inside the housing. These are wooden strips that provide the strength of the body and the necessary vibration. They are:

If you look inside the guitar, you will also see the footer - narrow plates that are glued along the center line of the bottom or top soundboard. However, not all models have these details. There is a button on the shell - it serves to allow you to attach a belt and play while standing.

Important! The resonator hole also has another name - voice box.

Upon closer examination, it turns out that the neck also consists of several parts:

In the upper part there is a head on which the tuning mechanism is placed. Strings, in turn, are attached to it. The cover is divided by metal strips into unequal sections - they are wide at the head, and the closer to the socket, the smaller the distances.

Important! The metal strips are called saddles, the spaces between them are called frets. Some frets have dots or stars on them. Most acoustic guitars have the fifth, seventh, tenth, and twelfth frets marked this way. Sometimes marks are placed not in the central part of the fingerboard, but on top.

The bar also has a heel, with which it is attached to the body. Expensive instruments have a glued neck. For cheap mass-produced instruments, it is secured with a screw. This screw adjusts the distance between the neck and the strings.

For body and neck used different materials. The body can be made:

Expensive models are made from high-quality wood, and different species are used for different parts.

Important! If you choose good material and store the instrument correctly, the guitar will last a very long time, and the more time passes, the better it will sound.

You can also see cheap plywood tools in stores. To get a good sound from such an instrument, you need not only skill, but also a lot of luck. As an option for beginners, you can try making a guitar with your own hands from plywood. But we must consider this approach solely as a training stage of assembly for the subsequent production of an instrument from expensive wood.

Important! Plywood decks quickly crack, springs fly off, and the instrument becomes deformed.

In Soviet times, the Leningrad factory produced plastic guitars, popularly known as “trough”. Some models were made entirely of plastic, while others had a wooden top.

Important! It was believed that plastic more durable than wood, but it was not so.

Finally, metal guitars can be classified as exotic. They made a strange sound, vaguely reminiscent of a banjo. They were made specifically for tourists, because on a water trip it was a universal household item that, if necessary, could even be used for rowing. Musicians, however, loved such artifacts much less than watermen.

Important! For anyone who is planning to make a guitar that they can play with their own hands, it is better to abandon the exotic and choose something more traditional for their product.

To make a guitar with your own hands, not just any wood is suitable. At the same time, different parts of the body are made from different breeds.

Conifers suitable for the top deck:

Expensive models use resonant spruce and cedar - classic guitar materials. The workpiece will not be cheap, you can’t get it everywhere - boards required size are not found in every carpentry workshop. However, in online stores you can find required material it is possible, and even in the form of almost finished fragments, which can only be finally processed and put together.

There are several varieties of spruce:

Important! The combination of spruce and cedar also gives an interesting effect. For cheap models, pine is also used, but such an instrument sounds worse.

These parts of the guitar are usually made from the same type of wood. It must be hard, so most often they use:

The instrument with a maple back has a sharper and more sonorous sound than the other two. But if the material is well dried and processed, only high-class professionals will notice the difference.

Important! Boards can be found not only in the workshop. If, for example, the neighbors threw away an old piano (and this often happens now), do not pass by, but remove all the wooden parts from it, which are suitable for making many musical instruments.

It does not affect the sound quality as much as the body, although musicians believe that the instrument has no small details. But the acoustic properties in this case recede into the background; the main thing is the ability to keep its shape.

Therefore, to make a guitar with your own hands, or rather its neck, use hard rocks:

The overlay, among other things, must be beautiful. Therefore, the most popular materials for its manufacture are:

It's a nice instrument to hold in your hands. Therefore, professional craftsmen strive in every possible way, trying to give their products a unique look and grace.

Most often, when making a guitar with your own hands, the following are used:

The carving on the body is, of course, more than dubious. It reduces durability and greatly affects sound quality. Therefore, only the headstock is decorated with carved ornaments.

As for the inlay, it can be on the neck or on the body - for example, around the rosette. To do this, you can use pieces of wood of different species. Stroke is used to mask seams.

So, have you finally decided, despite the fact that not all materials are suitable? Well, then we have to try. But it is advisable to draw up a work plan in advance. To make a high-quality guitar with your own hands at home, it will be something like this:

  1. Select your guitar type.
  2. Find a suitable drawing.
  3. Transfer it to the tree of the selected species.
  4. Study the technological process.
  5. Find and prepare a room.
  6. Prepare your tools.

There is no point in developing a drawing on your own - a person taking up the matter for the first time is unlikely to cope with such a task. But there are many books on making musical instruments - there you will also find the necessary drawings. Now this stage has been greatly simplified, because to search you will need only two things - a computer with Internet access and a printer on which you can print patterns. IN as a last resort you can take a finished guitar and just trace it.

As for technology, you immediately need to think about how you will bend some wooden parts. This is the most crucial moment. An electric heater will help you a lot.

This is very important point! And it's not just about comfort. Materials require special conditions. The room should be:

  • warm, but not hot;
  • with good lighting;
  • with good ventilation;
  • be sure to be dry.

Important! Humidity in the workshop should not exceed 50%.

If you decide to make the blanks yourself rather than buy them from a workshop, you first need to choose a board. Regardless of what type of wood you prefer:

  • the future deck should be free of knots;
  • the fibers should run parallel and not make sharp bends.

It is very good when you have the opportunity to look at many boards. If you like several, tap them and listen. You should choose the one whose sound you like best.

Important! Along with the blanks, in order to make a guitar with your own hands, you need to buy strings and a tuning machine.

It is better to prepare a set of electric and manual tools right away. You need:

  • jigsaw;
  • manual jigsaw;
  • electric drill;
  • Sander;
  • milling machine;
  • compressor unit;
  • spray gun;
  • jars of varnish;
  • plane;
  • sherhebel;
  • skobel;
  • large clamps;
  • pliers;
  • wire cutters;
  • hammer;
  • crosshead screwdriver;
  • sharp knife;
  • files.

Important! Why do you need two jigsaws at once - manual and electric? For different types of work. You will use a jigsaw to cut out parts, but for cuts on the fretboard, as well as for other delicate work, a manual one is more suitable.

Beginning guitar master may not know the names of different carpentry tools, but he will need several planes - for rough and fine processing.

A jigsaw will not work without a file, nor will a sanding machine without belts. Therefore, take care of the components immediately. You need:

  • wide and narrow files for a jigsaw: the first - for straight cuts, the second - for contours;
  • belts with different grains for a sanding machine - for rough grinding, for eliminating scratches, for fine processing;
  • straight and edge molding cutters for a milling machine;
  • metal drills 3, 6 and 9 mm;
  • wood drills 12, 19, 22, 26 mm;
  • concrete drill 8 mm.

So, you have the boards, you have chosen the type of guitar and even printed out the drawing. It's time to start cutting. You need to start by gluing the body, and the first thing is to fit the two boards for the lower deck so that they turn into one. There are several ways to do this.

  1. Connect the pieces by clamping them into a “sandwich” clamp.
  2. Treat the surfaces with a plane as if you had one plane, not two.
  3. Glue it together.

Important! The next step is to cut the workpiece along the contour with a jigsaw. And here it is very important to make sure that there are no knots.

Glue the footer and springs to the bottom deck. The footer runs strictly axially, the three springs are strictly at right angles to it. It turns out something like “ chest” with a spine and three ribs.

It is better if it is made of a solid board rather than a composite one. Although some craftsmen prefer a different option and make the upper deck in the same way as the lower one. But when the strings are already stretched, tension develops in the upper part, and the seam can quickly burst.

You need to mark the outlet. Its center is at the narrowest point of the guitar. A resonator hole is cut out in the middle of the socket. There are also springs on the inside of the top deck. It's time to glue them.

Perhaps the most complex parts are the shells. You need them:

And if there are usually no problems with cutting and initial processing - they are trimmed with several planes and sanded, just like all other parts, then with the wood giving the desired shape Some difficulties may arise. That's why:

  1. Wet the workpiece well with warm water.
  2. Place it in a warm place for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Heat the part to a temperature slightly above 100ºС.
  4. Bend it to shape.
  5. Let cool - the workpiece will retain its bend.

Glue the heel and the handle of the neck. This will not be a problem, the main thing is that the connection is strong.

Important! There is no need to cut a groove on the body in advance; this can be done later, when the time comes to assemble all the parts together.

But you need to decide on the head right away. She may be:

Oddly enough, the second option is simpler:

  • If you are making a straight head, you will need more retainers, otherwise the strings simply will not press against the nut.

Important! The direct version is made together with a handle, from the same piece of wood.

  • In an inclined position, you can do two things. If you don’t need to save wood, cut the neck in one piece from a whole piece. But you can glue it together from two or even three parts. There are companies that make composite necks - from two or three longitudinal layers.

Important! The inclination should not exceed 17º.

An anchor rod is glued into the neck. It gives the part the necessary bend and increases strength. To make a guitar with your own hands at home, the rod can be glued in two ways:

  • under the cover, that is, in top part;
  • With back side, covering with a decorative plate.

Important! A channel is made for the rod along the entire length of the neck.

When all the parts are prepared, that is, cut, sanded and equipped with all the necessary details, you can begin assembly.

Now you have a complete understanding of how to make a guitar with your own hands at home. We hope that this technology did not seem too complicated to you, or, even if it did, your desire was stronger than the fear of doing something wrong, and you did an excellent job!

A guitar already looks cool, but many musicians want to celebrate their personal instrument by decorating it in a special way. Decorated with your own hands, these items become more valuable and close to the heart. We offer several ways to decorate a guitar.

Painting the instrument

The first thing that comes to mind when wondering how to decorate a guitar is to change its color. Yes, so that it is not simple, but, for example, some bright, poisonous color. You can apply an interesting pattern to the surface. Various stencils can help you in the process.

You can change the color of your guitar in a store, but it's not as fun as doing the job yourself. The main thing is to treat the process with special caution, because painting can affect both the modulation of the wood and the sound of the instrument.

Maybe you shouldn't take such a risk if this is your favorite guitar? Let's look for easier ways, without the risk of damaging the musical instrument.

Overlay

Maybe painting the whole guitar is risky, but working on the pickguard is safe. It won't hurt, but it will add variety.

In addition, you can replace the guitar pickguard by purchasing a new one at the store, or paint it yourself. Remove it from the instrument using a screwdriver, after removing the strings. You can decorate it with paint, markers, use stencils or stickers.

Scarves and ribbons

If you are wondering how to decorate a guitar, you can follow the example of Jerry Garcia, who inserted flowers and various decorations between the strings of his instrument. A bright scarf or a wide satin ribbon tied at the nut will become a distinctive feature of your guitar. Such decoration is inexpensive, does not spoil the instrument, does not interfere, and can be removed at any time.

Tie a piece of fabric or a small scarf tightly - this is the simplest approach to how to decorate a guitar with your own hands.

This is the second simplest and equally popular way to decorate an instrument. You can attach only a few stickers to the body, but some people completely cover their instrument with images.

Some believe that such decoration can ruin the sound of the guitar, but it is almost impossible to notice the changes in practice. As for cheap instruments, the difference is not visible at all.

To decorate the guitar you can use:

  • images of musical groups;
  • bumper designs;
  • logos.

Stickers are bright and interesting. They can also be removed if necessary.

Bright belt

Do you know what can make an impression without harming the instrument in any way? Cool belt. This is not only an interesting decoration, but also practical. You can look for such an accessory in musical instrument stores.

Adjusting your strap can tell others about your playing style. For example, you need to lower it low if you prefer punk, and raise it to the very top if your music is indie.

You can attach badges to your belt to suit your taste.

Toggle switches

We offer another way to decorate a guitar for owners of power tools. Plastic toggle switches are easily removed and replaced with something interesting and original.

You can use anything as such an item, for example, clay balls, dice.

Inscriptions

Using a marker or paint, you can put a quote from your favorite song or poem on your guitar. “This machine kills fascists,” was written on Guthrie’s instrument. Write your slogan, appeal, popular phrase or acronym, name or stage name on the guitar.

Surely one of the seven ways to decorate a guitar presented in the article will appeal to you. Decorate your musical instrument by adding a piece of yourself, your imagination, and fill it with personality.