The first mass production of electric guitars dates back to 1934. Over time, the popularity of such a musical instrument is only growing.
There is an opinion that it is impossible to make a decent quality electric guitar with your own hands. But this is not true at all. You just need to have some skills in carpentry and plumbing, as well as be patient and careful.
How to make an electric guitar from scratch - we’ll talk about this and more in this article.
Frame
Many of those who make homemade electric guitars argue that the instrument should be as light as possible. This is especially true for beginning guitarists.
Despite the fact that it is more difficult to play a heavy guitar, the body must still be massive. Its weight usually varies between 3.5-4 kg.
As you can see in the photo of homemade electric guitars, birch, maple or multi-layer plywood are most often used to make the body.
But fiberboard is considered the optimal raw material, since this material does not have a specific texture or knots. In addition, it is easy to process.
The work plan for creating the guitar body is as follows:
- Draw a sketch of the body onto the board and cut it out with a jigsaw.
- Cut and drill all the required holes.
- Make the bottom wall from 4-6 mm plywood.
- Fasten both parts with liquid nails;
- Treat the workpiece with a rasp and sand it with sandpaper.
- Cover the body with nitro putty in several layers.
- Clean with fine sandpaper.
- Paint with nitro paint in 4-5 layers.
Vulture
The neck is made of hardwood. Ideal if it is beech. Let's look at the instructions on how to make a neck and handles for an electric guitar.
The first step is to select a bar of the required size. It is ground down using a plane. The top of the bar should be perfectly flat and the bottom should be rounded.
The rounding of the upper part is purely symbolic - from the nut to the end of the fingerboard, the curvature should disappear. It is permissible to use the neck from an old instrument. But it will have to be reduced in width and the shape of the head changed.
For the headstock, the same wood is used from which the fingerboard is made. After cutting it out, do not forget to file and sand it. Using a drill, make holes for the pegs in 3 cm increments. Insert the pegs and glue the head to the neck.
The next step is to carefully position the frets and make cuts using a hacksaw. It is permissible not to paint the top of the neck; you just need to cover it with stain and varnish. To indicate frets, you can use plates or circles made of black or plastic white. Cut them flush into the neck.
The neck must be covered with putty and painted. It is fastened to the body using a steel plate with nails.
Mechanical vibrator
It is necessary to change the tone. The strings pass through the shaft, trying to turn it, and the springs serve as an obstacle. With the help of an anchor, the springs are tensioned, and, as a result, the strings are weakened. This results in a decrease in sound by 1-0.5 tones.
If you turn the anchor in the opposite direction, the strings will be tensioned and the sound will increase by a tone or semitone. A mechanical vibrator is easier to buy ready-made.
Pay attention! 
Pickups
This is the basis of the electric guitar. Usually they install 2 - 3 pickups. It is very important to choose suitable option. To do this, study all the offers in your region and view advertisements on the Internet. Remember that you should not skimp on quality. The wire from the guitar to the amplifier must be shielded, up to 5 m long.
How to make an electric guitar left-handed
Many left-handers are naturally concerned with the question of how to properly make an electric guitar left-handed. To do this, you will need to remove all the strings from the instrument and turn it over. It is also optimal if you purchase a new string nut.
All that is necessary is to insert a new one in place of the glued threshold. This must be done in such a way that the hole for the sixth string is in place of the first, and the first in place of the sixth. The remaining strings must be tensioned in a mirror order. That's it.
In this article, we looked at only one idea on how to make an electric guitar yourself. There are others. Therefore, have patience and confidence in your abilities and dare - create. This hand-made electric guitar will become a source of pride for you.
Photo of a homemade electric guitar
Pay attention! 
Pay attention! 
All photos from the article
Is it possible to make a guitar out of plywood? This is a frequently asked question. And here there will definitely be a positive answer, since it is from this material that the soundboards of musical instruments are most often made.
But the choice of material is not so simple - the problem is that the resonance created by one or another type of wood will be different, and the volume and timbre of the sound of a musical instrument depends on this. Let's try to figure out what material is best to use and how to do it, and in addition, you will find a video in this article.
Soundboard string instruments
Types of execution
Note. Classical guitars are classified by the material from which they are made.
That is, it depends on.
In addition, veneering decks with valuable wood veneer has become popular in our time.
Three types of classical instruments:
- All parts - bottom, shell and deck made of plywood.
- Plywood bottom and sides, solid spruce or cedar top and bottom.
- All parts are made from solid wood plates.
Type 1:
- such an instrument, perhaps, belongs to the classics with some stretch, since here the minimum quality of resonance is obtained in comparison with solid wood;
- in most cases, it is used as an instrument for teaching, or for accompaniment, since such a guitar is very convenient to take on hikes due to its light weight;
- in addition, this produces a fairly durable body and the price is the lowest among its analogues (it can also be a do-it-yourself balalaika made of plywood);
- Often the problem with this type of product lies in the manufacturer’s careless approach to the budget option.
Type 2:
- here, during manufacturing, the instructions imply that only the upper deck (and occasionally the lower one) is made from solid wood;
- the veneering of the bottom and sides is often made of, although it can also be made of spruce;
- in most cases, excellent sound is achieved here, which can sometimes be even better than the average guitar made entirely of solid wood;
- such musical instrument great for primary school classical game, and is also used by bards, but not for campaigns, but for concert halls.
Type 3:
- this option is considered the best for the classic style;
- are mainly used valuable species wood and the more expensive they are, the better the sound, but this is also determined by the class of the master manufacturer.
Dependence of quality on veneer
Note. Whatever veneer the plywood is made from, in any case it must be elite, top quality E.
No natural defects (branches of any size, rot) or manufacturing defects (cracks, delamination) are allowed here.
In most cases, if you want to make your own guitar or maybe are looking for how to make a balalaika from plywood, you will choose spruce. The fact is that here the vibrations do not damp out in the soundboard due to friction, thanks to the suitable density of the wood (minimal friction).
In addition, the range of frequencies reproduced by strings is quite wide. However, this is better indicated by the indicators in comparative characteristics which we offer you in the tables below.
Modulus of elasticity, density and constants
Spruce veneer derivative table
Gluing the deck
Note. We will only figure out how to assemble the soundboard, and the neck, with nuts and pegs, as well as the stand with the nut, we use a factory one, from an old broken instrument.
But this is only possible if the neck is level.
So we will use plywood premium made of spruce veneer 3 mm thick. In order to avoid problems with the tuning of the instrument, which will happen if you incorrectly calculate the distance from the upper (on the fingerboard) to the lower (on the soundboard) nut, we will use the HOHNER parameters (others are possible).
First, let's determine the parameters of the upper and lower deck:
- length – 480 mm;
- width at the top – 280 mm;
- bottom screen – 370 mm;
- waist - 235 mm;
- from top to waist axis – 185 mm;
- shell width – 90 mm;
- socket diameter – 87 mm;
- from top to socket – 15 mm.
According to the dimensions indicated above, we very carefully cut out two decks and shells with a jigsaw. But there is one nuance here - the fact is that the plywood breaks when cutting and the edge ends up with chips, which, naturally, will affect the quality of the work.
To avoid such a defect, you need to cut the line with a shoe knife or a regular sharpener from hacksaw blade to a depth of 1.5 mm (slightly thicker than veneer), and it is best to do this on both sides - chips on the wrong side are also not needed.
Now you need to mark the groove for the rosette - the internal dimensions are given above, and you can draw a circle with a compass, finding the center using cross lines. The radius of the hole should be 2 mm smaller than that of the ring.
Now apply the rosette ring to the surface and trace its inner and outer contour with a knife, as shown in top photo. Yes, yes - with a knife, and not a pencil, so that the line turns out to be as accurate and clear as possible.
It’s very good if you have a “ballerina” - with its help you can cut through veneer into top layer as smooth as possible, but if it is not there, then you will have to do it with a knife. The cutting depth should be at least 1.5 mm to avoid chips and burrs.
Now it’s a little easier - you select required diameter cutters and use a router to select a bed for a socket with a depth of 1.5 mm. After this, immediately try it on “dry” to make sure the calculations are correct.
Fill the bed with glue, place the socket there and press it with clamps. If they are not there, then flat surface place the glued structure under a press - the drying time depends on the glue.
Use a router to cut out the resonant hole, and seal the gap between the ends of the socket (non-convergence) with an insert. Carefully remove the remaining glue with a knife.
Perhaps the most difficult stage here will be bending the shells (their width is indicated above). You will need to make a template (for this you can sew several thick boards) and wet the prepared strips of plywood, covering them with wet rags.
Then press the tape with clamps to the template and leave to dry at room temperature.
To avoid wasting time while the shells take the desired shape, you can glue spacers to the top and bottom decks, using clamps or a press to secure them.
Now we need to glue two parts of the shell to the top and bottom deck, as well as the central reinforcements at the top and bottom - these are just pieces of 40x40 mm timber. One of them (the top one) will serve as a pedestal for the heel of the neck (a hole is drilled there for the tightening bolt).
And the other (bottom) will fasten the two parts of the shell together. Let the glued deck dry thoroughly and scrape off any protruding glue from the outside (do not open it with varnish yet).
Now you need to glue the stand with the saddle, and since our plywood guitar is made according to the HOHNER model, the distance from the bottom of the saddle to the bottom of the soundboard along with the shell should be 130 mm. When everything is dry, open the body with varnish, let it dry, install the neck on the pinch bolt and tension the strings.
Try tuning the instrument - if all the strings are in open position are in tune when they are pressed at the 12th fret, then this means that everything worked out for you.
Conclusion
If you have any suggestions, comments or questions, please post about it in the comments section. We will be happy to answer all your questions!
A modern electric guitar is a complex musical instrument, which is why it is quite expensive. And of course, not everyone can buy it. Many young musicians would like to try making an electric guitar themselves. “But only,” they write to the editor, “it’s difficult to find drawings...”
Today we offer for your consideration an electric guitar made by Muscovite Anatoly Ratmirovich Turakhin. It is not much inferior to foreign models - this is the opinion of professional musicians of the vocal and instrumental ensembles “Gems”, “Moskvichki”, “Rovesniki”, in which the electric guitar “Aria” (as its author called it) was tested. And now a word from the author.
Let's start working on the electric guitar with the body - its main sound-producing element. From his constructive and technological features The secret to a good sounding instrument largely depends. As is known, a hollow body acoustic guitar equipped with a pickup produces a strong but quickly decaying sound containing few high-frequency harmonics. This means that such sound is difficult to process with additional effects, such as a spectrum converter. Electric guitar “board” made from solid wooden blank, gives a smooth “cold” sound, without natural timbre coloring, which is also difficult to revive. The body of the Aria guitar is free from these shortcomings because it has two soundboards: a thick lower one and a thin upper one (see picture).
An instrument with such a body has a natural sound color, a long string sound, containing many high harmonics. In addition, the guitar is not excited near powerful sound speakers and matches well with electronic transducers. And now about the technology of manufacturing the case.
The best material for the back deck is a seasoned maple board measuring 340x440x40 mm. However, birch or beech blanks with longitudinal grain are also suitable. If there is no board of the required width, then glue the workpiece from several bars. Transfer the contours of the deck onto the blank, planed on all sides in squares, then cut out the part with a bow saw or jigsaw. If you don't have the right tool then use an electric drill with a drill with a diameter of 6-8 mm.
Drill holes along the contour of the deck, cut the jumpers with a chisel, and then file the side surface of the deck. Drill through holes for the pickup switch and for the tone block with an electric drill. But it is more convenient to mill the grooves for laying electrical wires and fastening the neck on a machine - a milling machine or a drilling machine. Then drill four holes in the groove (under the neck) for M6 screws, and in the middle of the shell - a through hole for the output connector. As shown in the figure, the lower deck is separated from the upper deck by a rim and spacers. Cut a rim 10-12 mm wide from 8 mm thick plywood. Make spacers from maple or birch planks, the fibers of which are located along their length. Glue the finished rim and props epoxy resin to the bottom deck. The spacers should rise slightly - by 1.5-2 mm - above the rim (as a result, after assembling the body, the top deck will become slightly convex).
For the top, choose a high-quality three-layer beech or birch plywood. The lobar fibers of its outer layers should be located along the deck. In the workpiece, drill holes for the toggle switch and tone block resistances, then make two rectangular holes for the pickups. The top deck can be immediately finished with mahogany or walnut veneer. Glue the finished part to the rim and spacers, pressing it with clamps along the entire contour. As you can see, the body of our guitar does not have resonator holes and appears solid in appearance. However, it is the presence of an air layer between the thick lower and thin upper soundboards that enriches the sound of an electric guitar with natural timbres, and the convex, tension-set upper soundboard ensures its presence in the sound spectrum large quantity high harmonics. They can be easily converted into a drawn-out, melodious sound with additional attachments. The finished body can be painted by first priming it with nitro or epoxy putty. Or finish it with veneer and varnish. It would be a good idea to cover the contour of the body with staple - a decorative strip of white celluloid. To do this, a small recess is cut along the entire contour of the body. You need to glue the staple with glue made from celluloid dissolved in acetone.
A few words about veneer.
Veneer is glued to the decks in the usual way- under yoke (load). But for veneering the side surface (shell), the veneer needs to be prepared. First, the blanks (there are two of them) are steamed for 2-3 hours in hot water. Then the soaked veneer is screwed through polyethylene with a rope to the body for a day, until it dries completely. Once dry, the veneer takes on the contours of the body; gluing it takes just a few minutes.
Having finished with the body, we proceed to making the neck. It requires seasoned birch or maple wood with longitudinal grain. Beech is not suitable because a neck made from this wood will long-term storage can "lead". The neck is assembled from three parts: head, base and fingerboard. The base is made of planks, between which a metal anchor rod is inserted, making the neck more rigid and durable. For the base and overlay, select a maple or birch board with a thickness of 40-45 mm. Split it with an ax into three blank planks, and then use a plane to bring them to the required size. Saw the middle base blank into two parts, as shown in the figure, set one part aside for now, and glue the second to the right and left parts of the neck. Cut the headstock from a solid wooden block and glue tightly to the base. Then mill a groove in the head to accommodate the anchor rod. At points A and B, make transverse recesses for the clamping and support washers of the rod. Place the assembled rod into the groove.
Now take the second part of the middle piece, coat it with glue and insert it into the groove on top of the anchor rod. Tighten the assembled assembly with clamps. The truss rod pressed to the base of the neck will bend in the direction opposite to the tension of the strings. Moreover, this bend can be adjusted by screwing or unscrewing the cylindrical nut.
When the glue has dried, remove the clamps and use a plane or rasp to work on the protruding parts of the middle rail. Glue the overlay to the upper surface of the base. Finish the front surface of the headstock with mahogany veneer. We recommend veneering the overlay to look like walnut. To do this, boil the veneer for several hours in a solution of black aniline dye, dry the pieces by pressing them between two flat surfaces.
M/K=Q1; M-Q1=L1,
where M is the scale length of the instrument, K is the interval coefficient (K=1.05946), L1 is the distance from the nut to the 1st fret. On standard guitars the scale length is usually 630 mm. Using the formulas, we determine L1 - the length of the first fret, then repeat the calculation, substituting Q1 instead of M:
Q1/K=Q2; Q1-Q2=L2.
We get the length of the second fret (in mm). Adding L1 and L2, we find the distance from the nut to the second fret. Using the same scheme, we determine the location of the third, fourth fret, etc. You should get a table like this (scale size M-630 mm):
| Fret number | Distance from nut to fret (in mm) |
| 1 | 35,4 |
| 2 | 68,7 |
| 3 | 100,2 |
| 4 | 130,0 |
| 5 | 158 |
| 6 | 184,5 |
| 7 | 209,5 |
| 8 | 233,1 |
| 9 | 255,4 |
| 10 | 276,4 |
| 11 | 296,3 |
| 12 | 315,0 |
| 13 | 332,7 |
| 14 | 349,4 |
| 15 | 365,1 |
| 16 | 380,0 |
| 17 | 394 |
| 18 | 407,3 |
| 19 | 419,8 |
| 20 | 431,6 |
| 21 | 442,7 |
Having calculated the neck, we take a long metal ruler and, applying it to the center line of the neck, starting from the nut, mark the frets in accordance with the table. Then, using a square from the marked points, we restore the perpendiculars to the center line and, using a spline, make cuts in the overlay with a depth of 1.5-2 mm. After this, the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 21st frets need to be inlaid. It will not only decorate the neck, but also make it easier to play the guitar. The inlay is made from plates of white plastic, mother-of-pearl or celluloid “like mother-of-pearl”. The thickness of the blanks is 0.5-1 mm. The figure shows some options for inlaying the neck and its head (it is advisable to finish it with staping).
File the back side of the base of the neck so that it takes an oval shape. Place sandpaper on a rectangular block and sand the edges of the pad so that it is slightly oval in cross-section.
The question may arise: where can I get metal blanks for frets? Take from a broken guitar. You can make them yourself from 2.5 mm brass wire. Before inserting the cut-to-size metal blanks, bend them so that when hammered they conform to the profile of the fingerboard. Hammer the frets with a wooden hammer, making sure that the inclined edges of the frets (meaning purchased frets) are directed in one direction. Having installed the frets, glue strips of staple to the side surfaces of the fretboard, and attach the top saddle to the end (at the head) so that it protrudes above the fretboard by 4-5 mm. It can be made from metal, bone or plastic. Cover the lower end of the neck with plastic 1-2 mm thick. It is more convenient to drill holes for the pegs after final finishing vulture. Moreover, it is advisable to insert metal bushings into the holes. Buy the tuners at a music store and, after some minor modifications involving changing the distance between them, install them on the headstock.
For a guitar to look good, it needs to be coated with nitro paint or nitro varnish like NTs222 or, better yet, polyester varnish; it is widely used in the furniture industry. This varnish will give the guitar a smart, “branded” look.
Before varnishing the guitar, you need to treat it well with sandpaper, and then stain it with stain; it will give the wood a pleasant shade and emphasize the texture of the wood. Most often, aniline stain is available in two colors: red and brown. If the guitar is finished with mahogany veneer, use a red stain; if walnut veneer - brown. The stain is applied to the wood using a swab or a spray gun or airbrush.
The guitar treated with stain is thoroughly dried and only then varnished. Please note: polyester varnish does not apply to surfaces contaminated with grease, oil, or acid. It does not hold well on wet wood either.
The varnish is applied using the “watering” method (a paint sprayer is not suitable). First, the horizontal surfaces are covered - the top and bottom soundboards, as well as the headstock. To do this, we seal all the holes in the body of the guitar with polystyrene foam. Then insulating tape We cover the body shell and the headstock so that the tape protrudes by 4-5 mm.
After this, place the body on a flat horizontal surface and prepare polyester varnish: we make two parts in this percentage. 1st part: base varnish - 100%, accelerator - 2%, 3% solution of paraffin in styrene - 1.7%. 2nd part: base varnish - 100%, initiator - 6%, 3% solution of paraffin in styrene - 1.7%. Mix both parts in equal proportions and fill the surface of the deck with this mixture. We varnish the headstock in the same way, having previously glued an inlay made of celluloid or plastic to it.
At room temperature (approximately 22-24°C), the varnish will polymerize in 20-30 minutes. More difficult to cover side surfaces body and the back of the neck, since the polyester varnish is poorly retained here (some of the components flow off, and the rest do not polymerize). However, this problem can be solved if you know some subtleties. The fact is that polyester varnish has one more stage of polymerization, let's call it intermediate.
To determine the moment of its onset, we will conduct the following experiment. Pour the 1st and 2nd parts into a small container and, turning on the stopwatch, begin stirring the mixture with a stick. Within 3-4 minutes the varnish will remain liquid, the viscosity will increase only slightly. Then, at about the end of the 4th minute, the mixture will begin to thicken and turn into a gelatinous mass in 20-30 seconds. This is the intermediate stage. From this point on, the varnish will gradually harden into a transparent hard coating. We will use this property. Make a tampon from cotton fabric and attach it to a stick. Mix both parts of the varnish and start the stopwatch. Stir the varnish for the first 3-3.5 minutes, watching for a gradual increase in its viscosity. At the beginning of the 4th minute, dip the swab into the varnish and quickly apply it to the side surfaces of the case. Place a cup under the dripping varnish. Cover the places from which it has drained again. When the varnish drips, it can carry the stain along with it.
To avoid smudges, the stain should be rubbed into the sides of the guitar in thin layers with a swab. If after the first coating there are areas where the varnish did not hold, without waiting for final polymerization, that is, after 18-20 minutes, repeat the operation. After letting the guitar dry for 8-10 hours, we begin polishing the body and neck. Large tides of hardened varnish on the edges of the body are removed with a file, and flat surfaces are treated with waterproof sandpaper, moistened with water. Then felt and polishing paste No. 290, mixed with kerosene (you can use another paste), polish lacquered parts to a shine. After this finishing, the neck and body are ready for installation of mechanical and decorative components, tone control and pickups.
Mechanical components include: pegs that serve to tension the strings, bushings in which the peg shafts rotate, foots and screws that secure the neck to the body of the guitar. A plastic bell-shaped cap is placed on the neck, covering the recess with the anchor rod. The body is equipped with a tailpiece with adjusting screws and feet, a filly with adjustable spring-loaded sills (it is mounted on adjusting screws and feet), pickup frames with adjusting screws, and bushings for attaching the belt. In addition, here are located decorative elements: a plastic circle for the pickup toggle switch and a “flag” (it is located under the strings), a metal plate with holes for screws (they secure the neck to the body), plastic covers covering the holes for the toggle switch and tone block. Drawings of the tailpiece, filly and other parts are in the pictures. Pegs are also available there (they are sold in a music store). They are installed on the bar, slightly increasing the distance between the individual links.
Having prepared all the metal parts, we proceed to assembly. First, we screw the footers into the heel of the neck and, by passing the screws through the gasket, we attach the neck to the body of the guitar. It should be tilted towards the rear deck at an angle of 2°.
We install footers in the body under the tailpiece and the rear filly. In the middle of the shells we screw the bushings for fastening the belt. The remaining parts and decorative elements are installed after the manufacture of the pickups, as well as the installation and wiring of the tone block in the body. If you want to have a good electric guitar, check out special attention to electromagnetic pickups that convert string vibrations into an electrical signal. They must be noise-proof, that is, not create a background near power electrical installations - have high level output signal, do not “overwhelm” the high-frequency components of the string vibration spectrum. All this is taken into account in the pickup, the diagram of which is shown in our figure.
The pickup consists of two closely spaced permanent magnets, facing the strings with opposite poles, as well as two windings, the initial terminals of which are the terminals of the pickup (the ends of the windings are connected to each other). Such a pickup can be made from a purchased, inexpensive one. In this case, you will only have to adjust its dimensions to those shown in the figure. (If you make the pickup yourself, we provide the data on its windings: wire Zh0.06 mm, total number of turns - 6000). On a winding machine, we divide the winding of the purchased pickup into two identical ones - 3000 turns each.
We wrap the resulting parts with thin polyethylene and place them around magnets (the connection diagram is shown in the figure). The noise-proof pickup assembled in this way is placed in a soldered brass case and, before soldering it, we check the correct assembly. To do this, connect pins H1 and H2 to the input of the oscilloscope and, tapping the pickup body with a screwdriver or nail, observe the level of signal amplitude bursts on the screen. At correct assembly the level of the amplitude burst is 600-800 mV, and if it is incorrect, it is only 20-30 mV. Having checked the pickup, we finally solder the case, while connecting pin H1 to the case body (ground), and pin H2 to central vein shielded wire 25 cm long (its braid is soldered to the pickup body).
The pickup should rise or fall relative to the strings. Therefore, we solder brackets made of 2 mm brass to its case and secure them in a plastic frame with spring-loaded adjusting screws. We install the manufactured pickups on the body of the guitar and proceed to wiring the tone block.
Let's explain some symbols: K - pickup switch, R2 and R3 - signal level controls, R1 and R4 - tone controls.
Since the type of pickups described above provides a high level of high-frequency harmonics of the captured signal, the tone controls only work to reduce this level. The switch must have three fixed positions, in which signals from the first, second, or both pickups are supplied to the output. Such a switch can be made from a toggle switch with three fixed positions, for example, type P2T-1. The toggle switch must be disassembled and the contacts slightly bent so that each of them remains stationary in two positions of the switch, and opens the circuit in the third.
We recommend soldering the tone block circuit directly into the body of the guitar, having previously secured the pickups, toggle switch and potentiometers of the level and tone controls on the top deck. In this case, do not forget to connect the potentiometer housings common wire with the pickup body and the tailpiece, thereby grounding the guitar strings. Pass the output end of the shielded wire of the tone control unit into the hole in the shell, solder it to the output connector, and then screw the connector to the shell with screws. Now - also with screws - you can attach the covers to back side guitars. On the top saddle of the neck, make cuts for the strings by slotting (the distance between them is 8 mm).
The depth of the cuts is made such that the distance from the strings to the first fret is 0.3-0.4 mm. After this, you can install the tail holder, fillet and tension the strings. Tuning the guitar using a tuning fork. By rotating the adjusting screws of the filly, we set the strings at a height of 3-4 mm from the last fret. The pickups are placed at a distance of 4-5 mm from the strings.
On the top deck we attach a decorative flag that protects the polished surface of the guitar from scratches when playing with a pick. Use a wrench to tighten the anchor rod nut on the neck and close the recess with a decorative bell. By moving the saddles on the filly, we achieve the string tuning at the 12th fret. The final adjustment is made using a tuning fork. The guitar is ready.
Now we’ll tell you how to make a spectrum converter; professional guitarists call it “Diston.” This effect is usually used when performing solo. Let us explain the “Diston” scheme.
The signal from the output of the electric guitar is fed to the input of the spectrum converter, and from it to the power amplifier. The velvety timbre is obtained through the use of the DA1(K553UD2) microcircuit at the inverting input 4, the correction chain C5-R6-R7 and the diode limiter VD1-2, which “rounds off” the sharp corners of the rectangular signal arriving at the input of the diode limiter from the output of the microcircuit - the input amplifier signal. In the figure we show oscillograms of the converted signal. The spectrum converter has two adjustments. Resistor R7 is a tone control. With its help, you can obtain both soft and rather “hard”, long-lasting string sound containing many amplified harmonics higher frequencies. Resistance R9 is the output volume control. Right assembled circuit does not need adjustment. It is powered by a Krona battery. If the specified microcircuit is missing, it can be replaced by any other operational amplifier with appropriate correction circuits.
"Distoshn" can be assembled on a small printed circuit board and place it in the body of the guitar, placing the power button and two adjustment resistances on the top deck. This creates additional amenities when playing. If you combine “Diston” with another prefix, for example “Compressor”, you can get another interesting and also often used “Sustain” effect, which has the same timbre coloring as “Diston”, but has a longer sound.
The article does not claim to be complete and will be supplemented as new material becomes available. It focuses on the choice of guitar neck and nut.
Many of you, dear readers, are afraid that when making an electric guitar with your own hands, even the smallest mistakes can lead to the failure of the entire project and, as a result, disappointment. The dream bursts, and the wallet becomes even emptier than it was before).
Guitar neck
As a guitarist and a passionate fan of humbuckers, I can confidently say that for sonic reasons it is very good, which is what we are looking at in this article. guitar making Custom Stratocaster.
In addition to the above reasons, one of the reasons is that as a blues lover, I lacked the extension of the sound from my Les Paul and SG guitars.
First of all, I rejected the idea homemade individual parts electric guitars due to the lack of our own workshop with professional tool and enough time. I visited the world famous Ebay auction primarily in order to find something that matched my ideas. guitar neck. And doing this was not at all as easy as it seems.
The picture below shows very clearly that there are 6 standard varieties. guitar neck profile, also called shapes (in English: Shaping). Eric Clapton, for example, uses V-shape necks on your Blackie.
After numerous neck tests various shapes The best fit for me at local music stores was the C-Profile. This helped me narrow down my search for the perfect Stratocaster quite nicely. In the end, the choice fell on a maple neck Fender Allparts, due to the fact that it had a shape that suited me, and also because I had never held it in my hands (there was great interest). The frets and fretboard markings were already in place.
Fortunately, as it turned out later, because... I had problems protecting the maple neck, which, as you know, is varnished on the back and on the fretboard. I did not carry out the operations of independently gluing the frets of an electric guitar, much less varnishing, as this would be 100% sloppy work.
To accelerate gaming fitness and for gaming comfort optimal coatings neck of the neck at self-production electric guitars are specially waxed and oiled. I learned about this on music forums dedicated to guitar. In addition, if you look at all the old Stratocasters of professionals, it often turns out that the varnish is on back side The neck of the guitar's neck is almost completely erased and, apparently, does not bother anyone, and perhaps even helps in some way.
Upper sill
Now it’s the turn of the nut, which leads the strings up to the headstock. Unfortunately, very often it is treated with disdain.
The question of what material for guitar nut is best: bone, brass or graphite. Purely as an experiment, I will use a brass saddle that I bought without notches, in place of which lines are drawn with a thin felt-tip pen, corresponding to the location of the strings.
Later it will be important for us that each notch should be a little more than 0.5 times the diameter of the string (50%) in depth.
First of all, you need to check the correctness making the top sill. Everything is fine when the nut fits exactly into the groove, i.e. glides back and forth freely, but does not wobble. After checking, you can insert the threshold into place. It is best to strengthen it with a few drops of superglue and leave it alone for a while. The nut should protrude about 3mm above the fingerboard.
For reference, here are a few sizes to help you for Stratocaster necks:
The neck width at the nut is 41 mm.
Subtract 2 times 3 mm = 35 mm. The distance between the middles of the 1st and 6th notches.
35:5 = 7 mm. The distance between the centers of adjacent notches (the distance between the strings of an electric guitar).
6 strings = 5 distances between them.
That's all for today! Good luck with your electric guitar making!
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Make a plan to build your guitar. If you don't have a plan, you may end up with something completely different instead of the intended guitar. To make a good guitar, you need to think about its design, and decide on the components you want to use. The condition and quality of your guitar will depend on how skillfully you handle the assembly. The equipment depends on what funds you have and what brands you prefer.
Make a drawing. Everything you build, be it a house or a Lego car, needs a blueprint. To make it, very carefully draw the guitar you want. Do not write anything on this sheet - it will interfere with you later. Specify only required dimensions, and make all other notes on another sheet. You can also print a life-size photo of the guitar and then transfer the outline using a backlit surface or sheet of glass.
Guitar body. To make a guitar, you will need a body. The body is the most important part guitars. Without it there would be no strings, no pickups, no sound itself. If you have a guitar, you can use a pre-made body. However, if you want your guitar to be different, you will need to handcraft the body out of wood. The type of wood and its density affects tone and sustain (how long a note lasts). Once you've chosen your wood, trace the body onto a piece and cut it out. Body blanks from exotic wood, such as swamp ash and mahogany, can be ordered from guitar-building resources such as stewmac.com. Having received the body the desired shape, you need to make a cavity in it for the neck. There are three types of neck mounting: bolt-on, glued-in (looks sleeker, but is not as versatile), and through (the neck goes through the entire body of the guitar).
Buy or make a bar. It's easiest to buy a pre-made neck, but if you're making your own guitar, you'll need to make the neck as well. It's not very difficult, just find it wood block desired length (usually the bar is about 24 inches/61 cm long, give or take a couple of centimeters). If you're making the neck yourself, you'll need to make fret bridges from fret wire, which can be purchased in many places. The process of installing frets is quite labor-intensive and requires care and patience. Each fret needs a separate notch, and it must be the same everywhere. If the notches are different, the neck will constantly ring at different frets: no one will like this, least of all you.
Cut out a cavity to accommodate the neck. Its size may vary, so be careful and be precise.
Select pickups. The pickups generate a magnetic field and pick up the vibration of the strings. Without pickups, your guitar won't be able to handle the amp. You will also need to determine the sequence in which you will place the pickups. It all depends on your budget. Here are some examples:
- SSS, SSH, HSH, HH, H, HHH, SS, Or HS
- S - single, H - humbucker
- Be very careful when selecting pickups as they will affect the tone.
- S - single, H - humbucker
Buy pickups. You had to choose the option that suits you. Look for it in your region so that it is of high quality and affordable. You can also find interesting deals online (eg three pickups for $50).
Cut out the cavities for the pickups. There are two types of strokes: the top stroke is used to route wires to the top of the body, and the controls are accessible from the top (like a Fender Stratocaster); the bottom stroke is used to route wires into the back cavity of the guitar (like a Gibson Les Paul). Make cavities the correct depth for each pickup, and make holes between the cavities for wires to the controls and other pickups.
Install the tailpiece (bridge). The bridge holds the strings at a certain height. It should be placed directly opposite the bar. The string slots on the bridge must EXACTLY match the slots on the saddle near the headstock. Some bridges hold the strings themselves (Telecaster), others pass the strings through the body (Les Paul).
Painting. This is the most interesting part. Sand the body of the guitar well so it can be painted and choose a color. It is recommended to use paint based on nitro varnish to give the wood good looking. Apply one coat, let it dry, then apply another coat. You can apply four coats or more until you are happy with the color. If you want your guitar to last for a long time, apply fewer coats and avoid using varnish.