When you go through the process of building your own guitar, you can learn an immense amount about how the instrument actually works. Not only that, you can modify and fully customise your model so that it meets your own specifications, resulting in something far more personal than a ready-made model. If you're looking to take on a self-build guitar project, then it all starts with the body.
Stratocaster, Telecaster, Hollowbody, Alder, Ash... ?
The first step is to figure out which body shape is going to suit you best. So, do you want to build an ST, TE or LP style guitar? There'll be plenty of bodies to choose from. If you want to build a guitar with a less common body shape or want to get ambitious and build a hollowbody model, then you can use our special order form to let us know what you're looking for and we can see if we can get hold of it for you. As well as the body shape, you also need to have a think about the kind of wood you want it to be made from, like classic alder or ash (it's worth noting that ash is unfortunately becoming more scarce). Then there are other, less dense woods like basswood, poplar or paulownia, which are all easier to work with than high-density woods. Regardless of the body type and wood you go far, by the end of the build you'll have completed a memorable and educational trip.
Give an Unfinished Body a Custom Paint-Job
You can get guitar bodies that come with a finished paint-job, but you can also get unfinished bodies, giving you a blank canvas for your own custom paint-job. Hand pick the colour or deck out your guitar with your own unique design. As for paint, you could simply use a wood stain or get some spray cans of nitrocellulose lacquer, which you can find in our range of guitar tools alongside other tools and accessories to help build and set up your guitar. If you are planning to paint the body yourself, bear in mind that it'll need quite a few coats to really finish the job, so the easier option is to save yourself a lot of time watching paint dry and get a pre-finished body.
Finish the Job with the Right Neck, Hardware & Electronics
To complete the core of your guitar, you'll also need a neck. Here, you need to be certain that you're getting a compatible guitar neck that will definitely fit the pocket of the body and that the bolt holes line up. This will make sure your guitar has a solid base. From there, you can start installing all of the other guitar parts, like the machine heads and start creating a fresh guitar. For the more experienced guitar builder, there are bodies that come blank, without any routing, and necks with an unshaped headstock, so you can really put your own stamp on the design. Most bodies will come pre-routed for a specific setup so that all of the pickups, pots and the bridge (and maybe the tailpiece) can be installed without the need for any extra woodwork - which can be handy if you don't have the tools to cut routing into the wood yourself.
