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DIY Guitarist Projects

Playing the guitar can be a time-consuming hobby. Hours that are not spent practicing or playing songs are often spent on projects to better your craft or personalize your playing. There are endless possibilities of projects a guitarist may want to take on. Depending on your skill level and interest in guitars, you can take on projects that will take just a few hours or take a month-long commitment to complete. For some projects, a trip to the hardware store may be necessary. For others, you may need go to a specialty store or order parts from an online retailer.

Things You'll Need

  • Liquid paint stripper
  • Spray paint
  • Spray primer, gray
  • Clear coat polyurethane
  • 60 grit sandpaper
  • 200 grit sandpaper
  • 0.001uF Film cap
  • Solder gun
  • Guitar strings
  • Guitar picks
  • Jewelry closures
  • Nail, 1 gauge size larger than your guitar string
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Instructions

    • 1

      Refinish your guitar's paint. This project will require you to disassemble your guitar completely. You will use a chemical process, such as liquid paint stripper, to strip the current finish. Sand the entire body of the guitar with 60 grit sandpaper followed by a sanding with 200 grit sandpaper. Pay close attention to any blemishes. Use an aerosol spray primer for a base coat. Allow to dry completely before applying the paint color of your choice. Once the paint is dry, apply a layer of clear coat polyurethane to protect the guitar. Reassemble the guitar after allowing to dry overnight.

    • 2

      Modify the volume control knob to eliminate dull sound. Remove the volume pot from your guitar. On most guitars, it will pull right off. Solder a 0.001uF film cap across the middle lug and the outer lug that is not grounded. The lugs are found inside of the volume pot. Some volume pots already feature this modification so check that yours actually needs the mod before you purchase the parts.

    • 3

      Build an acoustic guitar from scratch. Kits are available from online retailers that include detailed plans, wood and other necessary materials at an affordable cost. Building your own guitar is a time-consuming, technical project. Despite the difficulty level, the project can be rewarding and you have the potential of owning a beautiful, handmade instrument.

    • 4

      Build matching stands for your amplifiers. This is a moderately time-intensive project that can be made using supplies readily available at most hardware stores. The project will include operating a saw to cut wood and, for more-advanced stands, may include electrical wiring.

    • 5

      Make jewelry out of your old guitar strings and picks. Guitar strings can easily be braided or twisted together to construct bracelets, rings and necklaces. Clamp a jewelry closure onto the ends to make the piece easy to take on and off. Try punching a small hole in the tip of a guitar pick by pushing a nail through it. Use a nail that is one gauge larger than the guitar string you are using. Lace a guitar string through it to make a necklace or charm bracelet.

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