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In every field there is a layer of people who try to do everything as cheaply, conveniently and quickly as possible. The so-called "life hackers".
Sometimes their decisions are so extraordinary that others can only be surprised. If the life hacker’s “experiment” is successful, then life hacks immediately go to the people. This is what happened with the ideas we write about below. At the dawn of the popularization of guitarism in Russia in the 90s and 00s, perhaps every musician heard about these “tricks” that could save time and money.
Cooking strings
Strings have always been a consumable item - and therefore, the longer they lived, the happier and richer the guitarist was. Dust, dirt and corrosion will inevitably accumulate on the windings, no matter how well you take care of them. If you want the strings to sound like new, then you can... boil them in water!
Despite the absurdity, this procedure really helps - by the way, we talked about it in detail in the article “When do you need to change the strings on a guitar? Why and how to weld strings?
Catch the cooking recipe:
- Twist the strings into a ring (separately);
- Put water on fire;
- Add a couple of tablespoons of salt, vinegar or soda (pepper to taste (just kidding)) to the water;
- Before boiling water, you need to lower the strings into the water. Cook for 5-10 minutes.
- After cooking, rinse the strings in cold water and wipe dry.
Congratulations! Now your strings sound like new. But such a procedure can be repeated no more than once, since the second time the strings are likely to die.
Making shelves
We use a tape measure to see how big the shelves should be. I wanted them to fit snugly to the body, so I used the following sizes:
- 37.5 centimeters long, 8.5 centimeters wide for a large shelf;
- 23.5 centimeters long, 8.5 centimeters wide for a small shelf.
You can check whether these dimensions are right for you or not once you insert the parts into the guitar.
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We use a drill to make holes in the sides of the guitar, as well as in the shelves. It's best to pre-drill before attaching the screws. Next, attach two screws to either side of each shelf.
Note: The screws will protrude slightly from the body of the guitar. Don't tighten the screws too hard because the wood of the guitar is very soft and it may crack if you do. Have someone help you because at this stage you may need extra hands to hold the guitar in place.
Making Floyd Rose Easy to Use
Owners of guitars with the Floyd Rose system can only sympathize, because replacing strings turns into a real nightmare.
You can greatly simplify the process of changing strings if you place a wooden block, a battery, or any hard object under the tremolo that can fix the bridge. Changing strings will become easier and you can even lock the tremolo system in the same way. However, you will have to forget about the Floyd Rose lever - although you will be able to tune the guitar using the pegs while performing.
Despite the disadvantages of tremolo systems, they have many advantages. For example, if your string breaks, you can use it again. All you need to do is first thread the string through the pegs and lock it into the tremolo system (the locking ring on the string should be at the peg). But at the same time, you need to wrap the string around the peg so that if the string breaks, you have a reserve length. If a string breaks, rewind the string and fix it.
How to make an acoustic guitar? 17 steps to make your own guitar
Choosing wood for making a guitar
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.
Making a guitar soundboard. Trimming and installing wooden parts
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.
Sound hole. Rosette and inlay
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.
Clamp assembly
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.
Making the mold and bending the sides
The next step in making the guitar is to create a strip of wood that will cover the clamps and give the guitar a solid look. The first option for making them is to create something from pieces of plywood that replicates the shape of the 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.
Creating cuts, tail inlays and neck fitting
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 the wooden panel that covers 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.
Housing assembly
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.
8. Neck preparation
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 that, apply paint to it, or leave the original color of the wood.
Fingerboard inlay
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.
Making and installing the fretboard
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.
Neck assembly
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 an additional piece of wood, then let everything dry and sand the neck again. 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.
Making a protective drop (golpeador) on the upper deck
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.
Varnishing
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.
Installing the stand
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.
Finishing touches
Once you have everything you need in place, it's time for varnishing. Use any tool varnish, an especially good option is 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 respiratory and body protection. After the layers have cured for a week, polish them.
Installing the Stand II
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.
Final Steps
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 truss rod on the acoustic guitar. 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.
Free VIDEO guitar course on the website Pereborom.ru. 45 lessons, 3 types of combat, 2 busts, analysis of 6 songs with vocals, 3 compositions with tabs.
Budget straplocks
Straplocks are expensive. Even Chinese analogues. Of course, it’s better to buy something cool once, like Schaller straplocks, and forget about the problem. But if you are sorry for the money, but want a reliable fastening, then we recommend just sewing up the belt.
It is necessary to sew in the place above the hole for fastening. You just have to make this hole as narrow as possible once - and the belt will never come off. True, you need to use strong threads - and remember that you will no longer be able to quickly remove the belt.
Major breakdowns
The peculiarity of the choice of instrument is that when striking from the right, to the left of the end of the fingerboard, the sound of the soundboard itself should be the same height. It should also sound the same when striking distant areas located behind the wooden threshold on which the strings are fixed. Such an accessory will give a rich sound, will not be out of tune (if configured correctly), but only until cracks appear on the body and the varnish is damaged.
Pegs are responsible for the stability of string tension. Over time, signs of corrosion and wear appear on metal parts - gears, threaded pins. The tension of the strings begins to weaken during playing or when tuning, the peg slips, correspondingly, the previously set string tension is reset.
If 2 strips of three pegs are used, then both need to be changed. It is easier to repair a guitar if a separate peg is used for each string - it is easier to remove them, and a complete replacement is not required if one tensioning mechanism is damaged.
A metallic sound after removing a chord is observed on instruments with loose saddles, the top (plastic), located on the neck connecting the head to the fingerboard or the interfret. Damage to the braid of metal strings also causes sound distortion and ringing.
Attention! Every chip or deformation will affect the sound. The dissonance in the chord will be very strong if there is the smallest through hole on the body, not provided by the manufacturer.
In the classic version, the guitar has a glued neck, like any concert instrument. In cheaper ones, the heel of the neck is attached with a pin, due to which you can adjust the height of the strings. During use, the wood to which the metal bolt is attached dries out, and the bar begins to randomly move up and down, from side to side. In case of such a breakdown, you can repair the guitar yourself using wood glue, setting the neck in the required position.
We take care of cables
To make the belt last longer, do not allow it to bend near the plugs. Try to purchase angled cables.
We also recommend threading the cable through the belt or wrapping the cable around it. Firstly, the cable will not fly out of the socket at the most inopportune moment. Secondly, the cable will not dangle right under your feet.
Some advice may seem humorous and even crazy. But this is exactly how poor aspiring musicians lived just 15-20 years ago! Now, most of these life hacks have lost their relevance - the online store Strunki.ru offers strings, accessories and guitar fittings at extremely reasonable prices. Order your products today and participate in our discount program, which allows you to get a lifetime discount of up to 10%!
Drum
Make a stylish coffee table from an old drum. It’s impossible to resist starting to beat out a rhythm along the side. Invigorates better than coffee!
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Thanks to its shape, the drum can become almost anything. Fill it with water and the aquarium is ready. Place a lamp inside and you will have a new stylish lamp in your home. Use the tool to store books or other small items. You can even make a small home garden or pet house from a drum set. Imagine!
Everything can be transformed! Use cymbals or drumsticks to make a lamp or unusual clock.
Care instructions
When storing the accessory, the following rules must be observed:
- never place strings up;
- keep it away from heating radiators and other heat sources;
- Do not allow sudden temperature changes or high air humidity in the room where the instrument is stored.
If transportation is necessary, you will need to pack it in a waterproof, heat-preserving case.
The optimal position between uses is hanging. The product cannot be washed; it can only be wiped with a damp soft cloth. Any detergents are aggressive and can damage the varnish and voice of the instrument.
Restoration of an old guitar
The complexity of restoration depends on many factors. The most difficult thing is to repair a shriveled guitar, if the shell is separated from the back or front walls of the drum, it is damaged or missing in one or several areas. It is easier to restore stability to the thresholds if they simply begin to move away due to the wood losing the necessary moisture.
It is more difficult to carry out repair work on the body of a guitar where delamination has begun, cracks have appeared in the area of the voice box, and the heel of the neck breaks off along with part of the body. The restoration of such an instrument can only be entrusted to a master.
Processing means
To restore the instrument to its original appearance, you will need a solvent to remove cracked varnish. Bursts (gradients) of guitar coatings are divided into two categories - translucent, with the most dense paint coating.
Opaque designs are applied using standard technology for colored enamels onto a primer layer, after which the instrument is given a varnish shine. Translucent paint coatings are thinner; they can be shiny or matte, dark or light. Their main goal is to protect the wood from loss of moisture and its excess. Unlike materials intended for furniture and souvenirs, guitar varnish should promote sound propagation rather than absorption.
Restoration of medium complexity
Medium complexity restoration includes troubleshooting steps without the need to disassemble the guitar body into its components.
Minimal use of specialized devices and additional materials:
- eliminating chips by painting;
- sealing small cracks;
- painting with paints and varnishes suitable for musical instruments.
Despite its apparent simplicity, a moderately complex restoration process can take a long time.
Complete restoration
Complete restoration of an instrument begins with diagnosing damage caused by time and improper storage of the instrument. With minimal mechanical damage resulting from negligence, the master will have to eliminate deformations and peelings. To do this, the tool is disassembled into its components, each part is processed separately, and reassembled. A complete restoration will take longer than producing a new one.
