Many woodworkers consider guitars to be the ultimate test of skill. These wise folks often buy their own guitars so they can spend more time on other more attainable woodworking projects ;) If you’re crazy, highly skilled or very very crazy then building your own guitar may just be the perfect path to musical and woodworking nirvana. My hope is that this collection of free guitar plans, guitar building guides, best practice tutorials, and guitar making videos will speed you along to completion!
Here’s what you’ll find:
>> 11 Free Accoustic Guitar Plans
>> Free Electric Guitar Building Resources
>> 2 Cigar Box Guitar Plans + Resources
>> 20 Guitar Building Jigs
>> 6 Guitar Making Forums
>> 6 Guitar Building Calculators
>> 9 More Guitar Building Resources
>> 3 Guitar Plans for Sale Sites
>> 30 More Free Plan Collections by ToolCrib.com
>> 11 Free Accoustic Guitar Plans
Alright luthiers, let’s get luthing! These free plans for accoustic guitars – while very strong in the “barouque” department (don’t fix if it ain’t) – will have you wondering why you ever thought it’d be cheaper to build a guitar instead of just buying one! Remember, it’s the journey, not the final product that makes it worthwhile.
Build a Woodshop Folk Guitar Plans
This Could Be YOU… seize the dream, build the guitar, get the girls… And YES, we’re still looking for the plans for that haircut.
> Baroque and other Early Guitar Plans:
Most of these come from Makoto Tsuruta’s Japanese/English “Crane” website…
Jose Ramirez (I) Guitar 1909
PDF 1
CRANE Lacote Style model
PDF 1
PDF 2
19th century French style guitar
PDF 1
PDF 2
Guitar 18th century
PDF 1
PDF 2
R.F.Lacote After 1839
PDF 1
PDF 2
Gennaro.Fabricatore (1833)
PDF 1
La Prevotte Ca. 1820
PDF 1
PDF 2
Planos de la guitarra: Spanish Language plans for a Classical Guitar
> Bonus: Accoustic Bass Guitar Plans (metric)
>Guitar Build Notes, Photo Essays and other Resources
Notes from an Amateur Luthier…. – the queen of amature luthiers. Hands down.
MARK’S GUITAR, PART 1 Guitar Building Walkthrough
MARK’S GUITAR, PART 2 Guitar Building Walkthrough
Mark’s Guitar, Part 3 Guitar Building Walkthrough
How to Build a Guitar – build guide
Search for Guitars in Sketchup
>> Free Electric Guitar Plans and Resources
Get ready to SHRED. You’ll only need a few hundred dollars more in tools and several months of continual woodworking… I know this will make the hard core woodworkers happy, though the hard core guitarists may need something faster, like the cigar box guitars below ;)
I’m not really sure how many of these are proper plans… At the very least you will get lots of ideas for your electric guitar building project!
Build Your Own Electric Guitar!
41 Electric Guitar CAD Drawings
Building a Bravewood… (Vintage Guitar Replica)
How to build an electric guitar (or at least my version of it)
> 5 Electric Guitar Building Videos
How to Build an Electric Guitar part 1
How to build an Electric Guitar Part 2
How to build an Electric Guitar Part 3
Build a solid body electric guitar part 1
How to Build a Solid Body Electric guitar Part2
>Eclectic Electric Guitar Building Resources
Stratocaster Neck Blueprint JPG
Logos, Inlays and Body Drawing JPGs
Search for Guitars in Sketchup
Sketchup Guitar Model after Steve Vai’s Guitar in Flames
>> 2 Cigar Box Guitar Plan + Resources
Become popular with your cigar smoking friends and the local cigar shop – take all those extra cigar boxes off their hands! Cigar box guitars are historic, too, according to wikipedia. For those feeling a bit intimidated by the plans above, the cigar box guitar should be a great place to start.
How to Build a Cigar Box Guitar
Cigar Box Guitar for sale on Etsy…
Make.com’s Guitar Box Guitar Plans (see wide video below…)
> 2 Cigar Box Guitar Videos:
Build a Cigar Box Guitar
Maker Workshop – Cigar Box Guitar on Make: television
>> 20 Guitar Building Jigs
Jigs – they’re not just for dancing anymore. These guitar making jigs save your time and sometimes your tools. This list combines jigs useful for both electric and accoustic guitars.
Plans for a jig for cutting a binding ledge
Truss rod routing jig for Dremel router
Building and Using the Go Bar Deck
Building and Using the Outside Mold
John Maye’s notes on finishing & bending
Low Tech Side Bending: Bending with forms and heating blankets
Bending Ukulele & Guitar Sides
Holstein/Walker Low Cost Side Bender
>> 6 Guitar Making Forums
Building a guitar by yourself can be a daunting, frustrating experience without someone to mock you, your power tool brands of choice and the name you gave your dog. That’s what web forums are for! Just kidding – forums can be a great place for answers that no one else will be able to give you. Just make sure you read over their FAQ’s first!
The Musical Instrument Makers Forum
Luthier and Guitar Building Board
>> 6 Guitar Building Calculators
Get the upper hand on those complex guitar making calculations… with a Guitar Building Calculator! These are – as far as our professional web monkeys could determine – free.
FretFind
“FretFind 2-D doesn’t just calculate fret spacing. It models the entire fretboard, strings and frets, as a system of line segments on a two dimensional plane.”
archived Guitar Building Resources, including FretSpecs 3.0
>> 9 More Guitar Building Resources
If you’re just getting started as a luthier then don’t read any of these resources – you will spend entirely too much time book learning instead of learing by doing! Pick a plan and get going already ;)
An anthology of published, unpublished articles & transcriptions written by William R. Cumpiano
Acoustic Guitarists’ Annotated Guide to the Internet
Luthiers Interactive of North Texas
Guitar Making Supplies for Sale
The Quest Begins for a Wooden Guitar Hero Controller…
>> 3 Guitar Plans for Sale Sites
When it comes to free plans, you get what you pay for. Unfortunately, the same holds true for paid plans, and you can’t even see them before you buy them! I’m mostly kidding. Anyhow, these links to for-pay guitar plans appear to be highly reputable, though mostly for accoustic guitars. If you know of any other for-pay guitar plan sites that belong here let me know in the comments!
Instrument Plans from Guild of American Luthiers
Other Sources for Instrument Plans from GAL
>> 30 More Free Plan Collections by ToolCrib.com
17 Free Garage Woodshop Plans: Ingenious Space Savers for Garage Workshops
52 Outdoor Bench Plans: the MEGA GUIDE to Free Garden Bench Plans
16 Planer Table, Cart, Sled and Jig Plans and Resources
10 Downdraft Table Plans and Build Notes for Wood Shops
14 Work Surface Expansion Plans: Workstations, Carts and Worktables
8 Free Benchtop and Contractor Table Saw Workstation and Outfeed Table Plans
25 Free Backyard Playground Plans for Kids: Playsets, Swingsets, Teeter Totters and More!
14 Circular Saw Jig Plans: Crosscut Jigs, Ripping Jigs and More!
10 Free Wooden Bike Plans: Make Your Own Wood Recumbent, Bamboo Bike and More!
11 Free Miter Saw Stand Plans + 9 Pictorial Idea Guides, 2 Videos, 6 Paid Plans and MORE!
7 Table Saw Jointing Jig Plans: Straight Edge, No Jointer
13 Free Clamp Storage Plans: Space Savers, Mobile Clamp Carts, Pipe Clamp Racks and MORE!
15 Free Table Saw Outfeed Plans: Mobile Tables, Folding Tables, Outfeed Stands and More!
21 Free Cat Furniture Plans: Free Plans for Cat Trees, Condos, Scratching Posts and MORE
19 Free Jewelry Box Plans: Swing for the Fence with a Wooden Jewelry Chest!
The 38 Most Popular Free Woodworking Plans of 2008
31 Free 3D Puzzle Plans for Woodworkers: Burrs, Japanese Boxes, Tangrams and MORE
25 Fast, Easy and Free Woodworking Plans for Last Minute Christmas Gifts
Build Your Dream Workshop: 23 Free Workshop and Shed Plans
12 Free Workshop Storage Plans: Tool Cabinets, Rolling Carts, Under Stair Storage and More
20 Free Cutting Board Plans + the 4 that Blew My Mind
15 Free Mobile Base Plans: Put Your Power Tools on Wheels
Wood Storage 101: 14 Lumber Storage Plans and 7 Storage Tips
32 Free Picnic Table Plans + Top 3 Most Awesome Picnic Table Plan Awards
15 Free Toolbox Plans for Woodworkers
24 Free Sawhorse Plans in the Hunt for the Ultimate Sawhorse
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to Free Woodworking Workbench Plans
9 Sandpaper Storage Ideas (+ free plans)
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to Free Router Table Plans
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to the Crosscut Sled
It’s my pleasure that I went through your site. Information above is very interesting and looks natural. I would like to tell you that i really liked your videos and your awareness about the guitars. Finally i got the easy way to learn guitars.
great stuff!!!!!!! makes 1 feel like they found
a hidden treasure chest!!!!!!!!gets ya smilin &
chucklin, for sure!!!!!!!!!
Wow what a great resource… wish I had come across this 2 months ago!
I will definitely make use of it when I begin the next guitar.
http://www.myturningshop.com/wordpress/?p=135
A FANTASTIC SITE FOR US NEWBIES.
MANY THANKS
PETER A WADE
SOUTH AFRICA
Love what your doing here. Just about to graduate the guitar repair and building program at Minn South East Tech College in Red Wing. You guys are a great resource for getting started. Thanks.
Great resources! I am just starting out building up my shop and looking for the next project. I’m split between a guitar and a really nice chessboard.
Now we’re leaning towards the guitar.
-Todd