Custom Build Your Own Guitar

For people with a bigger budget, who want a fully customised guitar with all the extras, but are less interested in the theory or building at home – there is more time which allows for more customisation, and includes a full scale design & drawing session where many theory questions are answered.

There is still a limit to what can be achieved but the time spread over one week allows for some extra operations, and a custom guitar to be designed and built in one visit.

There will be a maximum of four people on this course.

By the end of the course you will:

have seen and experienced every stage in the guitar building process
have had hands on experience of all of the jobs and tools
completed a full scale drawing of the guitar being built
have had some of your guitar building questions answered
have made a fully working high quality electric, bass or acoustic guitar to take home

Course outline

Arrival day (Saturday early afternoon)
- Intros & Health & Safety
- Selection of wood
- Drawings and design, preparation
Day 1
- Start working on the neck. The aim is to get truss rod glued in
- Drawings and Design preparation
Day 2 & 3
- Continue work on the neck
- Carving, fretting, inlays
- Body work
Day 4 (Wednesday)
- Rest day – workshop closed
Day 5 (Finishing day Part 1)
- Final carving, sanding, cavities, link holes (exact work depend on specification)
Day 6 (Finishing day Part 2)
- Ready guitars for spray room/finishing
- Make a start on assembly day's work
Day 7 (Assembly) (Saturday)
- Fret dressing, wiring, fitting all parts.
- Setup and testing

Participants leave after lunch on Sunday – this makes Sunday morning available for any final tweaks if needed.

(Places are available with or without overnight accommodation, but all daytime refreshments are provided.)