The Best DIY Guitar Kits For The Creative Players: A Complete Rundown 2022

By Monica | Gear

Jun 13
best diy guitar kits

I know that some of you are already sick of being a part of the statistics. Even if you see yourself as someone unique, your rig will tell a different story. The best DIY guitar kits exist to solve this problem. If you can build your own custom guitar, you can easily stand out in the scene.

But of course, there are a variety of considerations that you have to take whenever you are planning to make a DIY kit. Otherwise, you will never be able to create a spectacular, one-of-a-kind instrument that can actually sound good. You can always take inspiration from other units, such as the Frankenstrat of Eddie Van Halen. Originally, it was a cheap unique. But with the intervention of creativity and ingenuity, the guitar was turned into something that is iconic.

The Frankenstrat was copied by some big shots in the guitar industry. They sold their units on prices that can literally rip your pocket. But don't you know that Van Halen didn't spend much when he created his historic rig? Now, that is something that you should inculcate in your senses.

In this guide, I will be showing you different DIY guitar kits that possess both affordability and quality. You are lucky that this time, several manufacturers are already selling guitar kits that come with reasonable costs. The selections that I have featured here vary in design, specs, and hardware. You can definitely find something that will satisfy you.

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The Best DIY Guitar Kits Reviews: Complete Breakdown

The Fret Wire DIY Electric Guitar Kit 175 Jazz Style Guitar Kit

Via Amazon.com

The Jazz Style Guitar Kit from The Fret Wire is among the fanciest options that you have for a guitar kit. Straight right from the box, all the hardware and parts are screaming for customization and build already. You can ensure that the components included in this package are durable and well-engineered. None of them are flimsy, which sets apart this guitar kit from most of its competitors.

Specifically, the Jazz Style Guitar Kit offers maximum design versatility. It can be assembled in different manners so that you can acquire the dream setup that you want. Also, take note that the parts are properly constructed. They can fit with one another seamlessly. Meanwhile, the assembly process is quite simple as well. Even amateurs can work with this kit. It is a user-friendly guitar kit that can pique anyone's interest.

The main body of this guitar kit is pre-drilled already. Therefore, there is no need for you to bring bulky power tools just for the installation process. The body doesn't have any paint, too. Because of this feature, you are given the right to add a unique finish or coating to the guitar. If you know someone that can do a nice paint job for guitars, things would be better for you. All the hardware and electronics are present in this kit.


Pros:

  • All essential hardware is present
  • Rugged and seamless design
  • Allows user customization on the aesthetics and finish of the body
  • Easy to assemble
  • Creates good-sounding instrument

Cons:

  • Requires sanding before the body becomes smooth for painting

Let's take a look at this product...


Another DIY guitar kit that can surely impress people is the Saga TC-10. This one will allow you to express your love toward the endeavor by letting you build your very own electric guitar. In the market today, the Saga TC-10 is among the most sought units. The T-Style Classic design became one of the major icons in the DIY community today. Of course, it is not a surprising thing anymore. After all, most blues and rock instruments use the semi-hollow body that the TC-10 offers.

Specifically, all the components for making a wicked electric guitar is present in this package. Dual humbuckers for unforgiving sound production are included in this kit. Meanwhile, the body of the guitar is made from basswood. It is not mahogany, but we are already aware of the full and articulated characteristics of the basswood. Therefore, there's nothing about it here that should make you hesitate.

The routing and shaping of the body have been completed as well. The only thing that you should do here is to add your finish to the body. You will love the fact that this kit provides you an authentic rosewood fingerboard that has been fretted already. The maple neck construction has been impressive, too. On the other hand, all the other electric components have been prepared fully. You can install them anytime you want.


Pros:

  • Holes have been pre-drilled
  • Body construction is complete
  • Quick installation process
  • High-quality selection of hardware components
  • Good sounding DIY guitar kit

Cons:

  • Tuners need a major improvement

Let's take a look at this product...

Sale
Saga 6 String Solid-Body Electric Guitar, Right, Natural (TC-10)
  • Solid select mahogany body for maximum tone and sustain
  • All shaping and routing complete and ready for further customization
  • Solid maple neck with pre-fretted fingerboard for fast, easy action
  • Blank peghead shape with pre-drilled tuning machine holes and adjustable truss rod awaits the personal touch
  • Electronics complete and ready for installation with no soldering required

Just like I have said earlier, there's no need for you to break your bank account before you can acquire an electric guitar kit. For the price and value, you can already swim in a sea of choices. But for starters, I have to recommend this Stratocaster Electric Guitar Kit. It features a package of decently engineered and manufactured components. You can build a long-lasting custom-made rig with this kit. And that won't even cost you too much.

The Stratocaster Electric Guitar Kit is a great choice for Stratocaster freaks. In the guitar community today, I have seen a lot of people who are drooling over Stratocaster guitars. Factory-made Strats are not that cheap. But if you have a pair of dexterous hands and attentive eyes, just settle with this kit instead. It has user-friendly assembly process and provides all the essential components for your DIY guitar.

This package features an unpolished body that has been crafted from basswood. You have all the freedom to customize and tweak the body's aesthetics. You can always give birth to an eye-catching Stratocaster with this kit. Meanwhile, the rosewood fingerboard and maple neck are pretty standard. There are no head-turning features with them, but this doesn't mean that these components suck. Essential hardware and electronic components for electric guitar assembly are also here.


Pros:

  • Great selection of tonewood
  • Ideal for Stratocaster fanatics
  • Affordable guitar kit
  • Easy to install and assemble
  • Decent selection of parts and electronics

Cons:

  • Pickups are not that great
  • Guitar is meant for practice purposes only

Let's take a look at this product...

Sale
BexGears DIY Electric Guitar Kits, okoume Body maple neck & composite ebony fingerboard
  • electric guitar kits . okoume wood body
  • comes with unpolished okoume body, maple neck &composite ebony fingerboard
  • with White pickguard , all parts and all electronic components
  • it is easy to build your own electric guitar.We have included instructions with the product to better assist you with this project. If your instructions is lost, please let us know and we will send it to you in PDF format.

Some people are not reluctant to spend a little more just to get the thing that they want. If you are among those lucrative folks, the Solo ES Style DIY Guitar Kit is a perfect option for you. This premium guitar kit can provide you the convenience and simplicity of making an electric guitar. All the parts have been pre-selected by professionals to ensure their quality. Of course, the body has been fully constructed to minimize the need for post adjustments.

Expert guitar craftsmen have prepared the shaping, drilling, and wood cutting process of the body. The hardware is never shabby. From the body down to the fretboard, everything about this kit is brimming with quality. The body is well machined, and the cavities for the controls, neck, and pickups are correct. Pilot holes are also drilled in areas in where you need them.

Take note that the neck of this guitar kit can either be made from solid wood with fretboard or stand-alone solid wood. You just have to check the specs of the kit to know these details. On the other hand, the markets and frets have been dressed and installed properly. Tuner holes are also pre-drilled with the correct spacing. There's no dirty work that you have to do here. You also have the freedom to choose the right type of hardware for the guitar style that you want to build. When it comes to versatility, this tool is hard to build.


Pros:

  • Guitar has a poly-resin finish for moisture protection
  • Comes with a step-by-step assembly guide
  • Necessary holes are pre-drilled.
  • Body and neck are well machined
  • Features a quality set of electronics

Cons:

  • No distinct drawbacks

Let's take a look at this product...

Solo ES Style DIY Guitar Kit, Maple Body, Flamed Maple Top, Hollow Body, ESK-75
  • This DIY Guitar Kit has everything you need for building your own custom Electric Guitar.
  • All the wood cutting, drilling and shaping has already been done professionally by our factory staff.
  • This kit will require some basic tools and finishing supplies to complete.
  • A detailed manual is included with step by step instructions to help you complete the kit.

There are some of us who desire a DIY lap guitar. I know that this guitar variety has a complicated design, albeit its straightforward layout. But with the Gitty Lap Steel Guitar Kit, you can create this instrument from the get-go. It is among the few guitar kits that enable users to create a lap steel guitar kit whose qualities can match those from commercially sold ones.

All the crucial components for the construction of lap steel guitar are included in this kit. It comes with two humbucker pickups, guitar jacks, and six tuners. You can also utilize its twelve string ferrules without any problems. There are two packs of string that you can get from this package. The first one is ideal to be used in the blues genre. The other pack is for Hawaiian or country music.

Just like the rest of the guitar kits here, this lap steel guitar kit only comes with the basic design. The rest of the decoration and modification is left to your creativity. Perhaps, the only downside of this guitar kit is the absence of the body. Specifically, if you want to get this kit, make sure that you can come up with a 2x4 wood first. I am not so sure why the body is not being provided in the package. But if it is for the reason of encouraging the ingenuity of the user, then I have to accept it.


Pros:

  • High-quality lap steel guitar components
  • Two packs of strings for better versatility
  • Instruction manual is present
  • Simple and hassle-free assembly
  • Allows user creativity to come into play

Cons:

  • The main body is not included in the package

Let's take a look at this product...

2x4 Lap Steel Guitar Kit - the DIY Slide Guitar - You supply the 2x4!
  • Construct your very own Lap Steel Slide Guitar - Just add your own 2x4!
  • Great for Country, Honky Tonk, Blues or Hawaiian styles
  • Instructions printed on a frame-able 2-sided 12x18 poster
  • Modify, Decorate, Design - The 2x4 makes for a blank canvas
  • Includes TWO different sets of strings - Open E Blues and Nashville C6 (Country/Hawaiian) tuning

How to Choose the Best DIY Guitar Kit

Of course, many of us cannot hide the fact that we want to own explosive-looking and eye-popping guitar units. While you stay long in this endeavor, you will realize that keeping up with the standards is pretty dull and boring. The more you grow as a player, the more you will desire to stand out. Well, I am not only talking about skills here. I am also talking about the guitar that you are using.

Sure. Most of the high-end guitar units on the market today, such as those sold by Fender, Epiphone, and other reputable guitar manufacturers can be unique in some sense. Obviously, expensive instruments will have a low number of copycats. But this doesn't change the fact that they are not "the only one in the world."

So how can you stand out from the crowd? Well, by investing in a DIY guitar kit. That's solution is pretty straightforward. But let me tell you that it is cost-efficient and downright effective.

There are multiple considerations that you should understand before you start buying a guitar kit. Always remember that not all guitar kits are made to be equal. Furthermore, some of them are made for specific applications and playing styles. But in general, here are some of the essential factors that you have to take into account.

Profile

The main essence of having a DIY guitar kit is to allow yourself to create your dream instrument. It is your only way of making a guitar that suits every inch of your preferences. Guitar kits nowadays vary in profile and shape. You will always have something that can match your desired layout. If there is none, you can always settle for the one that comes the closest.

However, I will encourage you to look for other designs as well. Don't let your sense of familiarity overwhelm your choices. You are missing a lot if you will only delve into what is conventional. Always consider your personality. That will allow you to get something that matches you.

Alignment and Quality of Wood

DIY guitar kits are still considered foreign by many. A lot of people out there are reluctant to invest in this tool because of their "unverified" quality. That doubt is pretty acceptable. After all, none of us will risk on something that has not yet been fully tested. If you want a guitar kit that can satisfy your needs, make sure that you will take a look at the wood quality and the alignment of holes.

It is necessary the body, and the hardware of the guitar kit are made to be solid. The body should be made from high-quality tonewood such as mahogany, basswood, or maple. Depending on the desired playing style that you have, either of these tonewoods can work for you. Also, it is highly required that you will check the layout of the pre-drilled holes. It is bad if the kit doesn't have pre-drilled holes. But it would be worse if the holes are not aligned at all. That will be a massive headache for you.

Difficulty of Assembly

You just have to accept the fact that some of us are better when it comes to DIY matters. Even myself cannot fully attest to my skills, especially if I am surrounded by crafty friends. You see, the biggest challenge of DIY guitar kits is not finding the best ones. Instead, it is the construction process. Not all of us have the experience of making guitars. It is one of the most prevailing reasons why some are reluctant to acquire these kits.

For me, having a curious heart matter here. You want to build something unique, right? Therefore, it is given already that what's in your mind greatly deviates with the standard guitar layouts that we have today. You cannot create your dream guitar if you will never take risks. You can never learn something if you won't dare make the first step.

But of course, these are just words. Guitar kits should be, in fact, user-friendly. It should come with a comprehensive instruction manual. In this way, you will never be blindsided in the assembly process. Also, it is essential if the major components are already premade. For example, the bolt-on necks and electronics should have been soldered already.

Don't forget to be patient, too. There are different tutorial videos on the internet today can teach you a thing or two about DIY guitar kits.

Essential Tools

Before buying a DIY guitar kit, it is necessary that you have all the necessary tools to make the assembly stage a lot easier. The most common tools required for constructing a DIY guitar kit are pliers, screwdrivers, and soldering iron. Bandsaws, routing tools, and wood glue may come important at some point, especially if you want to modify the design of the main body.

Meanwhile, finishing amenities like primer, paint, sandpaper, and wood sealant should be secured first before buying the kit. You need them if you want to furnish your DIY instrument and make it look that it has been bought at an expensive price.

Final Verdict

At the end of the day, you will still get what you have paid for. It is okay to settle on entry-level kits. But you cannot guarantee their reliability for your recording applications or live gigs. The quality of their electronics and hardware may not at par with the commercially-made guitars. However, for practical purposes, you can always invest on the inexpensive ones.

On the other hand, the best DIY guitar kit can certainly match your needs and preferences. Take note that a guitar kit may be perfect for some, but not for you. It is just a matter of understanding your desires and requirements. The Fret Wire DIY Electric Guitar Kit 175 is considered good by many. But some who don't like jazz-inclined guitars may skip this option. That is completely understandable on my end.

So what's your pick? Did I miss other guitar kits that should be mentioned here? Tell me all your answers in the comment section below!

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About the Author

Hi everyone! Im Monica and I am an avid lover of guitars and everything in-between. My current profession is not really music-related. It is quite discouraging but I just don't want to drop my zeal--especially not to guitars! I created GuitarTrance.Com so that I can keep up with my hobby. Of course, I want to engage with the community as well! Hope we can all get along!