That broken guitar of yours doesn’t need to sit in the closet of the man cave any longer. Bring it out for this creative DIY project that turns a broken musical instrument into innovative shelving. Rather than cursing the once-beautiful guitar that has been rendered useless for one reason or another, you’ll be singing a different tune when you recycle it into a fantastic shelving unit that is perfect for your lair.
There’s no need to feel overwhelmed by the DIY project either. Whether you are new to the do-it-yourself game or it is old hat, you can get it done within a day. Why not do it this weekend?
What Supplies You Will Need:
- Tools: Drill, hand saw, and chisel (or screwdriver)
- Wood: 1/4in thickness
- Other materials: Acoustic guitar, screws, wood glue, and clamps
1. Get The Guitar
The intro of this post assumes you already have a guitar, but what if you don’t have one yet? You could be a music lover who wants to expand the theme of his man cave with this cool artsy piece. Great places to find guitars on the cheap are second-hand stores. They might be damaged, and that’s just fine for this project as we’re going to be tearing it apart anyway.
You can also try online stores like Etsy, Amazon, or Craigslist. Comparison shop to get the lowest price. An acoustic rather than electric guitar works best. You want to get your hands on a guitar that is cheap or broken (and, thus, should be a bargain).
2. Take Off The Strings
Remove the strings from your guitar. This step is most efficiently done by loosening the tuning machine. Remove the prongs from the saddle of the headstock as you go.
3. Remove The Face
For any music lover, this step hurts! You will need to remove the face of the guitar. Clamp the guitar before you saw the face off to make sure it stays steady. That way you have the best control. Use a hand saw for the project as it isn’t a big amount of space you are working in, and you want to be precise.
Start by sawing about 1/8 of an inch down. That way you won’t risk removing any more than just the face. You will find that once you saw through a significant amount of the face, you will be able to either chisel or pry (with a screwdriver) the rest of the face to take it off. Whether you choose to use the chisel or screwdriver is up to you.
4. Make The Shelves
After you measure the width of the guitar for how long you require the shelves to be, you then will need to measure the body for depth too. Now you have the ideal dimensions for the wood.
Each shelf will be a different size, depending where you want it to sit in the guitar body. Cut the two shelves, using best safety practices (goggles and work gloves).
5. Put In The Shelves
The two shelves are ready to go inside the guitar. It’s a cinch when you use a wood glue at the sides and back of the shelving. Let the glue dry for at least a few hours (or even longer, if you can).
To make the shelves even stronger, also drill them into place. Drill one screw through each side of the shelf. That’s four screws in total, obviously.
6. Sand And Finish The Project
Time to sand down the guitar now. You’ll want to remove any splinters or sharp edges in the wood. Sanding it by hand is easier than using an electric sander given the curves of the body. Then wipe down the shelving unit to give it a quick clean.
If you’re feeling extra creative today, you can customize the shelving. For example, paint the inside of the guitar. Make it one solid color or a few different shades, depending on your tastes. You could paint the inside gold, the outside light brown, and the neck black. Just a suggestion! Make sure the colors you choose will match your man cave.
Now it’s time for the last part of the guitar shelf DIY project: Hanging the shelving unit. Hold up your guitar to the wall in the location where you want it to hang. Screw drill holes through the guitar into the wall to secure it there. Use at least two screws to make sure it stays in place.
There you have it! Old guitars really CAN rock! Your broken or cheap guitar is now a clever, one-of-a-kind shelving piece for your dungeon. Put books, gaming accessories, mugs, or whatever else you want on the shelves. The story of how you made this piece will make for great conversation in the future with your buds. Plus, you can take pride in your handy work every time you pass by it.
Want to try another DIY project for your man cave? Check out these three ways to make your own coffee table.
