Introduction: Popsicle Stick Guitar

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I decided it was time for someone to build a guitar completely from popsicle sticks........Ordered 4,000 on ebay and used about 2,000.........I used my Gremlin parlor size guitar as a pattern and started gluing..........took about 2 months working on it everyday.......I retired in Costa Rica and I don't have a lot of tools so kind of made do with what I had......Turned out very nice and very playable.......Not a Martin but hey, what the heck

Step 1: Guitar Form and Making Sides

I made a form using heavy art board and hot glue with spacers........I then glued the sides up using the form............

Step 2: Kerfing

Soaked sticks in water to form for kerfing and clamped and glued to edges......

Step 3: Making Top and Back

Glued sticks on a flat surface covered with foil to make top.......the back I glued directly on the Gremlin guitar so it would be arched.........

Step 4: Bracing

Glued sticks together for bracing and glued to top........glued top to sides......used rubber bands and stapled the edges......removed staples after dry..........

Step 5: Blocks

Formed neck and tail blocks by gluing sticks vertically then horizontally........cut to size........glued to sides of guitar.......(actually I did this before gluing on top)

Step 6: Neck

I made the neck by making a square form and gluing about 900 sticks together to form a giant block.....I then cut, sanded, filed, and formed the neck....I routed out the channel for the truss rod.......I used T-nuts inserted threw a hole I drilled and squared up at the base of the neck.......

Step 7: Glue on Back

Glued on back and routed edges flush.....I did add normal back bracing with sticks....Starting to look like a guitar

Step 8: Fret Board

Glued up three layers of sticks.........cut fret slots with coping saw.......inlayed popsicle stick diamond markers.....glued to neck

Step 9: Misc. Parts

Made the tail piece from part of a cheese grater.....added popsicle sticks......glued up sticks for bridge.......made new buttons from popsicle sticks.......made a nut from my dogs chewing bone......made truss rod cover

Step 10: Finish

I used spray cans of clear plasti-coat.......wet sanded to 2000.......rubbed it out with black Color-Back car polish.......Works excellent..........

Step 11: Finished Guitar