I always wanted to know how is a guitar made. I know the basic principals of guitar making but I came across this video that takes you through all the steps at a quick pace. While guitar factories differ in their output and equipment for putting guitars together they all go through a similar process.
The best woods for guitar tops are lightweight since they vibrate more and produce better sound. Typically you will see cedar and spruce. Mahogany is is also used but it's much denser. Solid wood is preferred. Laminate or thin pieces of wood layered on top of each other are less expensive and are associated with cheap plywood. The other significant feature of the top is the size of the sound hole. Just remember the larger the hole the more treble or high end. The smaller the sound hole the more bass or low end. Most guitars have a rosette inlay around the sound hole. Purely decorative but a nice touch. Cheaper guitars have a decal but this is the exception.
The sides of guitars are made of mahogany or other denser woods. To bend the wood it's put in hot water to soften it up and put in a form to make it's shape. Commercially it is put in a heated press but if you check out a luthier store you'll find simple forms where the wood dries into it's shape. The sides of the guitar are glued to blocks of wood. Mahogany and poplar are common.
Pieces of wood with grooves cut into to making it flexible are glued to the sides. It's called kerfing. This gives you the surface you need to attach the top and back to the sides. Kerfing is usually made from basswood or mahogany. The top and back of the guitar needs bracing since the wood is so light. The most common is the x-bracing that crosses just under the sound hole. Guitar manufacturers place bracing in other parts of the top and bottom for reinforcement. Placement, thickness of the wood and shape all affect the sound and different designs offer advantages since it controls vibration at different points. After the top and bottom are glued together the binding is put around the sides.
The neck is put together next. A groove is cut and an adjustable rod is set in place, Usually a solid piece of mahogany or hardwood is cut and laid out followed by a fretboard of rosewood, ebony or another hardwood being glued to it. The frets are measured and cut and put into place.
The machine or tuners are set into place. The neck gets set into the body, the most critical part since it affects the action, tone and playability. The bottom bridge is attached and the nut at the top of the neck is put in place, The saddle sets onto the bridge. This is that piece of plastic or bone that the strings go over. The strings go in and the bridge pins lock the strings in place. Commercially it all looks pretty simple but putting it together in your workshop is a little more complicated. This is just an overview. There are plenty of guitar kits available for anyone wanting to make their own guitar. All offer varying degrees of difficulty. You can get kits with the body already put together while others are more challenging.
