Summer Youth: Make an Electric Guitar (Ages 14-18)

Assemble a classic Fender-style electric guitar, give it your own custom finish, and string it up so it's ready to play — and to display on a wooden stand you will make in this class.

You will begin by learning about the components of an electric guitar and how modern electric guitars are made using computer-aided design and manufacturing tools. A finishing expert will explain various approaches that you can use on your guitar, and a woodworking instructor will help you design and build the stand.

To ensure you go home with a working guitar, you will start with a precision-cut body, pre-cut neck and headstock, and solderless electronics. You will need to do final sanding on the parts, decide on the finish you want, and create any special effects, such as a decal if you want to add a custom logo to the headstock. You will have a variety of paints and stains to choose from. The final finish will be a clear, glossy, oil-based coating that you can rub to get a satin finish if you wish.

To learn more about getting the best sound from your guitar, you may also want to sign up for Electric Guitars: Level-up Your Game, Monday through Thursday, August 1-4. Click here to read more and register. 

Details:

• This Summer Youth class is for youth ages 14-18. 
• Registration closes on Monday, July 11 at 1:00 pm to ensure all materials arrive in time.
  
• There is a materials fee of $174 included in the price of the class. The materials fee includes all the parts, including tuners, pickups, bridge, strings, and other hardware required to build a complete electric guitar, as well as an array of finishing materials and wood for a guitar stand.

• When you register your youth, please enter their name in the Youth's Name field and enter the parent/guardian email address for "registrants email". All reminders and important information will go to the email address you register with.
• Please complete and return this minor permission form by July 13.
• Please click here to register youth for an optional supervised lunch hour from 12-1 pm for the week of this class.
• Please click here for BARN's current COVID-19 health & safety protocols
• BARN is committed to accessibility. Tuition Assistance is available - click here to fill out the simple application before registering for a class. For those who might need physical assistance, please learn about BARN's Companion Program here. 
• If you have any questions, please email BARN Youth Program Director Jess Henderson at [email protected].
  

Instructors:

Doug Salot, Carol Fiedler Kawaguchi and Ben Dykstra. Doug, who heads BARN's Electronic & Technical Arts Studio, started playing the guitar more than 10 years ago and occasionally tries to distract himself by building guitars and ukuleles. He studied instrument building with local luthier Alan Simcoe. Carol is a professional woodworker who specializes in furniture restoration and refinishing. She is on the Woodworking Studio's steering committee and teaches finishing classes, and others, at BARN. Ben has been a woodworker for almost 30 years and has expertise in custom furniture and high-end kitchen cabinetry. He has worked with youth for more than 10 years and currently teaches middle school wood shop and high school technical drawing and CAD.