This guide provides step-by-step instructions to build your Acoustic Electric DIY guitar kit, equipped with a 4-band EQ and piezo pickup.
This guide walks you through every step from prepping your body to final setup.
Recommended Tools Guide: Luthier Tools for DIY Guitar Kits
Every kit includes the following components. Please note that some parts may vary slightly depending on the specific version of the kit you purchased.
Body and Neck:
Hardware:
Electronics:
Strings and Accessories:
Important Notes:
To complete your guitar kit safely, also ensure you have the following on hand, and a well ventilated work space to work in.
Use protective safety glasses or a genuine face shield, not regular prescription, reading, or sunglasses.
Use disposable gloves if applying stains or oil finishes directly to the guitar.
Use an N95 rated dust mask for sanding and an R95 rated particle mask for finishing. If using water based finishing products an N95 dust mask may suffice for both sanding and finishing, but be sure to check the finishing suppliers recommendations first. Paint fumes are dangerous.
Ensure your work space is well ventilated, especially when finishing to prevent a build up of potentially toxic fumes.
There are four stages to building a great kit guitar, these are:
The finished surface appearance of your guitar e.g. staining, painting, or applying a hand rubbed oil finish.
Fitting the tuners, strap buttons, bridge, and pickups.
Connecting the Piezo pickup to the input jack and bridge.
Adjusting the neck relief, action, intonation and pickup height.
We’ll cover each of these below, starting with preparation and finishing.
To get started dry fit the neck first. Mock install the neck to check neck fit and align it in the pocket and ensure it’s straight and snug.
If your kit comes with a blank headstock, you can create your own custom shape.
Once shaped, move on to sanding and finishing the neck.
Before starting, it’s important to properly sand, clean, and finish your guitar body and neck.
For complete step-by-step guidance, including how to prep, sand, stain, and apply clear coats (especially on veneer tops), follow this detailed guide: Guitar Finishing 101: The Highlighted Grain & Stain Finish.
We also recommend visiting the Acoustic Electric Guitar Kit Assembly playlist on YouTube to see the type of finishing Marty used for this project and how it turned out.
For specific techniques and finish styles, also see:
This section walks you through installing the hardware after your finish is fully cured.
Correct bridge placement is essential when building an acoustic guitar. If it is positioned incorrectly, the guitar will not play in tune.
Measure the Rough Bridge Location and Mask the Area
Use a steel ruler to measure the distance from the nut to the 12th fret. Then double this measurement.
This gives you the guitar’s scale length, which is typically about 25.5 inches.
Mark the centerline of the body and the bridge position. The bridge center should line up between string holes 3 and 4 on the bridge.
Steps:
Use the dot inlay on the neck as a vertical reference to help align the bridge with the centerline.
Push the neck firmly into the neck pocket and confirm that it fits snugly.
A video demonstration by Marty is included, showing how to measure the rough bridge location and mask the area before installing the bridge.
Prepare the Bridge Area
Once the bridge area is masked and you have a general idea of where the bridge will be positioned, measure the distance again using the same process as before. This time, make clear reference marks. Place the bridge on the body as a template, then carefully cut away the masking tape where the bridge will sit. Refer to the video below for a demonstration by Marty.
Drill the Pickup Wiring Hole (If your kit has not been pre-drilled)
If your kit has not been pre-drilled for the pickup wiring hole, drill this hole at an angle during this step.
Position the bridge in its correct location without gluing it in place. Use the bridge as a template to mark the exact location of the wiring hole. Once marked, remove the bridge and drill the hole outward from that point.
Take care not to drill too far and break through the back of the guitar body. Refer to the video below for a demonstration by Marty.
Glue the Acoustic Electric Bridge
In this video, Marty explains how to prepare the bridge area before gluing the bridge and outlines the tools you will need. Please watch carefully before proceeding with this step.
Your kit features a piezo pickup, master volume, and 4-band equalizer system. The system is pre-wired and fully plug-and-play, so no soldering is required. In the video below, Marty explains how all components are connected together without the need for soldering.
How to Thread Wires Easily
In this video, Marty demonstrates a simple and effective technique for routing the input jack wire through a hollow guitar body using fishing wire (but you can use plastic coated wire too as it's more rigid). This method makes the installation easier and more controlled. The same technique can also be used to thread the pickup wire.
Refer to the image below or download PDF wiring diagram here: Wiring Diagram (PDF)
1. Mount the EQ module on the side of the body.
2. Insert the 9V Battery
3. Connect the piezo wire to the EQ input.
4. Attach the volume knob and confirm it’s wired to EQ output.
5. Test by plugging into an amp and adjusting EQ sliders.
No soldering required. Plug-and-play.
EQ won’t work unless a 9V battery is installed and a cable is plugged into the output jack (activates circuit).
Once your hardware and electronics are installed, it’s time to fine-tune your guitar for playability and tone. This includes adjusting the neck, string height, and intonation.
Use a fresh set of acoustic guitar strings.
Depending on the type of bridge your kit uses, this step may differ slightly. If your kit includes a bridge with pins, drill the string holes in the bridge at this stage before installing the strings. If your kit uses a pinless bridge, install the strings as usual.
Install the strings one at a time, threading them through the bridge and tuners.
Tune to concert pitch (E A D G B E) before proceeding.
You may not need to make any adjustments, but if needed:
Hold down the first and last fret and tap around the 7th–9th fret. You should see a slight gap (~0.25mm). No gap = too flat.
“Action” refers to string height above the fretboard:
Be sure to sand evenly and test often. Removing too much will make it buzz.
Acoustic guitars don’t have adjustable saddles like electrics, but you can still:
For significant intonation issues, consult a tech or luthier.
Once strings are on and tuned:
No sound output?
Check battery and cable connection. Ensure piezo is seated flat under saddle.
Strings buzzing or action too high?
Adjust truss rod or lower the saddle.
Bridge placement feels wrong?
Re-check your 12th fret measurement and centerline.
Reach out to our Builder Success team anytime (support@guitarkitworld.com) or comment below your question.
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