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Maple Guitar Kits

Maple brings brightness, clarity, and visual impact to a guitar build. As a body wood, maple produces a tight, articulate tone with pronounced attack and clear note separation. Every note in a chord rings out distinctly, making maple an excellent choice for players who value precision and definition.

Our maple guitar kits are available in several body styles, giving you the tonal brightness of maple across different playing configurations. Some kits use a full maple body, while others pair a maple top with a mahogany or basswood back to balance brightness with warmth.

The visual appeal of maple is hard to beat. Figured maple, especially flame and quilted patterns, produces some of the most stunning guitar finishes possible. A clear or lightly tinted finish over figured maple creates a depth and shimmer that draws the eye.

Maple is a dense, hard wood, which means it is heavier than mahogany or basswood. That density is where the brightness and sustain come from, but plan for a guitar that carries some weight. If you want a bright, clear-sounding instrument with show-stopping looks, a maple kit delivers on both fronts.

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V57 Alder Body Guitar Kit with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
V57 Alder Body Guitar Kit with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard - Guitar Kit World Sold out

V57 Alder Body Guitar Kit with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

$299.99 USD
$299.99 USD - $299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
$249.99 USD
$249.99 USD - $249.99 USD
$249.99 USD
Skill 7/10 Intermediate

Build your own V-style Alder Body Guitar Kit with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard using this DIY Guitar Kit. Specifications Hand Orientation...

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L4 Doublecut Junior Guitar Kit With Ash Veneer Lpj2
L4 Doublecut Junior Guitar Kit With Ash Veneer Lpj2 Sold out

Doublecut Junior Basswood Guitar Kit

$279.99 USD
$279.99 USD - $279.99 USD
$279.99 USD
$249.99 USD
$249.99 USD - $249.99 USD
$249.99 USD
Skill 3/10 Beginner

Solid basswood body LP Junior style double-cut guitar kit with a maple neck and chrome hardware. Specifications Hand Orientation: Righty Headstoc...

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RD2 Guitar Kit w/ Ebony Fretboard, Flamed Maple Top Veneer
RD2 Guitar Kit w/ Ebony Fretboard, Flamed Maple Top Veneer Pre-Order · 6 mo In China

RD2 Guitar Kit w/ Ebony Fretboard, Flamed Maple Top Veneer

$289.99 USD
$289.99 USD - $289.99 USD
$289.99 USD
$259.99 USD
$259.99 USD - $259.99 USD
$259.99 USD
Skill 5/10 Intermediate

Build your own DIY guitar with a beautiful flamed maple veneer mahogany body tonewood and ebony fretboard with pearl white fretboard inlays. ...

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Mahogany Jm-Style Bass Kit With Maple Neck And Ebony Fretboard
Mahogany Jm-Style Bass Kit With Maple Neck And Ebony Fretboard Pre-Order · 3 mo In China

Mahogany JM-style Bass Kit with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

$299.99 USD
$299.99 USD - $299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
$279.99 USD
$279.99 USD - $279.99 USD
$279.99 USD
Skill 3/10 Beginner

Build your own Mahogany JM-style Bass Guitar with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard. Specifications Hand Orientation: Righty Headstock Shape: Semi-s...

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Mahogany body ICE-style DIY guitar kit with Ebony Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
Mahogany body ICE-style DIY guitar kit with Ebony Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
In Stock In the US

Mahogany body ICE-style DIY guitar kit with Ebony Fretboard

$299.99 USD
$299.99 USD - $299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
$239.99 USD
$239.99 USD - $239.99 USD
$239.99 USD
Skill 5/10 Intermediate

Build your own Mahogany Body ICE-style DIY Guitar Kit with Ebony Fretboard using our DIY Guitar kits. Specifications Hand Orientation: Right...

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Hl5-Rseb-389
Hl5-Rseb-389
Pre-Order · 6 mo In China

34" Headless 5-string Ashwood Bass Guitar Kit with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard

$329.99 USD
$329.99 USD - $329.99 USD
$329.99 USD
$299.99 USD
$299.99 USD - $299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
Skill 6/10 Intermediate

Build your own Headless 5-string Ashwood Bass Guitar Kit with Maple Neck and Ebony Fretboard using our Guitar Kit. Specifications Hand...

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Basswood Headless Guitar With Dot Inlay Maple Neck
Basswood Headless Guitar With Dot Inlay Maple Neck
In Stock In China

Basswood Headless Guitar with Dot Inlay Maple Neck

$269.99 USD
$269.99 USD - $269.99 USD
$269.99 USD
$199.99 USD
$199.99 USD - $199.99 USD
$199.99 USD
Skill 5/10 Intermediate

This Basswood Headless Guitar is the perfect instrument for creating your own headless DIY guitar masterpiece. It comes with a maple neck and ros...

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Lefty Basswood body EXP-style Bass Kit with Maple Neck - Guitar Kit World
Lefty Basswood body EXP-style Bass Kit with Maple Neck - Guitar Kit World
Sold out

Lefty Basswood EXP-style Bass Kit with Maple Neck

$299.99 USD - $299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
$299.99 USD - $299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
Skill 4/10 Beginner

Build your own Lefty Basswood body EXP-style Bass Kit with Maple Neck using our DIY Guitar kits. Specifications Hand Orientation: Lefty Headstoc...

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Lefty L2 Semi-Hollow Kit with Quilted Maple Veneer - Guitar Kit World
Lefty L2 Semi-Hollow Kit with Quilted Maple Veneer - Guitar Kit World
Sold out

Lefty L2 Semi-Hollow Kit with Quilted Maple Veneer

$309.99 USD - $309.99 USD
$309.99 USD
$309.99 USD
$309.99 USD - $309.99 USD
$309.99 USD
Skill 7/10 Intermediate

Build your own left-handed semi-hollow body guitar using this DIY guitar kit with quilted maple veneer, trapezoid white pearl inlays. Specificati...

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JE-style Mahogany Body Guitar Kit with Quilted Maple Veneer and Maple Fretboard. - Guitar Kit World
JE-style Mahogany Body Guitar Kit with Quilted Maple Veneer and Maple Fretboard. - Guitar Kit World
Sold out

JE-style Mahogany Body Guitar Kit with Quilted Maple Veneer and Maple Neck

$299.99 USD - $299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
$299.99 USD - $299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
Skill 6/10 Intermediate

With our right-handed JE-style DIY Guitar kit, you can craft your very own instrument. Comprising a Mahogany body, Quilted Maple veneer, and Maple ...

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Mahogany TE Style Guitar Kit with Maple Neck, Rosewood Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
Mahogany TE Style Guitar Kit with Maple Neck, Rosewood Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
In Stock In the US

Mahogany TE Style Guitar Kit with Maple Neck, Rosewood Fretboard

$249.99 USD
$249.99 USD - $249.99 USD
$249.99 USD
$189.99 USD
$189.99 USD - $189.99 USD
$189.99 USD
Skill 3/10 Beginner

Build your own classic TE style electric guitar with this DIY Mahogany Guitar Kit, featuring a solid mahogany body for rich sustain, a smooth Maple...

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Basswood Headless Guitar Kit With Rosewood Fretboard Maple Neck Hl
Basswood Headless Guitar Kit With Rosewood Fretboard Maple Neck Hl
In Stock In the US

Basswood Headless Guitar Kit with Rosewood Fretboard, Maple Neck

$269.99 USD
$269.99 USD - $269.99 USD
$269.99 USD
$199.99 USD
$199.99 USD - $199.99 USD
$199.99 USD
Skill 9/10 Advanced

This Basswood Headless Guitar Kit lets you build your own customized headless guitar with a maple neck, rosewood fretboard, and bolt-on neck join...

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Ash Body RG-style Guitar Kit with Quilted Maple Veneer and Ebony Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
Ash Body RG-style Guitar Kit with Quilted Maple Veneer and Ebony Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
Sold out

Lefty Ash Body RG-style Guitar Kit w/ Quilted Maple Veneer, Ebony Fretboard

$319.99 USD - $319.99 USD
$319.99 USD
$319.99 USD
$319.99 USD - $319.99 USD
$319.99 USD
Skill 7/10 Intermediate

Designed with a fantastic ash body, quilted maple veneer, and an ebony fretboard, it's a lefty's dream come true! With dragon inlays that would mak...

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Alder body KR Guitar Kit with Rosewood Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
KR Alder body Guitar Kit with Rosewood Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
Sold out

KR-style Alder body Guitar Kit with Rosewood Fretboard

$289.99 USD
$289.99 USD - $289.99 USD
$289.99 USD
$269.99 USD
$269.99 USD - $269.99 USD
$269.99 USD
Skill 3/10 Beginner

Build your own alder body K-style guitar with a beautiful rosewood fretboard using this DIY guitar kit. Specifications Hand Orientation: ...

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Ash body 7-string JS-style guitar kit with Flamed Maple Veneer - Guitar Kit World
Ash body 7-string JS-style guitar kit with Flamed Maple Veneer - Guitar Kit World
Sold out

Ash 7-string JS-style guitar kit with Flamed Maple Veneer

$299.99 USD - $299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
$299.99 USD - $299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
Skill 6/10 Intermediate

Featuring a right-handed, maple bolt-on neck, and a flamed maple top on a solid ash body, you'll not only satisfy your inner craftsman, but you'll ...

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Basswood MOS-style guitar kit with Quilted Maple Body Top Veneer - Guitar Kit World
Basswood MOS-style guitar kit with Quilted Maple Body Top Veneer - Guitar Kit World
In Stock In the US

Basswood MOS-style guitar kit with Quilted Maple Body Top Veneer

$279.99 USD
$279.99 USD - $279.99 USD
$279.99 USD
$199.99 USD
$199.99 USD - $199.99 USD
$199.99 USD
Skill 5/10 Intermediate

Build your DIY guitar using this beautiful basswood body MOS-style guitar kit with Quilted Maple Body Top Veneer with maple neck. Specificatio...

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Semi-Hollow ST style guitar kit w/ Mahogany body, Maple Neck
Semi-Hollow ST style guitar kit w/ Mahogany body, Maple Neck
Pre-Order · 6 mo In China

Semi-Hollow ST style guitar kit w/ Mahogany body, Maple Neck

$279.99 USD
$279.99 USD - $279.99 USD
$279.99 USD
$259.99 USD
$259.99 USD - $259.99 USD
$259.99 USD
Skill 6/10 Intermediate

Build your own mahogany body semi-hollow ST style guitar with Maple Neck and not styled headstock. You can find semi-hollow ST-style guitar bu...

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Lefty L2 Semi-Hollow Basswood Guitar Kit with Spalted Maple Veneer - Guitar Kit World
Lefty L2 Semi-Hollow Basswood Guitar Kit with Spalted Maple Veneer - Guitar Kit World
Sold out

Lefty L2 Semi-Hollow Basswood Guitar Kit with Spalted Maple Veneer

$289.99 USD - $289.99 USD
$289.99 USD
$289.99 USD
$289.99 USD - $289.99 USD
$289.99 USD
Skill 7/10 Intermediate

Build your own left-handed basswood semi-hollow body guitar using this DIY LP-style guitar kit with spalted maple veneer, dot Abalone (Engineered) ...

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Guitar Kit World - LP-style DIY Guitar Kit - Guitar body back view showing control cavity and wood grain
Guitar Kit World - LP-style DIY Guitar Kit - Complete kit flat lay with body, neck, hardware, and electronics
In Stock In China

Mahogany LP-style Guitar Kit w/ Maple Fretboard, Pre-wired Electronics

$259.99 USD
$259.99 USD - $259.99 USD
$259.99 USD
$219.99 USD
$219.99 USD - $219.99 USD
$219.99 USD
Skill 3/10 Beginner

A beginner-friendly LP-style DIY guitar kit with a mahogany body and classic single-cutaway design. Unlike most LP-style kits, this one features a ...

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E75 Fully Hollow Electric Guitar Kit, Maple Plywood Body and Dual Humbuckers - Guitar Kit World
E75 Fully Hollow Electric Guitar Kit, Maple Plywood Body and Dual Humbuckers - Guitar Kit World
In Stock In the US

E75 Fully Hollow Electric Guitar Kit, Maple Plywood Body and Dual Humbuckers

$329.99 USD
$329.99 USD - $329.99 USD
$329.99 USD
$269.99 USD
$269.99 USD - $269.99 USD
$269.99 USD
Skill 8/10 Advanced

Build a premium ES-style hollow body guitar with this E75 DIY kit, designed for players who want the warm resonance, classic aesthetics, and expre...

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Mahogany S-Style Guitar Kit With Roasted Maple Neck
Mahogany S-Style Guitar Kit With Roasted Maple Neck
Pre-Order · 6 mo In China

Mahogany ST-style Guitar Kit with Roasted Maple Neck, Rosewood Fretboard

$239.99 USD
$239.99 USD - $239.99 USD
$239.99 USD
$199.99 USD
$199.99 USD - $199.99 USD
$199.99 USD
Skill 4/10 Beginner

Fuel your musical passion with the DIY Mahogany ST-style Guitar Kit. Build a guitar that's as unique as your sound, featuring a smooth Roasted Mapl...

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Mahogany body DB-style guitar kit with Ebony Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
Mahogany body DB-style guitar kit with Ebony Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
Sold out

Mahogany body DB-style guitar kit with Ebony Fretboard

$319.99 USD - $319.99 USD
$319.99 USD
$319.99 USD
$319.99 USD - $319.99 USD
$319.99 USD
Skill 7/10 Intermediate

One-peace mahogany wood body kit with beautiful flame maple body top veneer, ebony fretboard and trapezoid pearl white inlays. It's a great choice ...

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RG style Basswood body Guitar Kit with Ebony Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
RG style Basswood body Guitar Kit with Ebony Fretboard - Guitar Kit World
Sold out

7-string RG style Basswood body Guitar Kit with Ebony Fretboard

$289.99 USD - $289.99 USD
$289.99 USD
$289.99 USD
$289.99 USD - $289.99 USD
$289.99 USD
Skill 4/10 Beginner

Build your own 7-string basswood body kit guitar with ebony fretboard and cool lightning bolt inlays. Specs Hand Orientation: Righty ...

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X8 5-string Bass Guitar Kit with Flamed Maple Top Veneer - Guitar Kit World
X8 5-string Bass Guitar Kit with Flamed Maple Top Veneer - Guitar Kit World
Pre-Order · 6 mo In China

5-String Thrash Bass Kit with Mahogany Body

$299.99 USD
$299.99 USD - $299.99 USD
$299.99 USD
$269.99 USD
$269.99 USD - $269.99 USD
$269.99 USD
Skill 5/10 Intermediate

Build your own Thrash-style bass with mahogany body and maple fretboard using our DIY guitar kits. Specifications Hand Orientation: Righty Neck J...

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Maple Type

Check whether the kit uses plain maple, flame maple, or quilted maple. Figured maple costs more but produces dramatic visual effects under a clear finish.

Body Construction

Some kits use a solid maple body, while others pair a maple top with a lighter back wood for reduced weight and tonal balance.

Weight

Maple is one of the heaviest tonewoods. A full maple body can be notably heavy, so consider a maple-top kit if weight is a concern.

Finishing Figured Maple

Figured maple looks best under a clear or tinted transparent finish. Opaque finishes hide the grain pattern and waste the visual potential.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a maple body guitar sound like?

Maple produces a bright, articulate tone with strong attack and clear note definition. It emphasizes upper harmonics and provides tight, controlled low end. Compared to mahogany, maple sounds snappier and more present, with less warmth in the midrange.

Is maple harder to work with than other tonewoods?

Maple is denser and harder than mahogany or basswood, so it takes more effort to sand. It also shows scratches and sanding marks more readily under a clear finish, so take extra care during surface preparation. The payoff is a stunning finished product.

Should I use a clear finish on a maple guitar body?

If your kit has figured maple, absolutely. Flame and quilted maple patterns only show their full depth under a transparent finish. A light amber tint enhances the figure even further. Opaque paint hides the grain entirely, so save that for plainer maple blanks.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What tools do I need to build a kit guitar?

Depending on the type of guitar you buy you may only require tools and materials for finishing the guitar (painting) and soldering.

Screwdrivers, sandpaper and sanding block. Finishing supplies e.g. paint, stain, and clear gloss, ventilation mask, coping saw or jigsaw if shaping the headstock.

With this small list of inexpensive tools, you will be up and running and ready to build your electric guitar in no time.

Recommended reading: Luthier Tools for DIY Guitar Kits.

Does the kit include everything to build a working guitar?

Our stock kits contain all necessary parts (unless stated otherwise on the product page).

How long does it take to complete a guitar kit?

It depends on the choice of finish. For instance, when you paint or stain a guitar you will need the surface to dry and harden (cure). This can take anywhere from 1 week to 3 months depending on your choice of finishing product.

You will find the guitar dries to approximately 90% very quickly but the final 10% takes some time. If you can't wait that long you could try tung oil or wax finish but bear in mind the finish won't be as durable and protect the guitar as effectively.

Do I have to solder the electronics?

Most of our kits require basic soldering. If you're new to it, check out our wiring guide here.

If you don't want to solder, or don't have the tools, our solderless guitar kits use plug-and-play wiring. No iron required.

What finishing options can I use on my guitar?

You can use stain, paint, or oil-based finishes. Learn more about finishing techniques here.

Our advice: use a reference. In most cases, this will be a guitar you particularly like the look of and want to create something similar.

To view the latest DIY guitars from our community follow us on Instagram and visit our Customer Reviews page.

How good will my finished kit guitar sound?

It's defined firstly by the components you use and secondly the workmanship that goes into putting it all together.

Watch the community section of our YouTube channel to learn how kit guitars sound.

More Frequently Asked Questions →

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