How to make a Kite Guitar: Difference between revisions

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This page covers all options from DIY to custom builds by professional luthiers.

== General design considerations ==

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While 7- and 8-string electric guitars are plentiful, acoustic ones are rarer. (See [[Extended range guitar]].) One way to get one is to convert a 12-string guitar. The neck will be sufficiently strong and there will be enough tuners. There's fewer strings but more courses, so the string spacing can be very tight. To avoid this, the new fretboard can be wider than the old one. The fretboard overhang can be filled with bondo to create a nice-feeling neck.

Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar. The 3 holes on each side of the headstock that the tuner pegs go through can be filled and 4 new holes drilled. Or a ~~steel-string-style~~ tuner or two can be added at the top of the headstock.

Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar. The 3 holes on each side of the headstock that the tuner pegs go through can be filled and 4 new holes drilled. Or a banjo tuner or two can be added at the top of the headstock.

There will need to be new holes in the tie block. They can be drilled at an angle, entering from near the upper edge of the back of the tie block. To help get the precise angle and spacing, one can make a guide block out of a hard wood like maple. This block will have holes drilled into it that line up with where the new holes will be.

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+This page covers all options from DIY to custom builds by professional luthiers.
 == General design considerations ==
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 While 7- and 8-string electric guitars are plentiful, acoustic ones are rarer. (See [[Extended range guitar]].) One way to get one is to convert a 12-string guitar. The neck will be sufficiently strong and there will be enough tuners. There's fewer strings but more courses, so the string spacing can be very tight. To avoid this, the new fretboard can be wider than the old one. The fretboard overhang can be filled with bondo to create a nice-feeling neck.
-Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar. The 3 holes on each side of the headstock that the tuner pegs go through can be filled and 4 new holes drilled. Or a steel-string-style tuner or two can be added at the top of the headstock.
+Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar. The 3 holes on each side of the headstock that the tuner pegs go through can be filled and 4 new holes drilled. Or a banjo tuner or two can be added at the top of the headstock.
 There will need to be new holes in the tie block. They can be drilled at an angle, entering from near the upper edge of the back of the tie block. To help get the precise angle and spacing, one can make a guide block out of a hard wood like maple. This block will have holes drilled into it that line up with where the new holes will be.