Build your own guitar in three days

You'll build a professional-quality bolt-on electric guitar while learning the principles that make every great instrument work. Every operation is carried out in our working repair workshop using the same methods, tools and standards we apply to customer instruments every day.

Whether you choose a Telecaster®, Stratocaster® or Jazzmaster® style build, you'll leave with a custom instrument—and the knowledge to maintain and understand it for years to come.

  • A student-built teal Jazzmaster-style guitar with a tortoiseshell scratchplate, from the Build It course, in its tweed case

  • A student-built white Stratocaster-style guitar with gold hardware, from the Build It course

  • A student-built red offset guitar with a black scratchplate, from the Build It course

  • A student-built black Telecaster-style guitar with a red tortoiseshell scratchplate, from the Build It course

  • A student-built dark blue Stratocaster-style guitar, from the Build It course

  • A student-built black offset guitar with a pearl scratchplate, from the Build It course

  • A student-built sunburst Telecaster-style guitar, from the Build It course

  • A student-built satin black Telecaster-style guitar, from the Build It course

  • A student-built white Telecaster-style guitar with a black scratchplate, from the Build It course

  • A student-built sunburst Stratocaster-style guitar with a mint scratchplate, from the Build It course

  • A student-built purple Telecaster-style guitar with a gold scratchplate, from the Build It course

  • A student-built turquoise Stratocaster-style guitar with a gold scratchplate, from the Build It course

  • A student-built pink Jazzmaster-style guitar with a gold scratchplate, from the Build It course

  • A student-built red Stratocaster-style guitar with a black scratchplate, from the Build It course

  • A student-built white Jazzmaster-style guitar with a mint scratchplate, from the Build It course

  • A student-built pink Stratocaster-style guitar with a mint scratchplate, from the Build It course

FULL DETAILS

BUILD YOUR OWN GUITAR.

Three-Day Electric Guitar Build Course

One guitar built by your own hands.

No prior experience needed.

BUILT. NOT ASSEMBLED.

This isn't a production line or a kit-building exercise.

You'll fit the neck, install hardware, wire the electronics, cut a bone nut, dress frets and carry out a professional setup under the guidance of experienced luthiers.

Small class sizes mean every student receives individual bench time and personal tuition throughout the course.

THREE DAYS IN THE WORKSHOP

Day One

Foundations

Understand the instrument before you build it.

  • Body and neck fitting

  • Wood selection and construction

  • Scale length and geometry

  • Bridge installation

  • Machine heads

  • Bone nut preparation

  • Professional hardware fitting

Day Two

Electronics & Fretwork

Build the heart of the instrument.

  • Hand-wound pickup installation

  • CTS electronics

  • Vintage cloth wiring

  • CRL switching

  • Professional soldering

  • Fret levelling and dressing

Day Three

Setup & Completion

Turn parts into an instrument.

  • Final assembly

  • Neck alignment

  • Nut finishing

  • Action adjustment

  • Pickup height

  • Intonation

  • Professional setup

Leave with a guitar that's ready to play.

BUILT WITH PROFESSIONAL COMPONENTS

Every guitar is assembled using carefully selected components chosen for reliability, tone and longevity.

Including:

  • Gotoh® Japanese hardware

  • Hand-wound Red Star Pickups

  • CTS potentiometers

  • Sprague capacitors

  • CRL switchgear

  • Vintage cloth wiring

Because great instruments begin with great parts.

CUSTOMISE YOUR BUILD

Choose your body style, finish, neck specification, pickups and hardware before the course begins.

We'll help you design a guitar that's uniquely yours while ensuring every component works together as a complete instrument.

Custom options are available subject to availability and may affect pricing.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • Three full workshop days (09:30–17:30)

  • Maximum 4 students

  • All specialist tools provided

  • Professional tuition

  • Materials and build components

  • Personalised headstock decal

  • Soft gig bag

Optional tweed hard case available (£75).

WHO THIS COURSE IS FOR

No previous experience is required.

Whether you're building your first guitar, developing practical skills or simply want to understand how a great instrument works, this course is designed to teach the craft—not just the process.

THE RED STAR WAY

Making is understanding.

We believe the best way to understand an instrument is to build one.

Every lesson is taught in a working guitar workshop by people who repair, restore and set up instruments every day. Nothing is simulated. Nothing is simplified. You'll learn the techniques that matter because they're the ones we use ourselves.

Staying nearby

We'll happily recommend places to stay nearby, and lunch can be delivered to the workshop. See Visit us for directions.

our other courses…

set up

Students working together around the bench on a guitar course at the Red Star workshop in East Sussex

Get your guitar playing the way you want

Learn more

fret dresS

Working on the neck of an electric guitar at the workshop bench

learn how to give your frets a new lease of life

Learn more

PICK upS

Winding a guitar pickup on a Mojo pickup winder

discover how to shape the tone of your own pickups

Learn more

6 day BUILD IT

Fitting the neck to a red Telecaster-style guitar on a guitar building course

The full luthier experience

Learn more