How To: Make a Shoe-Box Guitar

Consider this old-fashioned geetar a much needed break from Rock Band. (You might want to start saving the rubber band that wraps your daily newspaper, by the way.)

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Updated on September 26, 2016

Consider this old-fashioned geetar a much needed break from Rock Band.

(You might want to start saving the rubber band that wraps your daily newspaper, by the way.)

What You Need

  • Scissors and utility knife, markers, ruler, rubber bands, glue, tape (transparent, duct, masking, or colored), gift wrap or decorative paper, kraft paper, kid-size shoe box, paper-towel tube, cardboard tube from a dry-cleaner hanger, cut into two 4-inch p

Follow These Steps

  1. Remove the box lid. Cover the box, lid, and paper-towel tube with the paper of your choice. Lay the tube on a table, positioning one end against the short side of the box and centering it along the bottom edge. Trace a circle around the tube. Draw 4 lines bisecting that circle (as if cutting a pie), then, with a utility knife, cut along the lines and through the box. Slide the tube through the bisected hole until it hits the other end of the box and secure it with tape.
  2. Cut an oval in the center of the lid, then put it on the box.
  3. Stretch 6 rubber bands lengthwise around the box.
  4. Slide the 2 dry-cleaner–tube pieces (decorated with tape or paper, if desired) under the rubber bands above and below the oval. Glue to secure. This will allow the “strings” to twang. (Cut chopsticks would work, too.)
  5. Screw the brads into the top of the cardboard-tube neck for the tuning pegs.
  6. Pick away with the bread-bag tag.
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