For years, the idea of 3D printing an electric guitar danced in my head, a fascinating yet seemingly impossible dream. Doubts swirled: Could a printed body withstand string tension? Would it warp over time? Would specialized pickups be essential? And crucially, would a plastic guitar body produce a decent sound compared to traditional tonewoods? Online, answers were scarce, leaving more questions than clarity.
Of course, I wasn’t the first to venture into this territory. The internet hosts numerous attempts, some yielding impressive results. However, many of these 3D printed guitars fell short on playability, lacked readily available 3D models or clear instructions, were overly complex, or simply too costly to replicate.
And so, the challenge was set – to design a fully 3D printable electric guitar from the ground up, specifically with a Prusa 3d Printer.
Design Priorities for a 3D Printed Guitar
My design process was guided by the 3D printing community. The aim was to create a project accessible to fellow enthusiasts, enabling them to easily build their own remarkable guitars. Before diving into design, I established a clear set of priorities:
- Simplicity:
- Avoid intricate assemblies with numerous parts; prioritize easy construction.
- Eliminate the need for metal reinforcement rods or complex hardware.
- Affordability:
- Keep costs low; for high-end guitar expenses, a Fender or Gibson would be the more sensible choice.
- Hardware Accessibility:
- Utilize components easily sourced and shipped globally.
- Prusa i3 MK3S+ Compatibility:
- Ensure all parts fit within the Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ build volume (25×21×21 cm). This constraint, though challenging, broadens accessibility to a wider audience of Prusa 3D printer owners.
- Playability:
- The guitar must be genuinely playable and maintain tuning across its entire range; avoid creating a mere plastic novelty.
- Visual Appeal:
- The final product should look undeniably cool!
Keeping the 3D Printed Guitar Design Simple
The primary concern from the outset was the immense force exerted by the strings on the guitar body and neck. While sources vary slightly, the consensus points to approximately 50 kg of load, contingent on string gauge (thickness). This force constantly tries to bend the guitar in half, pull the bridge off the body, and severely bow the neck.
The neck solution was straightforward: opt for a real wooden neck. While purists might argue against a “fully 3D printed” guitar, the neck’s critical role in playability justifies this choice. Printing a neck, while technically feasible, (as demonstrated here), risks compromising the instrument’s integrity. Wooden necks offer inherent straightness, smoothness, durable metal frets, and a truss rod for relief adjustments (neck curvature).
Addressing the bridge presented a more intricate puzzle. The bridge, a small metal component, anchors the strings at the body. Examining common guitar designs, one bridge type stood out as exceptionally well-suited for a 3D printed guitar. Can you guess which one?
Most common guitar bridges are compact, sometimes secured by just two screws. However, the Telecaster bridge is distinctly different. This substantial metal plate not only holds the strings but also integrates the bridge pickup and features up to five mounting holes with widely spaced screws. This design effectively distributes leverage across the metal plate and the underlying 3D printed body section.
Telecaster bridge plate, a robust option for a 3D printed guitar, distributing string tension effectively across a wider area.
Furthermore, the Telecaster’s single additional pickup simplifies wiring and design. Lastly, the volume and tone knobs, along with the pickup selector switch, are mounted on a separate metal control plate, secured to the body with only two screws. This significantly streamlines the project, eliminating the need to individually integrate multiple knobs and switches into the 3D printed guitar body.
In earlier explorations, we discovered the surprising effectiveness of 3D printed guitar picks! We also experimented with printing various guitar accessories like capos and strap locks. These prior projects offered valuable insights.
A collection of 3D printed guitar accessories, showcasing the versatility of 3D printing for musical instrument components.
Sourcing Hardware for the 3D Printed Guitar
With the Telecaster hardware chosen, the next step was sourcing the components. Generally, there are three options:
- Dismantle a budget Telecaster guitar for parts.
- Purchase individual components.
- Acquire a Telecaster hardware kit.
Disassembling a functional guitar solely for parts seems wasteful, except perhaps when repurposing a heavily damaged instrument with salvageable hardware and neck.
Buying components individually is viable. The necessary parts include:
- Guitar neck with tuners
- Standalone single-coil pickup
- Bridge with integrated single-coil pickup
- Telecaster control plate with 3-way switch and two knobs
- Output jack
However, purchasing components individually can be expensive. Even opting for the most affordable options, the cost can easily reach several hundred dollars.
Here’s the game-changer for this build: The Harley Benton Electric Guitar Kit T-Style! Priced at a mere $79, this kit includes all essential hardware, pre-wired with simple snap-together connectors. It’s offered by Musikhaus Thomann, a major global music retailer based in Germany, fulfilling the requirement of worldwide shipping.
Its affordability and convenience were irresistible. Ordering the kit transformed this project into a straightforward “print and assemble” endeavor. The Harley Benton Telecaster kit includes a basic, unpainted wooden body. While surprisingly included at this price point, I felt no remorse in replacing it with a superior 3D printed body.
Basic 3D Printed Guitar Body Design with Prusa in Mind
Fusion 360 was my design tool for crafting the guitar body. Accurately capturing screw hole placements, the neck mounting interface, and electronics slots was crucial.
The kit’s rudimentary wooden body proved invaluable. By photographing it alongside a ruler from a distance, ideally with a zoom lens to minimize perspective distortion, I created a precise template. Fusion 360’s “Calibrate” feature allowed me to set the image scale. A longer calibration distance, such as the full 50 cm of the ruler, reduces error.
I then traced the positions of all holes in a 2D drawing. Digital calipers verified feature distances, comparing measurements to the drawing for accuracy. Perspective distortion can introduce minor inaccuracies, especially with widely spaced holes. While all dimensions are important, bridge placement was paramount. The bridge must align perfectly with the neck to ensure centered strings and be positioned at the correct distance for proper tuning. Specifically, the 12th fret should be precisely halfway along the string length—a principle known as guitar intonation. Fortunately, the Telecaster bridge offers a sufficient adjustment range, but accurate initial placement is essential.
Measuring the wooden guitar body template to ensure precise dimensions for the 3D printed version, crucial for accurate hardware placement on the Prusa 3D printed guitar.
With mounting holes accurately defined, creative freedom took over. While utilizing Telecaster hardware, a simple Telecaster body replica felt uninspired. 3D printing unlocks limitless shapes, and I wanted to exploit this advantage.
Shapes of Fender Jazzmaster and Mustang guitars have always appealed to me. Using Fusion 360’s Spline tool, I created a body outline inspired by these iconic designs.
Initial 2D shape design for the 3D printed guitar body, inspired by Fender Jazzmaster and Mustang guitars, ready for extrusion in Fusion 360.
A standard guitar body thickness of 45 mm was used for extrusion. Then, using the previously created template, I extruded holes and slots for electronics. Considering wiring needs, I subtracted cylinders to create internal “tunnels” connecting cavities. The bridge would cover the bottom pickup slot, and a pickguard the top, allowing for slightly oversized slots. A larger hole on the bottom edge connected to the control plate slot for the output jack. With these steps, the basic 3D guitar model was complete!
Extruded 3D guitar body model, showing basic shape and cavity placements for electronics, ready for further design refinements for Prusa 3D printing.
However, a significant hurdle remained: the model was too large for most desktop 3D printers, including even the Original Prusa XL. Sectioning it into smaller, printable parts was necessary.
Beyond size, the model lacked visual flair. 3D printing liberates design from traditional constraints, prompting experimentation with cutouts. I settled on hexagons! This choice was both aesthetic and functional. Hexagons create numerous edges, simplifying model splitting into multiple parts with virtually invisible seams, appearing as intentional design elements. A large chamfer along the top edge enhanced playing comfort and armrest ergonomics.
3D guitar body design incorporating hexagonal cutouts, adding visual interest and facilitating sectioning for Prusa 3D printing while enhancing ergonomics.
Sectioning the 3D Printed Guitar Body
Recalling the 50 kg string tension, a crucial splitting constraint emerged: the guitar section between the neck and bridge should ideally be a single piece. Creating a sufficiently strong joint in this critical area would be unnecessarily complex.
Fortunately, ingenuity prevailed. The hexagon pattern defined the top edge, providing natural cut lines. Another logical cut was placed just below the bridge mounting holes, minimizing part length. A clever cut on the bottom left allowed for orientation maximizing diagonal print volume utilization. This central piece could even print without supports, though PrusaSlicer’s Organic supports were used for a smoother finish on overhangs.
Central 3D printed guitar body section designed to fit within the Prusa i3 MK3S+ build volume, showcasing strategic cuts and orientation for optimal printing.
Remaining cuts were straightforward. The bottom piece, lacking hexagons, was split into two, and the top hexagon section into three, ensuring all parts fit within the 25×21 cm build plate of a Prusa 3D printer.
The final major component was the pickguard, also serving as the top pickup mount. Its shape was defined by the surrounding body edges, inset by 3 mm.
Sectioning the body offered an added advantage: multi-color printing. The Prusa Research color scheme—black and orange—is iconic. Complementary teal/blue accents, especially on the small bottom-right piece, brought the design to life.
Final multi-part 3D printed guitar body design, showcasing hexagonal patterns, ergonomic chamfer, and color-coded sections optimized for Prusa 3D printers.
And with that, the “Prusacaster” model was complete!
3D Printing and Assembling the Prusacaster with Your Prusa Printer
Material Selection for the Center Piece: PLA for Stiffness
The large middle piece bears the brunt of mechanical stress. While PETG might seem like a stronger choice, stiffness (bending modulus) is paramount here. Surprisingly, PLA excels in this regard and aligns with the project’s goal of simplicity and affordability, perfect for Prusa 3D printers.
PLA’s drawback is lower temperature resistance. The hefty centerpiece can withstand direct sunlight for reasonable durations, but prolonged exposure in a hot car or case on a summer day could be problematic. For higher temperature resistance, consider stiff materials like Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber or Prusament PA11 Carbon Fiber. These are more challenging and expensive to print, but offer superior heat resistance. Given Prague’s temperate climate, PLA sufficed for this Prusacaster build, and after a year, it remains structurally sound.
To verify fit, a test print of the middle piece using default PrusaSlicer settings was successful. Attaching the neck, bridge, and strings confirmed functionality—a minimalist, playable guitar prototype!
Minimalist Prusacaster guitar prototype, showcasing the 3D printed center piece with neck and bridge attached, demonstrating early playability.
Addressing Material Creep in 3D Printed Parts
Material creep was another concern. Creep is the tendency of solids to slowly deform under sustained stress, even below the material’s yield strength. This concern proved valid. After a month under string tension, the initial print exhibited slight bending. Not entirely unexpected, as the default PrusaSlicer profile uses just 2 perimeters—adequate for most prints but insufficient for this load. Reprinting the part with 7 perimeters and 25% cubic infill completely resolved the creep issue, ensuring long-term structural integrity of the 3D printed guitar body made with a Prusa 3D printer.
String Gauge Selection for Optimal Playability
Guitar strings vary in gauge (thickness). Lighter gauges are easier to play and bend, but break more readily and produce less volume. Heavier gauges offer more volume and sustain but require more finger pressure and, crucially, exert greater tension on the neck! Using thinner 9-gauge strings reduces stress on the 3D printed center piece, a smart choice for this Prusa 3D printed guitar.
Printing the Remaining Guitar Parts
The remaining parts endure minimal stress, mainly supporting the guitar on a strap or holding cables. Material choice is less critical here. I printed the top hexagon parts in Prusament PETG Prusa Orange, the bottom switch piece in Prusament PLA Galaxy Black, and the small bottom piece in Prusament PLA Azure Blue, all using default PrusaSlicer profiles.
Collection of 3D printed Prusacaster guitar body parts in various Prusa Prusament colors, ready for assembly, showcasing the multi-color printing capabilities of Prusa 3D printers.
Assembling the 3D Printed Guitar Body Sections
All parts feature large contact surfaces with the center piece. Use ample superglue to bond them securely. M3 screw holes in the hexagon pieces offer added reinforcement, especially for strap use, though accessing and using them is optional.
Wiring the Electric Guitar Electronics
The Harley Benton T-style kit’s pre-wired JST connectors simplify electronics assembly. Ensure correct pickup cable connections to the selector switch to avoid reversed switch operation.
Wiring diagram showing the simple JST connectors used in the Harley Benton guitar kit for easy assembly of the 3D printed Prusacaster.
A seemingly unconnected black wire serves to ground the strings, crucial for noise reduction. A channel in the center piece runs under the bridge. Strip some wire insulation, slightly loosen the bridge, route the wire through, and tighten the bridge to crimp and ground it. This grounding significantly minimizes buzzing, a common issue even in higher-end guitars, and especially relevant with budget components used in this Prusa 3D printed guitar project.
Ground wire routing under the bridge of the 3D printed guitar, highlighting the importance of proper grounding to minimize electrical noise.
Final Adjustments: Guitar Intonation Setup
With the Prusacaster assembled and strung, tuning and intonation adjustments are the final steps. Intonation ensures accurate tuning across the entire fretboard. After tuning, compare the open string note to the note at the 12th fret. If the 12th fret note is significantly out of tune, intonation adjustment is needed. Telecaster bridges simplify this via saddle adjustment screws. If the fretted note is flat, move the saddle towards the neck. If sharp, slightly loosen the string first, then move the saddle towards the bridge. Telecaster saddles often serve two strings, requiring a balanced adjustment for both.
Intonation adjustment process on the Telecaster bridge of the 3D printed guitar, showing saddle adjustments for accurate tuning across the fretboard.
The Fully Assembled 3D Printed Prusacaster Guitar
Full body shot of the finished Prusacaster electric guitar, demonstrating the successful combination of 3D printed body and Telecaster hardware.
Playability and Sound of the 3D Printed Guitar
The Prusacaster’s playability is genuinely surprising. Blindfolded, it’s difficult to discern it from a traditionally manufactured guitar. Tuning stability and intonation are excellent. While budget components prevent it from rivaling a high-end Telecaster, the result is remarkable for its cost and construction method using a Prusa 3D printer.
Download, Print, and Play Your Own Prusacaster!
Overall, the Prusacaster project exceeded expectations. To build your own, download the 3D model from Printables.com. STEP files and a DXF drawing of hole positions are also included.
Download the model from Printables.com
The download is free—embark on your Prusacaster build and enjoy the rewarding process!
