Luthier Gifts

Luthier Gifts For anyone who builds guitars, or wants to: a gift that ends with a guitar they made themselves

Luthier gifts are unlike anything else they will unwrap: a body, a neck, the hardware and the electronics, and a weekend project that finishes with a real, playable guitar. Here are the kits, finishing sets and workshop tools we would choose for someone who builds guitars, for a first-time builder or someone who has built before. Chosen by the team behind our kits.

Kits from $176 Solderless wiring on most electric kits Step-by-step build guides Electric, bass and acoustic
Choose a kit for them What happens after they unwrap it All guitar gift ideas
Hands assembling a DIY guitar kit on a workbench
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Choose for them

Which kit for which builder?

First build

A bolt-on neck, a standard bridge and solderless wiring: the easiest route to a finished guitar. Electric kits start at $204, and an acoustic at $176. Browse all our DIY guitar kits.

Browse the kits →
The build

What happens after they unwrap it

1

Assemble

Neck, bridge, pickups and controls. A weekend's work with basic tools: a screwdriver set, Allen keys and sandpaper.
DIY guitar kit build guide →

2

Finish

Paint, stain, oil or a skin: the part that makes it theirs. Want to skip it? Choose a pre-painted guitar kit.
Guitar finishing kits →

3

Set up and play

Action, intonation and a final tune. Our guides cover it, and our support team answers questions along the way.
Setup guide →

Complete the gift

If the body is unfinished, add a guitar finishing kit ($62) so they can paint or oil it straight away. The guitar sanding tools (sanding set $17) prepare the wood, copper shielding tape ($13) lines the cavities against hum, and the polishing kit ($80) brings a new paint job to a mirror shine.

A gift to build together

A kit is also a shared project: a parent and a teenager, two friends, a couple. It is a weekend in the garage or at the workbench that ends with a guitar and a story about how it was made.

FAQ

Questions about giving a guitar to build

Is a guitar they build themselves a good gift for a beginner?

Yes, if they enjoy making things. Choose a bolt-on neck and a standard bridge for a first build. Most of our electric kits use a solderless wiring system, so no soldering iron is needed, and our build guides take them through every step.

How long does the build take?

Assembly can be done over a weekend. Painting or oiling the body adds drying time, from a few days to a couple of weeks depending on the finish. A pre-painted kit skips that step.

What else should I add to the gift?

If the body is unfinished, a finishing kit ($62) so they can paint or oil it. A sanding set ($17) prepares the wood. Copper shielding tape ($13) lines the cavities to cut electrical hum. They will also need basic tools: a screwdriver set, Allen keys and sandpaper.

What if they are left-handed or play bass?

We have left-handed kits from $217 and bass kits from $258, built on the same principles as our right-handed electric kits.

Not sure they want to build?

See all our guitar gift ideas, our guitar care gifts for the guitar they already own, or a guitar gift card they can put toward a kit of their choice.