10 DIY ideas for upcycling your old guitar
[Photos by: Mary Makes Good, mac85mc/Instagram, Junk Gypsy/PBteen]
So you bought a new, shiny guitar, and now your old one's sitting in the corner collecting dust. You've daydreamed of smashing it to bits in a fueled rage to your favorite hardcore song, but you just can't bring yourself to ruin your run-down favorite. Instead of throwing it away, why not upcycle it into something great? We've listed 10 ways to put that old guitar to use and create something that will rock your room.
Read more: 13 DIY dorm decor ideas that show off your love of music
A shelf
[Photo by: Tastefully Eclectic]
Following Tastefully Eclectic’s guide to building a guitar shelf, you can cut the front or back off an old acoustic to add some shelves to the hollow body. Add some rope lighting and your favorite band knick-knacks, and you have a great, new storage area for your wall.
A night-light lamp
[Photo by: Mary Makes Good]
Need some funky, new mood lighting in your room? This tutorial by Mary Makes Good will help you drill some holes and add a light into your old acoustic. Feel free to change the color of the bulb and paint the outside to get even more enjoyment out of your starry-night lamp.
A set of hooks
This is a good project if you want to use the guitar body for another craft and only have the guitar neck left over. Attach some hooks to the bottom of the fret board following Robert Fredenburg's video, and you have a new coat or key rack!
A storage table
With this DIY idea, you can use your old guitar’s case to make a table. Simply add some legs to the base of the case, and you have a spacious surface that even has storage inside. If you need some help with the project, check out Instructables’ guide here.
A planter
[Photo by: Kitchen Guitars/Dishfuctional Designs]
Show off your green thumb with a planter made from an old acoustic. Planting within the central circular opening allows an abundant amount of room for the roots to extend throughout the hollow body, or cut the guitar in half lengthways to plant the entire inside.
A clock
[Photos by: My Repurposed Life, mac85mc/Instagram]
This tutorial by My Repurposed Life will help you turn your old guitar into a clock. You can choose to use paper mache and some sheet music like this guide, or choose your own style and paste some AP posters on it!
A jewelry case
[Photo by: Junk Gypsy/PBteen]
Similar to the DIY guitar shelf, this jewelry case adds hooks and pegs inside of a guitar case for necklaces, earrings and bracelets. To fancy it up, Junk Gypsy lined the inside of the case with linen, covered the outside with material and even added a mirror to the interior door that opens and closes for easy access.
A speaker
[Photo by: Daniel McGregor/Make:]
Make: shows how Daniel McGregor repurposed his old guitar into a set of speakers. Talk about recycling music products; we bet the acoustics sound amazing!
A Pop! Vinyl display
[Photo by: Lorraine/Fairy Meadow Miniatures]
What better way to repurpose your old guitar than making a mini environment for your Pop! Vinyl figurines? Put all of your favorite band members and pop culture characters in a decorated space that shows off their personality.
A piece of art
While most of these DIY ideas are functional, turning your old guitar into a simple piece of art can be a great project to brighten your room. Try mosaics, paper mache or paint to decorate the body. Then you can hang it on the wall or put it on a stand to keep it on display!
