Now that you have your guitar essentially built, it is time to string it. First, however, you must put the micarta nut blanks in place. One nut blank should go on the tail piece, parallel to the row of brass screws and about one inch above it. The other nut blank should go on the neck of the guitar, just before where it curves down for the tightening knobs.
Four guitar strings stretched over tailpiece nut blank.
Four guitar strings stretched over neck nut blank.
You want to create four slots, one for each string, each angled so that the lower side is aiming down towards where the string will be anchored. Be very careful when making these cuts; if you mess them up, the string will not stay alligned, or it will rattle around in the slot when you play it, causing a significant decrease in sound quality.
Angle the slots as follows:
Side view diagram on strings and nut blank.
Cut the four slots in the following pattern (it is the same for the other nut blank):
Now it is time to string your guitar. This guitar will actually use mandolin strings; get a set of four mandolin strings, and attach the largest string so that it is the closest string to your head when you are playing, and attach smaller strings in order beneath this string. To attach a string, start by hooking the loop on one end of the string around the brass screw that corresponds to that string's position. Then, put the other end of the string through the small hole in its corresponding tuning knob. Wrap the string around the tuning knob in the manner illustrated in the picture below (click to enlarge), and turn the tuning knob until the string is just a little tight. Slide the string into its corresponding slots in the nut blanks; you may need to do a little extra cutting work to get it to stay in, but be careful not to overdo it. After this, you're done; you can start playing your electric guitar!
Four tuning knobs with strings.
Click here to return to the Wiring Guitar section, and here to go on to the tuning section.