3 Ways To Make A Rubber Band Guitar - WikiHow

Skip to ContentQuizzes

• PRO Courses Hot Guides Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade
• QUIZZES All Quizzes Hot Love Quizzes Personality Quizzes Trivia Quizzes Taylor Swift Quizzes
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help ProAbout UsRandom ArticleQuizzes Request a New ArticleCommunity DashboardTrendingForums Arts and EntertainmentArtworkBooksMoviesComputers and ElectronicsComputersPhone SkillsTechnology HacksHealthMen's HealthMental HealthWomen's HealthRelationshipsDatingLoveRelationship Issues Hobbies and CraftsCraftsDrawingGamesEducation & CommunicationCommunication SkillsPersonal DevelopmentStudyingPersonal Care and StyleFashionHair CarePersonal Hygiene Quizzes Love Quizzes Personality Quizzes Fun Games Arts and EntertainmentFinance and BusinessHome and GardenRelationship Quizzes Cars & Other VehiclesFood and EntertainingPersonal Care and StyleSports and Fitness Computers and ElectronicsHealthPets and AnimalsTravel Education & CommunicationHobbies and CraftsPhilosophy and ReligionWork World Family LifeHolidays and TraditionsRelationshipsYouth
• LOG IN

  Log in

  Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. Facebook Google wikiHow Account No account yet? Create an account
• RANDOM

• Home
• Random
• Browse Articles
• TrendingNew
• Quizzes & Games
• All QuizzesHot
• Love Quizzes
• Personality Quizzes
• Fun Games
• Dating Simulator
• Learn Something New
• Forums
• Courses
• Happiness Hub
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow

• Log in / Sign up

Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow

• Categories
• Hobbies and Crafts
• Crafts

How to Make a Rubber Band Guitar Download Article Co-authored by Amy Guerrero

Last Updated: February 24, 2025 Approved

Download Article

• Making a Shoe Box Guitar
|
• Making a Simple Tissue Box Guitar
|
• Making a Simple Paper Plate Guitar
|
• Video
|
• Q&A
|
• Tips
|
• Warnings
|
• Things You'll Need

|Show more |Show less ARTICLE VIDEO X

This article was co-authored by Amy Guerrero. Amy Guerrero is an Arts and Crafts Specialist and the Owner of Sunshine Craft Co., a crafting studio based in Phoenix, Arizona. Amy specializes in macrame, DIY crafting, and teaching fiber arts. She offers monthly in-person and online workshops along with having developed a range of DIY craft kits for at-home projects. Amy holds a BS in Industrial Design from Philadelphia University. She worked as a graphic designer before starting her own business. Sunshine Craft Co. is a creative hub that offers a wide range of workshops, tools, and resources for any craft project to inspire creativity and community engagement. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 16 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 909,215 times.

Whether making this fun toy for yourself or for your kid, a homemade guitar is an easy and creative way to make a little music from household items. This article will show you a few ways to make a simple guitar using items you might already have at home.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Making a Shoe Box Guitar

Download Article

1. 1 Gather your supplies. This guitar is more complex to make, but the results are well worth it. Here's a list of what you will need:
   • Shoebox
   • Box cutter and scissors
   • Cardboard
   • 4 – 6 rubber bands
   • School glue
   • Cardboard tube, paper towel tube, or PVC pipe
   • Tape or hot glue
   • Paint, paper, stickers, etc (to decorate)
2. 2 Cut a large hole in the center of a shoe box lid. Use a cup or mug to trace a circle into a shoe box lid. Then, use a box cutter to cut the circle out. This will be your sound hole.
   • If you are a child, ask an adult to help you with this step.
   • If you can't find a shoe box, you can buy one from the scrapbooking section of an arts and crafts shop. They are mainly used for storing photographs, but they are right size and come in many different colors and patterns.
   Advertisement
3. 3 Punch four to six holes in a straight line 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) above and make sure to use a pencil below the sound hole. These will be your string holes. Make sure to align the top and bottom holes so that each string will run straight across the sound hole. The row of holes should not extend past the widest point of the sound hole.
4. 4 Paint or decorate the shoe box. You can paint the box part using acrylic or tempera paints. You can also cover the lid and box parts (separately) with paper. Here are some more ways in which you can decorate your guitar:
   • Draw designs on the guitar using markers, crayons, or glitter glue.
   • Stick some stickers or foam shapes onto your guitar to make it look more colorful.
   • Decorate the rim of the sound hole.
   • Paint the inside of your box. This way, the color will show through the sound hole, and make your guitar look more interesting.
5. 5 Cut four, 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) wide strips of cardboard. Measure the distance from the far left string hole to the far right string hole, then cut the cardboard accordingly. Each strip of cardboard needs to be the same length.
   • If you've painted the body of the guitar, you may want to paint the strips of cardboard as well. For a more striking effect, paint them using a contrasting color.
6. 6 Glue two of the cardboard strips above and below the sound hole to make the bridge. The strips should be right between the string holes and the top to bottom edge of the sound hole. The strips will help lift the strings off the body of the guitar and give you a better sound.
7. 7 Poke four to six holes through the remaining two cardboard strips. The distance between the holes needs to be the same as the string holes you made on your box lid.
8. 8 Cut four to six rubber bands open. You will be stringing these rubber bands through the string holes. Consider using both thick and thin rubber bands. Each will give you a different sound.
9. 9 Thread the rubber bands through one of the cardboard strips and secure them with a knot. Begin by tying a knot at the end of each rubber band. Thread the loose end through the holes in one of the cardboard strips. You will need one rubber band for each hole. The knot at the bottom of the rubber band will keep it from falling out.
   • Don't make the knots too close to the ends of the bands or the ends might slip through and untie the knots.
10. 10 Place the cardboard strip under the lid and feed the rubber bands up through the string holes. The cardboard strip will hold the rubber bands securely in place. If you want, you can tape the edges of the cardboard strip to the underside of the lid.
11. 11 Stretch each string across the sound hole and into the corresponding string hole on the other side of the sound hole. You can use a binder clip to temporarily hold the rubber band strings in place once you have fed them through the string holes.
12. 12 Place the other cardboard strip under the lid and thread the rubber bands through the holes. Secure each rubber band by tying the end into a knot. If you want, make each string a little looser/tighter than the previous one. This will allow you to achieve different notes, sort of like in a real guitar. You can also tape the cardboard strip to the underside of the lid
13. 13 Consider gluing a ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) wide cardboard strip across the top and bottom string holes. This will help cover the holes and make your guitar look neater. Each piece of cardboard needs to be long enough to cover all of the string holes on each side. Draw a line of glue across the top and bottom holes, then press the cardboard strip down onto it.
    • Consider painting the cardboard strip a contrasting color so that it stands out from the rest of your guitar.
14. 14 Find a tube that is longer than your shoe box to make the neck. You can use a cardboard mailing tube, a paper towel tube, or even a plastic or pvc tube.
15. 15 Decorate the tube. You can paint it, cover it with paper, or even wrap tape around it to make it more colorful. You can also glue paper "keys" to the top of the tube to make the knobs. You can even draw 4 to 6 lines down the front of the tube to make the strings.
    • Note that if the neck is a different material than the body, the painted result might not match (even if you use the same paint).
16. 16 Cut a hole in the top of the shoe box to slide the neck tube through. Use the base of your tube to trace a circle onto the top of your guitar. Then, use a box cutter to cut the circle out.
    • If you are a child, ask an adult to help you with this step.
17. 17 Attach the neck to the body of the guitar. Slide the tube about 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) down into the hole. If your tube is made out of a heavier material, slide it down further. Secure the seam between the tube and the box with hot glue or tape. Make sure that you are putting the tape and glue on the inside of your box, so that you don't see it once you put your guitar together.
18. 18 Place the lid on your shoe box. Draw a line of glue around the inside edges of your box lid. Place the lid down onto the box and wait for the glue to dry.
19. 19 Play your guitar. If you want, you can cut a triangle shape out of some colored cardboard and use it as a guitar pick.
Advertisement

Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Making a Simple Tissue Box Guitar

Download Article

1. 1 Gather your supplies. This guitar is easy to make, and great for young children. It is your classic tissue box guitar. Here's a list of what you will need:
   • Tissue box
   • 4 rubber bands
   • Scissors
   • Paper towel tube
   • Tape
   • Glue
   • Popsicle sticks, straws, or unsharpened pencil
   • Paint, paper, stickers, etc (for decorating)
2. 2 Find an empty tissue box and pull out the clear plastic piece inside the hole. It should come away easily. If it doesn't, cut it out using a pair of scissors.
3. 3 Tape the paper towel roll down to one of the skinny ends of the box. You can also attach the roll using hot glue. The tube should be aligned with the vertical hole in the box.
4. 4 Decorate the guitar. You can cover the guitar with paper. You can also paint it using tempera or acrylic paints. Here are some more decorating ideas:
   • Draw little designs on the guitar using markers, crayons, or glitter glue.
   • Stick down some stickers or foam shapes onto the guitar to make it more colorful.
   • Glue down some large beads near the top of the tub to make the knobs. You will need two to three beads on each side.
5. 5 Glue down a popsicle stick above and another below the hole to make the bridge. Draw a horizontal line of glue above and below the tissue hole. Press a popsicle stick down onto each line of glue. Let the glue dry. The popsicle sticks will lift the rubber bands up a little and make the guitar sound better.
   • Consider painting or decorating the sticks once the glue dries.
   • You can also use crayons, pencils, or even straws to make the bridge.
6. 6 Allow the paint and glue to dry before moving on. If you move ahead to the next steps too soon, your guitar will far apart.
7. 7 Wrap four large rubber bands around the box lengthwise. You want to end up with two rubber bands on the left side of the tube, and two rubber bands on the right side of the tube. Position the rubber bands so that they are right over the tissue hole.
   • Try to use thick and thin rubber bands. Each one will give you a different sound.
8. 8 Play with your guitar. Experiment with making different sounds. You can even cut a triangle out of a piece of colored cardboard to make the guitar pick.
Advertisement

Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Making a Simple Paper Plate Guitar

Download Article

1. 1 Gather your supplies. This guitar is simple and easy to make. It is ideal for young children. It can also double up as a banjo. Here's a list of what you will need:[1]
   • Two paper plates
   • Glue
   • Wooden ruler or paint stir stick
   • 4 rubber bands
   • Paint, stickers, glitter, etc (to decorate)
2. 2 Glue two paper plates together to make a thick, sturdy plate. Draw a line of glue around the upper rim of a paper plate. Place the second plate right on top of it. The plates should be stacked, so that you end up with one thick plate.
   • Make sure that your paper plates are sturdy and have a ridge or rim.
3. 3 Glue a wooden ruler or paint stir stick to the back of the plate to make the neck. Cover the bottom third of the stick with glue. Press it against the back of the plate. The rest of the stick should be sticking out from behind the guitar; you don't want the neck to be too short or it will look silly. Try to center the stick as much as possible.
4. 4 Decorate the guitar. You can paint the guitar using acrylic paint. You can also draw designs on it using markers or glitter glue. You can even make it look more colorful by covering it with stickers.
   • Consider clipping two wooden clothespins to the top of the stick. Space them about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) apart. If you don't want the clothespins to fall off and get lost, place glue on the stick before clipping them on.
5. 5 Let the guitar dry. If you move ahead to the next step too soon, your guitar will fall apart. How long it dries depends on how much paint and glue you used.
6. 6 Wrap four rubber bands around the plate. Place two rubber bands two the left side of the stick, and two rubber bands to the right side of the stick. Try using both thick and thin rubber bands to create different sounds.
7. 7 Play with your guitar. Experiment with producing different sounds. Don't pull on the strings too tightly, however, or they may break.
Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search Add New Question

• Question How can I tune the strings? Community Answer Make the rubber bands longer or shorter. You might need several different kinds of rubber bands to do so. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 24 Helpful 73
• Question Can you make a ukulele using this method? Community Answer Yes. It won't function as a ukulele (just as this won't be a functional guitar), but you can always use thinner rubber bands for a higher sound. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 55 Helpful 84
• Question For the first method, how do I put the rubber bands through? Community Answer I used a wood shish kabob stick to push the rubber bands through the holes and then knotted them. It was a bit challenging. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 43 Helpful 66

See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

Video

Read Video Transcript

Tips

• You can make a guitar pick out of a piece of cardboard. You can also just use the plastic tab that comes on a bag of bread.[2] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• You can use almost anything you want to make the knobs at the top of the guitar arm, including beads, popsicle sticks, clothespins, or even brads.[3] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Take some hollow cans (for drums), make another shoebox guitar with a much lower pitch (for a bass), call up friends, and form a homemade instrument band. Thanks Helpful 27 Not Helpful 18

Show More Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

• Hot glue will work better than Elmer's glue or a glue stick. However, a glue stick is a great option.

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

• If you are a child and the instructions call for a box cutter, ask an adult to help you. Thanks Helpful 29 Not Helpful 14
• Hot glue guns can burn and cause blisters if you are not careful. An adult should handle the glue gun. If you are worried about burns and blisters, consider using a low-temp glue gun instead of a high-temp one. Thanks Helpful 25 Not Helpful 17
• Young children should be supervised for steps involving scissors and around loose rubber bands Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 10

Advertisement

Things You'll Need

Making a Shoe Box Guitar

• Shoe box
• Box cutter and scissors
• Cardboard
• 4 – 6 rubber bands
• School glue
• Cardboard tube, paper towel tube, or pvc pipe
• Tape or hot glue
• Paint, paper, stickers, etc (to decorate)

Making a Simple Tissue Box Guitar

• Tissue box
• 4 rubber bands
• Scissors
• Paper towel tube
• Tape
• Glue
• Popsicle sticks, straws, or unsharpened pencil
• Paint, paper, stickers, etc (for decorating)

Making a Simple Paper Plate Guitar[4]

• Two paper plates
• Glue
• Wooden ruler or paint stir stick
• 4 rubber bands
• Paint, stickers, glitter, etc (to decorate)

You Might Also Like

How toMake a Tissue Box Guitar How toMake a Homemade Drum How toMake a Simple Musical Instrument How toBuild a Simple Cigar Box Guitar How toMake a Rubber Band Car 4 DIY Methods to Make an Awesome Toy Car with Recycled Materials How toMake a Cardboard Car How toMake a Transverse Flute from Household Supplies How toMake a Paper Snake Beat Boredom with These Creative Craft Ideas How toMake a Balloon Car How toBuild a Cardboard House 3 Ways to Make a Homemade Flag How toMake Musical Instruments with Recycled Materials Advertisement

References

1. ↑ Parents, Paper Plate Banjo
2. ↑ Real Simple, How To: Make a Shoe Box Guitar
3. ↑ Real Simple, How To: Make a Shoe Box Guitar
4. ↑ Parents, Paper Plate Banjo

About This Article

Co-authored by: Amy Guerrero Arts & Crafts Specialist This article was co-authored by Amy Guerrero. Amy Guerrero is an Arts and Crafts Specialist and the Owner of Sunshine Craft Co., a crafting studio based in Phoenix, Arizona. Amy specializes in macrame, DIY crafting, and teaching fiber arts. She offers monthly in-person and online workshops along with having developed a range of DIY craft kits for at-home projects. Amy holds a BS in Industrial Design from Philadelphia University. She worked as a graphic designer before starting her own business. Sunshine Craft Co. is a creative hub that offers a wide range of workshops, tools, and resources for any craft project to inspire creativity and community engagement. This article has been viewed 909,215 times. 28 votes - 73% Co-authors: 129 Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 909,215 Categories: Featured Articles | Crafts Article SummaryX

To make a rubber band guitar, you’ll need a tissue box, 4 rubber bands, scissors, a paper towel tube, tape, glue, popsicle sticks or straws, and paint or stickers for decorating. The paper towel roll will become the neck of the guitar, which you can tape or hot glue to the tissue box. Once you have the frame of the guitar finished, you can build the bridge by gluing popsicle sticks around the hole in the tissue box. Then, you'll wrap the rubber bands around the box lengthwise for strings. When your guitar is complete, decorate it with pens, markers, stickers, or paint. To learn how to make a paper plate guitar, keep reading! Did this summary help you?YesNo

In other languages Spanish Italian Portuguese Russian German Indonesian French Dutch Arabic

• Print
• Send fan mail to authors

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 909,215 times.

Reader Success Stories

• 

  Ronell Petersen

  Aug 22, 2017

  "My 4th grader needed to make a musical instrument for school. She wanted to make a guitar. This was such a great..." more Rated this article:

More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story

Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Amy Guerrero Arts & Crafts Specialist 28 votes - 73% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 129 Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 909,215

Ronell Petersen

Aug 22, 2017

"My 4th grader needed to make a musical instrument for school. She wanted to make a guitar. This was such a great..." more Rated this article:

Anonymous

May 27, 2019

"It was amazing. This site has taught me many things, from math formulas to creating my own instrument. Great!"

Anonymous

Jul 3, 2016

"I loved making all the things on there, especially the paper plate guitar because I loved decorating it."

Tosha Morris

Aug 29, 2017

"It looks pretty cool. I am going to try that for my music class!"

Moyo Ohiomoba

Jun 29, 2019

"My sister and I were bored out of our minds, but you saved us!" Rated this article: Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

Quizzes & Games

What Instrument Should I Play QuizTake QuizThe Impossible QuizTake QuizWhat Should I Do QuizTake QuizPictionary Word GeneratorGenerateWhat Hobby Should I Try QuizTake QuizWhat Song Am I QuizTake Quiz

You Might Also Like

How toMake a Tissue Box GuitarHow toMake a Homemade DrumHow toMake a Simple Musical InstrumentHow toBuild a Simple Cigar Box Guitar

Trending Articles

Accurate IQ Checker Quiz: How Smart Am I?Am I Autistic QuizHow Sexual Am I QuizDiscover the Secret Meaning of Your First NameWhat's My Personality Based on My Song Choices QuizHow toPractice Kissing

Watch Articles

Amazing Super Bowl Party Ideas Guests Will Cheer ForHow toDevelop Listening SkillsHow toNot Lose Your GirlfriendHow to Draw an OwlHow toTreat AllergiesHow toIntroduce Friends to Other Friends

Trending Articles

5 Different Types of Butts: Find Your ShapeWhat Would My Nickname Be QuizCan We Guess How Tall You Are QuizCan We Guess If You're Single or Taken?How toBe PrettyKissing Tips: The wikiHow Guide to the Perfect Kiss

Quizzes & Games

Music Notes & Symbols TestTake QuizWhat Should I Draw QuizTake QuizRandom Word GeneratorGenerateHalloween Costume Idea Generator: Find the Perfect Trendy or Classic CostumeGenerateBand Name GeneratorGenerate NamesWhat's My Hair Type QuizTake Quiz

• Categories
• Hobbies and Crafts
• Crafts

wikiHow Newsletter You're all set! Helpful how-tos delivered toyour inbox every week! Sign me up! By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy.

• Home
• About wikiHow
• Experts
• Jobs
• Contact Us
• Site Map
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info
• Contribute

Follow Us

×

Get all the best how-tos!

Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter

Subscribe You're all set! X --724