Plastic Bottle Guitar

Plastic Bottle Guitar
How to make a guitar out of a plastic bottle and rubber bands. (An adult will need to assist with the cutting and hole punching)
You will need:
 rectangular plastic juice bottle
 rubber bands
 tissue/crepe paper
 PVA glue
 scissors/craft knife
 black marker
 single hole punch
 box cardboard
 string
Method
1. Cut a circle from the lower middle
section of the bottle. Save the cut out
piece of plastic (see step 15.)
2. Punch 3 holes along the bottom of the
bottle.
3. Cut a piece of box card approximately
5 x 3cm. Score 2 lines into the card and
fold into a triangular wedge shape.
4. Tape the wedges to the top and bottom
of the guitar neck.
5. Tape the wedges on the angles pictured
– these will form the ‘nut’ and ‘saddle’ of
the guitar. The angle will alter the pitch
of each string.
6. Brush and glue pieces of tissue paper
all over the guitar, leaving the cap thread
uncovered.
7. Glue 2 colour tones on the front and
sides to create the guitar shape. Outline
with a black marker.
8. Slice 6 evenly spaced cuts along the
nut and saddle pieces.
9. Loop attach 3 rubber bands to a
toothpick or trimmed wooden skewer.
www.jellyfishjelly.com
10. Place the wooden stick inside the
guitar body.
11. Thread the 3 rubber bands through the
holes.
12. Thread a piece of string through each
rubber band and use it to stretch them
over the spout of the bottle.
13. Holding the bands taught with one
hand, screw the bottle cap back on – over
the bands to secure them in place.
14. Place each band into the slices on the
nut and saddle.
15. Cut a guitar pick using the leftover
plastic from step 1.
1. You will need an ordinary takeaway
container with a lid.
2. Cut a rectangle from the centre of the
lid.
3. Snip 5 or 6 evenly spaced small cuts
into the lip of the lid. Repeat on the
opposite side.
4. Punch holes into one side of the box.
Make sure the holes line up with the snips
from step 3.
5. Stretch rubber bands around the
container and slip them inside the slits to
stop them from slipping.
6. Next to the holes, twist matchsticks
into each band.
Too hard? Try these simplified versions:
Rubber Band Box Harp
www.jellyfishjelly.com
7. The more twists; the tighter the band
and the higher the tone will become.
8. To stop the band from unravelling stick
the end of the matchstick into the hole.
9. Keep plucking and tuning your harp
until the notes are in low to high order.
2. Thread an object, such as a thick
marker pen, underneath the strings.
Position the pen on an angle to change
the pitch of each string.
3. Pluck the strings with a pick made
from the left over plastic.
Even simpler:
1. Repeat steps 1 – 3. (Do not punch
holes into the side of the box)
www.jellyfishjelly.com
www.jellyfishjelly.com