Homemade Guitar

 

Today's Snack: Guitars have strings, so have some string cheese today, with a tall glass of apple juice.

 

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Supplies:

Half-gallon cardboard milk carton | optional paint, paper, decorations

Utility knife | Strong plastic tape | Yardstick |

Saw | 45" length of nylon fishing line

 

 

You may be surprised at the pretty sounds that you can make with a homemade guitar made out of these scraps.

 

 

1. Tape shut the top of a clean, empty, half-gallon cardboard milk carton. You can decorate it first, if you wish.

 

2. With a utility knife or a sharp table knife and adult supervision, cut vertical slits on two opposite sides of the carton. Make the slits tall enough to slip a yardstick through. Cut the slits about one-third of the way from the top, so that two-thirds of the carton are below the slits.

 

3. Using a saw and adult supervision, cut two notches about a half-inch deep, near each end of the yardstick.

 

4. Insert the yardstick through the carton and push it so that it is near the center of the yardstick.

 

5. Make a loop in one end of the length of fishing line, tying a slip knot, and slip it over the notch on the top of the yardstick.

 

6. Pull the line over the top of the carton and loop it around the notch at the other end of the yardstick. Make the line pretty taut, or tight.

 

7. Tie securely and pull the carton to one end of the yardstick. The line should pass over the top of the carton and be pretty taut. The top will serve the same purpose as the "bridge" of a guitar, which holds the strings up a little bit in order to let them vibrate when strummed.

 

8. To play the guitar, strum the string near the top edge of the milk carton with one hand.

 

9. Pinch the string with your fingers so that it clings to the yardstick with the other hand to change pitches.