I Built This Guitar Hook Out Of Only Offcuts— Here’s How It Turned Out

Cut and glue

If you’re buying lumber for this project, cut three pieces of 1-1/2-in. x 1-1/2-in. stock to 18-in. long—two walnut and one maple. That single glued-up panel yields all three pieces you’ll need later.

A guitar hook is a small project, though, which makes it perfect for using wood scraps. We built ours from scraps and offcuts, and because our pieces were only 12 inches long, we glued up two shorter panels instead of one to get enough yield.

Glue the strips together into a panel (or two) with alternating wood species: Walnut, Maple, Walnut. Make sure there is enough glue to see it squeeze out of the seams when the clamps are applied. Clamp the panels together and let them dry overnight. Placing a piece of plastic drop cloth under the glued-up panels will keep your worktable clean and make it easy to remove when the glue is dry.

Cut angled pieces

Cut the panel(s) into three pieces as laid out in the drawing below:

• A top section (A) that’s 5-1/4-in. long with a 22-1/2-degree angle on one end and a 45-degree angle on the other. Cut it long and trim (or dog ear) the top of the 45-degree angle to give yourself a 1/2-in. flatspot and get it to length.
• A middle section (B) that is 6-in. long and has 22-1/2-degree angles cut on both ends.
• A bottom section (C) that’s 5-1/4-inch long with a 22-1/2-degree angle on both ends. Again, cut it long and trim (or dog ear) the top of the 22-1/2-degree angles to give yourself a 1/2-in. flatspot and get it to length.

Drill the holes

At the drill press, use a 2-1/8-in. Forstner bit to drill holes in the top (A) and bottom (C) pieces. Drill the hole in the top (A) and bottom pieces with the Forstner bit centered 1-15/16-in. from the dog-eared ends, in the center of the glued-up.

Cut “U” shape openings

Use a bandsaw with a fence (or a board clamped as a fence) to cut straight lines from the dog-eared ends toward the sides of the 2-1/8-in. holes just drilled in the top (A) and bottom (C) pieces. This will create the “U” to accommodate the guitar neck.

Clean up any saw or drilling marks with a spindle sander.

Glue the pieces together

Use dowel centers to join the top (A), middle (B) and bottom (C) pieces with glue and dowels. Drill and use dowel centers to align the dowels and glue them in place with CA glue. Make the holes slightly larger than the dowels to give you some wiggle room and hold the exact angle needed for a seamless joint.

Tip: Using CA activator will make the glue set up very quickly.

Smooth out the back

This will soften the corners on the top and bottom of the hook, for a nice profile as it hangs on the wall.

Use a compass to draw a radius at the back of the joint between the top (A) and middle (B) pieces, and another at the lower point of the bottom piece (C). Use the inside of the joint as the pivot point for your curve.

Cut the two radii at the back of the joints using a bandsaw. Clean up the curves with a belt sander or spindle sander.

Finishing touches

With the hook assembled, a handful of small steps get it ready for the wall:

• Final sand. Give the whole piece a final pass with a detail sander to remove any remaining saw marks and round over all the edges. Start with 150-grit and work your way up to 320-grit.
• Pre-drill the hanging holes. Using a countersink drill bit, center the first hole 1-1/2-in. down from the seam at the top of the middle section (B), then place a second hole 1-1/2-in. below that.
• Make the plugs. While you’re at the drill press, use a 3/8-in. plug cutter to cut two plugs from maple. Move the stock to the bandsaw, cut the plugs from the back, and sand the fronts.
• Oil everything. Generously oil the hook and the plugs with two to three coats of walnut oil. Walnut oil won’t raise the grain, but if you use tung oil or another hardening finish, sand lightly between coats to knock it down. Set the plugs aside until you’re ready to hang.

Hanging the guitar hook

Before driving any screws, check the wall for a stud. If there isn’t one where you want the hook, install a drywall anchor first. Pre-drill your hole, drive the screw, and use a six-inch level to make sure the hook hangs level and plumb. Once it’s mounted, tap the maple plugs into the countersunk holes to cover the screws.

FAQ

Are wall hangers bad for guitars?

Hanging a guitar from a wall hook will not damage the neck. The neck is thick enough to withstand the tension of the strings and not lose its form. Therefore, also strong enough to hang on a guitar hook. A guitar, as with all wood items, will shrink and contract with exposure to sun and moisture. Whether hung on a wall or stored in a case, a guitar in a controlled environment will always be best preserved.

Is drywall strong enough to hold a guitar?

Drywall is strong enough to hold a guitar if you use an anchor to secure the screw.

How high should a guitar be hung on a wall?

If you’re hanging a guitar to play it, most people like the headstock five or six feet off the floor. I’d hang it a little higher if it’s purely decorative. Just be conscious of placement — keep it out of walkways, not so low that people brush against it or knock it around, and not too high or near HVAC ducts where it’ll be exposed to extreme temperature and humidity swings.

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