How to Decorate a Guitar

Co-authored by Caroline Heiderscheit

Last Updated: January 19, 2022 References

Sometimes, to be just as excited about your guitar as you were when you got it, all you need to do is give it a fresh look. There are always new ways to revamp your guitar's killer aesthetics, so you don't need to worry about getting bored with the same old style. Below, we've pulled together quick changes, unique ideas, and major appearance overhauls that are perfect for restyling your instrument. To learn all of the best ways to decorate your guitar, read on!

1

Hang a decoration on your guitar.

Add a personal touch to your headstock or tailpiece. Jerry Garcia used to stick a rose in between the strings on the headstock of his guitar. Including a variety of little decorations on your headstock or tailpiece can really switch up the look of your guitar.
- Pick out a few scarves or funky scraps of fabric to wrap under the strings at the headstock. Knot them tightly.^{[1]
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- Wrap some strings between the tailpiece and the strap of your guitar to keep it held in place.

2

Draw on your guitar.

Use pens or markers to customize your guitar's face. Any wacky ideas you dream up can become a reality. Using stencils, you may have an easier time creating designs that live up to your expectations. But if you want, you can definitely go for freeform drawing as well!^{[2]
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- Use a ruler to draw stripes across your guitar's body in different colors.
- Find a funny image to stencil on, like a dripping ice cream cone or a frog prince.
- Go for a super intricate design that spans the entire face of the guitar. It might be helpful to remove strings and hardware in order to get more access.

3

Decorate with stickers.

Let some of your favorite stickers give your guitar a new aesthetic. One of the easiest and most effective ways to customize your guitar’s look is done by just sticking on some bright, exciting, or personally meaningful stickers. Make sure the surface of the guitar is clean and dry, then carefully lay down your sticker of choice.^{[3]
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- Decorate with a sticker from your hometown or another place that’s special to you.
- Try out a sticker with a photo of an animal you love.
- Go for a wild collage with twenty or so overlapping stickers.

4

Spice up your fret inlay.

Fret inlay stickers can completely change your guitar neck's look. Find fret inlay stickers online or in specialty music shops. Remove the strings on your guitar, ensure the neck is clean, dry, and dust-free, and finally, apply your favorite stickers in whatever location you like best. Guitar enthusiasts usually feel that these stickers, even up close, just look like another awesome detail on your fret.

5

Paint your guitar.

Give your guitar a total revamp with custom paint on the body. To give your instrument a major transformation, choose a meaningful design, a favorite color, or cool pattern and paint it directly on your guitar. First, you’ll need to prep for paint by removing strings and hardware, cleaning the guitar's surface, and sanding the wood. Then, apply primer, paint your design, and finally, apply a clear coat at the end.^{[4]
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- Paint a nature scene that has a nostalgic memory tied to it.
- Paint your guitar’s body in your favorite shade of magenta.
- Or, you could even splatter paint your instrument!

6

Choose a new pickguard.

Swap out your old pickguard to keep things fresh. This is a super effective and nonpermanent way to decorate your guitar's face. Head to a music store or browse online to find yourself a pickguard design that speaks to you. This is a great way to enjoy a new style without committing to an alteration you can't go back on, because pickguards can always be swapped out!^{[5]
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- Choose a guard the matches the shape and size of your current pickguard.
- Blow a hairdryer on your old pickguard until the glue unfastens and a corner starts to lift from the wood. Peel off the old pickguard from the raised corner.
- Peel off the remaining glue. Clean and dry the guitar's face. Lay your new pickguard on the guitar and trace, in pencil, the outline of the ideal pickguard location.
- Place your new pickguard with the sticky side facing down inside the outline.

7

Try new tuning pegs.

Give your guitar a new flair by choosing custom tuning pegs. At the end of your guitar’s neck, you’ll see a set of pegs that's used to adjust your tuning. In tons of online shops and music stores, there are tuning pegs in various colors and shades that you can choose from. Tuning pegs can act as a nice accent color for your guitar’s new design.^{[6]
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- Remove the strings from your guitar. Next, take off the tuning pegs’ nuts and washers from one side. From the other, use a screwdriver to remove the pegs.
- Place your new pegs in the hole, screwing one side back into the pegs. Now, place the nuts and washers back on the opposite side of the tuning pegs to fasten.
- Make sure you buy new pegs with screws that match the size of the holes left by your old pegs.

8

Choose a fun guitar strap.

Buy a new strap to help freshen your guitar’s look. You can purchase a new guitar strap at just about any music store (and even some superstores!), or you can look online for more variety. By choosing a strap that you absolutely love, you’ll have created a totally new, personalized look for your guitar. You can go for a bright color, a funky pattern, or even a customized strap featuring a word or phrase you love.^{[7]
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9

Buy custom knobs.

To spice up your guitar’s look, install custom knobs. Custom knobs can be bought from music stores or online. To swap out your old knobs for a new set, lay your guitar flat with its face up. Next, place a string under the knob, holding the ends on either side. Gently pull the string upwards to force the knob out of its position on your guitar.^{[8]
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- Then, gently push down your new knob into the old knob’s spot.

10

Update your truss rod covers.

Restyle your guitar with a new truss rod cover. At the end of your guitar’s neck, under the guitar’s strings, you’ll see the truss rod cover. You can buy a new, customized cover at music stores or online stores. These can help you breathe new life into your guitar’s look without taking any permanent steps. When you’ve found one you like, install the new truss rod by removing your strings, unscrewing your current cover’s screws, placing your new cover, and refastening it using the same screws.^{[9]
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11

Bedazzle your guitar's body.

To take your guitar to the next level, add crystals to your guitar face. If your guitar is ready for a total style revamp, definitely consider bedazzling it. The process is actually pretty simple, though it can be tedious. Purchase your gems and glue from a craft store, office supply store, or superstore.^{[10]
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- Now, go crazy! You could glue random patterns with various gems or go for a more cohesive look by covering the entire face in tiny crystals.

12

Woodburn your instrument.

Give your acoustic guitar a personalized, rustic look with woodburning. You'll probably want to have the basics of woodburning down before you try it out on your guitar, but once you've got the tools (a woodburning pen, multiple tips) and the skill level, this is a great option for giving your instrument some extra flair. Practice your design more than once on a piece of similar sample wood first.^{[11]
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- Woodburn a night sky on your guitar's face.
- Try burning a butterfly on a flower.
- Woodburn your name (or your guitar's, if it has one!) in cool lettering.

Expert Q&A

Question

Can I remove the paint from my guitar and repaint it?

Michael Papenburg
Professional Guitarist
Michael Papenburg is a Professional Guitarist based in the San Francisco Bay Area with over 35 years of teaching and performing experience. He specializes in rock, alternative, slide guitar, blues, funk, country, and folk. Michael has played with Bay Area local artists including Matadore, The Jerry Hannan Band, Matt Nathanson, Brittany Shane, and Orange. Michael currently plays lead guitar for Petty Theft, a tribute to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Michael Papenburg

Professional Guitarist

Expert Answer

I wouldn't recommend it. I'd take it to a professional who can handle that kind of thing. Refinishing a guitar is pretty tough. I tried to do it once and it was just an absolute disaster; I ended up ruining the guitar. But a professional will do an absolutely stunning job!
Question

What if I don't have an electric guitar?

Community Answer

You can put stickers on your acoustic guitar. You can buy them or you can make them yourself (there are plenty of tutorials on YouTube about this).
Question

How do I remove the pick guard from an acoustic guitar?

Guitarist

Community Answer

It is not recommended to remove the pick guard from an acoustic guitar because strumming may scratch your guitar's body. If it seems ugly, just paint it with the same color as your guitar's body.