Musical Instrument & Musical Devices—Design, Development & Construction
HTHMA One World Week 2012
Randy Scherer
Overview
You can build a custom, high-quality musical instrument! Or, you might replace the pick-ups in your guitar, build a ukulele, a synthesizer, or an effects pedal. Your music will never sound the same, and you will create something of deep, personal, lasting value.
Students will design and build a musical instrument or musical device (like an amplifier, synthesizer or effect) of his or her choice. If students intend on keeping the instrument or device, then the supplies must be paid for. Students may participate for no cost, and the finished work will remain at HTHMA or with the individual who paid for the parts. Costs depend on the instrument or device; many projects can be completed for $50 to $100.
Students will learn to solder, wire, develop and follow schematics, build circuits, finish various types of wood, and set up and maintain instruments and related devices.
We will also take a field trip to the Museum of Making Music and/or the Taylor Guitar Factory, depending on the interests of our group. To minimize costs and maximize time at our destinations, parent drivers are greatly appreciated!
Projects & Costs
No one is required to pay for any project, unless you would like to keep it. If you simply want to learn how to work on instruments, there are projects for you at school in which all of the costs are already covered.
Here are some ideas for project with approximate costs.
1. Build your own ukulele—$40
2. Build your own effects pedal for any electric instrument—$50 and up.
3. Replace the pick-ups, neck, etc. on your electric guitar or bass—cost of the parts!
4. Build your own electric guitar or bass—approximately $300 and up.
There are many, many other possible projects. Please be creative and plan ahead to research, and determine a list of parts and related costs.
Suggestions
1. You can minimize the costs of building an electric guitar or bass by recycling parts from an old instrument in your house.
2. The most time consuming part of building an electric instrument is finishing the wood. If you want to do this, we should start at least a month before OWW begins.
3. If you are patient and careful, you can have a musical instrument or device of professional quality for a fraction of the cost.
4. Be careful—building instruments is addictive!
Websites for your research*
* These are “guitar & bass-biased,” but you should build what you want!
· www.warmoth.com—Custom guitar or bass bodies, necks & many other parts. You do the finish work & assembly.
· www.usacustomguitars.com—Custom guitar or bass bodies & necks. You do the finish work & assembly.
· www.buildyourownclone.com—BYOC offers a 33% educator discount, so remember that when looking at prices listed online.
· www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/ Discussion forum for people who build guitars & basses (as well as amps, effects, etc, if you click around a little).
One sentence of warning
We will use tools in this OWW that can be dangerous if used improperly, so we will take all reasonable precautions to handle and operate all equipment safely at all times.
One sentence of agreement
I ____________________________________________(student name) agree to follow all safety practices at all times, always use all tools in a safe and responsible manner, always follow all instructions (from the tool, the kit, the device, the teacher, etc.), always wear all my safety gear while working, and always do everything I can to maintain a safe and productive environment for everyone.