• Final Update

    shennenkamp04/14/2017 at 14:38 0 comments

    Hello everyone!

    I am happy to say the guitar is well on its way to being complete. As of now, it is playable and the lights work. However, as with every project, there are quite a few little details I would like to finish up before I am truly happy with it.

    In summary, this guitar was completed in about three months. In that time, I designed and printed the body, while figuring out which parts to buy to make it a complete guitar. The electronics for the lights were then ordered. Once everything had arrived and was ready to go, I spent an entire weekend assembling everything out of excitement. I built this guitar because it combined many of my interests, and also because it just seemed like a neat build.

    Thank you so much for following the journey!

  • Time to Assemble

    shennenkamp04/09/2017 at 21:46 0 comments

    Hey everyone!

    The last piece finally decided it would like to print, and here are the results! This weekend has been spent soldering/installing the guitar electronics, gluing all of the pieces together, and working on the electronics for the lights. The project is finally coming together.

    Once everything is installed, I will post the final product! In the mean time, here are some pictures of how the unglued pieces will fit together:

  • Sanding Update

    shennenkamp03/31/2017 at 20:01 0 comments

    Using a dremel, I was able to sand down the pickup area enough so it fits! With this completed, I can focus my time over the next couple of days on printing my next pieces. I will also be working on the electronics for the sound and lights.

  • First Piece Printed

    shennenkamp03/30/2017 at 01:20 0 comments

    After nearly a full 24 hours of printing, the first piece is complete! This was printed with ABS using 50% infill. Although these settings may be overkill for the majority of prints, this center piece will need to be able to handle the tension of the guitar's strings. It feels more solid than I was expecting, which is a great surprise!

    As with every project, however, this piece presents a bit of a roadblock. Due to my mistake when designing the piece, the hole for the pickup is a couple of millimeters too small. I will spend the next few days trying to sand it down, so all of the filament used to print this piece is not wasted. I have high hopes, and will provide an update later on!

  • Ready to Print!

    shennenkamp03/28/2017 at 18:56 0 comments

    Hello everyone!

    It has been a long process, but all the parts are decided! The components section has been updated with the results. Modeling has also progressed, as the exact measurements for the parts are known. I have decided on using a single bridge pickup as well as a bolt on neck. These decisions were based on the recommendations of others as well as what I thought would be simplest.

    The guitar will print in several pieces, the most notable of which will house the pickup and electronics for the lights. Updated pictures are down below, and I will be sure to keep posted as I print and revise the pieces!

  • LED Parts and Aesthetic Design

    shennenkamp02/25/2017 at 18:10 0 comments

    Hello all!

    Most of my project time in February has been spent researching which parts to buy as well as sketching the final design. The parts for the sound-reactive LED's are all ordered, and I'm excited to start setting that up once they arrive! The specific parts can been found in the component listing on this page.

    While I wait for those packages to arrive, I can focus my time on finding the right guitar parts for the sound I want. Luckily, I may have a chance to talk with a local luthier and get a professional's opinion. Hopefully by the next update, I will have all of the parts on the way, and I can finalize the dimensions on the sketch below.

  • Hi There!

    shennenkamp02/04/2017 at 21:33 0 comments

    Hello everyone!

    Welcome to the beginning stages of creating this guitar.

    After many cycles through the iterative design process (and lots of constructive criticism), I believe I have finally settled on the aesthetics.

    Functionality was kept in mind (where the pickups will be, how wide is the neck, etc), however as we all know, there will likely be many problems to solve throughout the build. (Which is where iterative design will come into play again.)

    Mini Sketches Exploring Designs

    After exploring motivations, and brainstorming ideas, it is finally time to make!

    As of now, I am just beginning to model sketches using Autodesk 123D Design, while also researching the parts I will need. The results of these endeavors will be posted in future logs.

    Let the project begin!

    Finalist Design 1

    Finalist Design 2

    Why Not Both?