Electronic guitar pickup selector

[wakibaki]

Terry

I think you will find the technical level in this part of the forum is, as in all parts of the forum, second-to-none.

While I grant your initial post makes slightly more sense in the light of your explanation, and without entering into a discussion of it's merits, I would like to say this: -

The most helpful posts err on the side of demystification. You are not writing clues for a cryptic crossword.

Have a bit of consideration. You have all the time in the world to edit your posts and make sure they are easy-to-understand, concise, and fully express your meaning.

w

Anyone interested in MI transducers look here.

[leadbelly]

Originally posted by wakibaki
I think you will find the technical level in this part of the forum is, as in all parts of the forum, second-to-none.

Based on this thread, I would strongly disagree.

If there is any newfound knowledge I am taking away from this thread, it is to not post anything about help with a novel solution in this forum, but to post it in "Tubes" or "Solid State" where the regulars are open to new ideas and can understand a basic level of technical terminology.

[wakibaki]

Originally posted by Huddie Ledbetter

Irene Goodnight

w

[wakibaki]

If you insist on putting powered stuff in your guitar here's how to encode the relay switching with a 7432. You can substitute a rotary switch for the dip switches, I didn't have a 5-pole one in my library. Substitute relays for the switches in my previous diagram. Relays are power hungry, but the next best thing to switches.



You can equally well encode out to 7 gates and implement the arrangement with SPST audio analog switches. Unfortunately the best of these are in tiny SMT packages now, but considering the impedance of the surrounding circuits, the on-resistance probably won't be an issue, I'm sure you can find one in SOP.

There's no good reason to substitute an electronic arrangement for a satisfactory mechanical arrangement. There's equally no good reason for putting any other electronics in your guitar, where it can go wrong, or out of date. I can understand the temptation if you've already got electronics in there, but IMO the place for this stuff is in effects pedals or the head.

Unless perhaps you're talking about a synth pickup...

w

[ola_strandberg]

Hi guys!
I had completely forgotten about posting this question here. I was expecting e-mail notification about responses...

Anyway - seems like it got the juices flowing :-)

Wakibaki in particular, thanks a lot for your suggestions.

The reason for wanting to do it electronically in the first place is to be able to create a programmable unit where X positions can correspond to any configuration (parallel/serial/in-phase/out-of-phase) of coils that the user desires. Having said that, the utility might be questionable and should perhaps like you say be delegated to stompboxes.

I am also assuming that a solid state circuit would draw less current than a relay based solution?

On a slightly more philosophical note, I respect everyone's opinion. I [I]am[I] trying to do something novel, ultimately. My dad who lives off building parabolic microphones for nature sound recording has a very open mind. His incredibly talanted friend, who helps us both out sometimes, on the other hand will huff and puff on anything that has to do with guitars, claiming that it's all garbage in the first place. But that's what a guitar is.... It's a bunch of imperfections that act together to make sound/noise/music. Attempts at perfecting the combination often fail.

So the question is, when does it stop being a "guitar"? Seeing what e.g. Line6 have done with Variax makes me think that why bother about a pickup selector....

But there is another aspect involved. I am working on an ergonomic angle (see my blog http://guitarworks.thestrandbergs.com/) and creating an electronic pickup selector opens up for new placements and new ways of interacting with the electronics.

So, thanks again, and please continue to post if you have good ideas!

Cheers,
Ola

[wakibaki]

Hi Ola

You should be getting email notifications of posts, so check your settings in the user CP.

I looked at your site, the guitar is interesting. How did you develop the geometry? How are you achieving the fingerboard profile? Are you using CNC to make the plugs or are they hand crafted?

Most rock musicians wear their guitars down somewhere near their nuts, I never did understand how they managed the barre since I favour a more classical grip myself. They seem to do OK though, so the interest in an ergonomic guitar may not be great.

Here is a drawing for a carbon fiber acoustic guitar I did about 15 years ago, but never built...



...mostly I do electronics now. Since looking at your site, I think maybe now I will try and build this guitar, it shouldn't cost more than $1000 US including plugs and moulds (unhhh).

I hope you understood my circuits.

Yes, solid state will draw less current. Much less. There are some very nice low-power analog switches designed for use in mobile phones available now, but they are VERY small and hard to work with without a pick-and-place machine. The manufacturers will not give you the datasheets unless you fill out a form to say what you intend to use them for. There are some larger ones too.

If you want a flexible switching system this is easily achievable with a microchip PIC. I have just ordered a PIC development kit for touch switches. These might be good in a guitar. You could even have an LCD touchscreen like a Sony camcorder, but you would have to think very carefully to make an interface that was genuinely helpful in a performance situation.

I still think a guitar that doesn't work without a battery is wrong somehow, but this is probably crazy since I got rid of all my film cameras and enlargers and went all-digital.

Have you played the Variax? I never saw it before. Does it have a natural feel?

If you have a clear idea of what you want I will help if I can.

w

[ola_strandberg]

Hi Wakibaki,
cool suggestion about the mobile phone switch! Like http://www.st.com/stonline/products/...o/nsanalog.htm I suppose? Will there be any restrictions on impedances or the like with that?

As so often nowadays, it's just a matter of knowing what to google for... As far as PICs go, I am sketching on a solution with an AVR, simply because I have access to all the development tools and knowledge at work.

Love your idea with the carbon guitar! You should go for it. I promise to offer any type of advice that I can.

As far as my own guitar goes, the fingerboard is shaped with a lot of TLC and a good straight-edge... The base shape I did in my home-built router jig, but the back shape and fingerboard radius I am doing by hand. I'm working on the mould for it as we speak, so I should have some more progress pictures soon.

And BTW - I am getting e-mail notifications now.

Cheers,
Ola

[AuroraB]

Ola...
check out the SSM 2402 at ELFA, - a high quality audio switch...
This has the necesseary interface to logic levels, but need a dual PSU