DIY musical gear: just add talent

While browsing the 'net recently, we came across three separate DIY / mod articles (all stemming from our friends at Make) related to musical instruments, and realized that if combined... it's almost a band (or at least the White Stripes). The first is a step-by-step guide to making your own Rock Band-esque drum triggers that can interface with your PC, allowing you to perform freestyle -- though you can still bang away at games with them. The second experiment lets you add USB to a standard electric guitar, thus enabling you to record directly out of your Firebird (or other axe) straight to disk, reducing your time in the studio and freeing up your schedule for rehab. Finally, if you've got a USB guitar, you'll probably want some effects as well -- we suggest making them yourself using the handy kits in the link below. Okay, so it's not technically a band quite yet, but with a little elbow grease, questionable hairstyles, and a cash-embezzling manager, you'll be on your way to a Behind the Music (or passing reference on Pitchfork) in no time.

[Via Make, Make, and Make]

Read - Electronic Drum Set with Controller
Read - How to Build a USB Guitar
Read - Build your own effects pedal

[Tiptup300 @ Feb 7th 2008 11:28PM]

Only old people play real guitar!

[silverblackvoid @ Feb 7th 2008 11:32PM]

have u ever seen a real guitar?

[Tiptup300 @ Feb 7th 2008 11:35PM]

Someone needs to watch more tv. TeeeeeeeeVeeeeee.

[DBrim @ Feb 7th 2008 11:50PM]

No wonder older music is better than the majority of the stuff coming out today...

[Reader @ Feb 8th 2008 12:42AM]

Jesus, it's a line from South Park, he's not being serious.

[ethan @ Feb 8th 2008 2:07AM]

this story instantly took up every second of free time I have until I have mastered making a USB guitar and clone effects boxes.

i....I love you......engadget.

[ethan @ Feb 8th 2008 2:14AM]

wait...the damn fx pedal kits are just as expensive as the boss pedals, in most cases.

I thought I could make a fuzz box for 30 bucks. damn. back to the drawing board.

anyone have any pointers?

[mike808 @ Feb 8th 2008 4:10AM]

Yawn. Old news. http://theguitarzeros.com/

[axejr @ Feb 8th 2008 4:23AM]

or, you could just go buy a Behringer iAxe like me =]

[J @ Feb 8th 2008 9:50AM]

Even easier.. spend a few bucks on a LightSnake. Guitar line > USB and it even has an extra output for a monitor. One of the best purchases I ever made.

[maxthrusters @ Feb 8th 2008 8:42PM]

I went to buy Rock Band for PS3 today, but didn't. Store staff at EBGames and the Sony Store kept saying "No returns, you have to send the defective parts in to the manufacturer", and all the boxes had these huge yellow stickers on them saying as much. Note that the word weren't "if defective"!