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Latest home made sustainer guitar

 
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psw



Joined: 31 Jul 2008
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 9:16 pm    Post subject: Latest home made sustainer guitar Reply with quote

Hi there...

I have almost completed the latest modifications to my new #1 guitar.

This telecaster is a great player with some very nice uniques sounds to it and a tremolo but the most unusual thing it this new DIY sustainer that I developed for it...



For those who may not know, a sustainer creates controlled feedback by taking the signal from the bridge pickup and running it into a driver coil to create infinite sustain...



My version is different from commercial versions in plenty of ways but this new version is compact enough to fit without significant permanent modification by attaching the driver to the surface of the guitar with double sided tape.



The wiring is complex but the controls worked out pretty neat. Volume is in easy reach, a blue LED indicates sustainer is on, a three way toggle with an extra sound in the middle position with a phase switch activated by pulling up the volume control. The middle knob is the drive control and determines the sensitivity of the sustain, pulling up on this control drives the strings into harmonics. The mini toggle turns it on and off and the last is a normal tone control.

A "sustainer" offers infinite sustain much like an eBow without having to change picking technique and can provide control of feedback and loud amp response and effects without being plugged in at all (great for recording).

I have been pushing this technology for a while as besides infinite sustain it can do a number of other things besides "infinite sustain". The harmonic drive significantly extends the range of the guitar, the sensitivity means that the strings can be driven without picking making tapping and legato techniques easier, you can control the envelope of the sound (for instance, play lightly and the notes bloom from nothing and can be cut short as if on a reverse tape) and allows long notes to be played without the need for volume or distortion (like santana and others).

This last point is the attraction for me. I love the percussive sound of the guitar, and this tele certainly does that. I love the sound of clean guitar where you can hear the individual character of the instrument and the player. This device allows you to have the response of a high gain distorted guitar but without volume (it will sustain unplugged) or the tone (unless you want that) all with significant control and predictability.

In some ways it is moving towards synth like territory but organically because instead of sampling and processing it is the actual vibrations of the strings being manipulated.

Anyway...a pretty cool device on a neat guitar that I thought I would share with you...just finished wiring it last night so I will be playing it all I can...

pete
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Larry_DC



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 207

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beautiful guitar. Do you have a site where we can hear you playing it?
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psw



Joined: 31 Jul 2008
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not yet. I actually just got it off the kitchen table and been playing it with the sustainer on it for the first time.

I have joined and posted it up at the telecaster forum also and had a lot of requests so I will have to find a way. Any tips for posting sound clips?

A little digital illiterate I know...pictures are easy...

Speaking of which...here is the whole guitar back in playing condition...



Here is a better picture of the bridge which caused some interest over there...



The sustainer is a novelty and not something that I use that much anymore. Fortunately it does not detract at all from the working of the guitar. My main aim was to produce a range of unique but identifiable tones (it is very much a telecaster) that stayed in tune (very important) and was easy and fun to play. I particularly wanted good string definition (so you can hear every note in a chord) a wide string spread (this bridge is adjustable side to side as well as height and intonation) and a good clean tone.

In recent times, I have been trying to do arrangements for the electric guitar as a solo instrument but spanning a few genres...so not strictly alternated bass and melody or jazz like chord melody. I'd like to develop it into an identifiable personal style.

You can play a million notes a second or be cerebral in the arrangement, but a recognizable melody well done will always impress more people and often give more pleasure to play and listen to. So, when people say "oh you play guitar" you can pull off something entertaining and understandable and maybe even clever and will get a far better impression than just being able to play a few blues riffs.

The idea of this guitar was to facilitate that. The sustainer is always a hit as it is a sound rarely heard and everyone is a bit impressed by the "magic" of the guitar playing itself, but it can get a little gimmicky if overused and not the direction I had been going or the intention of this guitar.

But, as I say...it does not detract from the guitar...perhaps a bit of a distraction is all!

I will record something and post a link as soon as I work out how!

pete
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Mark
VM Coach


Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:37 pm    Post subject: Re: Posting Sound Clips Reply with quote

psw wrote:
I have joined and posted it up at the telecaster forum also and had a lot of requests so I will have to find a way. Any tips for posting sound clips?

A little digital illiterate I know...pictures are easy...


Pete,

First of all, thanks for joining our forum and sharing. If you're using the Img button in the "Post a reply" dialogue, just choose the URL button instead. If you hold the mouse over it without clicking you'll see the instructions regarding linking to an audio clip.

Btw, do you know of my good friend Dave Stephens, the custom pickup builder now residing in Washington?

Website: http://www.sdpickups.com

He's got a great reputation among all the top blues guys here in the Pacific Northwest. Really knows his stuff and a great guy. All for now...

- Mark
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"Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple" - Mingus
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psw



Joined: 31 Jul 2008
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Mark...no I live far away in Australia. There are so many great pickup makers in the world. Both these pickups are interesting...the fender full range pickup is very rare and I am told is fetching prices up to $800 each and certainly have an interesting history and sound. The neck pickup has a very interesting new construction, both are exceptionally quiet.

I only make the driver components and help others get into the sustainer technology so they can take it further.

I can see how to post a URL to an MP3...all I need to do is work out how to host them...oh and record something!

Will see what I can do...

pete
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