lotass Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 Ok please tell me what would go wrong with this idea, im sure theres some frequency problem with pickups and magnetic fields or something. If I was to make an acrylic or just a thin piece of plastic as a pickguard, and then where my routed cavities were, an led or would be shining into the open routed area (the end of the LED would be flush with the routed area, not sticking out) anyone ever tried this/what's wrong with it etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 While I don't think anybodys tried it yet I have no idea if it would effect anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespresence Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 I don't think you'll have any problems with noise, etc. The LED's will have to run off of a battery (DC) and shouldn't interfere with any of the guitar electronic's. I have seen LED's used for fret markers and under the bridge for effects. The only problem you may have is the LED's may eat up a lot of batteries if you use a bunch of them. I know I've seen some calculations on here for drain so you may want to try a search to find the thread. I'm too lazy to get out the books and calculator for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotass Posted March 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 Yeah I've been reading all the topics about neon lights, I just thought they might have some weird effect on the pickups if they're that close to them... Hmm trasparent pickguard...what material could I layer the wood with that would really reflect the light, anything you guys can think of, if you know what im talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moojiefulagin Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 One thing, a transparent pickguard would REALLY show scratches! Cool idea though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotass Posted March 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 One thing, a transparent pickguard would REALLY show scratches! Cool idea though yeah I thought of that, I dont scratch my pickguard much though, even when I strum chords and rock out I never hit the pickguard......and it's just a cheap cover, easily replacable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 Here's an old optical illusion trick you could do. Place a mirror in the back of the cavity and also make the guard out of a see through mirror material with the mirror facing inward towards the other one. Then when you hit the lights it looks like a tunnel of lights going back forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 >Here's an old optical illusion trick you could do. Place a mirror in the back of the cavity and also make the guard out of a see through mirror material with the mirror facing inward towards the other one. Then when you hit the lights it looks like a tunnel of lights going back forever.< Whoa! That would be so cool! I think I will have to try that! thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotass Posted March 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 Here's an old optical illusion trick you could do. Place a mirror in the back of the cavity and also make the guard out of a see through mirror material with the mirror facing inward towards the other one. Then when you hit the lights it looks like a tunnel of lights going back forever. that'd be awesome. I thought about that in my topic on Solid body (using just one mirror though, I didnt think about two facing each other) so what kind of material would the pickguard be made out of? i cant quite grasp how you would see through a mirror or something... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 one way mirror is available. Its used for windows in interigation rooms and things like that. Im sure it must be on sale somewhere.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 you could probably scratch the plating off it fairly easily though. That'd be even more obvious than clear plastic . I'm not sure if it'll hold a finish, either. Maybe the pour on two part epoxy finish so the plating won't scratch also. It'd probably be a little difficult to cut/bevel it without scratching some of the reflective stuff off of it. Sounds like it'd give a cool effect though Devon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 plexi glass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 try the little low voltage christmas tree lights.. the little flashin ones are great for this.. i have a sack of them if anyone wants some.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 how would you power it? 9 volt batteries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotass Posted March 3, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 try the little low voltage christmas tree lights.. the little flashin ones are great for this.. i have a sack of them if anyone wants some.. wouldnt those be more of a hassle because a.) they're a lot taller and would be harder to drill holes for? b.) they arent as bright so you would need more? I dunno you're the expert, so emphasize a bit for me please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefm Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 I was actually thinking about this...as well Actual neon or flourescent lights would be a poor idea...maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're meaning...but last I checked those lights need a massive kick to get them going and a pretty decent current to keep them on... I'm not certain but the driver circuitry (which I think has a transformer) for them would demagnitize the PU's...and I know the flourescents in my house cause a pretty nasty hum LED's should be plenty fine...I was planning on doing the same thing...I love the look of my black white black pickguard...but I'd love to put a dragon in it...I remember Mazda using a material called perspex for the dashboard of one of the cars called the eunos cosmo...it was black and just looked like trim but allowed the gauges underneath shine through unimpeded what I'd like is something that looked like a normal pickguard but could become something different at the touch of a button.... and tinfoil makes a decent reflector...of course you could just use a flashlight reflector and mount the LED in that... I was going to mount several LED's just outside the edges of the design to help keep an even light...I don't know how strong you need to be to break through the transparancy though...but it looks like they have options for different opacities... http://www.perspex.co.uk/index_uk.htm This might help somewhat... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 as for using the lights i suggested.. i didnt' see anythign above saying you would need them to be parrallel. sorry. but yes they put otu plenty of light.. iactually use them in some of my pedals.. mostly ldr led tkype circuits. but i do use them in a cou0ple for indicators and in two fro a volatage drop. neons actually take 90v to get a dim light out of them.. however if you wish to do this. you can disasemble a little disposable camera.. they are free if you ask them nicely at cvs walgreens etc. but they do whine when the first starte up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefm Posted March 4, 2004 Report Share Posted March 4, 2004 I'm not certain how much neons are like flourescent lights but they're almost cousins right??? Don't neons have a threshold where they basically don't work and then once they start up they need a high but not as high voltage to keep them up and running...they don't really have a "dim"...I have seen some that aren't at full brightness but never on purpose?? and wouldn't the camera flash just give a short burst...how could it be sustained?? I doubt the 9v would handle it It'd be a neat idea and it's not impossible but I'd imagine an external power source like what was mentioned a while ago... And the discharge of the flash would almost certainly be picked up even if it was well shielded... Meh...It's more trouble than I'd bother with... Ibanez made a guitar in the 80's that was clear and had lights in it...and they lit based on the frequency from the PU's...neat stuff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotass Posted March 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 I'm not certain how much neons are like flourescent lights but they're almost cousins right??? Don't neons have a threshold where they basically don't work and then once they start up they need a high but not as high voltage to keep them up and running...they don't really have a "dim"...I have seen some that aren't at full brightness but never on purpose?? and wouldn't the camera flash just give a short burst...how could it be sustained?? I doubt the 9v would handle it It'd be a neat idea and it's not impossible but I'd imagine an external power source like what was mentioned a while ago... And the discharge of the flash would almost certainly be picked up even if it was well shielded... Meh...It's more trouble than I'd bother with... Ibanez made a guitar in the 80's that was clear and had lights in it...and they lit based on the frequency from the PU's...neat stuff... how about my idea with a mini-strobe light(a camera flash that keeps going off!) under the pickguard ok now im dreaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefm Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 That could be funny... you can get some good small strobes from a farm supply retailer...that's where I got mine when I was a DJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotass Posted March 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 That could be funny... you can get some good small strobes from a farm supply retailer...that's where I got mine when I was a DJ wait why would a farm store have them ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezerboy Posted March 6, 2004 Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 the use it to stimulate mating in goats ok ok ok - i don't know either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snork Posted March 6, 2004 Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 this is my idea and I'm actually done with the lit pickguard. i shold post pics today. all you do is mount about 10 leds across the border of the picguard. i was a little upset with the light dispursion because you can see where it originates but i am pretty happy with the results. it looks great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotass Posted March 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 Well my guitar is S/H...So as you can imagine theres a bit of room between the two. I was going to use an acrylic pickguard and instead of routing individual cavities for each pickguard, just route the whole middle out and put some neons in there....instead I was thinking of this I would route (in the middle) anoter pickup cavity, and put small 3mm Led's in a row(maybe even 6 of them if i could manage that, it'd probably be near impossible/hell to do in such a small space) to act as the magnets on a regular pickup..so it would look like theres a singlecoil there but the magnets would be lighting up...what do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefm Posted March 6, 2004 Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 If that's the look you're going for just get a single coil PU bobbin...or make one I think people here have templates... the wiring shouldn't be too hard... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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