monkey96692000 Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 Hi, Can anyone help me. I want to make a power pack in the back of my Les Paul and have about 17 flood lights on the front of the guitar to light up. I dont care if it lights up just for a few min., but i would like it to be really bright. Can anyone help with my situation. Plus i know Ace Frehley has the UFO guitar. Thats where i got the idea from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 If you just want a flash, you could probably use the guts from a disposable camera flash - obvious high voltage disclaimers apply (ie., it's not safe if you don't know what you're doing, you could kill or seriously injure yourself and/or others, and if you do, I'm not responsible because it was all your idea! http://www.projectguitar.com/uploads/emoticons/default_biggrin.png' alt=':D'> ). If you want an actual spotlight, you could look around for ultrabright white LED flashlight clusters like the cavers use for helmet lights. Some of them are not only quite bright, but run for a fairly long time at 6 volts (4 D batteries). OddOne's White LED Information site might help you get started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 Those disposable cameras hurt like hell. At camp last year we took one apart and were slapping people with it. Feels kind of like a nasty bee sting, plus it makes you jump a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob7 Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 stonescreeds got a point....that camera stuff hurts, so make sure to slap it into ur forearm after ya take it outta the case (unless u have a heart condition) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 Thanks, guys, I think you've illustrated my point admirably! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 ahh come on its only 330 volts.. thats all.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey96692000 Posted June 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 yah but i need help ith the battery casing in the back too for the lights also. Plus im not a mechanic so i need help from the basics. Im only in my teens and i never did woodshop. I need help from the wiring to the casings. Please can anyone help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 Tell us exactly what you want to do, and we can probably be more helpful - this isn't exactly something any of us sees every day, so we're gonna need details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 i think he wants to put lightbulbs into his body (guitar you freaks ) and make them light, up im not sure of that thoug, but in my oppinion bulbs would drain the battery quickly, and heat up. so i think its a better i dea (as some one before mentioned on this thread) to go with bright LEDs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey96692000 Posted June 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 ok here it is look at Ace's Guitar Ace Frehley UFO now i want to know what battery to use how to do the wiring and what electronics need to go into it for it to work. The lights sould be pretty bright. Also the batteries need to be household. The cost should be around 100- 150 US dollors. I want the battery case in the back of the guitar. So its a separate source from the amp, but if its easier to use the amp for power tell me how to hook that up. Basically the UFO guitar is what i want to recreate but with a new color and tint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey96692000 Posted June 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 also the the lights could be led but how do you get leds that big now if led would drain less power ans could add about 100 of them easily on a LEs PAul tell me. im sorry for pushy but i need plannings so i can build it during the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 so do the lights actually alternate?, also to light those floodlights you probably would need to plug it into the power socket in the local vicinity. first of all, this increases the danger during the creation of the project since you would need to be working with 120 volts. also this increses the chances (especially if its a shady wiring job) of being shocked or killed while on stage/practicing/rehearsing. so you would probably be better of with bright LEDs. the bright ones are quite bright, and they compare to flood lights quite well. and to make them look big just find a plastic cover and cover the holes with them. that would scatter the light from the led (kinda like the lights in a car) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey96692000 Posted June 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 then how do you set it up. Also if you can can the leds on the body chain to the neck fret markers. How do you do it. I need help its my first custom job. Also how do you make te wiring not sho so it looks good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAI6 Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 Did anyone notice the "DANGER" sticker on the back of Ace's guitar? High Voltage in action........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey96692000 Posted June 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 yeah but i now want to use LEDs to do it i need help nobody has a LED on the body. I need the body to connect to the neck also. Also show no flaws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 just drill a hole from the neck cavity to the neck pickup cavity, and draw the wires from the LEDed neck throught that hole, and then on to your electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey96692000 Posted June 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 what do you mean by neck cavity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 well f its a bolt o, its where you place the neck and then screw it in, i Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 Sorry, but it's time for a reality check - if I understand you correctly, all you want to do is duplicate the effect built into a $10,000 guitar made by a master luthier for about $150.00, with the further constraint that it uses common "household" batteries, and you basically need someone to tell you exactly how to do it. Before you bow up and get angry, I'm not being sarcastic or putting you down, but that's a pretty tall order, don't you think? I'm not sure it can be done, at least not for that price, with anywhere near satisfying results. You could probably do a row of LEDs around the edge of your guitar with some kind of chase circuit to control them, but even that is going to take some careful planning and is going to be fairly expensive if you have to have someone else do it. I'm not saying you should abandon the idea entirely, but you might want to try something a bit less ambitious - wiring up a few spotlights is relatively easy, but sequencing a couple dozen is... well, let's just say there's a reason why Steve Carr's getting those prices for his customs. Start by deciding what the bare minimum you can live with is (like 6 small bright lights with an on/off switch, or whatever), and work forward from there. Sorry, I'm sure that wasn't what you wanted to hear, but with a little compromise maybe you've got a shot at making something work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 or if you7 want a chalenge an leded neck, with leds as the fret markers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey96692000 Posted June 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 ok well i guess thats ok. Is it possible to just do the neck for that much money and add the rest like in a year or so when saved enough money. How do you do the lLEDs in the neck too because it cant hit the truss bar and the led needs to behind the clear marker. Plus the wiring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 you should pm daveq he made one with inlayed leds and he might be able to help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 daveq's your guy for LED inlay info - try this thread to get you started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 hey thanks lovekraft i was thinking of doing an led inlay (probably not going to happen ) and that thread really helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 I sent you a PM with some questions and things that I need to know in order to help you. This seems to be a popular topic lately. I'll see about copying my pics and what I have for a tutorial this weekend. I see that there are new sections now (Forum Tutorials and Reference) - can people just add tutorials on their own or do we need to run it by Brian first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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