Post-Apocalyptic Vaporwave Guitar

The product, which fits into the universe of the image prompt: “Post Apocalyptic Vaporwave Rock Concert”, is an electric guitar. This decision was reached because the figures in the image seem to be playing stringed instruments resembling an electric guitar/bass. The vagueness of the image gives  more freedom in the design, but the two main themes  to follow are a general 80’s look and style of the guitar and a rustic design to follow the “post-apocalypse” aspect of our prompt. The “vaporwave” in our prompt will characterize the superficial style. The “post-apocalypse” in the prompt will characterize the actual functional design and quality of the product. The project as a whole has the restrictions of being under $100 to construct as well as being easy for any layman to understand and construct. Both these restrictions fit perfectly into the “post-apocalyptic” portion of our product.

10 Purchased Supplies/Components

Total Price As of Dec. 2022: $89.16

Pickups: $7.80

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JCDM5JD?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Guitar 1/4" Jack: $5.78

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CHGIILM?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Body Wood: $16.99

https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/panel-products/handi-panels/2-x-4-birch-plywood-handi-panel/1254020/p-1444441906796-c-13337.htm

Electric Guitar Strings: $6.99

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EB2229--ernie-ball-2229-hyper-slinky-nickel-wound-electric-guitar-strings-008-042

Tuning Pegs: $11.59

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PMXMWNB?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Luthier Tool Kit: $14.69

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NN1WVY6?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Neck: $2.98

https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/lumber-boards/dimensional-lumber/2-x-2-furring-strip/1021004/p-1444431620240-c-13125.htm?tid=-7945333236389616218&ipos=3

Circuity Wire: $8.49

https://www.amazon.com/Fermerry-Stranded-Electric-Colors-Silicone/dp/B089CVX8BQ

Fret Wire: $6.93

https://www.amazon.com/Fender-0991998000-Standard-Guitar-Frets/dp/B008LGBMNO/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1LF58NJ3MR3S7&keywords=fret+wire&qid=1668185414&sprefix=fret+wire%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-4

Tailpiece: $6.92

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Falken-Design-12-in-x-12-in-x-1-8-in-Thick-Aluminum-Composite-ACM-White-Sheet-Falken-Design-ACM-WT-1-8-1212/308670327

3 Tools Not Included In Price

These tools are widely available and easy to source.

Wire Saw

50 Watt Soldering Kit (Including solder, flux, etc.)

HSS Drill (Including variety of drill bits.)

Measure and mark the panel of wood and the furring strip for cutting. The 2' x 4' x 1/4" plywood will be used for the body and the 2" x 2" x 8' strip will be used for the neck.

The body should have two 10.63" x 5.71" rectangles, two 10.63" x 2.46" rectangles, and one 5.71" x 2.46" rectangle measured and drawn on the board to be cut. On one of the two 10.63" x 5.71" rectangles, create a slot 2.8" wide and .73" tall with the bottom edge 2.45" away from the top as shown in the top view. On the same rectangle, with a M24 drill bit, drill a hole with the hole edges .63" off the rectangle's right edges and .27" off the rectangle's bottom edges.

The neck should only need to be marked from the side view as shown in the schematic. The headstock angled 7.59 degrees at 6" from the top, the neck recess 12.75" from the bottom, and a .56" deep, 1.17" wide slot 7.44" from the bottom. Use the neck schematic shown ablove as reference.

After measuring and marking these lines, cut them accordingly.

With wood glue or screws, assemble the body box. The box should have the top side open so the neck and electronics can be installed later and also to have some acoustic properties. The dimensions should be 10.63" L x 5.71" W x 2.46" in H with an error of 1".

To install tuning pegs, draw the center of the 3 holes that the pegs will be installed to within 1/32" error.

The middle tuner should be aligned exactly down the middle of the neck and each remaining tuner .3" to the left/right.

The tuners should be vertically spaced 1.3" from their centers. The bottom-most tuner should be spaced .75" from the start of the headstock angle. The hole placement is as shown in the included file.

Using an M10 (10 mm diameter) drill bit, drill the holes to be as exactly on the center as possible. Insert the tuning peg from the bottom of the neck so that the end where the string goes through (circled in red) is pointing up out of the headstock and the end of the peg with the screw hole (circled in blue) is sitting on the other side of the headstock. the pegs should be oriented so that the tuning handle (circled in black) can be turned freely and is easy to access.

Apply glue to the sides of the holes that were drilled then screw in the pegs to the bottom side of the headstock.

With the remaining wood from the panel, cut out a .32" L x 2.51" W x .65" H block to be used as the saddle. Optionally, to add supports, cut out four .33" L x .6" W x .41" H blocks. On the saddle block, saw three .14" deep grooves with a wire saw. The center groove should be aligned exactly in the middle of the block with the two remaining grooves .3" away on either side.

Glue the bridge (and optional body blocks) onto the top of the body box so that the bottom of the saddle is spaces 3" from the bottom of the body.

Study the sketch plan for the neck. On the top face of the neck are the lines where frets will be placed. Measure the neck and mark these lines exactly.

These will effect tuning and thus there should be virtually no error. With a wire saw, create notches 0.046" deep and 0.103" wide. These cuts must be exact as well.

One by one, apply wood glue to the slots and insert the frets. With a hammer, gently tap the frets securely into the slots. If the slots are not wide enough, the surrounding wood will crinkle, and if too wide, the frets will not be secure. Wait until the glue dries, and clip the ends of the frets that overhang off of the neck. Optionally, sand any sharp edges that resulted from clipping the frets.

A soldering kit with at least 50W (can reach at least 650 Fahrenheit) is required. Use 60/40 leaded solder. Flux is optional but highly recommended. To each end of the exposed pickup wire, solder on 22 AWG stranded wire. If your pickup wires are long enough (more than 1.5') this step is unnecessary.

Strip a half an inch off of the ends of your wires and apply flux to the solder contact points. Solder the hot/positive pickup wire (white) to prong 1 of the jack (circled in red) and solder the ground wire (black) to prong 2 (circled in black) of the jack. An easy way of doing this is curling the exposed wire around the holes in the output jack prongs first then soldering.

You want the wire connecting the jack to the pickup to be around 2' long.

Push the output jack through the hole and attach its base plate. Screw the jack into the top of the body. Similarly, push the pickup through its hole and screw it to the top of the body.

Slide Apply glue to the end of the neck and on the top side avoiding the frets and insert into the open end of the box and press the neck against he inside surface of the top of the box and also against the inside surface of the box opposite to the open side. Hold the neck and body like this with clamps until dry.

Cut out a 2.11" x 1.54" rectangle form your aluminum plate and with an M5 drill bit, drill a hole with the center aligned down the center horizontally and spaced 1.16" from the top.

With an M4 or smaller drill bit, drill 3 holes for the strings with the center hole aligned down the center horizontally and the hole edge spaced .22" from the top. The center of the holes should be spaced .3" from one another.

With a M5 screw at least 1" deep, screw the tailpiece into the bottom of the neck through the body, as shown in the photo.

Now the electric dulcimer is ready to plug in and play. String the instrument through the tailpiece, in the grooves of the saddle, and through the tuners. Secure the ends and tune. The final result should look like the figures above.