Modify the Enclosure
Now we’re going to put the circuitry in a case that can clip onto the back of the guitar’s head. On one side of the case, we’re going to put copper strips over a piece of foam that wrap around into the enclosure. The copper strips will contact the copper traces on the guitar, and the foam will ensure that when we clip the box on, all the traces connect.
There’s a wide variety of blank enclosures you can buy, or you can make your own. In whatever enclosure you choose, though, it will need to fit flush on the back of your guitar where those copper traces went.
This part is hard to describe, but the pictures make a lot more sense.
- Position the enclosure on the neck and mark where would be a good spot for those contacts.
- Cut 5 strips of copper tape wide enough to serve as reliable contacts and long nough to reach around the edges of the box and reach inside.
- Cut a thin piece of foam that is wide enough to cross all 5 contacts.
- Lay the foam across the outside of the box where the box will contact the traces on the guitar head.
- Apply the tape on the outside of the box so that it holds the foam in place and also goes into the inside of the box. Make sure the tape lines up with the traces on the guitar.
- Now that the contacts are installed, cut 5 small strips of wire and solder these to the section of the contacts that reach inside the box.
- Solder the other ends to the circuit board where the frets go in.
- Insert the circuit board into the enclosure to see where you have clearance to install the buttons and outgoing wires.
- Mark out holes for the buttons and wires and cut those out.
- Install the circuit board into the box and close it up.
Congratulations! You can now clip your new box onto the head of your guitar, plug it in, and rock out!
Thanks for checking us out -
The OpenChord Team
