Transforming a Guitar into a Hurdy-Gurdy Hybrid through 3D Prints
In a unique blend of old and new, the popular YouTube series Arty Farty Guitars has transformed a standard guitar into a guitar-hurdy-gurdy-hybrid. The seven-part series documents the innovative steps and challenges involved in the modification process.
The project began with a traditional guitar, with the aim of incorporating hurdy-gurdy mechanics into it. This required modifications to the guitar's body and neck to accommodate features of a hurdy-gurdy, such as the wheel mechanism necessary for sound production.
To create the custom parts, the build heavily utilized 3D printing, allowing for precise customization and prototyping. One of the most significant innovations was the development of a plectrum wheel, which replaced the traditional bowing action due to compatibility issues with the guitar's fretting action. This unique solution allowed for a pick-like mechanism to engage the strings, creating a sound similar to a 'thousand-pick guitar'.
However, the guitar's standard fretting action proved incompatible with the constant tension required for a traditional hurdy-gurdy mechanism. This led to a shift away from a traditional keyboard-based fretting system, with the guitar fretboard remaining intact.
The series documents the challenges and creative solutions encountered throughout the build, from injuries to mechanical setbacks. The team had to switch from a TPU-surfaced wheel to a plectrum wheel, and the resulting instrument is similar to the thousand-pick guitar seen last year.
Despite the modifications, [Arty Farty Guitars] is uncertain if this hybrid instrument can still be called a Hurdy Gurdy. The resulting instrument offers a unique sound experience, embodying the spirit of DIY instrument building and musical experimentation.
The first video of the series is embedded below, offering viewers a chance to follow the journey from start to finish. The cranking/keying assembly, a key part of the build, is featured in video five. However, the series doesn't provide information on how the plectrum wheel was created, nor does it discuss any potential chorded computer input inspirations from the cranking/keying assembly anymore.
Whether you're a music enthusiast or a DIY aficionado, the Arty Farty Guitars series offers an engaging exploration of the creative process, pushing the boundaries of traditional instrument design.
The team's innovative approach involved designing a plectrum wheel, a key component of the hybrid instrument, to replace the traditional bowing action due to compatibility issues with the guitar's fretting action. This unique solution transformed the sound production of the guitar, creating a sound akin to a 'thousand-pick guitar' thanks to the wheel mechanism.
Recognizing the incorporation of technology through 3D printing and the development of custom gadgets like the plectrum wheel, [Arty Farty Guitars] continues to showcase the blending of traditional music-making techniques with modern technology.
