wireless signal, wireless power

[earthtonesaudio]

I was reading on here and thinking about large diameter hum-cancelling dummy coils like the Suhr Backplate system, and the wheels started turning...

Wouldn't it be cool to have a wireless system for your guitar that didn't require batteries? 

The inevitable loss of efficiency as you increase the distance between coils could be offset somewhat by the fact that guitarists tend to stay on-axis with their speaker cab.  If you placed the primary coil in the speaker cab and the secondary in the major plane of the guitar body, then most of the time during use, the coils would be on-axis.
This observation, coupled with the fact that guitar electronics do not require a great deal of power, inclines me to believe that the idea is viable.  Your thoughts?

[MarcoMike]

I miss the basic knowledge for even trying to have an opinion about it...

but as you mentioned the energy requirement might be very little... in this case you can generate the energy almost in any other way, exploiting the "mechanical" energy of the guitarist itself...
I am not sure I would feel ok with an induction "cannon" shooting at my guitar through my body...

[Processaurus]

Remember the Thing?

[Jazznoise]

The problem with wireless systems to me seems to be the susceptibility to interference - imagine instead of using shielding we just used copper sitting on a rubber mat to carry the signal. Now imagine that this copper fills your entire room. If someone with braces chatters their teeth you'll be able to hear it! Directionality would help, though (Even removing the area behind the emitter is theoreticly halving your energy consumption and interference proneness). And running the signal into some sort of balanced wireless system would help, too.

[earthtonesaudio]

Remember the Thing?

Cool link, thanks!  It's beautifully simple.  I wonder if that design only works with a capacitive microphone, or whether it could be adapted for use with a guitar pickup.   

in this case you can generate the energy almost in any other way, exploiting the "mechanical" energy of the guitarist itself...

True.  One thing I've fantasized about from time to time is a wah pedal with a flywheel and generator attached to the pedal, so that when you rock the pedal back and forth you provide power to the circuit.  One of these days I might get around to building one, but it's a pretty daunting mechanical challenge.  Aside from installing a crank and permanent magnet alternator into a guitar, I don't know how you'd capture enough energy to power even a very efficient circuit. 
In general I have found that people will choose the more convenient way, so I imagine we'll see "wireless power" become more prevalent while guitars with built-in generators remain a novelty.  And think about it, how many guitarists would gladly ditch their instrument cable if there was a battery-free alternative?  I probably would.

I am not sure I would feel ok with an induction "cannon" shooting at my guitar through my body...

I think the power levels we would need are several orders of magnitude lower than a basic cell phone.