UglyFace built in guitar

carrejans · July 22, 2007, 11:04:08 AM

Has anyone ever put an UglyFace inside his guitar? If so, any tips are apreciated, 'cause I'm going to try this.
I think it would be great if all the pots are right near your hand, so you can easy change the settings when you're playing.
I made an, as little as possible, layout off the Uglyface. I will change my mono input jack of my guitar with a stereo one. I will place the circuit board under my pickguard. I removed my volume pot of my guitar (I almost never use it; and it was broke); so now I hope I can put all the 4 pots of the UglyFace underneath my pickguard too. (there is only one tone-pot of my guitar)
I will drill a hole to the back of my guitar, where I will put the battery, next to my tremolo-block.
Just have to wait for a few components and I can start this project. Will keep you updated. (hopefully I can lend somenone's camera, so I can post some pictures)

Hambo · July 22, 2007, 02:59:48 PM

I like that idea, I'd be careful if its your main guitar though, maybe get a cheap old thing to carve up I dont suppose the tone would be a primary consideration when you talking about the Uglyface

..

thing with the uglyface being that it tends to have noise issues when in a grounded metal box let alone floating around freely, at least mine does. Use shielded wires if possible, and maybe aluminium tape up the cavity to put the board into. wire the on off switch to ground the input when off. Probably not neccessary, but easy stuff to do and not have to change later.

Do you happen to know what the current draw is for an uglyface as well? Because I might well consider doing something like this myself as long as I wont need to be changing batteries every other day...

smnm · July 23, 2007, 06:05:53 AM

If I was doing this I'd just use a box and screw it to the guitar in the space behind the tailpiece. You could put the knobs in a line on the long side of the box. Ugly but functional, but would only involve putting 4 holes in the gtr instead of routing the heck out of it. I think you'd have trouble fitting the switch and knobs of the Uglyafce as well as the board under the pickguard. Looks like a lot of space, but will still be tight I think.

carrejans · July 23, 2007, 09:44:22 AM

Quote from: Hambo on July 22, 2007, 02:59:48 PM
I like that idea, I'd be careful if its your main guitar though, maybe get a cheap old thing to carve up I dont suppose the tone would be a primary consideration when you talking about the Uglyface ..

thing with the uglyface being that it tends to have noise issues when in a grounded metal box let alone floating around freely, at least mine does. Use shielded wires if possible, and maybe aluminium tape up the cavity to put the board into. wire the on off switch to ground the input when off. Probably not neccessary, but easy stuff to do and not have to change later.

Do you happen to know what the current draw is for an uglyface as well? Because I might well consider doing something like this myself as long as I wont need to be changing batteries every other day...

It's not my main guitar; don't worry I won't touch my Gibson.

There is already aluminium tape at the inside of the pickguard; but I will also put some in the cavity.
What do you mean with "wire the on off switch to ground the input when off"; and why?
Sorry, don't know the current draw. When it's finished, I will check that out.
Thanks for the tips.

carrejans · July 23, 2007, 09:48:09 AM

Quote from: smnm on July 23, 2007, 06:05:53 AM
If I was doing this I'd just use a box and screw it to the guitar in the space behind the tailpiece. You could put the knobs in a line on the long side of the box. Ugly but functional, but would only involve putting 4 holes in the gtr instead of routing the heck out of it. I think you'd have trouble fitting the switch and knobs of the Uglyafce as well as the board under the pickguard. Looks like a lot of space, but will still be tight I think.

I was thinking something similar first. But the point of putting the UglyFace in my guitar is that I will be able to use the controls very easy. When they are at the back of my guitar; I don't see the improvement.
Yes, it will be very difficult fitting all the things in place. I will be using the smallest pots possible; and also a very small dpdt toggle switch. I made the layout for 13 perfboard-holes. This way I can put the board on it's side inside the guitar.

Thanks for all the tips; and keep them coming...

petemoore · July 23, 2007, 11:32:06 AM

I think GGG has various bypass wiring layouts, pick one which grounds the input to the circuit when in bypass mode.
The UF circuit is high gain and has an oscillator, with 'regular' true bypassing it doesn't get 'true bypassed'..some of the oscillator signal gets into the bypass signal path through the air, grounding the input keeps it at.. '0.volts', effectively squelching the bypass hash.

Hambo · July 23, 2007, 12:37:36 PM

Yeah something like this

It would be cool to just plug that in somewhere and play it in front of people who didnt know.. haha, they would think you had satans own guitar.

nordine · July 23, 2007, 01:17:08 PM

Quote from: petemoore on July 23, 2007, 11:32:06 AM
I think GGG has various bypass wiring layouts, pick one which grounds the input to the circuit when in bypass mode.
The UF circuit is high gain and has an oscillator, with 'regular' true bypassing it doesn't get 'true bypassed'..some of the oscillator signal gets into the bypass signal path through the air, grounding the input keeps it at.. '0.volts', effectively squelching the bypass hash.

thats right,

now i'd even go further.. because there are 'high-gain/oscillatory' type effects that get into clean signal even input grounded ..so i'd put a 3pdt there and, besides grounding effect's input, use one pole to connect/disconnect the capacitor that puts the oscillator to run

carrejans · July 23, 2007, 01:56:18 PM

Quote from: Hambo on July 23, 2007, 12:37:36 PM

Yeah something like this

It would be cool to just plug that in somewhere and play it in front of people who didnt know.. haha, they would think you had satans own guitar.

Aha, now I know what you guys were talking about. Yes, that would be better.
Don't know if the 3pdt would be necessary. I will try with 2pdt first; if it's no good, I still can replace it with 3pdt.

petemoore · July 23, 2007, 03:05:30 PM

In a guitar there would be coils near the oscillator...and would this matter..

carrejans · August 05, 2007, 10:51:49 AM

Most of the circuit is built now. Only need a 3pdt toggle switch and I think I gonna use the smallest pots possible.
Some pictures:

smnm · August 05, 2007, 06:19:31 PM

Quote from: carrejans on August 05, 2007, 10:51:49 AM
...
Some pictures:

Wow - that's amazing - so tiny! Good work!

nordine · August 05, 2007, 07:44:35 PM

congrats man!
post some samples when it's ready

petemoore · August 05, 2007, 07:53:02 PM

Nice neat job, but about 2-3x as much solder as I would use...
Would be cool...guitar that does Space Invaders...theremin like endings.

oldrocker · August 09, 2007, 08:53:08 PM

Darn it!! Now that's cool.

I would like to add one in my Magnum flying V.

theblueark · August 10, 2007, 04:56:23 AM

Do it do it, I love seeing guitars with built in effects

Here's mine:

FAB overdrive, delay and chorus.

Isaiah · August 10, 2007, 09:18:47 AM

Quote from: theblueark on August 10, 2007, 04:56:23 AM
Do it do it, I love seeing guitars with built in effects

Here's mine:

FAB overdrive, delay and chorus.

The painting on that looks awesome!
Who did it? Whoever it was could do some really great posters/album artwork for rootsy/sludgy/drone/stoner-type rock bands.
Well done!

theblueark · August 10, 2007, 12:18:54 PM

A friend of mine I knew from university. These days she's painting for SGD$200 an hour. That's about USD$150. Among other freelance stuff. I do so love her art

Isaiah · August 10, 2007, 12:23:42 PM

Wow! She's doing pretty well!

Does she have a website at all?

News:

UglyFace built in guitar