Aside from making scads of free water rockets with impressionable midwestern youths, our other big goal at Maker Faire Detroit this year was spreading the Gospel of Rocking Cheap Homebrew Electronic Instruments.
(Again, all photos here are courtesy of the gracious and talented Chris Salzman, who took *lots* more over the course of Maker Faire weekend; check ’em out!)
The $10 Electric Guitar and its Fuzztone effect (which, honest to God, can both be built for under $15 total) are consistent pleasers, and a persuasive argument on the side of “you don’t need to drop much coin to rock the party”
The Cigar-Box Synth and Dirt-Cheap amp likewise went over well–and loud!
We also had the fully-amplified Thunderdrum–which makes a crazy vocal reverb if you shout into the can. This little guy ran up out of nowhere, grabbed the can away from a guy who was playing it more conventionally, and *screamed* into it, which was just about the most hardcore thing I’d ever seen. He *rules!*
Dave-o on the Thunderdrum:
With Dylan rocking the cigar-box electronica rig:
It was really, really a joy to share my enthusiasm for these instruments–which I really do love–and feel it reflected back and magnified by folks who, for the first time, were realizing “Hold up; I could make these things! I could make these things *better!*”
Expect a few more pics later this week!
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