Design and tech portfolio

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Contents
Project Proposal……………………………………………………….…..4
Project Management …………………………………………………..20
Project Development and Realisation…………………………..24
Evidence of Creativity…………………………………………………..30
Project Evaluation………………………………………………………..60
Appendix ……………………………………………………………………66
HSC Major Project – BOS Number: 26234026

Portable
Electric Guitar
Project
Proposal
HSC Major Project – BOS Number: 26234026 4

Project Proposal
Identify The Need
Market research demonstrates the lack of innovation available to make an electric guitar entirely portable. As most musicians will agree, it’s
extremely frustrating to have to lug a heavy amplifier, along with leads and extension cords around with you, to simply have a ‘jam’ with
others. Along with the portability aspect of the guitar, it would be crucial to have it produce a neat, crisp sound that has the potential to put
out a sound of reasonable volume. Not all the time is it possible to please a small crowd with the use of just an in-built speaker from the
guitar; therefore it would be extremely helpful to be able to have the option to connect, through radio frequency technology, to existing sound
systems.
Brief
I intend on researching, designing
and developing a working
prototype that allows guitarist to
play the electric guitar, remotely
(without the need of an amplifier),
with the option to connect through
radio frequency technology to
existing sound systems, that is
extremely portable, and ready to
play, as soon as it’s picked up.
Constraints and Limitations
• The finished product must be functional and meet the set brief
• All aspects must work well, and with minimal delays.
• The Project and accompanying portfolio must be completed by August, 2014.
• Product should be able to connect wirelessly to existing systems.
• Product must be aesthetically pleasing.
• Product must be cost efficient to meet the desired market needs.
• Must be safe to use, and present no harm to the user.
5

Criteria to Evaluate Success
When starting a new design process, the design features to
the solution will need to be assessed in order to discover
how well the identified need or want is satisfied. To define
this, there a range of topics, under which I should ask myself,
to ensure that the best and most suitable product is being
produced to meet the requirement. When designing a
product it is essential to explore the key areas of design
therefore, the criterion is based around these elements:
1. Is the finished product aesthetically
pleasing?
2. Does the final product meet market
quality finishing?
Function
1. Does the final product produce sound from
the speaker?
2. Is the final product able to connect
wirelessly to existing sound systems?
3. Is the shape (body) of the guitar
comfortable to play?
Aesthetics
Cost Safety
1. Is the final product cost 1. Is the product safe?
effective and a viable purchase
for the target market?
6

Areas to Investigate
Exploration of Existing Products
Guitar Design
1. Guitar Shape 2. Type of Neck 3. Materials to Use
Hardware
1. Speakers 2. Amps 3. Batteries 4. Pickups 5. Wireless Technologies
7

Sponsorship Strategy
Sponsorship letter
Sponsorship Outcome
Sponsorship
Process for Receiving Sponsorship Funds
1. Identified funds required for project
2. Approximated Budget
3. Identify collaborative partner
4. Approached business personally and
presented sponsorship letter and
booklet, followed up with phone call.
5. Visited business and accepted cheque
6. Managed Budget
7. Certificate of Recognition
8. Kept partners informed of
progress.
After I realised the process was going to cost a
substantial amount of money, I sat down and devised
a strategy to best receive funds from a collaborative
partner. Based on previous sponsorship experiences, I
finalised that I had to personally approach businesses
as a team and present a formal letter personally
addressed to the individual business.
By creating a personalized strategy I feel as though I'm
generating the best impact on potential sponsors,
mainly by getting them involved in the project, and
not just taking their time and money, and that’s it… I
believe that sponsors are a part of the project and
should be continually thanked and involved
throughout.
After recognising potential collaborative
partners, I phoned the best music store in
the central west first, Lander’s Music in
Orange. They were only too happy to
have a look at my portfolio. After
travelling down to orange that weekend
and talking to the owner, he agreed to
provide me with a $250 store credit,
which was extremely generous of them…
That money lightened the burned of cost
significantly
Knowing that I must provide a formal letter to
not only show my possible collaborative
partner that I’m developing a year 12 major
project, but to demonstrate to them how
serious I am to produce a quality, working
prototype
The business also got to keep these letter to
revise and decide how much they were going
to sponsor, or to take to a work meetings and
discuss with colleagues. Everything from who I
am , what my project intent is, to what
sponsorship packages are available.
8

Investigation
Factors Affecting the Design
Throughout the course of Design and Technology, it is essential to assess the
process of design, but also the factors that affect it. By analyzing these
factors, the quality of the design is greatly improved, as the research as a
whole with be more extensive. This results in a more definitive project,
which allows one to meet the criteria of the brief, this gives the consumer
exactly what they desire. Overall, that is the essential part of the project; to
meet the requirements of the brief, set by the possible consumer.
When design the enclosure for the guitar, the following aspects were
explored:
• Appropriateness of Design
• Needs
• Aesthetics
• Sustainability / Durability / Environmental impacts (Energy, Recyclability)
• Obsolescence
Appropriateness of Design
When designing something, it is instrumental to take into
consideration what is appropriate in regards to the overall
design, amount of time spent on something, and also the
funds invested. The development of the revolutionary
guitar looks at these elements by taking into deep
consideration the time spent on particular aspects of the
project, as some parts simply don’t require as much tine as
others, for example, the development of the budget plan
doesn’t require as much time spent on it, in comparison to
the creation/management of the portfolio, as the folio is an
ongoing part of the overall process; a journal of events, if
you must. Due to the factors, the implementation of man
plans such as the time management plan (gant chart) was
introduced to ensure that the appropriate time was allowed
for individual aspects of the project. Appropriateness also
explores the market, for a desire for the intended product.
It is simply inappropriate to design something that the
market already has.
Needs
Needs in an important part of any design project, as we are dealing with investing time, money and resources into producing something. There is no
reason to produce a product if the market does not ‘need’ the product. As mentioned above, market research demonstrates the lack of innovation
available to make an electric guitar entirely portable. So by addressing the needs of the market, the overall success of the product is greatly
heightened.
9

Investigation
Aesthetics Sustainability/ Durability
In the case of design, aesthetics refers
to the overall appeal of the product. If
something is referred to as
‘aesthetically pleasing’, it usually
represents a positive appeal towards
those who are viewing it, and especially
those who are intending on buying it.
For this particular product, it is essential
for the guitar to be extremely pleasing
to look at, as this encourages people to
go and inquire about what the product
can do, the ‘looks’ of the product, draw
customers attention. This is crucial to
the success of the final product.
Depending on the project, certain elements of the design process tend to take priority over others. In the project it is extremely clear that the
overall design should be just as functional as it is aesthetically pleasing, instead of being designed to be placed into mass production. Every design
situation should be approached individually, as a vast majority require a significantly different type of time and effort, in regards to the design
requirements.
While these two design factors can be very
different, in a way, they prove to benefit
each other better than they contrast. As the
two relate to the overall impact of the
design, and it’s life time, I can place these
two together to assess the requirements
they must meet, based on the needs of the
product. For this project, the sustainability
will be based on the overall construction,
and the materials it is built from, while the
durability can be assessed of the quality of
the works. This is to ensure that the project
will sustain it’s appeal, and continue the
meet the markets needs.
Obsolescence / Environmental Impacts
Due to history, this kind of product is
usually pretty rare to become obsolete as
guitars tent be be like old cars, they grow
in value the older they become. However
as products will still become obsolete
over time, the way in which they are dealt
with after their ‘life’ is up, is crucial. All
parts of the guitar can be recycled and
used in other guitars. If this isn’t the case,
wood from the guitar can easily be
recycled, and so to can the metal and
electronics into other products. The
electronics can be melted down and re
used, with the pickups being replaced and
can be reused in another guitar.
Overview
10

Research
Exploration of the Product
Existing Designs
Guitar Shape
The Shape of a solid body electric guitar doesn’t affect the sound that it produces, that is why there is such a wide variety of shapes and sizes available on the
market today; however they all have one common element, that is the way in which they produce sound, through an amplifier. Different brands have their
different approaches with the shape design of the product.
Fender® Designs
Fender®is an infamous guitar label that
produces extremely high quality products.
They are known for their bold design style.
Certain styles of the Gibson range provided
limited extra space for the incorporation of
external hardware, like speakers and amps
etc. Although, one of the designs is
highlighted to me that presents enough room
to embed extra hardware into the existing
shape, that shape is the ‘Telecaster®’ style
guitar. As my brief incorporates much external
hardware, space will become a significant
Jazzmaster® Stratocaster® Telecaster® space will be utilized.
11

Research
Gibson® Designs
The ‘Gibson image’ is a very distinct look in
the guitar world. Their similar guitar
shapes are all extremely comfortable for
guitarists to use. However, when looking at
this design, I find it extremely difficult to
visualise fitting all the components of my
design into the guitar shapes. While these
guitars are very aesthetically pleasing, the
functionality aspect of the shapes
available, simply doesn’t suit my
intentions.
SG Flying V Les Paul
Type of Neck
While it is possible to build a neck from scratch, sometimes ‘reinventing the wheel’, gets mind numbing at times. So, I’ve decided that rather than
wasting precious time building something that isn’t innovative, it is the most time viable option to purchase one. On the Internet it is extremely easy
to just pick and buy one that you like most, so that is what I have decided. A quality Australia site, that supplies guitar materials, made in Australia, is
crucial for my design, as I wish to keep my money within the country, it’s the best thing to do if you’re building a product in regards to standard of
quality.
12

Neck
Research
Neck 1 Neck 2 Neck 3
From the adjacent three options, I
strongly think that option number ‘2’, is
of best fit as it is a simple design and it
too is a dark colour that will be easily
matchable to my proposed colour
scheme of the finished product.
Type of Materials
The type of wood that is used in guitar manufacturing is
based on the tonal sound that they produce. Different
kinds of wood have different tonal characteristics that
affect the sound that the guitar produces. As I simply
had no idea where to start, I got in contact with Ray
Berketa of ‘Berketa Guitars’ and enquired about which
types of woods to look at. Mr Berketa advised me to go
to the fender website to find what kinds of woods are
used in commercial production. Mr Berketa also
recommended to me to look into the following types of
wood.
Recommended materials
• Queensland maple
• Mahogany
• Ash
• Swamp ash
• Selery top pine
• Red woods
13

Research
Types of Materials
After research, the product that the market desires is a bright sounding guitar with a nice high end sound, therefore, I wish to fore fill the
market requirements. The types of wood that I have found that meet similar tonal characteristics are:
Ash:
Exhibits a "snappier" tone with a bright edge,
but with a warm bass and long sustain. It is
often considered as the other "traditional"
Stratocaster body wood.
Mahogany:
Deep warm mids, good sustain
and nice "bite"
Maple:
Punchy, bright, and has a nice bite on the high
end. Often used only as a laminated top
instead of an entire body, as it tends to be a
particularly heavy wood.
Looking into, and researching this wood and its availability locally, set me back quite substantially. The wood was
able to be sourced from a local timber company, however, the types of wood which I desired were a lot harder to
find, therefore making the wood quite costly, which I was unable to afford. Other options needed to be considered.
A local guitar maker that works at the music shop in town, gave me a hint of advice to seek out some ‘hoop pine’, as
it was an produced an extremely good quality final product, as well as balancing weight and strength. After research,
and enquiry at Ramien’s Timber, the assured me the wood was extremely strong for its light weight in comparison to
other types of wood available, this was crucial to me as I was throwing heavy batteries and other objects into my
guitar body, it needed to be as light as possible before adding devices and batteries. Hoop Pine
14

Research
Hardware Ideas
Speakers
Deciding on a type of speaker to utilize within my design Is a
crucial part of the overall function of the design, along with the
impact it makes on the products success. To ensure that I pick
the most appropriate speaker, much research is required to
ensure the best results are achieved.
The speaker that I wish to choose from must require
compatibility to a wireless system, either already pre –installed
or through means of accessing other kinds of wireless
connectivity.
• Fully developed speaker setup
• Standard loudspeakers
• Small speakers from existing products.
Amp
In today’s very advanced technology ere, amplifiers are
extremely easy to access, and so too are they extremely small,
which is a major benefit to me, as that is what I require. To
power my speaker it is crucial for my amplifier to be able to
produce as much power as possible with the use of a minimal
power as possible.
Batteries
Batteries can be made in all shapes and sizes, however, for my
project I require a 12v, with an aperture output of something
greater than five, as well as being able to fin into the desired
guitar shape.
Hardware Decisions
Speakers
Shielded 2" 10W 8-Ohm Full Range Speaker
General Data: • Nominal Power Handling
(Pnom)(W): 10 • Max Power Handling (Pmax)(W): 20 • Sensitivity
(2.83v/1m)(dB): 78 • Weight (M)(Kg): 0.12
Amp
Batteries
15

Research
Hardware Ideas
Wireless Technology
In today’s high tech society, wireless technology plays a huge role in a wide variety of
essential things that we take for granted every day, such as simple things like, television
remotes, hands- free car devices and not to mention baby monitors. So with this technology
being widely available, it became apparent to me to incorporate this element into my
design. In today’s market, there isn’t a guitar available that has this radio frequency built
into it, however, musicians today use wireless guitar systems to play concerts in massive
stadiums. To keep up with modern society, it is essential to include this into my product.
Bluetooth Bluetooth® Audio Dongle
While the name may take you to question your better
judgement of the product, this ‘audio dongle’, is an
inexpensive, easy-to-install, way to incorporate
Bluetooth® into my product.
Wireless Guitar System
While these ‘wireless guitar system’ are extremely
expensive, they are of professional standard, and allow
for the highest of quality sound to be produced. The
question that needs to be posed to myself is, what kind
of level guitar do I desire to produce? That answer, is one
that professionals can play on stage, live, in front of a
sell-out stadium crowd. To achieve this, a WGS must be
included.
16

Research
Justification of Decisions
Speakers
Amp
Batteries
Bluetooth Bluetooth® Audio Dongle
Wireless Guitar System
17
I selected theses speakers as they are nice and
compact, the look aesthetically pleasing and have a
10W output which is perfect for what I require.
The amplifier that I have decided to use is ideal as it
can operate from a 12v battery and has a 5.8w output
for my speaker, as well as its compact and strong.
The battery that I have purchased for use within my
guitar is the smallest, most powerful, longest lasting
battery that will fit into my guitar. It is 12v and runs
2.5 amps, which is absolutely ideal for my needs
After research, the most suitable Bluetooth device for
my product is one that was found on the JAYCAR
website as it transmits, at a range that is required for
my needs and project.
This wireless guitar system is an entry level setup that
was recommended to me to use at is is back, cheap
and is flexible in application.

Research
Hardware Ideas
Pickups
As my product is a guitar it must incorporate pickups. However, there a wide variety of pickups
available on the market, however they are separated into two categories: Passive and Active.
As my guitar already requires a battery system, connecting ‘active pickups’ (pickups that require a
power source), will not be a problem, however, it could significantly impact on the lifetime of the
product in regards to playing time. This problem can be overcome by connecting it to a completely
separate 18v battery system. The benefit to creating a separate power source allows for the
original battery system to continue as is, without the drain of an extra source that it has to power.
The downfall to that would be the constant battery change, as they will go flat. This will need to be
sorted out during the testing stage of the project. Having two different battery sources however
can often lead to many ‘oh crap, it’s gone flat’ moments, which are extremely embarrassing for the
user.
The two types of pickups, mainly used in the guitar design are ‘single coil’ pickups, or a
‘Humbucker’ pickup, which is more modern.
Single Coil Pickups
Single coil pickups were the original pickup developed, and it produces a bright , lively sound,
however, As soon as you turn the volume up on your amp you will hear the AC hum start to
increase and buzz throughout the room. Single Coil pickups produce a nice sounds, they will always
have quite a bit of AC hum buzzing around while you play, which I personally believe is intolerable.
Humbucker Pickups
They are called Humbuckers because they cancel out (or buck) the AC hum that Single Coil pickups
normally have. The Humbuckers are actually two Single Coil magnetic pickups wound in opposite
directions to cancel out the hum and give a fuller more thick sound. You'll see a lot of Blues and
Jazz players using Humbuckers because of the fatty bass sound they give electric guitars.
Humbuckers have less tone but more bass, and because of the loss of tone they sound a bit mellow
in comparison to Single Coil pickups, having said this, they produce a very ‘cool’ sound.
18

Research
Hardware Ideas
To assist me to pick a guitar pickup, I simply went to the ‘Dimarzio’ website,
and found a very easy guide that helps select the type of pickup that most
suits your needs. As a guitar requires two different types of tonal pickups,
one at the ‘bridge’ of the guitar, and another at the ‘neck’, I did two different
searches and came up with the following options.
Bridge
Neck
After I used the ‘Pickup Picker’ tool. I continued to research the products
that were suggested to me. As a result, I found myself in Orange at Landers
Music, where I talked to Steve, who was the electric guitar guru, who was
more than happy to provide me me expert advice. He was very fond of the
Dimarzio brand pickups, as was i. He suggested to me, for the tone I want,
which me a pop rock sound, nothing with too much distortion. The Air
Classics from Dimarzio. So, with their kind support they sponsored and
assistance I came to a final decision on the ones I was going to incorporate
into my product.
19

Portable
Electric Guitar
Project
Manageme
nt HSC Major Project – BOS Number: 26234026 20

Project Management
Time Management
Estimated time plan for year 12 Major Project 2013-14
Term Week
Develop
Project
Proposal
Develop
Project
Management
Produce
Project
Development
Design Project
Realisation Prototyping Testing Production Evaluation
Design Project
Evaluation Hand In
Term 4,
2013
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Holidays
Holidays
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Holidays
Term 1,
2014
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Holidays
Holidays
One
Two
Holidays
Estimated time plan for year 12 Major Project 2013-14
Term Week
Develop
Project
Proposal
Develop
Project
Management
Produce
Project
Development
Design
Project
Design
Project
Evaluation Hand In
Term 2,
2014
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Holidays
Holidays
One
Two
Holidays
Term 3,
2014
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
21

Project Management
Time Management
Actual time plan for year 12 Major Project 2013-14
Term Week
Develop
Project
Proposal
Develop
Project
Management
Produce
Project
Development
Design Project
Design Project
Evaluation Hand In
Term 4,
2013
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Holidays
Holidays
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Holidays
Term 1,
2014
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Holidays
Holidays
One
Two
Holidays
Actual time plan for year 12 Major Project 2013-14
Term Week Develop Project
Proposal
Develop Project
Management
Produce Project
Development
Design Project
Design Project
Evaluation Hand In
Term
2,
2014
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Holidays
Holida
ys
One
Two
Holidays
Term
3,
2014
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
More time
Certain parts of the process took less
time than originally anticipated such as
prototyping and project management,
with testing taking much, much longer
22
than expected.

Project Management
Financial Management
When originally drafting my budget, it
is clear to see that an overestimation
of price was apparent. However, this
provided me with relieve when a
substantially less amount of money
was spent than originally intended.
The inclusion of where my products
were sourced assisted me with
keeping track of where things came
from, if any problems occurred it was
easy to identify where I needed to go
to ratify the problem and look for a
quick, and easy solution.
23

Portable
Electric Guitar
Project
Development &
Realisation

Design Sketches
Design #1 PMI
P-
• This design is extremely simple.
Simple is always best.
• This design’s shape is elegant and
easy for the user to hold and play.
• It incorporates Bluetooth®
technology
• Neck is a nice design
M-
• Lacks features.
• The speaker isn’t acoustically
isolated.
• Space seems to be limited, as
objects are arranged around the
required guitar elements
• (pickups, bridge etc.)
I-
• This design is based on the Gibson
‘Les Paul’ style guitar.
• Is an extremely cool looking guitar,
that sells well on the existing
market, according to
• allansbillyhyde.com.au
25

Design Sketches
Design #2 PMI
P-
• Speaker is acoustically isolated.
• Design Incorporates ‘XLR’
microphone input
• Has the option of a detachable
goose-neck microphone stand.
• Includes Bluetooth ® options
• Neck is perfect design
M-
• Space is limited
• Would be extremely difficult to
construct
• Doesn’t include charging port
I-
• This design is based on the
Fender Stratocaster®.
• The design is of a solid build that
is extremely durable.
• First design that isolates the
speaker from the pickups.
26

Design Sketches
Design #3 PMI
P-
• Ideal body shape.
• Space is snug, but well fitted.
• Incorporates Wireless Guitar
System
• Includes Bluetooth ® features
• Speaker is Isolated from pickups
• Easily constructed.
• Design Incorporates ‘XLR’
microphone input
• Has the option of a detachable
goose-neck microphone stand. •
M-
• Would be extremely difficult to put
together
• Neck is quite ugly
• Tone control is in an awkward
position
I-
• Guitar shape is based on Fender
Telecaster® shape.
• First guitar that incorporates the
use of a ‘Wireless Guitar System’
27

Design Sketches
Design #4 PMI
Design 4, is a combination of all the
‘plus’ elements from my previous
designs, and is the first step towards
a finalised design.
P-
• Ideal body shape.
• Space is snug, but well fitted.
• Incorporates Wireless Guitar
System
• Includes Bluetooth ® features
• Speaker is Isolated from pickups
• Easily constructed.
• This design’s shape is elegant and
easy for the user to hold and play.
M-
• Tone Control isn’t included
I-
• Guitar shape is based on Fender
Telecaster® shape.
• This guitar design is going to be
the ‘working prototype’ design.
• Allows for more in depth research
into products to be done.
28

Design Sketches
Final Design Sketch
29

Portable
Electric Guitar
Evidence of
Creativity

Evidence of Application to Model Development
Designing – Product realisation-Weeks 1-4 (Term 1)
In order to bring my product to life, I decided to use CAD software and utilize
the elaborate equipment available at school to make my product. This decision
was made for many reason by the three main reasons behind choosing CAD
programs to design my model were as following:
• Mimics industry standards
• Produces a quality product, which can be easily changed through design
process.
• I wanted to gain a further insight into Computer-Aided technology.
• I decided for my first model that I wanted to try two different drawing
programs, to draw two different style guitars, so that I can compare physical
products from the two different drawing programs. This allowed me to
essentially ‘kill two birds with one stone’, as I can see which program is best
to use, as well as the best style of guitar.
• During the process, I found that the program Google Sketchup, was a much
more basic CAD program to use, other than AutoCAD which is a much more
in-depth, more powerful program, but much, much harder to use.
As AutoCAD was so difficult to use, I opted to use Google Sketchup as it was
extremely simple to use and could produce a quality prototype.
To draw both of these guitars, the same steps were taken, just different styles
were produced. To start with, a 2D shape was created that was the outline of a
guitar. Which took a lot longer than originally anticipated Then, extrude that
shape up by 45mm (thickness of the guitar) After that, I added a rectangular
piece to where the neck belongs. And to finish off, I added a few miscellaneous
holes to represent pickups and other items.
AutoCAD
Google Sketchup
31

Physical Model Development – Weeks 4-9 (Term 1)
To ensure my project was going to come together, I had to find some cheap wood
for prototyping that was thick enough to accommodate my guitar. With the
assistance of Mr White, he was able to rustle up some construction treated pine,
that was 45mm thick (perfect). That pine was cut to length at 450 mm long and
190mm wide. Then the pieces were cut with a biscuit joiner, biscuited , then glued
together before they were tightly pieced together in the sash clamps.
A problem was faced, when pulling the now joined pieces of timber out of the
clamps was that they didn’t set evenly, one pieced was raised a little. This problem
was easily averted, as we just put the block through the thicknesser to rid the slight
step in the join.
To cut the first prototype, I phoned Denford (the company that produces the
machines) and talked to Simon, the Head of Machining, and discussed the best was
to go about machining my guitar. He recommended for me that I should use a
vacuum table and quickly talked me through the steps to get my CAD drawing ready
to be machined. With the assistance of Mr White, we imported my design from
Google Sketchup, into a program called QuickCAM Pro, and ran the basic steps, so
we could see if this was going to work for us. After getting through the set up, it
provided us with a simulation of what it was going to cut. Then, to actually get this
piece cut, we took the QuickCAM Pro file and opened that into VR Milling v5. This is
the program that controls the CNC Router.
Before we went any further, we squared our block on to the vacuum board we had
put into the machine, and turned it on. We than ran the ‘g-code’ (machining
instructions), and watched in anticipation for what was to happen. This process was
repeated for the second guitar shape that was cut. Unfortunately it seemed as
though, when we flipped the guitar to cut the otherside, it wasn’t lining up correctly
we weren’t sure why… This issue had to be investigated further, I was at a stand
still., untill I got a response from Simon at Denford.
32

Sourcing hardware, devices and corresponding information. Weeks 9-11 (Term 1)
After adrenaline kicked in after actually making two prototypes, it was
time to begin to order devices and hardware. Now confident this was
going to go ahead, I purchased, 2 small loudspeakers and a Bluetooth
Dongle from JAYCAR.
As well as these, a wireless guitar system, pickups, an amplifier, bridge,
and a neck with a fret board from various suppliers. After all of these
products had arrived except the pickups, that are excepted to be in by the
start of term 2, I took all of my prototypes and research along with my
new hardware to a very intelligent local electronics guru by the name of
David Walters to find out if my idea, wasn’t one of the craziest one that
he has heard, and of course, he found it quite outrageous. All I needed to
ask him was, ‘Do you think this project is do-able?’… Apprehensively, I
received a ‘maybe’.
David was extremely helpful as he directed be to be cautious about
potential feedback from the speakers from the pick-ups as they’re so
close, he so too advised me that I required a 12v power supply for my
devices.
33

Modification to Prototype Design-Weeks 1-3 (Term 2)
After receiving all my hardware, except for my pickups, which were
supposed to be here by now, but seemed to be delayed, even after many
phone calls the business, it was now time to incorporate cut outs for
these pieces into the design. At first, I believed it be the best idea to place
cutout in the front section of my guitar, and place a sheet of plastic over
the top, as if it were just a large scratch plate, however. After the
prototype was produced for that, I though that it would look quite
ridiculous and also be impractical.
So, I was back at the drawing board again.
This time, I decided that the best option and way to hide this hardware
was in the back. So, moved the perfectly fitted holes for the devices from
the front of the guitar, to the back. This time, added channels in-between
the cut outs, so that wires can be run to connect everything together
when it comes time.
Another feature that I discussed with Mr White was how to hide the
hardware in the back, and he recommended to me that a piece of black
Perspex would do the job. So, I set a 5mm offset in from the boundary of
the guitar shape, then stepped it down 5m in the inside so that I could
flush mount that Perspex.
34

Modification to Prototype Design-Weeks 1-3 (Term 2)
Next, I had to draw the plate, as a 2D shape. The best part of CAD is the
fact that I can make this plate a precise match to the cutout I have for it.
All I had to do was copy the interal shape and fill it in, to make it solid,
then save it as an STL file that can opened in Corel Draw, which controls
the Plasma Cutter at school.
After importing the file into Corel Draw, and setting up the plasma cutter
with assistance from expert machines guru at the school Mr Miller, I was
able to produce a physical plate that would fit directly into the guitar
shape.
However, it didn’t, for several different reasons… The ball-nose cutter on
the CNC router wouldn’t cut fine enough for the plate to fit in.
The file used had many flat faces on it and wasn’t perfectly round, which
didn’t contribute to the plate fitting in the guitar.
So, I changed the cutter from a rounded ball-nose cutter to a flat, end mill
cutter, which would produce a much better finish.
35

Continuation of Physical Prototype – Week 3 (Term 2)
As previously stated above, I was having machining errors with the lining
up of sides, and I believe a way to avoid this in the future is to remove the
suction vacuum table and replace it with a much lower tech, but much
more reliable source of holding the block of wood in place. Clamps. Plain
and simple. This way, I can ensure that the block of wood remains square
and is in exactly the same position when it is flipped over. This is
extremely crucial as it is directly relatable to the problem of
misalignment.
With these new clamps installed on the machine ‘bed’, it was now time
test out if this solved my misalignment problem. As well as this, these
clamps would hold the block much firmer to the machine, which is what
is required. As well as new clamps, a new drill bit was used in the router.
Mr white believed that an end mill, which has a flat bottom would make
for a finer finish on my guitar.
36

With errors with machining continuing as demonstrated with the
pictures, I was still dumbfounded as to why we were getting miss-alignment.
So to try and avert this problem, I stopped the machining
process and moved the block further towards the back. Then started it
again until it had completed a run from back and forth, to measure
whereabouts the program position was relative to the centre of the
block. It was out by just 2mm still. So I moved it, rechecked, and it was
good to go. Or, so I thought…
Once the top half of the block was machined, it was now time to flip it
over. To make sure I flipped it over in the correct spot, I drilled a hole in
the very corner of where the CNC router had gone, so that when I would
start cutting out the underside, I would be able to see whereabouts the
router starts, relative to the hole that had be drilled through. Which is
where it should start.
When the machine had finished its cut some hours later, I returned to see
that it appeared to turn out extremely well…. However, upon pulling the
block out of the machine, I was quick to notice that it still was misaligned.
This issue was extremely frustrating, as I really wanted to get this
complete but I so too believe that that was a quality cut otherwise.
37

Disregarding the guitar isn’t aligned, if I were to evaluate the overall
elements of the cut, I was say that this cut, considering the last ones, is
an extremely high quality product that has everything incorporated well
throughout. The accuracy and precision of the cut is phenomenal, with
the use of a flat-bottomed drill piece, it has removed any unwanted
material that the round bottom one had left behind, this was an
instrumental breakthrough as it allowed for the guitar plate assembly to
get driven into action.
This cut was so accurate; it even sored the square facets that were on the
Google Sketchup. This is great because it tells me two things. This
machine is absolutely amazing, the level of detain is unbelievable. But it
so too tells me that the guitar can no longer be drawn in Google Sketchup
as the shape is too complicated for it to process. Whilst this proved to be
another huge set back, it allowed for me to reflect, evaluate and analyse
my process and decide whether I wanted to settle with a second class
product, or work hard at producing the best product possible.
38

Continuation of Physical Prototype – Week 4-6 (Term 2)
After a near miss on the last model, it was again back to the drawing
board to continue the development. It was a much needed task to
redesign the layout of my guitar and where certain objects were to
reside. The old layout, wasted space and didn't’t provide for a an effective
utilisation of the area, and it was chaos in order for wiring to occur as
well. With a ‘sharpie’, the evaluation and analysis of the original design
was done, and better way to use the space were crafted with the aid of
Mr Miller and Mr White.
It was time to modify the changes we made on CREO Parametric, which
was a new drawing program that was introduced to me by F1 in Schools
Students at school. This program was easy to use, however very advanced
in comparison to Google Sketchup. After the changes we made, a new
billet was prepared and the process of machining began again, with
attention needed to be payed to the model position inside the billet.
All in all the the machine process went quite well except at one stage
where the cutter decided to do its own thing and take a direct route
across the guitar body, Luckily, I was there to hit the emergency stop
button and restart the machine. This was easily fixed with some wood,
crafty disk sander work, and some glue.
39

The period of week 6 was spent painting and preparing my guitar and
testing out what kinds of paint works best for achieving the look I was
after. So to fill in the imperfections within the wood, I use an automotive
filler that essentially, when sanded and finished, gave a plastic feel, which
is what I was after. After the filler was sanded down and flush with the
body of the guitar. It was now time to test on the previous guitars that
I've made.
Using a ‘Filler Primer’, ‘Primer’ and an automotive ‘surface primer'. I
applied 3 even coats to each model, and once dry gave them a light sand.
Following a light sand, it was clear that the spray putty was the best paint
as it sealed the guitar and removed any wood grain texture. This process
was extremely time consuming, however, it was necessary to provide the
best results come painting time.
40

Continuation of Physical Prototype – Week 7-8 (Term 2)
After I got my guitar prepared for a colour coat of paint with the
previously selected spray putty. I got in contact with David Walters again
as I required some assistance with a switch, David was more than happy
to help out. He explained to me the concept of an electrical switch and
how they operate, with a somewhat confusing diagram that I eventually
figured out.
This step was imperative as it allowed my guitar to look ‘stock’, with
adding a certain twist to the operation of the switch. Initially, the switch,
which I pulled from an old guitar was used to change between pickups,
however, I was going to use this switch to change between devices within
the guitar.
So, after hours and hours, playing around with the guitar battery
attached to the switch, and my version of a continuity tester, a light globe
with two wires attached, I finally figured out what devices could attach to
what part of the switch. The pointy and of the project was starting to
bear its head, as the electronics are beginning to really test my mind, but
the challenge and the constant struggle is a thrill
41

Continuation of Physical Prototype – Week 9 + Holidays (Term 2)
Mock Assembly Time!
After paint was complete it was time to mock assemble the guitar and
the elements required for it. To start with, installing the heat sink to the
amplifier, as all amplifiers tend to lose a significant amount of energy in
heat, which was learned through year 12 physics. To do this, I attached a
piece of heat sink with screws and used a mini angle grinder to cut it
down to size. Once it was cut to size, I simple attached a grinding dick and
smoothed off the metal, followed by a file.
Then I added all the elements required to be screwed to the top surface ,
such as speakers, pickups, switches, etc. To do this, many new holes were
drilled with measurements taken so that the correct holes could be
adjusted on the CAD version.
A problem that was very noticeable was the alignment of the bridge,
which is where the strings essentially start. It was clear that he bridge
wasn’t square with the neck, which would result in strings not being ‘in
situ’ when it comes time to ‘string up’ the guitar. So I added a small
depression, 1.5mm to be exact, of the size of the bridge so it would sit
perfectly
42

Continuation of Physical Prototype – Week 1-2(Term 3)
Again, it was time to rip up some hoop pine on the table saw, with the
assistance of Mr White. This time to ensure a quality join of the wood, I
put the wood through the thicknesser and ensured a flat, smooth surface,
which the pieces of wood could be glued together well. This process took
some time.
Following the cleaning of the wood surfaces, I lay the board flat on a table
and align them without glue to see how they fit together, which was
perfectly . So, I applied a generous amount of glue to the wood and began
to stack the billet together. Then, I placed the glued billet in the sash
clamps, and tightened them evenly so that a quality block was achieved.
Now it was time to begin the machining process, however, there was a
slight issue. The machine would operate. This was a poor timing for a
machine to break down. So Mr White and l phoned Denford and enquired
with them on how to ratify the problem, however, they didn't’t have any
idea, so, we had to wait for them to get in contact with the head office
which, of course, was in the UK, and weren't able to get any information
out of them until the next day, due to the time zone shift.
43

Continuation of Physical Prototype – Week 1-2(Term 3)
When an answer was finally deliberated, we were asked to perform
radical maintenance on the machine, via phone instruction. We were
asked to check several leads and circuits with a continuity test, however
nothing seemed to be the matter, then we were asked to pull the
motherboard out of the machine and swap it with another smaller
machine that we had at school, however, after hours of swapping them
over, Mr white and I still could solve the problem The technical assistant
at Denford, would need to contact head office again to enquire further.
This would continue to delay production.
Finally, the next day we received an answer with possible merit. The
emergency stop switch had somehow broke, and was stuck on ‘stop’,
regardless of its physical position. So, as it happens, an electrician was in
the right place at the right time, changing lights at school, so Mr White
and I asked if he could help. Under instruction over the phone from
Denford’s technical assistant, he placed a temporary bridge over the
emergency stop so that the machine can continue with the machine to be
fixed at a later date.
I could now finally begin machining after a week of delays that were not
needed, nor allowed for in the time schedule that I had been workinf so
diligently to.
44

Week three of term three, saw again, more trouble, with the theft of my
guitar neck, which proved to be a massive inconvenience, time and
money wise. This meant I needed a new neck, and fast. So I jumped
straight onto ‘Gumtree’, to find a guitar in my area that I could pickup nice
an cheaply, asap. I ended up finding an old Ibanez, which I managed to
pick up for dirt cheap at $50, which even came with a guitar case; bonus!
After the ‘high’ of a good bargain, I low wasn’t far away. The neck didn’t
fit, it had a small taper and wasn’t the same length as the previous neck
that I had designed my guitar around. Due to acoustics, the 12th fret of
the guitar neck, must sit exactly in-between where the guitar strings
resonate, and of course, this neck didn’t fit acoustically, so I had to move
the bride 40mm closer to the neck hole to ensure that it would work, and
resonate as it should. I thought this could be fixed by just removing
material, and having the bridge cover it up, but after reconsideration I
realized that I would still have to change the neck, and also, my
perfectionistic nature advised me against the move.
This Perfectionistic nature advised me against the move.
meant, a re design, again!
45

Luckily I created 2 billets at the last stage so that I could quickly make the
much needed changes and machine my final guitar! ASAP I went through
the machining process for one final time and watched eagerly for the
guitar to have finished cutting.
Without any further adue, I was quick to begin sanding and patching any
impurities in the wood so that paint work could begin! So after I had
filled, I sanded, then sanded, and again, sanded a little more till I was
happy with the guitar. After the sanding was complete, I applied 3 light
coats of ‘Primer Filler’ to the guitar, then sanded the paint back once dry.
To finish, I filled a few more small imperfections and gave the guitar 2
more coats of ‘Primer Filler’. Things were starting to look up now and the
final product was in sight.
46

After getting a quality finish on the primer after a light sand with some
1500 ‘wet n dry’ sand paper, I added 2 coats ‘surface primer’ to allow for
the red to sick really well to the guitar body. As the name suggest the
surface primer is designed to allow a top coat to stich chemically well to
the other paint if applied within a certain time period, which in this case
was after 12hr and before 72.
After purchasing the ‘cherry red’ paint, I quickly set about getting some
colour on the guitar, as time was of the essence. So I added 1 part of
thinners to every 4 parts of red, which would give me a nice consistency
and flow out of the spray gun.
After mixing paint, I set my air compressor pressure gauge to 30 psi at the
gun, which is effectively the pressure of the air, after its been through the
hose. Initially, I was extremely happy with the first coat, so I applied
another light coat ,within the hour as directed, then let it to cure for 6
hours. The next day, I recoated the body 2 more time, each time 6 hrs
apart. One final inspection, I noticed that the air gauge that I had set was
no longer 30 psi at the gun, it was at 45psi. Which gave me some slight
dimples in the paint work, however, the was overcome with some cutting
polish and a buffer wheel.
47

I decided that a plain red guitar, simply doesn’t suit this project as it is
quite the opposite of plain. So, I contacted a local artist who is showed
some photos to of what I would like done on guitar. I gave them specific
instructions that I only wanted something small that would hint to the
potential buy that this product is not your average guitar.
Once receiving the guitar back I was more than happy with the result, it
was exactly as I asked and was of perfect size. So, to protect the art, I
applied a clear polyurethane coat to the guitar to protect the final coat.
48

This week was by far the biggest week that was involved in the entire
project. With the entire electronics to go in and the product to be
assembled. The pressure of my research and testing was now going to be
extremely crucial to get this to work. To start with, I installed all of the
hardware to the body, and then began to asses how this was going to be
wired up. So, what I did was a drew up a schematic and a wiring diagram
to assist me to put this thing together. So in order to do that, I again
sourced the assistance an knowledge of David Walters to assist me with a
few questions that I had before I started.
Ever since the purchase of the Wireless Guitar System, I’ve known about
adding 12v to it, as it was designed to run on a single battery which is
powered at 1.5 volts could do some pretty serious damage. So I asked
David where I could find a voltage regulator, and he told me that he could
make me one in about 10 mins. So with a circuit board, 2 LEDS which
draw volts out with the use of OHM’s LAW, (physics knowledge), I was
able to calculate the amount of resistance required so that we could
make a voltage regulator.
For the Bluetooth device, I used the circuit board out of a usb car
charging adapter, as through not only my basic knowledge of electronics,
as well as testing with a multimeter did I discover it steps down 12v to 5,
which is the power required for and USSB device.
49

Once all my electronics were in order, I made a last minute decision to
add a preamp, to boos the power to all my devices, just in case. So I went
down to the newly opened JAYCAR store and purchased a ‘Pre-champ’ kit,
which was perfect for what I needed, the team were only too kind to help
me out. So, I pot it together with some solder and a set of instructions,
and to test it if it was working as it should, I found myself in the science
block and with the head teacher of science Mr Eddy, an oscilloscope and
a device that produces a sine curve. So I attached that to the audio input
part of the amp, and I attached the output to the oscilloscope to see if it
would work, and yes, it worked great!
All there was to do now was to make room for it in my guitar, using a
mortise drill, as well as a portable handheld belt sander, and install it with
the rest of the components to my guitar.
50

Next I had to simply connect and solder everything together, which
remarkably went extremely smooth.
1. Cut the connecter for the wireless mic to size that it fits in properly
into the slot.
2. Attach the Battery to the switch and ground the negative.
3. Attach power to the Preamp, Amp, 1.5v regulator to the WGS, and
finally the 5v regulator to the Bluetooth.
4. Next I connected the speakers to the amp, and the potentiometer.
5. I then connected the pickups together and wired them in parallel
according to the wiring diagram that came with them.
51

The final step required to finish the product was to create a Perspex back
to fit the designed cut out so that all of he wiring can be hidden behind it.
From the CAD drawing, all else was removed but the surface which the
place were to sit in, therefore I had a face that was exactly the right size I
needed for a piece of Perspex, to cover my electronics. However, it was
not too simple to make that surface a 3D model as it needed to be
completely hollow to do so. So removing all the interior shapes was
needed. Now that I had an outline left, I was able to extrude the shape by
3mm, which was the thickness of the desired material. The to get a file to
get cut on the Laser Cutter, it had to be saved as a DXF and transferred
into Corel-Draw. (the program the laser cutter requires to operate).
As a trial, I used MDF instead of plastic.
Once I had finally cut one and realized that it didn’t quite fit, Mr White
alerted me to the fact that the auto-focused laser. So I tried a gain to cut
another, however it didn’t seem to quite fit either.
Mr White and I began to play around with the scaling of the model until
we found a size that fits perfect, which was time and resource consuming.
Eventually we used the size we liked and cut a piece of Perspex.
All there was left to do was pre-drill screw holes, and holes for volume
control and bluetooth power.
52

Major Designs
53

Major Designs
54

Major Designs
55

Major Designs
56

Final Design
57

Identification And Justification Of Ideas And
Resources
Equipment
58
Quick Grip Clamps- These clamps provide a quick, easy method of
holding things together whilst gluing without sacrificing strength and
functionality. They also provide a simple solution when securing
timber when using tools such as the Domino Machine.
Biscuit Machine-The biscuit machine has the ability to cut precise
cuts in a variety of timber surfaces. It also allows for the depth to be
manually adjusted to suit the product.
Circular Saw- The circular saw provides a neat, straight cut on a
large variety of timbers. It also enables large pieces of timber to be
cut, such as sheets of MDF, that other saws would not be cut. This is
due to the large table that is attached to the saw.
CNC Laser Cutter- This machine allows for the piece to be easily
designed on a computer and then sent to the cutter where the
design is quickly and effectively cut using laser technology.
Drop Saw- This machine allows for long lengths of timber to be cut
precisely. It also has the ability to cut timber on angles; such as the
curved rails. The drop saw was used extensively during the
manufacture process due to its simplicity.
Sash Clamps- Sash clamps are highly effective when large pieces of
timber need to be held tightly and were used during the gluing
process involving the side rails. They are also steady during the
drying time.
Bandsaw- The Band Saw allows for small pieces of timber to be cut
quickly and easily. It also provides a high level of control over the
direction of the cut; something that is especially important when
cutting curves. The bandsaw also has the ability to cut large
thicknesses of timber.
CNC Router- CnC = Computer Numerical Control. a computer
‘controller’ reads g-code or machine language instructions and
drives a tool. The nC (numerical control) program is a detailed set of
step by step instructions that tell the machine which path to follow
and which operations to perform.
Angle Grinder -A device with a rotating abrasive disc, used to grind,
polish, or cut metal and other materials.
Multimeter- an instrument designed to measure electric current,
voltage, and usually resistance, typically over several ranges of
value.
Continuity Tester- A continuity tester is an item of electrical test
equipment used to determine if an electrical path can be established
between two points; that is if an electrical circuit can be made.
Wire Strippers- A tool for removing the insulation from electric
wires.

Identification And Justification Of Ideas And
Resources
Outsourcing
59
Throughout my project, I attempted to do everything myself as it was my HSC project, at times I asked for help from certain
professionals to guide me in the ways, however, there was a few things that were beyond my limits.
• 1.5v Voltage Regulator
I was determined to do this myself, however I was unable to do so as my knowledge and skills in electronics were not great
enough to be able to construct such a necessary and essential device, on which I would heavily rely on for safety. David
Walters of David Walters Electronics assisted me with this.
• Fixing the CNC Router
After many attempts and hours spend, working on the router Mr White and I were not able to get the router working
properly and it was crucial to get it up and running, so to prevent time loss, an expert electrician was used to do the job.
• Guitar Art
Art is certainly not my forteit, I knew that I had to get someone to assist me with this aspect of the guitar, so I lined up local
artist Kate Newton, who painted my guitar for me, quickly and to an extremely high standard.

Portable
Electric Guitar
Project
Evaluation

Survey Results
5
4
3
2
1
Aspects Present in Job
61
In order to successfully complete my product evaluation I distributed a total of 23 surveys to a large variety of people, ranging
from students at school, music students, friends as well as professional local music acts, with varying ages and genders to ensure
that I was addressing all aspects of the potential market. Below, can be seen the results from these surveys.
Feature Evaluation-
In the survey, recipients were questioned on both their rating of various aspects of the product as well as the influence that
certain features will have on their purchasing decisions; each aspect was given a score out of five. Please note that both safety
and cost were not rated in the survey as this would require a cost to be supplied, and long times of testing would need to be
needed. As the provided graph demonstrates the overall influences that mainly affect the decisions are functionality, cost and
sound. Throughout the survey, results demonstrates that the guitar looked aesthetically pleasing, whilst the sound lacked in
quality a little bit. This can be due to the sensitivity of the speakers.
0
Funtionality Aesthetics Sound
Average
5
4
3
2
1
0
Purchasing Influences
Funtionality Safety Aesthetics Sound Cost
Average

Survey Results
62
Survey Range
The survey was handed out to 23 different, and random people. This is
essential as it creates a broader, more diverse and accurate set of results
when I comes to what works, what has been successful and what hasn’t.
It was crucial to ask of the survey recipient their musical ability and
musical interest as it would allow me to gain greater insight to what
various levels of musicians think of the product.
Analysing the survey results it is apparent that all people surveyed have
some interest in music, with over 20% of people who play the guitar.
musicians are crucial as well as they provide a musical insight into what it
sounds like, as they have a musical knowledge and background as well,
regardless of their specific interests.
Most people who were interviewed play music for fun, which is a
representation of the musical community. It was essential to survey
professionals and their opinions as they have the most knowledge about
music and their opinions are most valued.
120.00%
100.00%
80.00%
60.00%
40.00%
20.00%
0.00%
Musician Guitarist Music Fan Guitar
Enthiusist
None
Musical Interests
Musical Ability
None
Begginer
Play for fun
Professional

Survey Results
63
Price Evaluation-
Recipients were also asked to select an option based on the amount that
they would be willing to pay for the product. Basically what was done was
an average of all of the total price people who completed the survey
would pay. This figure ranged from$500, to $2500. To be honest, I thing
that the average price was a little higher than expected, however, looking
at regular guitar prices on the market, this is a reasonable price to pay for
a unique product.
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Average Price
ı$
Price
Have you ever noticed a similar
product?
Yes
No
Comparison Of Existing Products-
The survey also analysed how the product compared to the recipients existing product (if
applicable) and found that 100% of people have never noticed a similar product. This
suggests that the product would have the ability to be successful in the market.

Aesthetics
1. Is the finished product aesthetically pleasing?
According to the survey results, as well as public comments and
personal review, I believe it is easy to say that the product is
aesthetically pleasing and not only is of market quality, but so too
has a unique look to it that separates it from existing market
products. Thus, the product is aesthetically pleasing.
2. Does the final product meet market quality finishing?
As previously stated comments were specifically made on the
returned surveys about the finish quality of the guitar, and with my
perfectionistic nature, I believe that the product does meant market
standards and is the best possible product that I could have
produced.
Function
1. Does the final product produce sound from the speaker?
Yes. The product does produces noise from the speakers, however,
due to the sensitivity of the speakers and the pre-amp that was
installed the volume has to be turned town on the volume control.
Yes, it does produce a sound, and it produces a sound that I'm very
satisfied with.
2. Is the final product able to connect wirelessly to existing sound
systems?
Yes. The product does connect wirelessly to existing sound
systems through both the Wireless Guitar System, as well as the
Bluetooth dongle. Having stated that, according to the returned
surveys, the Bluetooth, is ‘fiddly’ . However, I've personally never
had a problem with it.
3. Is the shape (body) of the guitar comfortable to play?
The shape molds around your arm and sits comfortably in the
players body contours, it provides for a comfortable playing
experience.
Safety
1. Is the product safe?
During assembly, I took several steps to ensure that the product
was safe and it wouldn’t electrocute or injure anyone. The
installation of the voltage regulators were crucial steps to provide a
safe and professional product that wouldn't’t hurt or injure any
user.
Cost
1. Is the final product cost effective and a viable purchase for the target
64
market?
Yes, the final product was reasonably cheap to make considering prototypes
are using very expensive to make. Having stated that, the product would be
more cost effective if produced in a greater number.

Final Evaluation
65
The design brief has been successfully met as can be seen by the survey results and the criteria to
evaluate success. In conclusion, the product could be sold for approximately $1200 based on an
average from the survey recipients Marketing should also be established to target the objective
market of musicians of all skill levels.
What worked well?
Many elements worked well, however, I am most satisfied with the Wireless Guitar System that
has been incorporated into the body of the guitar. The use of CNC machining I believe was
essential to producing this product as it is not only the most accurate, but most versatile and
flexible. Without it, I would have been capable of producing such a product!
What would be changed if it were to be done again?
If I were to redue the guitar, I would most certainly begin with using a sophisticated drawing
program such as Creo Parametric. The drawing program is essential to producing a quality guitar.
Another element that I would change would be the speakers. I would purchase speakers that
weren't so sensitive to sounds, this would allow for a better range of volume control without
feedback.
Overall, I'm extremely satisfied with the product and the way it has turned out! I personally
couldn’t have done a better job, and I'm ecstatic with the end result.

Portable
Electric Guitar
Appendix

Appendix
67
Type
Bibliography
Name Source
Video Doc Physics - Electric Guitar Pickup Coil to Amplifier to
Speaker Voice Coil Theory
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-colsdWF4-s
WWW Types Of Electric Guitars – Solid Body http://www.guitarcommand.com/types-of-electric-guitars/
WWW Panaray® 402® Series II http://worldwide.bose.com/pro/en_us/web/panaray_402_series2_lo
udspeaker/page.html
WWW Guitar construction http://www.berketaguitars.com/construction.html
WWW Hand-Made Guitars http://www.glennbirdguitars.com.au/hand-made.php
Video CNC Guitar, Australian Made Guitars, Acoustic Electric
Guitar Maker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLNeA1oUCGc
WWW Bluetooth Dongle http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=AA2085
WWW eBay www.ebay,com.au

Appendix
68

Appendix
69

Appendix
70

11TH February 2014

Lander’s Music
286 Summer St,
Orange, NSW, 2800

If you feel the need to contact me (Lachie van Dartel) , my teacher (Mr Nigel White)
or the school Principal ( Mr Andrew Jones) , please contact the school on: 6882 4655

SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL D&T PROJECT

Dear Mr Lander,

I am writing to you regarding support for a school Design & Technology project. I am
constructing an innovative electric guitar that is very different from the everyday standard
and I intend on researching, designing and developing a working prototype that allows
guitarists’ to play the electric guitar, remotely (without the need of an amplifier), with the
option to connect, through radio frequency technology, to existing sound systems. The
guitar must be extremely portable, and ready to play, as soon as it’s picked up.
Constructing a guitar from scratch is a very time and money consuming process, it would
really ease the project financially if you were able to fund the parts required for an electric
guitar. I would greatly appreciate any contribution you can make, however, if you are unable
to make a contribution that is most understandable. Should you decide to fund this project, I
can guarantee your business logo will be displayed dominantly on the prototype; media
publicity along with your very own final prototype.

Yours sincerely,

Lachlan van Dartel Andrew Jones
School Captain Principal
Dubbo College Senior Campus Dubbo College Senior Campus

Appendix
71

Design and tech portfolio

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