Have you ever dreamed of having your own soundproof studio? Are you willing to invest a little time and effort to make it happen? Here’s how.
This excellent article from our friends at Instructables lays out the details. Included are recommendations, explanations, and even some diagrams to clearly convey what the author means to say. With any project like this, it’s important to have enough details to do it right, without so many you get lost in the preparation. Two thumbs up on this one.
I’ll admit I’m intrigued and sorely tempted. We have a small outbuilding that I’ve long considered converting, in whole or part, to a practice room. I’m bookmarking this article so I can come back to it when time and weather permit starting a new project. Maybe, just maybe… 
Have you done this? If so, what are your thoughts? Any “gotchas” are good to know before they surface, so post a comment or drop us a line!
All the best,
Mark
Related Articles:
Some Part-Time Musicians (PTMs) have the goal to pick up a new instrument, or perhaps to learn new things with an instrument they already know and love. Some folks can’t stop at that. They must know how to build one. 
Neither obsession is the “right” obsession for everyone, and they certainly aren’t mutually exclusive. If you are “that kind of person”, this article may scratch an itch you didn’t even know you had. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Some time ago, our friends at Instructables posted an article showing how to make your own guitar pickups. We had intended to run this shortly after our feature on replacing your guitar’s pickups, but other topics pushed it aside. No longer! Even if you aren’t inclined to tinker, this is fascinating stuff.
The Bottom Line
You can make your own guitar pickups for less than $10 each, but the real benefits to doing so don’t start or end at price. If you want to design your own, learn about the inner workings of your axe, or just inspire awe and envy among your gearhead friends (!), this project is a great way to do it. Enjoy!
All the best,
Mark
Disclaimer: Any destruction or improvements you manage to cause are your responsibility. Take full credit or blame for them yourself! If you’d like to share a cautionary tale or words of encouragement, though, feel free to drop us a line. We’d love to hear from you!
Related Articles:
Yesterday’s article was very positively received, and for good reason: it demonstrated that it’s possible to have fun building a fine stringed instrument…even if the resultant instrument doesn’t look all that fine. 
This article – actually a wonderfully extensive series of articles – was briefly mentioned in the introduction to yesterday’s linked posting, and I wanted to share it as well. For those of you who have been bitten HARD by the lutherie bug and have moved far beyond the tinkerer stage into serious instrument building, this is for you. Even if you have no intentions of building your own exquisite cello, it makes for fascinating reading.
If you were to assign a dollar value to the hours it takes to build a nice instrument, you’d quickly decide that finished versions are relatively inexpensive to buy. This is due to many factors, such as well-trained (and superbly-skilled) craftsmen, dedicated workshops, and exchange rates (in some cases), among other things. But for some exceedingly creative musicians, the thrill of playing an instrument that they themselves made is so far beyond playing a purchased instrument that words just can’t capture the feeling. You know who you are. 
Here at PTM, we’ve discussed homebuilt instruments ranging from gas can banjos to hand-made marimbas, and it’s all good. For those cellists among us who want to create their next instrument with their own loving hands…this one’s for you. Enjoy!
All the best,
Mark
Related Articles:
Tags: beautiful, cello, DIY, do it yourself, fine, homebuilt, homemade, make your own, stringed instrument
Gear, Strings | Mark November 6, 2009 | 
Comments (0)
When we’ve featured hand-made instruments before, I’ll admit I was surprised by the response. I had no idea how many folks enjoy not only playing their instruments, but also making them.
In hindsight, I suppose I should have expected it. I’ve done some basic lutherie, and I have enjoyed the challenges that accompanied each task. Looking at it from the opposite perspective, you’d be surprised at the extent of contraptions from which you can coax pleasant sounds.
This All Things Strings article details the author’s intriguing efforts to build a crude cello from scrap found in his basement. Nothing fancy, nothing pretty. Pure function, pure fun.
If you’re a real instrument geek – and I say that with great admiration – you’ll likely take away some ideas from your first read. You’ll also likely bookmark it. And why not? Antonio Stradivari had to start somewhere, and don’t kid yourself: if he’d had the internet, he would have bookmarked it, too.
All the best,
Mark
Related Articles:
As we’ve said on many occasions, PartTimeMusician.com is run by our family on behalf of the greater Part-Time Musician (PTM) family. We consider this an extension of your trust, and we take it very seriously…even in terms of whom we accept as advertisers.
One of our first PTM advertisers, Roger PetroRoy of Trumpeter’s Ink, is the kind of person you feel privileged to have met. Roger and I struck up more than a “business deal” when I ordered my first Silent Mute Tray; we began a friendship. As much as I love his Mute Tray – and I’ve used several over the years and know of none better – Roger is the icing on the cake: and he’s a member of (your) PTM family!
Roger PetroRoy of Trumpeter's Ink, with the Silent Mute Tray
Roger continues to innovate, developing new “tools and toys” for brass players and providing superior value to those of us on the other end of the transaction. As such, he’s offering FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS between now December 29th! If you’ve been thinking about getting the best mute tray on the market, doing so now can save you some serious jack.
Lest anyone think I might be doing this for selfish reasons, let me set the record straight. Roger does advertise here, but the rate doesn’t change regardless of how many Mute Trays ship to satisfied customers. This notice is strictly to pass along the good news to you and won’t affect my Christmas one bit…just yours and Roger’s. Consider it my gift to you!
Along those lines, if anyone knows of a good deal they’d like to share with the rest of the PTM family, please drop us a line and we’ll pass it along! Hey, we all like a good deal…
Keep playing,
Mark
Related Articles:
