Mechanical Sustainer With Spinning Magnets Project

[rat n' fuzz factory]

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Hello everyone I thought I would share my experiment, amechanical sustainer device proto type. Works with wheel spinning a magnet exciting the strings into vibration.
3D printed, with height adjustment for spinning magnet wheel, with a speed controller for the motor.
Really interesting, not a Gizmo Tron, not an Ebow, not a Fernandes something else again.
See video for sounds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOQSg2GqX_g
This spinning magnet idea came from Koka Nikoleze and Mark Guitierrez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJHwhb99Bzo&t=553s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cn15xneIw8&t=582s

[OffYourFace]

very cool, it's like instant flying saucer attack (the band)

[fuzzjunkie]

That’s interesting but it sounds like there’s a lot of variation and that it occasionally strikes the strings? Or that the strings vibrate so much that they strike the device?

Rather than those small, pill shaped magnets attached to a spinning disc, I would try bar magnets attached to a spinning drum. Something about the size of a lint roller or a little smaller. Alternating the poles of the bar magnets, and having an even number (8 or possibly 12 if depending on drum and magnet size) them equally spaced perpendicular to the strings. (A carbon fiber octagon tube would work for this)

If the bars aren’t a good option, the pill magnets (Neodymium?) could be arranged in a spiral arrangement around the drum. Similar to how the paper wraps around the drum of a paper towel or toilet paper roll. Say 12 magnets in 2 spiral patterns of 6, so that that 2 magnets interact with each string as the drum rotates.

Edit: using the smaller Neodymium magnets you could make the drum concave so it matches the arc of the fretboard and is more closely aligned with the strings.

[rat n' fuzz factory]

Yeah the string gets pulled into the magnet when the width of vibration wide enough. The trick is to ride the speed to control to prevent this happening.
That's an interesting idea and the magnet would be approaching length ways rather than from the side, if that makes sense, so the sound and harmonics maybe different. I think one tiny pill neodymium per string on the bar would work. All my experiments with more than one magnet passing the strings has resulted in nothing, it kind of cancels itself out.

[Plumerai]

That’s interesting but it sounds like there’s a lot of variation and that it occasionally strikes the strings?

I like the random variations & noises.

[fuzzjunkie]

That’s interesting but it sounds like there’s a lot of variation and that it occasionally strikes the strings?

I like the random variations & noises.

It’s an interesting effect for sure. I think what I described would be more consistent and controlled.

[fuzzjunkie]

Yeah the string gets pulled into the magnet when the width of vibration wide enough. The trick is to ride the speed to control to prevent this happening.
That's an interesting idea and the magnet would be approaching length ways rather than from the side, if that makes sense, so the sound and harmonics maybe different. I think one tiny pill neodymium per string on the bar would work. All my experiments with more than one magnet passing the strings has resulted in nothing, it kind of cancels itself out.

That’s what I ended up thinking, that too many magnets would cancel out.

With a single spiral pattern around a cylinder or tube, I think you might actually get a arpeggio effect when the it was spinning slowly and more of a strum when spinning faster, up to a continuous pad at the fastest speed.

[interceptör]

I propose the Nobel prize for Weird'n'Cool be awarded to you, my good sir.

And just in case anyone missed, check out this other project of his: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=127865

BTW, am I seeing things or have you built your workshop into a caravan?

[Shadoweclipse13]

This is cool as hell. I would build one for the noise aspects alone Also, you should post a link somewhere for Simon The Magpie. That dude is all about noise stuff!!

[Unicorn Warrior]

Were you using any effects in the vid or was it purely guitar and strings?

Nevertheless, I want one

[rat n' fuzz factory]

The first few minutes are no effects, it still sounds pretty far out on its own. The rest is going through Pladask Elektrisk Draume, Boss Sy1 , delays and reverbs.

[rat n' fuzz factory]

Yeah the work shop is a caravan. I am living off grid and 12v. Really missing my router and table saw, going to have to get a generator !

[electric__ralph]

I love it. I’m biased in your favor though, I love ambient ethereal haunting guitar tones. The way that some of the overtones fade in and out is very interesting as well; you don’t get that from simply stacking chorus and every effects. And with all the sustain it makes me think of an organ.

I wonder if the design might be really well suited for a lap steel. Mount the mechanism underneath and it’ll be out of the way. Plus slide might go really well with it.

[X-Ray Spex]

This is incredible, is this something you're looking to sell as a product or is it just in the prototype stages ?

[BeardedRainbow]

I would love to own something like this.