Introduction: Guitar Hero Guitar With Built-in Speaker

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Basically, I cracked open a Guitar Hero controller and wondered what I could fit inside. It seemed light so I figured there was lots of room. Sure enough, there was plenty. Originally I planned to put an iPod Shuffle in the neck of the guitar and route a small speaker inside so I could rock out where ever I was, but I ended up just putting in an AUX cord.

Step 1: Remove All Screws...

Use a Torq screwdriver to remove all the black screws holding the top and bottom part of the guitar in place.

Step 2: Find a Spot for Your Speaker to Fit...

Depending on the size and shape of your speaker, finding an area for the speaker to fit could be tricky. I chose a thin, decent sounding speaker that was rechargeable and had an auxiliary out plug for hooking up any kind of MP# player to it. I tried a non powered speaker from Radioshack, but it sounded too tinny and no bass what-so-ever. Scour your resources for a small speaker for an ipod or CD player. I chose the area on the bottom left near the neck.

Step 3: Disassemble the Speaker and Mark the Holes...

Mark on the guitar where the speakers will be playing out of. Also, check to see where the cords will be routing to and where you can bend and twist them to fit around the innards of the guitar.

Step 4: Drill Some Holes...

Drill some small holes for where the sound will be emerging from. At first I thought cutting a small square would work, but I was using a circular dremel and it wasn't panning out so well. Holes are better for looks anyways. :)

Step 5: Foam It Up...

Use some foam or styrofoam to fill and cover up the speaker so it wont move around when you put everything back together. Also, cut the foam to make room for the speakers.

Step 6: Put It All Back Together...

Place some foam all around the speaker so it won't move when you are carefully putting the top and bottom pieces together. I made a rivet on either sides of this USB cable that charges the rechargeable battery on my speaker. I removed the, what looked to be like a modem, and moved it further back inside the guitar in case I need it later. You can also use this small space for the AUX cord to come out of.

Step 7: Routing an AUX Cord...

For mine, I used the dremel to carve out a half circle on the edge of the guitar for the cord to come out of. It fits perfectly and doesn't move at all. If you done have a dremel, a metal file will do fine for the small notch.

Step 8: ROCK OUT!

Now you can keep the iPod or MP3 player of your choice with some acoustic music to string along to. Maybe some Led Zepplin? Ozzy? AC/DC? Anyways, you can take it from here. Mod it up!

PS Yes, I'll be needing an USB extension cable to charge the speaker in this particular setup.