Introduction: The Electric Kickamastick

About: My name is Randy and I am a Community Manager in these here parts. In a previous life I had founded and run the Instructables Design Studio (RIP) @ Autodesk's Pier 9 Technology Center. I'm also the author of t…

The kickamastick is an instrument made from a 45.5" section of aluminum shower rod with a jagged end (having been cut with a hacksaw from a 6' section). Keeping the jagged end away from the floor, a player strikes the kickamastick with their foot allowing the kickamastick to acoustically resonate and produce an array of interesting sounds. These sounds can be adjusted by the positioning of a players hand over the length of the instrument, the tension of a player's grip and how the instrument is stricken by the player's foot. Through the combination of these factors, the kickamastick has been proven a dynamic droning percussive instrument.

I have been playing this Instrument for many months during computer breaks while at work. During this time I have come to the conclusion that the kickamastick, albeit already fantastic, truly needs to be amplified. I set out to correct this problem and I am proud to present to you the world's first electric kickamastick.

Check out the SONIC SOUND SAMPLE!

Step 1: Go Get Stuff

You will need:

- A 45.5" section of aluminum shower rod poorly cut from the end of a 6' pole by means of a hacksaw.
- A Cube World video game
- Double-Sided tape
- A mono audio jack (1/8" or 1/4" depending on what you're ultimately jacking into)
- Some wire
- Electrical tape
- A soldering setup
- Diagonal cutters
- A mini phillips screwdriver
- A 1/8" or 1/4" audio cable
- An amp or audio recorder
- One hand and preferably two feet

Step 2:

Open your otherwise useless Cube World video gaming system. Locate the piezo element and cut it out with your diagonal cutters leaving as much wire attached to it as possible.

Do what you want with the rest.

There is a nice tilt switch and junk in there that might be good for other projects.

Step 3: Solder

Solder the grey wire from the piezo to the ground terminal on the jack and the white wire to the audio terminal on the jack.

Cover the solder joints in electrical tape when you are done.

Step 4: Attach

Using double-sides tape, affix the piezo element to the top jagged edge of your kickamastick.

Attach it in such a way that about 1/4" of the piezo is sticking off the top. You can also try playing around with different placements of the piezo to see if you get a better sound.

Step 5: Lock and Load

Plug in your electric kickamastick to your amp or sound recorder and get kickin'

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