Introduction: Make an Old Timey Sounding Microphone for Free to $5

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In this instructable I'm going to show you how to make an old timey sounding microphone that will plug into a guitar amp or something with a similar plug (1/4" phono plug).

Step 1: What You Need

-1/4" Female phono connector (guitar jack, whatever you want to call it)
-Soda can
-Piezoelectric buzzer, mine is quite large and came from a telephone ringer
-Some wire, both stranded type (if your leads from the piezo element aren't long enough) and safety wire (if you want a super ghetto attachment system like me)

Step 2: Connect the Leads

I was lucky, the leads from my piezoelectric thingy were long enough to reach from one end of the soda can to the other. It yours do not, solder on some more wire to extend them.

Now, connect the black lead to the part of the 1/4" phono jack that is like a ring; the ground. Next connect the red one on to the part that connects to the J looking thing; the positive.

You should end up with something looking like this \/

Step 3: Removing the "lid" Off the Can.

Now we need to take the top out of the can, you can do this by cutting but I'll be highlighting the cool kid way.

The way I did it was to sand lip on the drinking side on a belt sander until the "lid" relased. If you don't have a belt sander, well, figure something out, it's not to hard.

Step 4: Cut a Hole in the "lid"

Now we need to cut a hole in the lid for the piezo element to stick through.

I traced out my buzzer first, then started a cut with a dremel, but then I got lazy and just ripped it from there (beast, I know). I of course cleaned up the jagged rip marks with a sanding bit.

Then test fit! Cool, it fits!

Step 5: Put a Hole in It.

You could probably just smash a hole through, but either way, I drilled a hole in the bottom for my jack to screw into.

Then just put the jack through, and screw on the nut, good and tight!

Step 6: Affix the Piezo and Top, Ish.

Well, I sorta half assed this section. I just melted some bits of the case to try and make it to big to come out. So far its worked, I was just to lazy to break out the hot glue, and the soldering iron was handy.

Now to attach the top, I just got four holes in the top and soda can (so that they sorta match up) then strung safety wire through the holes and twisted, and such. It looks ultra ghetto, and kind've cool.

Step 7: Mounting?

Alright! At this point it should be all together and working when you hold it in you hand. But you're a multi talented one man band, you can't hold it! You need a stand.

Easy, just poke a hole in a side that's smaller than the threads on your mic stand (when it has the mic clip part unscrewed off of it). Then it should thread on, ish.

Step 8: Done!

Now it's time to rock out! Oh wait, you get tons of feedback? Try putting a piece of tape over the hole in the end, it gets rid of alot of feedback. Then rock out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2_VWkbc1PA