Introduction: Rock Band Instrument Repairs and Modifications
The Rock Band (and Guitar Hero) instruments for the school video game club get used a lot, and we've had some casualties. Here are some quick and cheap fixes and modifications we've done.
Edit: Here's another Instructable on repairing the strum bar for a Rock Band guitar.
Step 1: Whammy Bar Not Springy?
A common issue with the guitars is the whammy bar spring mechanism breaking. Someone came up with the idea of wrapping an elastic band around the strap peg and around the whammy bar. The strap still fits on, and the tension ca be adjusted by winding the elastic more or less.
Step 2: Broken Kick Drum Pedal? Kit Sliding Across the Floor?
We broke our first drum pedal yesterday, so I jigsawed a top plate out of a thin piece of wood and screwed it above and below the break. Make sure the grain of the wood is perpendicular to the break.
As well, the kit had been sliding across the linoleum floor, a mouse pad (neoprene side down) under each of the corners helped with that. Of course you can also just play with your other foot (the one not playing the pedal) on the corner.
Step 3: Drum Pads Too Noisy, or Getting Worn Out?
We cut circles out of old mouse pads and stuck them to the drum pads. Makes them quieter, and doesn't seem to affect playing. The red one (far left) is getting a little worn already, but we have a stack of old mouse pads.
There's also a mono headphone splitter that the kick pedal is plugged into for when we hook up a second pedal. It does work, but only one pedal can be down at a time.
Not shown is the broken Guitar Hero World Tour drum stick that we repaired by wrapping tape around.
10 Comments
14 years ago on Introduction
When my whammy broke I used one of my daughters hair bands on the inside of the guitar and it's less visible and much more durable than a rubber band as they are much thicker. :)
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
yeah ima try that too....but first i need a daughter
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
I have a few daughters, so there's no shortage of hair bands around my house :)
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Good idea, I'll have to try that.
14 years ago on Introduction
how about a star power stomp box
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Yeah, I even have a foot switch all ready for that, just haven't gotten around to it. I don't think I'm motivated enough to make it look like a stomp box though...
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
well then you get around to it id love to see my friends rock band guitar starpower doesn't work
14 years ago on Introduction
hey the mic i got with my rock band wouldnt register so i called the number they sent me a new one. any ideas on what i could do with the old one? to fix it maybe or to make somethin with it.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
The mic is basically two parts: the mic itself and the little analogue to digital converter. If you plug the USB end into a computer and it is recognized as an audio input device, then the converter is probably okay and you can do something like this or just solder in a connection to use a different mic with that converter.
If the converter is bad but the mic is good, you can solder a 3.5 mm male end on it, and plug it into your computer sound card as a microphone. Or else solder on a 2.5 mm end and plug it into your xbox controller.
14 years ago on Introduction
I think I'll try this on my drum kit...