Guitar Hero Controller
Fully custom Guitar Hero Controller using 3D printing and lasercut plywood
I took on the project of making a fully custom Guitar Hero controller to challenge myself to make something aesthetically pleasing and functional. I partially fabricated and built it before stopping due to the impracticality of having a 1.2" thick arm, which is too thick to be used comfortably, even though all of the internal mechanisms worked.
Keys
I used Cherry MX size mechanical keyboard switches for the buttons, alongside physical stops to reduce the overall motion of the buttons. Using full-size switches was the main driver for the thickness of the arm.
Strum & Whammy
The mechanism for the strum used two mechanical keys, and the internal springs bias the strum to be centered. For the whammy bar, I used a potentiometer with springs to return to the center position.