SG Controller Modifications

**dgendreau** · Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 19

What mods have some of you done to your SG controller, Cosmetic or otherwise?

Mine are all technical so far...

Quiet mods:
I felt that my SG was too noisy, so I set out to remedy that.
I like to use electrical tape for these because its thick and pads well.

I quieted the strum bar by oiling the hinge. I also removed the clickers from inside the strum switches. I wont post the details of that until I have photos to show. Its tricky. I also shortened the plastic piece that the strum board mounts on by about 1/8" to tighten the strum action.

To reduce the fret button chattering, I put a thin layer petroleum jelly around the sides of the colored button caps where they slide in the fret holes. Finally, I put a layer of electrical tape across the backs of the plastic fret buttons. You have to cut a slot in the tape between the buttons, but not all the way to either edge of the tape. Leave 1/8" attached at either edge. If the slots are too small, the tape is too tight and you may get false actuations of adjacent buttons or buttons between chords while it wears in. They should feel a little more springy and sound a lot quieter.

Wireless Mod:

I have done this twice now. I bought a $15 mini wireless controller and retrofitted it into my SG. I hid a low profile power switch on the back of the neck closest to the body of the guitar. I still havent come up with a battery solution yet, so I have to open the case to recharge the NiMH AAs every 2-3 weeks.

The cool thing is without wires, I can now do shoulder throws and it even activates star power! Heh!

I'll try to put up some photos when I get time.

-Dan G.

**Genga** · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 2474 Location: Glasgow, Scotland

**Fly1ngV** · Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 5:39 pm Post subject:

dude, i can do shoulder throws without it even being wireless....it's a little risky, but it's still sweet. i've also done a spin while doing a shoulder throw....it's hard to get right, but it's still fun.

**Psychohostile** · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 5

i want to take out the clickers, as it wakes my girlfriend up all night, but i don't know much about about circut boards. please put the pics up and explain. all i've done so far was oil the whammy bar, as it squeeked.....a lot.

**eachann** · Joined: 09 May 2006 Posts: 1340 Location: Michigan

The main thing I'd like to do is make a controller that is the size of an actual guitar instead of the 2/3 size guitar that comes with the game. I don't really know how to do it though... for now just keeping my eyes open for a toy guitar or something when I happen to be out shopping for whatever... not sure how else to get materials for such a mod.
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**krimsunmunkeys** · Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 11:04 pm Post subject:

The only thing I've done (since I'm too scared of breaking the controller) is to create a (lame) anti-restrum mod. I had too many accidents with strumming, letting go, and letting the strum bar activate on its way back. Basically, I just added pieces of paper folded 3 or 4 times to both sides of the strum bar, in the cracks between the bar and the rest of the guitar. It worked, but required more effort to strum, and it became hell with songs like The Breaking Wheel. I don't use it now, but it may help others.

**shutendoji** · Joined: 06 Apr 2006 Posts: 658 Location: Earth

**HylianHero** · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 4673 Location: Santa Cruz, CA

**Genga** · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 2474 Location: Glasgow, Scotland

Ive tried it

I stand over the wire so the wire trails behind me, and I flip it down and round so it ends up over my shoulder, the wires back in front and i carry on rockin

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**DarkCalx** · Joined: 13 Mar 2006 Posts: 672 Location: Wilmington, Oh

im suprised i havent seen anyone (somehow) attach the SG to a belt buckle for some ZZ Top spining action. that would tottaly rock
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**Phr34k** · Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 3:57 am Post subject:

HAHA I've seen ZZ Top live...and they did that XD
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**monoxidehektik** · Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 4

**HylianHero** · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 4673 Location: Santa Cruz, CA

You know...theoretically, it wouldn't be too hard to do. Well, if you don't mind having that belt permanently having the controller attached to it.

Just kinda melt the plastic over it. Either that, or you could cut two slits in the back of the controller and just weave the belt through.
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**RandomJebus** · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 101

You could do that, or do what the one guy did in another thread, where he put the strap attachment on the back of the guitar, and then just cut or stretch a weaved belt. Then you just need to pop it over the strap holder, and it should stay.
I already tried to attach the guitar to a belt in a similar way, but I didn't move the strap holder, and you can't spin it ZZ Top style.
I took a belt and ran it through the belt loops of a pair of pants, but did not complete the attachment (it's not tightened). So I have the metal part of the belt on my left side of my fly, and the other end dangling down on the right side. (if the naked end is too long, run it back through the last loop a 2nd time if possible) The metal part was the right size to snap over the strap attachment near the neck of the SG, and it holds tight. I then took the other end of the belt, and used some scissor action to cut a hole to pop around the other strap attachment.
It worked fairly well, but my pants practically fell down because the belt wasn't fastened, and the guitar was pulling them down.

**jbird78** · Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 3

It felt a little short to me, probably because I'm 6'2" 240, so I added about a six inch length of towel with packing tape. My wife thinks that I'm a total loser.