DIY Sustainer
Introduction
Sustainer is cool little device originally designed by Fernandes®. It works opposite from "normal" guitar pickup. Basically, active circuit amplifies signal from bridge pickup and sends it to driver which generates magnetic field causing strings to vibrate infinitely. Driver replaces neck pickup on guitar which limits guitar tonal variations in one way but gives completely new possibilities. Signal flow with the sustainer is pickup -> amplifier -> driver where driver replaces a speaker. Speaker cone movement is replaced by magnetic field generated around the driver.
This photo shows Fernandes Sustainer kit which is cool but very expensive (above 200$). Fortunately, great guys from Project Guitar Forum (most of all Pete/psw and Col) developed DIY friendly project that costs much less than original but still sounds good. Also, I’d like to thank PSW Pete for sending me 0.2mm wire all the way from Australia at no cost.
Cost to build
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Bill of materials
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0.2mm wire
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1€
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Plastic pickup cover
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2€
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LM386 power amp
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0.5€
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DIL8 IC socket
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0.2€
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2x 100K trimmer
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0.5€
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1K trimmer
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0.25€
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Resistors: 1M, 1.5K, 68K
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0.1€
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Caps: 22n, 100nF, 22uF, 100uF, 220uF
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0.5€
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JFET J201
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0.2€
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SPST toggle switch
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0.5€
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DPDT toggle switch
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0.5€
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Board material, wire, battery clip
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1€
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Total
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7.25€
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If you do not have some old pickup to use for about 10€ you can order single coil pickup kit and pickup cover, StewMac carries both items.
Construction
I decided to go with Fetzer/Ruby amplifier that will drive the sustainer. It’s pretty simple to build and has been reported to work well. It’s basically a Fetzer Valve booster that drives a 386 based amplifier. Both circuits may be found at runoffgroove.com.
As far as the coil is concerned, I got a few dead pickups and choose the one that has the nicest bobbin. The coil itself should be as thin as possible so bobbin has to be shortened to 3mm or so. To do that I glued two plastic L profiles on the sides that leave just about 3mm of space on the top of the bobbin. Based on the size of my bobbin I calculated number of turns that will give 8ohm coil (link may be found below). Coil is potted with universal glue to keep it in place and prevent microphonics.
Pictorial
Click on an image to see more details.
Useful links
Project Guitar "Sustainer Ideas" thread (very large)
Project Guitar tutorial on building driver
Program for calculating turns count for given core dimensions
Official Fernandes Sustainer page
So I was thinking of building this. Basically this doesn’t hook in the guitars electronics and instead, works more or less like an ebow. Is that right?
Yup
The hook up diagrams are on both fernandes and sustainiac’s websites
Where is the calculator D:???
Nice idea and I’ve already got Ruby amp parts for 9 volt kits. Please show finishing details. Driver hooks to amp output? Input is switched from other pickup? How to combat microphonics? All these details would save countless experience hours thanks.
hi, did you have any success with this? While the post gives instructions on how to build, it doesn’t say whether it worked for you or not. From what I can gather online, a lot of people try making PSW’s sustainer and a lot fail. I’ve tried a few times and have had various problems, mostly to do with my electronics skills, and not having the right components. Do you have any video of this working? I’d be really interested to see this if so! I’m planning on making an instrument for an art installation that will feature dozens of strings and up to 15 sustainers, so am trying to get as much info from people who have successfully made ones. Cheers!
Worked for me first try! (Well, I had to correct an error I made when putting the circuit together, but it was a mistake on my part not the diagram on runoffgroove)
hi i may have over looked but i cant find the link for the coil winding calculator would you please send me the link
by the way nice pics
thanks very much
Allan
http://pickups.myonlinesite.com/pickup.php?unit=mm&cl=60&cw=6&ch=3&bw=14&bt=1&ends=round&wd=0.2&id=0.22&show=on&avt=100&adj=ohms&avo=8
This is the link bud! Good luck!
I would like to know if you have instructions on how to build the board?
could you please send me the diagram and instructions. i would love to build one for my new ibanez guitar.
thanks!
This is great help and everything, but no one yet has been able to tell/shw me where the wires from thie driver hook up to the p/u and the rest of the guitars control system. Any further help with this bit would be of great help.
Wow, lots of NFO here thanks! how I wish to see a useful diagram for the complete project.
you bro banchika,
please send the diagram and instruction wiring to my mail benny_wibowo@yahoo.com
I would be really appriciate that
thanks a lot bro