Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: I built a theremin!

  1. #1
    Forum Member boobtube21's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Looking through the bent back tulips
    Posts
    4,830

    I built a theremin!

    I finished building a PAIA Theremax kit tonight. Well, almost, it has some issues. Hopefully tech support will get back to me tomorrow.

    Anyway it does make sound, and sounds pretty cool. I didn't get the wooden box they sell, becuase I planned on making my own. I got impatient though, and decided just to temporarily install it in the cardboard box they shipped it in.



    It's actually pretty simple to build, just time consuming. There are a LOT of resistors, capacitors, transistors, etc to be soldered onto a little teeny circuit board.



    The issue I'm having with it is that when you try to use the volume antenna it makes a whistling sound, in addition to the pitch you're supposed to be hearing. According to the PAIA Theremax FAQ, this was a problem with earlier kits that has since been resolved so I'm wondering if the fix was inadvertantly left out of my kit. Or if I screwed something up maybe they can point me in the right direction.

    Anyway it was fun to build, only took about 3 nights worth of work and hopefully when I get it up and running will be fun to mess around with. Then I need to get it into a respectable cabinet!

  2. #2
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    spanish for lard.
    Posts
    8,605

    Re: I built a theremin!

    "i've got a feeling, a feeling deep inside" that you need to mount it in a wooden box. on top of that, wire dress lead.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  3. #3
    Forum Member boobtube21's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Looking through the bent back tulips
    Posts
    4,830

    Re: I built a theremin!

    Ha ha I know Chuck. I was pretty reckless with my lead dress. That could be the problem.

    I actually have bigger plans for this thing...if possible I'm going to turn it into one of these. Once I get on that I'll redo everything a lot nicer. Right now I just wanted to see if I could get it to work.

  4. #4
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    spanish for lard.
    Posts
    8,605

    Re: I built a theremin!

    i know colin, it's all good.

    that'll be cool if you get it to the next step there.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  5. #5
    Forum Member hudpucker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    location, location!!
    Posts
    1,749

    Re: I built a theremin!

    Cool. I'm not too far from building one myself.
    Tone is in the fingers, eh? Let's hear your Vox, Marshall and Fender fingerings then...

  6. #6
    Forum Member NeoFauve's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    in interesting times
    Posts
    12,530

    Re: I built a theremin!

    Quote Originally Posted by boobtube21 View Post
    I actually have bigger plans for this thing...if possible I'm going to turn it into one of these. Once I get on that I'll redo everything a lot nicer. Right now I just wanted to see if I could get it to work.



    That guy's cardboard is in way nicer shape than yours.
    Must be old growth Brazillian.
    "Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
    Elvis Costello

  7. #7
    Forum Member boobtube21's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Looking through the bent back tulips
    Posts
    4,830

    Re: I built a theremin!

    Ok now the "ghost" whistle is gone. Guess I fixed it! :wah

    I also think I have figured out how to do convert it into a martenot...weird there seems to be a lot of people out there on the interwebs scratching their heads trying to figure out how to build one of those. When I first got the kit I emailed tech support to ask them how to convert it and they said it wasn't possible. I'm pretty sure they were wrong...could be I'm jumping the gun...anyway, I can't reveal the method here but when I'm done building it I'll post a vid.

    This is going to be fun! I'm going to need a bigger box though...

  8. #8
    Forum Member Fedora's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Near Brainerd Minnesota
    Posts
    339

    Re: I built a theremin!

    Here, this could be your first cover song.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F8EAv8jSWE

    It's actually a really good tune, of course the studio version is a bit better.....but it doesn't have a theremin.

  9. #9
    Forum Member boobtube21's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Looking through the bent back tulips
    Posts
    4,830

    Re: I built a theremin!

    Fedora, I can't even play this thing as well as he does. lol

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •