Can I pick your brains? How would you solve this puzzle....

[Jonathan]

Neither! I'm running out to 12 leds individually (this allows for some funky VU meter & knight rider type patterns!) ...the wire will be very thin though.

Er, surely for 12 individual LEDs you need 13 wires? Or are you multiplexing them? Wiring the LEDs in a 3x4 array gets the wire count down to 7. Five wires is possible, depends what you are controlling them with? You can get some very very thin wire, can't remember the name of it at the moment. I've got plenty of 8 core 'alarm cable' if that's any use to you...

[HankMcSpank]

Er, surely for 12 individual LEDs you need 13 wires? Or are you multiplexing them? Wiring the LEDs in a 3x4 array gets the wire count down to 7. Five wires is possible, depends what you are controlling them with? You can get some very very thin wire, can't remember the name of it at the moment. I've got plenty of 8 core 'alarm cable' if that's any use to you...

there are actually 10 frets with 'fret markers' along the neck (some guitars only have 9 frets with markers), but two of the frets along the neck actually have two fret markers (which would be 2 leds that light up together, so only one 'feed' wire shared between them), so it's actually 10 fret positions, plus a return wire.

here's what I'm on about...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qnQwfZmjA0...0/09-7-3-1.JPG

re the alarm cable...thanks but I've cable aplenty this end!

[blackburn mark]

Neither! I'm running out to 12 leds individually (this allows for some funky VU meter & knight rider type patterns!) ...the wire will be very thin though.

ahhh... sorry man, i didnt twig untill id posted.... if your going to the trouble of putting them in you have got to get some of that old "night rider" poshness going on :)

[HankMcSpank]

ahhh... sorry man, i didnt twig untill id posted.... if your going to the trouble of putting them in you have got to get some of that old "night rider" poshness going on :)

Hehe, cheesy, uneccesary...but justifiable nevertheless...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8yOAFVUTTI (I need to tidy it up a bit!)

[Jonathan]

Nice... is that a PIC? If so it's easy to reduce the number of wires using the method I mentioned.

[HankMcSpank]

Yes, it is & yes I know - charlieplexing - must sort that out one day & sit down to implement it!

So, to sum up thus far...

1. Gun drill bits (thanks robin - didn't know they existed)

2. You think it's a tall order (me too)

.....but we sent blokes to the moon over 40 years ago ....before I contact NASA, any more ideas here re how to drill a straight/precise hole along a 450mm wood guitar neck using a 4mm bit? (or even how to make a 450mm drill bit snce nobody seems to make one - this is the only (cheap) option I've seen to date http://www.orbitalfasteners.co.uk/de...eter-9354.html ...trouble is, the drill bit @6mm is 2mm too wide)

[blackburn mark]

Hehe, cheesy, uneccesary...but justifiable nevertheless...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8yOAFVUTTI (I need to tidy it up a bit!)

hahahahah.... just checked your bubble bath special ..... WINNER !! :)

[HankMcSpank]

Hehehe, I'd forgot about that one (uploaded a good while ago, and I don't use my youtube account much), for those that are wondering I found an alternate use for a garden leaf blower ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD5Ku-s8EEg

[Ricardoco]

could you not slit along the side and come in through the side fret markers (if they have them) it would not be hard to make a good cosmetic job after....

[HankMcSpank]

No visible wood should be hurt during the making of this drama! (seriously, I'm happy to drill unseen wood, but guitarists in gerneral are very precious when it comes to anyone taking sharp pointy tools towards nice bits of visible wood! Beside my 'cosmetic' repairs would make many projectile vomit)