11 replies to this topic

[Phil Smith]

Way off topic. I have an unusual need. I have owned a "digital audio workstation" (DAW) for 8-10 years. I spent more than I would have liked to, and what I have was pretty good, although it's possible to spend many times more than I did. Many, many times more!

 

Anyway, after years of not using it, I'd like to get it going again. I'd like to make my PC keyboard and mouse slide out over the piano keyboard. I have sort of mocked up what I would like to do. The computer monitor and the 2 pieces of audio gear will go on a shelf above the PC keyboard and mouse, so the PC keyboard and mouse can slide underneath them.

 

In my mock up I grabbed a piece of plywood out of my garage. I didn't cut it to size. I just threw it up there and blocked up the back edge with some 2X4 blocks. The shelf sits on top of the back edge of the piano keyboard. I would like for it to float above the piano keyboard and extend all the way over to the front edge of the piano keyboard, so it will easier to type and use the mouse.

 

So my question is, what are some really heavy duty, rigid, sliders or drawer slides that would work for this? And any other ideas you might have are appreciated as well. Most everyone here are hands on, handy, craftsman kind of guys. I figured this forum would be a good place to ask.

 

 

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[Bags]

Mount the keyboard under the desk on heavy duty drawer sliders. Pull it out when needed.

[Paul Menkens]

I can help you get that Les Paul out of the way, just send it to me and I'll take care of it.

[Mike Patterson]

Personally, I see nothing wrong with your setup now. Who's going to come in and say, "Wow! What a crummy workstation!"?

 

FYI, I just use a cardboard box. Way cheaper than wood.

[Bill Breck]

Mount the keyboard under the desk on heavy duty drawer sliders. Pull it out when needed.

 

  There's plenty of videos on YouTube that show how to build workstations with sliding keyboard shelves.

[Phil Hackett]

For drawer slides, I'd try here first:

 

https://www.mcmaster.../drawer-slides/

 

The lock open, lock close slides sound interesting but they're expensive.

[Phil Smith]

Phil that's exactly what I was looking for. Heavy duty slides. Thanks!

[Phil Smith]

Personally, I see nothing wrong with your setup now. Who's going to come in and say, "Wow! What a crummy workstation!"?

 

FYI, I just use a cardboard box. Way cheaper than wood.

 

Haha! My first mock up was with a cardboard box. I had just put the plywood up when I posted.

[Phil Smith]

I can help you get that Les Paul out of the way, just send it to me and I'll take care of it.

 

That's actually a crap guitar. I use to own a pawn shop and would take a guitar home if I liked the neck. I like thin necks. Not narrow, but shallow, if that makes sense. The opposite of a baseball bat neck. That guitar plays great but sounds bad.

 

I have a bunch of guitars left over from my music instrument dealer days, and I think there's a Standard in there. But I don't like the neck.

[Paul Menkens]

 

That's actually a crap guitar. I use to own a pawn shop and would take a guitar home if I liked the neck. I like thin necks. Not narrow, but shallow, if that makes sense. The opposite of a baseball bat neck. That guitar plays great but sounds bad.

 

I have a bunch of guitars left over from my music instrument dealer days, and I think there's a Standard in there. But I don't like the neck.

I wondered about that, the horn looks a little pointier then a real one, as far as the necks go I have a friend who feels the same way, hates thick necks. He won't play my LP Custom or my 61 SG cause he says his fingers are not long enough.

[Phil Smith]

There's a lot of guitarist on this forum. Someone should start a thread about it.

 

That '61 SG should should have a smaller neck profile. The '60s Gibsons are known for their thin necks. Maybe yours is early enough to get a bigger profile.

[Dave Crevie]

"There's a lot of guitarist on this forum. Someone should start a thread about it."

 

That might get too off track from slot racing.

 

 

 

A crap guitar is only crap if you allow it to be. If it feels right, right neck profile, right body weight, then fix the other stuff. Check that the neck is straight and adjust the truss rod if you need to. Once that has settled in, have the frets checked and filed if necessary, so that they are all exactly the same height above the fretboard. Change the pickups to a good aftermarket set (I like DiMarzios). Make sure you get all the electronics with them. Gibson sells a fine tuning tailpiece for LP's and SG's. Well worth the investment, and you won't have to change the machines. But if they are really bad, go to Schallers or Grovers. Re-string with Gibson Elites, 11's or smaller if you do a lot of bending. Check the intonation off the harmonics, and adjust the bridge if you need to. A really good tuner can help you here. 

 

I did all this to a Cortez, and it became my go-to on stage over my Black Beauty. Plus less of a loss if it got stolen. And it is not that expensive to do all this. Much cheaper than a Les Paul custom.