What is it?

Lightstrum Guitar Pick

Why did you make it?

It lights up when you strum

What makes it special?

Simple PCB-switch design powers surface-mount LED with CR2016 battery when it contacts a string or other object. It can also be turned on by squeezing with your fingers, or even just tapping!

Pick and battery included w/ LED soldered on. Just plug the battery in and start strumming!

It could also probably be used as a Morse code signaling device, with drumsticks, even attached to a trumpet's valves. I'd love to see pictures if you come up with a creative use. Ping me on Twitter: @jeremyscook or via email: hi@jeremyscook.com

Finally, as of this writing there's a 000 label on this run of 100. I'm hoping to manufacture these in a series of limited editions, with the second order being 001 etc. Long term hopefully this will mean incremental improvements, but also a sort of collectible feature.

Disclaimers, warnings, etc

This pick is wider than a normal pick and .8mm thick with a square edge. It is sensitive to placement of the LED, along with how you hold it. It takes some finesse to light and strum correctly, but it is quite entertaining when done correctly.

The base of the pick itself is made out of PCB/FR4/Fiberglass material, which eventually will start to wear as shown below. It also may scratch a guitar more easily than a traditional plastic pick. OTOH, picks are made out of silver and sometimes coins are subbed in, and one might argue that's what a pick guard is for. Please consider this a semi-prototype and use at you and your guitar's own risk!

Also, keep the batteries away from kids or anyone/anything you'd think would want to eat them. Apparently that needs to be said.