more diy: youth guitar turned functional radio

What can I say--we're crafty. Just last week Rich unveiled his all-too-authentic retro iPod speaker unit; and although impressive, he's the first to admit that he had some help in the matter--from a good friend by the name of Randy. Randy's also in the diy business, recently completing his youth guitar turned functional radio.

Of the project, Randy said:

I took a youth guitar that had a mini amplifier and speaker in the body and a 1980's am/fm radio and combined the two. The [original] radio was gutted for parts and retro-fitted into a made-from-scratch body for the guitar. I used all old parts from the original guitar except the tremelo bridge. I added wood to the headstock to make an exaggerated "Stratocaster" style head.

Aside from the coolness of the radio, it stands as an art piece as well. While Randy said to me that it's "a statement about appearances in the music industry," the work, to me, resonates as a criticism towards the creative possibilities of an instrument as dwindled through a corrupt medium of communication. But, hey, I may be a tad cynical about all that stuff.

What do you make of Randy's work?

More pics of the finished project here, here, and here.