Allie Katz is at it again with another coolRaspberry Pi-powered ‘Adventure Time’ project that we thought was way too awesome not to share. Using our favorite SBC, theRaspberry Pi 5, Katz has recreatedMarceline’s axe bassfrom the beloved cartoon series that doesn’t just look cool, it plays itself, as well! This isn’t Katz’s first foray into the Land of Ooo—we also covered this coolBMO OctoPrintproject which brings the character to life with a functional twist.
According to Katz, the idea was to create a really cool axe bass that would go along with a Marceline cosplay. However, there was a big glaring problem—Katz can’t play the bass. Sure it’s easy to look the part but who wouldn’t expect to jam out at the sight of such a cool axe bass? That’s where the idea for this self-playing bass guitar came into play.
This project was put together with a variety of maker tools ranging from electronics to3D printingto pull off the best axe bass we’ve ever seen. It’s important to note that when we say the bass plays itself, it’s not exactly using the strings or fretboard but rather has an integrated speaker for playing songs from the show and a secret hidden compartment with a touchscreen interface. We wonder if Katz could use the newRaspberry Pi Touch Panel 2in a future version?
In the demo video showing off the build, Katz gives a nice in-depth look at the construction process. Many components were3D printedusing Polymaker brand CosPLA and aPrusa MK4. Of course the project also involved a painful amount of sanding to get the professional finish we see in the end product. Buttons are mounted along the neck of the guitar and are used to select songs that play off aRaspberry Pi 5. A series of batteries makes the unit completely mobile—perfect for taking along to conventions and completing the illusion.
You don’t need any fancy OS to pull off this project, Raspberry Pi OS works fine for playing music. Katz also confirmed that you can use Spotify to play much more than just an ‘Adventure Time’ playlist, effectively turning the axe bass into a portable boombox.
If you want to get a closer look at thisRaspberry Pi project, check out the video shared toYouTubeand tune into The Pi Cast next week where Katz will show off this wicked axe bass as a guest on our show!
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Ash Hill is a contributing writer for Tom’s Hardware with a wealth of experience in the hobby electronics, 3D printing and PCs. She manages the Pi projects of the month and much of our daily Raspberry Pi reporting while also finding the best coupons and deals on all tech.
