By Anjali Nayak
Just like Victor Frankenstein, I have built a monster.
Beaming with pride, I strum Fmaj7 on my conglomeration of resurrected vintage pickups and parts. The project took all of quarantine, forcing me to learn the wonders of woodshop and electrical engineering. But finally, in my hands is a sea foam green Frankenstrat with a cream body and noiseless single coils—a one-of-a-kind Anjali Nayak original. My guitar, made by me. I’m a musician and a mad scientist.
After seeing my musical abomination, my boss asked a not-so-simple favor. To refurbish and create more guitars for our music school in order to offer lower-income students access to rent their favorite instruments at cheaper prices.
Anyone can play guitar. And anyone should have the opportunity to do so as well.
I went to work, getting my hands on whatever I could: recycled parts scavenged from thrift stores, wiring picked apart from household appliances, vibrant paints bought from Michaels, nearby shoe polish for the shine. My sustainable approach reduced the costs of my guitars while also providing quality builds and tones. The environmentalist in me was at ease. Sublime.
With each piece of the puzzle scrounged together, I garnered a newfound appreciation for the artistry that goes into creating my favorite instrument. It’s all in the details, fine changes and minute overlooks result in different playing experiences. I spent hours obsessing over each fret, bodily proportion, pickup switch, and tone; combined together, they make for specialty styles and mechanics.
Guitars might take months to build, but the hard work pays off. I’m not just handing my students means to improve their musicianship, but an opportunity for self-expression and escapism. Scuttling around a fretboard, each worry and stress dissipates into harmonious progression. Easily, I conduct a song to slip and sway to my liking, simultaneously finding control to regain grip on my emotions—sometimes notes can do what words cannot. I hope to provide my students with the same solace and salvation I’ve run to for the past 12 years. There’s nothing better than feeling like a rockstar.
But me? I’m a mad scientist.