This Raspberry Pi axe bass from ‘Adventure Time’ is fit for a 1,000 year-old vampire queen

Allie Katz is at it again with another cool Raspberry Pi-powered ‘Adventure Time’ project that we thought was way too awesome not to share. Using our favorite SBC, the Raspberry Pi 5, Katz has recreated Marceline’s axe bass from 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 cool BMO OctoPrint project 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 to 3D printing to 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 new Raspberry Pi Touch Panel 2 in a future version?

In the demo video showing off the build, Katz gives a nice in-depth look at the construction process. Many components were 3D printed using Polymaker brand CosPLA and a Prusa 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 a Raspberry 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 this Raspberry Pi project, check out the video shared to YouTube and tune into The Pi Cast next week where Katz will show off this wicked axe bass as a guest on our show!