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Handbook of Materials for String Musical Instruments pp 845–875Cite as

Composite Materials for Musical Instruments

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Abstract

The development of composite materials as substitutes for wood in musical instruments was motivated by numerous factors, such as the fragility of instruments during handling and transportation, their sensitivity to temperature and humidity variations, the scarcity of wood resources (resonance spruce and tropical hardwoods), the high variability of wood material, and the very high level of craftsmanship required.  We discusse the properties of composites made with synthetic and natural fibres and nanocomposites which are the newest developments. The potential and limitation of fiber reinforced composites depend on the properties of the constituents, the fibres and the matrix. The soundboards made from composite materials should match two basic requirements, the stiffness per unit length and density per unit area of an ideal material (i.e. spruce tonewood). Matching criteria were deduced from theoretical studies of the vibration of thin orthotropic plates. Based on these criteria a substitute material for the soundboard of a concert harp was produced, which is a remarkable achievement. In 2012 it was possible to produce a grand piano made entirely in composite materials. It is pleasing to note that during the last decades, numerous string instruments for advanced students or mass production instruments have been successfully produced using composite materials to replace tonewood.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Melbourne, Australia

    Voichita Bucur

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  1. Voichita Bucur
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Correspondence to Voichita Bucur .

Patents

Patents

List of selected Patents—composites for musical instruments

Author

Year

Title

Allred JB

2007

Carbon fiber laminate soundboard for hollow-bodied stringed instrument e.g. guitar, piano has predetermined layers of carbon fiber materials, perforated core and additional shaped layers of constant thickness material e.g. plywood. Patent US 2007 163418-A1

Berthaut J

1969

Laminated soundboards for a string instrument. US Patent

P. A. Bert.

1969

Laminated soundboard for a string instrument. United States Patents No. 3,477,330. Washington, DC:

Bihuber PH

1936

Soundboard for pianos and other instruments or devices using soundboards. US Patent

Conklin HA

1975

Soundboard construction for stringed musical instruments. US Patent

Cook RL

1997

Composite string instrument apparatus and method. Patent US5,955,688

Donohoe D G

1994

Plastic-clad wooden drumstick and method of making. Patent. US 5341718

Hamilton TM

2007

Layered composite pick guard for stringed musical instruments. Patent. US7482523

Hasegawa T

2006

Acoustic material for musical instruments Patent Jp 2006116807-A

Kaman J, Mayerjak CH

1982

Soundboard assembly for pianos or the like. Patent US 6,610,915 B2

Lin Z

2008

Bamboo/wood carbon slabs processing method Patent CN 101053968-A

Schleske M

2004

Soundboard of composite fiber material construction US Patent US 6,610,915B

Schwichtenberg G

1982

Piano soundboard. US Patent

Schaller HF

1975

Injection molded stick for stringed musical instrument bow. Patent, US4015501

Teel, T A

2003

Acoustic guitar having a composite soundboard. U.S. Patent No. 6,664,452.

Vochezer G

2007

Tuning peg element for stringed musical instrument, has fixing part manufactured from non-fibrous material in contact area, by which fixing part comes into contact with peg box. Patent US 2009 025528-A

Westheimer JL

1999

Stringed musical instrument body and neck composition and method of making body and neck. Patent US 5,905,219

Matsumoto T, Yamada T

1973

Soundboards for string instrument having plastic foam body with harder outer layer. US Patent U.S. Patent No. 3,724,312.

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Bucur, V. (2016). Composite Materials for Musical Instruments. In: Handbook of Materials for String Musical Instruments. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32080-9_18

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