The Structure of the Acoustic Guitar
[Experiment2]Changing the material of the top
Performing a sound experiment
The top plays an extremely important role in body resonance. If we change the material of the top what will happen? We tried using a variety of materials.
Experiment steps
- Create three lidless wooden boxes.
- Create lids from cardboard, stainless steel, and rubber.
- Use a circular cutter to cut holes in each lid, then attach each lid to a wooden box.
- Attach the strings and compare the sound.
Results of the experiment
Cardboard:
Rubber:
Stainless steel:
* As this was an experiment, the recorded pitches differed from the correct notes.
We kept the pitch of each string in order as much as possible, then played them in order. The cardboard lid produced a sound that was more guitar-like than the other materials. The rubber lid had hardly any reverberation. The thin stainless steel lid produced an interesting sound that was almost comical. This experiment showed that the sound changes completely based on the material of the top.
Musical Instrument Guide : Acoustic Guitar Contents
Structure
How the Instrument is Made
Choosing an Instrument
Trivia
- The guitar top is actually two panels stuck together
- The shape of the pick guard is dictated by the manufacturer
- Collector's item with a modern Japanese style
- Cutaways make it easier to access upper frets
- Why do the spaces between frets grow narrower down the neck?
- The order guitars and violins are strung in differs