Vibration Analysis of a Prototype Guitar with a Double Plate Soundboard Coupled by a Soundpost
54º Congreso Español de Acústica — Tecniacústica 2023
Abstract
The guitar is a stringed instrument that radiates sound through the vibratory motions of its body and the air inside the cavity. Over the years, luthiers have experimented with different designs to improve its sound qualities but musicians still commonly complain about the rather weak radiation of the instrument. Stemming from the shared ideas of a luthier and a guitar player (PVC), a potential solution to this issue would consist of splitting the soundboard into two plates of different sizes that would dynamically interact through the action of a soundpost. In this work, we explore this idea. Experimental modal analysis of a prototype guitar is pursued, focusing on both configurations, i.e. with and without the soundpost, in order to shed light on the singularities of its dynamical behaviour with comparison to conventional classical guitars.