Fiberglass?

UkuleleHill · Jul 10, 2009

Do you think it would be feasible to make the body of a ukulele out of fiberglass, with a solid wood top and still get a good sound out of it? If not fiberglass, what about some other material like carbon fiber? I have been contemplating this for a while... I just though maybe it would be easier to ask!

bbycrts · Jul 10, 2009

According to a 1972 Ovation ad, the "Lyrachord" that they use to make the backs of their instruments is "A patented fiberglas material." I'm sure they've made some changes over the years, but I imagine it's still basically a glass-impregnated resin - fiberglas.

UkuleleHill · Jul 10, 2009

Hmmmmm Maybe something like this:

blackbird-rider-nylon-is-a-carbon-fiber-nearly-indestructible-guitar-01.jpg

Only a ukulele instead...

bicarbon8 · Jul 10, 2009

UkuleleHill said:
Hmmmmm Maybe something like this:

Only a ukulele instead...

except that looks like carbon fibre, not fibre-glass

UkuleleHill · Jul 10, 2009

bicarbon8 said:
except that looks like carbon fibre, not fibre-glass

It is... I was thinking fiberglass or carbon fiber... But can't decide which would be the best sound wise...

Jim X-S · Jul 10, 2009

I know nothing about the physics of sound and musical instruments. I do remember reading that Rainsong makes guitars out of carbon fiber.

I have to admit I love the idea of synthetics in regards to Ukuleles. It has me thinking that it would be safe to leave in a car regardless of the exterior weather conditions.

Have a Great Day,
Jim

bicarbon8 · Jul 10, 2009

I think fibre-glass would be the better choice... I've tapped on a few carbon-fibre bike frames, kayak paddles and hockey sticks and it doesn't seem like a good resonating material.

dnewton2 · Jul 11, 2009

I am pretty sure MGM had a fiberglass uke for sale not to long ago. It had a solid koa top. Here is a youtube video of it.

UkuleleHill · Jul 11, 2009

dnewton2 said:
I am pretty sure MGM had a fiberglass uke for sale not to long ago. It had a solid koa top. Here is a youtube video of it.

Thanks! I'll check it out when I get home!

No Talent · Jul 11, 2009

bicarbon8 said:
I think fibre-glass would be the better choice... I've tapped on a few carbon-fibre bike frames, kayak paddles and hockey sticks and it doesn't seem like a good resonating material.

A carbon-fiber panel of the same thickness would be stiffer that fiberglass; less resonance. You could tailor the resonance by changing the resin content.

UkuleleHill · Jul 11, 2009

No Talent said:
A carbon-fiber panel of the same thickness would be stiffer that fiberglass; less resonance. You could tailor the resonance by changing the resin content.

How so ?

Ahnko Honu · Jul 11, 2009

I want to get a carbon fiber sound board with twin F holes for my Fluke, a truly outdoor 'ukulele.

joezane · Jul 11, 2009

carbon fiber

dasilva makes a carbon fiber ukes.

http://www.ukemaker.com/DaSilva-InstrumentGallery.html

as for fiberglass... sure, why not?
i wonder if its really that different from plastic... and plastic ukes sound great to me.

UkuleleHill · Jul 11, 2009

Ahnko Honu said:
I want to get a carbon fiber sound board with twin F holes for my Fluke, a truly outdoor 'ukulele.

Ahhhhh now I understand what you were saying in the other thread...

mandowidow · Jul 12, 2009

New Millenium Acoustic makes complete carbon fiber and kevlar mandolins. They use Clear Carbn Concepts, maybe a division of Luis and Clark, to mold them and then NewMad does the finish work. They aren't cheap by any means and it isn't something you can readily do at home as you need an autoclave to bake them as they cure. I would guess that dasilva uses pre-impregnated carbon fiber sheets for his instruments which are widely available. I've seen a number of fiberglass instruments made using insulation foam as the mold.

Andrew

uke5417 · Jul 12, 2009

UkuleleHill said:
Do you think it would be feasible to make the body of a ukulele out of fiberglass, with a solid wood top and still get a good sound out of it? If not fiberglass, what about some other material like carbon fiber? I have been contemplating this for a while... I just though maybe it would be easier to ask!

Mike DaSilva in Berkeley, Calif., has made a custom carbon fiber uke. You might track hime down.

BlackBearUkes · Jun 12, 2020

UkuleleHill said:
Do you think it would be feasible to make the body of a ukulele out of fiberglass, with a solid wood top and still get a good sound out of it? If not fiberglass, what about some other material like carbon fiber? I have been contemplating this for a while... I just though maybe it would be easier to ask!

As long as you plan on making the top of wood, the uke should sound traditional and it has been done as other have suggested.

Beau Hannam Ukuleles · Jun 12, 2020

Sound like an Ovation

John Colter · Jun 12, 2020

I read somewhere (long time ago) that an acclaimed luthier once built a traditional Spanish style guitar body - back and sides - from papier mache, with a regular wooden sound board. It was just an experiment, but the resulting instrument was much better than expected. I'm sure it could be made to work for a ukulele.

John Colter

Red Cliff · Jun 12, 2020

My highly scientific experiments of using sea kayaks as drums has told me that either fibreglass or carbon finished only in epoxy will not sound as good as those that have a nice thick gel coat applied. This also means you can choose any colour you like.

Fiberglass?

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