> Chris wrote: ... The soundboard is made of ... plywood! ...

Which reminds me when back in the 1980's i was trying to improve a small Sperrhake that I played to in a chamber ensemble: I had heard worse sounds and behind it was the only easily-portable instrument we had.
(I may have told this story long ago and if so I apologise!)

The soundboard from above looked normal, some kind of cheapo pine or spruce, with grain parallel to the strings as expected.

The instrument had no bottom plank. 
So I took a torch and looked at the soundboard from below.
This is what I saw:
1) lots of pointless ribs glued to the soundboard, crossing each other
2) a "counterbridge" screwed below each bridge
3) the grain of the soundboard was now perpendicular to the strings: plywood!!

So much for the great Sperrhake brand ...

Best
CDV


-----Original Message-----
From: Harpsichords and Related Topics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chris Vandekerkhove
Sent: 20 September 2018 15:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Disenchantment & sound hole

For those who don’t know the series “Disenchantment”: it’s made by the same guy who made “The Simpsons” and “Futurama”. To make a long story short: in this serie there is a demon who always urges bad conduct with the phrase “Do it! Do it! …”. Well, I did it! I made a sound hole into this horrible instrument and let out an even more horrible screech! The soundboard is made of 100% authentic plywood!

To add injury to insult: through the opening I could see the bottom bars which are also made of plywood and their size is extremely high.

 

Well, I guess this explains a lot why this instrument had such a weak sound to begin with…

 

I’m now going to repent in a faraway cloister hoping for divine help into making this instrument into something better 😉

 

Greetings,

 

Chris.

 

 


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