POST CURE Post Cure Highlighting the behind-the-scenes of composites manufacturing Augmenting musical instrument performance with natural fi bers GuitarViols Inc. (Valencia, Calif., U.S.) designs and builds specialized guitars and bowed string instruments, including signa-ture “guitarviols” that are described as guitar-formatted violas, featuring the neck and six-string tuning of a guitar, the body of a viola and played with a bow to produce a distinct timbre. GuitarViols’ early instruments were mostly wood-based. Subject to damage from humidity or cracking from dryness, the company turned to carbon fi ber, and in the last few years, has begun experimenting with hemp and fl ax fi ber fabrics for instru-ment bodies and soundboards. Owner and instrument builder Jonathan Wilson says natural fi ber composites are like “super wood,” noting the high performance and powerful sound due to increased vibration damping, in addition to their durability in dry or humid climates. The pictured guitarviol soundboard is made from hemp fabric, balsa core and an outer maple veneer laid up and infused with epoxy under vacuum. Materials are supplied by distributor Composite Envisions (Wausau, Wis., U.S.). Wilson says that though the results are promising for natural fi ber composites in his instruments, he hopes to see an increase in availability and distribution of these materials in the U.S. over time. Source (all images) | GuitarViols Inc. The CompositesWorld team wants to feature your composite part, manufacturing process or facility in next month’s issue. Send an image and caption to CW Technical Editor Hannah Mason at hmason@compositesworld.com, or connect with us on social media. Show us what you have! @CompositesWorld CompositesWorld @CompositesWrld @CompositesWorld CompositesWorld 48 NOVEMBER 2023 Composites World
CompositesWorld CompositesWorld - November 2023: Page 48
