Merrill managed to pull off aluminum-backed instruments in the late 19th c: http://www.mugwumps.com/aluminum.htm
Of course, they did have a wooden strip at the edge of shell for joining soundboard. I've handled guitars and Neapolitan-type (kinda) mandolins from that shop. No thank you! Eugene > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of [email protected] > Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 1:36 PM > To: morgan cornwall > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: [LUTE] Re: : Cost of a lute? > > > > I wonder if you could relatively inexpensively construct a lute (the > bowl, > > at minimum) from carbon fiber (like some acoustic guitars) or molded > > plastic > > (like an Ovation guitar), and what it would sound like? > > Plastic was tried by EMS/Bradford (or was it cast resin?) > > Carbon fiber would be harder, but would share a similar problem, how do > you fasten the top? I would use a rim of wood on the bowl so hide glue > would have something to soak into. > > At times in my life I have considered employment opportunitys working on > fiberglass boats, and have taken cabinetmaking positions where I worked > with composites. Lots of nasty chemicals are involved with high > likelyhood of liver and kidney damage, hands get sliced up by ragged > edges. Noisy machines. Not fun. > -- > Dana Emery > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
