Natural Science Forum / Physics / Acoustics / July 2007

Hi, All;

More out of obsession than anything else, I've set about making one of
Star Trek's "Vulcan harps" more or less from the plans that are
floating around the Web. The harp is to have nineteen 0.017" strings--
probably electric guitar strings, but maybe not-- supported by a
1-1/2" thick walnut neck.

I have faith in the wood neck alone, but others think the neck won't
be able to hold under so much pressure, so as a way to avoid any
unpleasant surprises, I intend to use two pieces of wood instead of
one for the neck and route out a pocket in the bottom piece where I'll
put a [reasonably] thin piece of hardened steel in it, then glue the
two halves of the neck together. Structurally, that should act like
the equivalent of a curved truss rod and provide good support for
whatever number of strings (commercial Vulcan harps have twenty-four
strings) I care to use. My question is, does anybody have any ideas on
whether such a scheme would dampen the sound quality of the neck or
influence it all?

Ron