Effects of oriental lacquer (urushi) coating on the vibrational properties of wood used for the soundboards of musical instruments

  • Obataya Eiichi
    Institute of Agricultural and Forest Engineering, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1, Tennodai, Tsukuba, 305-8572 Japan
  • Ohno Yoshitaka
    Hita Industrial Art Research Division, Oita Industrial Research Institute, Ishii-cho, Hita, 877-0061 Japan
  • Norimoto Misato
    Wood Research Institute, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, 611-0011 Japan
  • Tomita Bunichiro
    Institute of Agricultural and Forest Engineering, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1, Tennodai, Tsukuba, 305-8572 Japan

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Description

In order to investigate the possibility of Oriental lacquer (urushi) as a coating for the wooden-soundboard of musical instruments, the effects of urushi coatings on the vibrational properties of wood were compared to those of conventional coatings. By coating, the dynamic Young’s modulus of wood decreased slightly in its fiber direction whereas that in the radial direction increased. The most remarkable changes due to coating were recognized in the internal friction of wood (Q-1), especially that in the radial direction. The effect of the urushi coating on the Q-1 of wood was relatively small and very close to those of polyurethane coating used for the soundboard of harp. The viscoelastic and mechanical properties of urushi lacquer films were also similar to those of the polyurethane lacquer film. These results suggested the possibility of urushi as a coating for the harp soundboard. The effects of coatings on the vibrational properties of wood were explained by using a model considering three layers, the uncoated wood, coating layer, and a layer consisting of lacquer and wood cell wall.

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