The effects of wood variability on the free vibration of an acoustic guitar top plate

A finite element model of a bare top plate with braces and a bridge plate was created using orthotropic material properties. The natural variation of the wood properties including dependence on moisture content was also determined. The simulated modes were then compared to experimentally obtained modes from top plate prototypes. Uncertainty analysis was also performed to determine the statistical bound of natural variability between wood samples. The natural frequencies of the model fall within the computed error bound. These results reinforce the importance of obtaining accurate material properties for acoustic guitar modeling.