It may sound like it could be a guitar for a giant, but in fact, the Long String Instrument (LSI) is designed to be played by a normal sized person.
The unique musical device is the creation of artist Ellen Fullman, and the 56 stainless steel and bronze phosphor 100Ft long strings take around 5 days to install. Installation requires placing each of the precisely cut 100ft strings 2cm apart from one another in two groups; each string being held under tension by wooden resonators at either end.
The musician in then placed central to the two groups allowing them free movement along the length of the instrument like a hand on a fretboard. The instrument is played by pressing and releasing gently on the strings with rosin applied to the hands to increase friction and produces an ethereal sound like a wind across the savanna. The stainless steel prevents element helps prevent the strings from corroding and ensure a good level of tension in order to resonant at the right frequencies.
Whilst Ellen Fullman’s instrument is surely impressive, it is somewhat dwarfed by the legendary ‘Earth Harp’ created by artist William Close, which remains the longest stringed instrument ever recorded at nearly 1000 ft long.
We can’t promise you’ll get much in the way of music out of our Stainless Steel products, but our standard Stainless Steel Hand Wash Basins can be had for a song! (Well almost – they’re certainly very good value!)
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Image - Robert Szkolnicki