The use of mycelium — a sort of “root” of the mushroom — in the creation of biodegradable objects is not new. But Rachel Rosenkrantz, 42, originally from Montfermeil, near Paris, and who has lived for years in Providence in the state of Rhode Island, is a pioneer in the manufacture of stringed instruments that respect the environment.
An industrial designer by trade, she became a luthier to manufacture mushroom guitar bodies that are lighter, biodegradable and plastic-free.
Before and after molds to make a mushroom mycelium guitar in the workshop of French luthier Rachel Rosenkrantz, on June 21, 2023 in Providence, in the northeastern United States AFP / ANGELA WEISS.
“In the design world, everyone is working on bio-materials. It’s exponential”says Rachel Rosenkrantz, who received AFP in her studio, surrounded by books, musical instruments, tools and plants, in Providence, where she teaches at the renowned Rhode Island School of Design.
Of course, as with any innovation, “it’s still a bit like the + Wild West + and we’re all trying things out”.
Biodegradable at BMW and Hermès
“But it’s no longer a hippie thing, since companies like (German carmaker) BMW are now using flax fibers to make dashboards” and that French luxury group Hermès used mushroom “leather” for bag linings, she explains.
So how does Rachel Rosenkrantz make her guitar, named “Mycocaster” in reference to the famous Fender Stratocasters?
She takes a bag of mycelium and corn husks out of her fridge and pours the contents into a mold that she has disinfected.
Mycelium is the vegetative part of mushrooms, made up of white filaments. In a way their roots and their digestive system.
French luthier Rachel Rosenkrantz shows off a ukulele made from mushroom mycelium on June 21, 2023 in Providence, in the northeastern United States. AFP / ANGELA WEISS.
All smiles, the craftswoman explains: “The roots can take any shape you want. There’s something very beautiful about that. Even if the fruit has a specific shape, the roots don’t. So it’s possible to mold them, without having to remove material, because it is the material itself that will fill the voids”.
Pour “making a guitar in a mold rather than sculpting it”, the contents will rest for one to two weeks before being put in the oven to dry completely and resemble what the Frenchwoman compares to the crust of brie cheese.
Traditionally, luthiers make their instruments in cedar, mahogany, ebony or rosewood, depending on the quality of sound sought.
The wood is of course biodegradable, but Rachel Rosenkrantz, environmental luthier, is sensitive to deforestation and in search of more sustainable materials.
“Should we continue to use the same species (of wood) as 400 years ago? Because who really plays music like 400 years ago? A few students at the (New York Conservatory of Music) Juilliard? C it’s good, they need it“, she launches.
“But if we create new types of music, we also need new methods to achieve it”she judges, also citing poplar and bamboo, too little used in the manufacture of musical instruments according to her.
The sound of the mushroom
And what does a mushroom guitar sound like?
We are far from the traditional guitar, the sound is more nasal, she listens to AFP.
“It’s just a new sound. It won’t replace cedar because it’s not cedar”qualifies the eco-friendly designer.
“The idea came to me while studying the packaging” made of polystyrene,” says Rachel Rosenkrantz.
A “Mycocaster” guitar made from mushroom mycelium, by French luthier Rachel Rosenkrantz in Providence, northeastern United States, June 21, 2023 AFP / ANGELA WEISS.
“As the mushroom was used to replace polystyrene, which is known to be a good conductor of sound because it’s full of air, I started testing if its natural counterpart would do the same. And that’s what happened. passed. But the timbre was different”she explains.
Of course, given the time spent to make a guitar, the first price starts at… 6,000 dollars (5,500 euros).
But Rachel Rosenkrantz “dream of a big company saying, ‘Let’s produce them for $50 a guitar (so that) every child can have one'”.
“Fender, if you can hear me!”she concludes by calling out to the famous American manufacturer of electric guitars.
2023-07-02 19:30:00
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