Since most pickup systems are magnetic, a wood plate would probably be more effort than it's worth....
That's not to say you can't use the resonant qualities of wood in the process. The strings are the integral part of the equation. Wood works on an instrument because the strings resonate the surface. We've used our piano for reverb effects on a few occasions. The idea of a dedicated "string reverb" has been on my mind for quite some time.....tried it with a few old beater acoustic guitars, but with very little return.
But something's currently in the works....details when something actually functions. Ha!
From: william Beith <wbeith@sbcglobal.net>
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 10:22 AM
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Off topic AND off-the wall
Thanks for the plate acknowledgment. One issue I did not address is the process of exciting the plate to create the reverb then the mechanism to pick up the reverberated sounds. Inducing vibration in metal, then picking up the results of that induction is reasonably easy. Trying the same thing with wood seems to be more of an acoustical mechanical process. Maybe excite the wood with a loudspeaker (or one of those wall mount hi-fi speaker - subwoofer units) then use a Barcus Berry pick up for the return signal.
Bill
From: Tom Doncourt <tomdcour@amnh.org>
To: "newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com" <newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wed, January 30, 2013 7:44:38 AM
Subject: RE: [newmellotrongroup] Off topic AND off-the wall
Though it may seem ridiculous your idea makes some sense. I've gotten some sympathetic tone ringing out of large marimba notes that I've built. I tried miking them up and it added a warmth to the sound if not an actual reverberation. I wouldn't use a sheet of ply though- the way it is laminated prevents it from resonating. If you glued some 1/2 thick cedar lengths together on edge ( and better if they are quarter sawn), hung the "plate" from its nodal points and plcaed a speaker and a mike close by you might get an interesting tone, if not an actual reverb. I've seen Mr. Beith's lovely plate units-this is something of a wholly other order!
From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com [newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] on behalf of Sean [fourtytwominds@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 7:41 PM
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Off topic AND off-the wall
The strangest thoughts come on the shitter....
We all love the plate reverb right?
What if one was made with a gigantic sheet of wooden ply instead? Like the top of a violin? What on earth would that sound like as a reverb?
Thought I'd share.
-Sean