Vulcan Lyre Meets Bagpipes: Jean-Louis Jugeau Stuns Sound Searchers

If you think you’ve seen it all at the Sound Searchers, think again.

At our most recent musical-instrument meet-up at the York Town Craft Guild, regular member and resident mad-scientist luthier Jean-Louis Jugeau walked in carrying something that made everyone freeze mid-conversation: a full recreation of Mr. Spock’s Vulcan Lyre — the iconic multi-stringed instrument from Star Trek.

But Jean-Louis didn’t stop at an already jaw-dropping build.

He went… further.

Hidden inside the sleek, sci-fi frame of the lyra was a fully functioning internal bagpipe system, complete with an air tube. Yes, you read that correctly: a Vulcan Lyre with bagpipes living in its core. When he fired it up, the room collectively broke into laughter, disbelief, and applause. It was one of those perfect Sound Searchers moments — the kind you can’t really predict, only witness.

The Vulcan Lyre was originally built by Jugeau in 2011 for the York Emporium Bookstore's Sci-Fi Saturday event. It has since fallen into disprepair and no longer works. He has taken steps to keep the soundboard from cracking. We hope he gets this fantastic machine singing again.

That’s what Sound Searchers is all about: rare instruments, odd inventions, historic finds, experiments gone wonderfully wrong, and the people brave enough to build them.

Jean-Louis’ creation reminded us that music isn’t just sound —

it’s imagination, craftsmanship, and a willingness to say,

“What if a Vulcan instrument could drone like the Highlands?”

Join Us for the Next Sound Searchers!

Our next meet-up is happening:

Saturday, December 13

1pm-4pm – York Town Craft Guild

639 N Franklin St, York, PA 17403-1003

RSVP on Facebook at the event page here.

Bring an instrument you love.

Bring an instrument you made.

Bring something strange.

Or just bring yourself.

There's a $5 suggested donation to cover cost of the venue

Whether you’re a player, collector, builder, historian, or just curious, there’s always room around our table. And who knows… maybe Jean-Louis has another intergalactic-bagpipe-hybrid up his sleeve.

Come be part of the story