Loose frets and other Composite Acoustics guitar issues?

[Steve Christens]

Originally Posted by jzucker

You're missing something key here. The mechanical connection of the barbs on a standard fret digging into the wood (and also typically superglued) are an additional force on the wood instruments that is missing on the carbon fiber fingerboards. Therefore, when the carbon fiber expands and contracts at a different rate than the superglue and the fret, it's going to have a tendency to dislodge easier. It's simple physics. Not saying that it's going to happen to every instrument...My point is that this is one area where the wooden instruments are inherently superior from a mechanical point of view. Of course, the wooden instruments have a wider range of movement due to temperature than carbon/fiber so maybe it's a wash.

The frets on CA guitars are pressed into place, then sealed at the ends with superglue. Why should that be any less durable than a wood fingerboard? Do you think the wood is somehow stronger than the composite fretboard on a CA? Is the wood able to get a better grip on the tang? The superglue isn't what holds the fretwire in place, so the "simple physics" of any difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the fret vs the fretboard - even if it were enough to pop the glue - would be true for a wood guitar as well.

Now if they make the fret groove a bit too wide - as probably happened on yours - then the frets won't hold. But the exact same thing could happen to a wood guitar. I won't deny that CA may have had a few quality issues, but it is hardly reasonable - given the small sample involved - to infer from this that you can't make a durable guitar out of composite material, even if you did have a less than satisfactory experience with their customer service.

At this point let's agree to disagree and be done with it.

[AnthemBassMan]

-My Brother-in-law had had four CA guitars. He's had two of the older Legacy models and now he has the Crown Of Thorns and a GX. None of these issues have reared their ugly heads.

L8R,
Matt

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by Steve Christens

The frets on CA guitars are pressed into place, then sealed at the ends with superglue. Why should that be any less durable than a wood fingerboard?

Because if I'm not mistaken, they use frets without the barbs on them.

Do you think the wood is somehow stronger than the composite fretboard on a CA?

Strength has nothing to do with it. Do you understand that wood is resilient and carbon fiber is not? That frets on wood fingerboards have barbs in the tang and are hammered in? Not so on the CA fingerboard.

Is the wood able to get a better grip on the tang?

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS. See above.

The superglue isn't what holds the fretwire in place, so the "simple physics" of any difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the fret vs the fretboard - even if it were enough to pop the glue - would be true for a wood guitar as well.

it seems you need to do some some remedial reading.

[Acousticado]

The argument is mute. The answer to the original question/problem has really been satisfied (rare occurrence which suggests CAs process is generally fine).

Secondary question re lighter tuners: Still open for discussion.

No, I'm not a moderator, but the tone of the argument is going nowhere good or relevant.

Carry on, boys and girls.