Is a CF top as "responsive" as a wood guitar top?

[Dru Edwards]

Hey All, I just read benderman57's thread ("Advice on a CF Fingerstyle Guitar") and it made me think ... how responsive is a CF top?

What I mean is that a wood guitar manufacturer can use cedar for a lighter touch or adirondack for more headroom on the same build/model. Do CF manufacturers use different tops for the same model to try and give a different response or is it the same?

Thanks - just curious, that's all.

[kramster]

Yes they do...RainSong has some different tops and Emerald can do anything (almost)

[geronimotwo]

i would say that the cf tops can be more responsive. i bought my RS for its ability to withstand dryness, but found it to be amazing in the tonal department as well.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by kramster

Yes they do...RainSong has some different tops and Emerald can do anything (almost)

Originally Posted by geronimotwo

i would say that the cf tops can be more responsive. i bought my RS for its ability to withstand dryness, but found it to be amazing in the tonal department as well.

Thanks guys. I really had no idea.

[AZLiberty]

My Rainsong is less responsive than my Breedlove, more responsive than my Martin. (so middle of the pack)

I expect that by paying careful attention to thickness and graduating the top a CF guitar maker can put the responsiveness anywhere they like.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by AZLiberty

My Rainsong is less responsive than my Breedlove, more responsive than my Martin. (so middle of the pack)

I expect that by paying careful attention to thickness and graduating the top a CF guitar maker can put the responsiveness anywhere they like.

Thanks AZ.

Overall, I'm guessing that although the responsiveness of a solid wood top with solid wood bracing could change over time that the CF would remain relatively the same?

[jpbat]

I have played only one carbon guitar, which is my Brunner Outdoor, and I find its response to the touch somewhat similar to resonator guitar (very fast, that is, a quality I love in resos. I generally play with a light touch, it is one of my major criteria when choosing a guitar).
And not only it responds fast to a light touch, but this particular guitar handles very well a strong touch, too, making it a very nice country blues/ragtime machine (it isn't always the case with some sensitive wood guitar which sound wonderful lightly played but not so when pushed a bit more)
But again, my experience is with only one carbon guitar, quite particular at that (very small body and 21 1/2" scale)

[buzzardwhiskey]

The strength of CF allows manufacturers to lessen the bracing that wooden guitars often employ. This can mean that CF guitars react very quickly and can be quite loud.

[P_K]

yeah, the cf allows the tops to be built lighter and without bracings, which translates in very fast response and more resonance

each company and each model is different. Rainsong and CA have a slower response, while Emerald and Blackbird are really fast. the Super OM by Blackbird is simply amazing and really loud. every single nuance on my nails is reproduced on this guitar, what doesn't happen on the CAs, for example. the Super OM keeps on impressing me everyday when i play it