Played a carbon fiber for the first time and I have a question

David M123 · #1 08-20-2012, 04:00 PM

Lately I have been increasingly curious about carbon fiber guitars, but they are pretty thin on the ground around here and I hadn’t been able to play one before today. But I had the day off so I went down to the local guitar-store-that-must-not-be-named and they had a single Rainsong. I don’t remember what model it was, but it had a large body somewhere in size between a dreadnought and my Taylor Jumbo, and it had the red flame rosette.

Playing it was an interesting experience. 90% of what I do is fingerstyle, so that is how I played it. I found that lower on the neck, in the 1st to 5th fret area, the sound was rich and resonant with a feeling of plenty of unused power, rather like driving a big-block Mustang on city streets - you know the power is there even when you’re not using it, and it feels great. But, as I went up the neck, this went away, to the point that in the 12th fret area, the sound was simple and one-dimensional, with none of the feel of available power it had lower down, more like driving a Yugo on the highway - you know the power isn't there and it makes you nervous.

Now as I said before, this is the only carbon fiber guitar I have played, so I am wondering if this is common or standard for this type of guitar, or did I just play a dud?

If the guitar had played up the neck like it did in 1st position, I probably would have walked out with it, even though I hadn’t intended to buy today.

rwskaggs · #2 08-20-2012, 04:06 PM

Do you know what gauge and type of strings were on it? My Rainsong dread is exceptionally responsive with PB 12 - 54's on it. I like your description of the Mustang...exactly the feel I get.

Never had a guitar before that was sensitive enough (like a light built) and yet powerful enough to knock your socks off! Love alternating between fingerstyle and alternate picking/strumming at our local jams.

Reason I asked about strings is that mediums seem to tone my Rainsong down fingerstyle. It'll still move with a pick, but my technique is a bit soft with my nails....

Doubleneck · #3 08-20-2012, 06:52 PM

Is this the guitar? Not many with a red rosette?
http://macnichol.com/forum-post/4387

David M123 · #4 08-20-2012, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doubleneck

Is this the guitar?
http://macnichol.com/forum-post/4387

Looks like it! That's definitely the rosette. If the red is only found on that limited edition, it's a match.

As far as te strings go, they were definitely light gauge and seemed like PB's, but I'm not enough of a string connoisseur to say more than that. Unusually for this particular store, the strings were in pretty good shape, too.

David M123 · #5 08-20-2012, 07:04 PM

Hi Doubleneck!

I notice in your signature that you have both an Emerald and a couple of Rainsongs. I would be interested in your take on the differences between the two brands.

Dave

Doubleneck · #6 08-20-2012, 07:38 PM

That is tuff, I like them both. I think both brands are just getting better and better. The JM 1000 I just got in trade, it is a 2012. Very nice, full big sound, great fiingering, do like the Jumbos. The Emerald Double I just got last month, I wrote a full review here on down a little bit. Really hard to compare the two just different guitars. The Emerald is like playing a work of art.

chistrummer · #7 08-20-2012, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doubleneck

Is this the guitar? Not many with a red rosette?
http://macnichol.com/forum-post/4387

Doesn't sund like the op is describing one of Ted's custom OM's, sound like he is describing an early CA dread with crown of thorn rosette, those things were terrible up the neck. OP, did it look like this?

David M123 · #8 08-20-2012, 11:44 PM

Well, it definitely was not a dread. Looking at the models on the Rainsong website, I think it may have been a WS-1000, or something with a similar body. But it did have a red rosette, and the one in the videos linked to by Doubleneck fits my memory of the rosette better.

Unless it’s important to ID the specific model, I’m more interested in my original question. Was my experience of its characteristics usual, or just a bad example. And, if the latter, how common is this? If I do buy a carbon fiber, I will probably have to buy one unplayed, so I’d be very concerned about consistency between individual instruments, models, brands.

Thanks for the help!

Dave

tdq · #9 08-21-2012, 12:23 AM

..........

Doubleneck · #10 08-21-2012, 03:20 AM

If its a local shop go down and look in the soundhole and see what model you played. Carbons are very consistent so doubt that you just had a bad one. This model may not be your cup of tea, but curious what you actually played.

David M123 · #11 08-21-2012, 07:25 AM

It'll probably be a couple of weeks before I get back there, but when I do, I'll let you know.

Thanks,

Dave

tdq · #12 08-21-2012, 09:15 AM

CA and Rainsongs are very different sounding guitars. I lean toward the CA camp, but I do know how a rainsong should sound and play: I tried one at a store once, and I don't know what they did but it didn't play and sound nearly as well at is should have. CF guitars are pretty consistent but I guess it can be mucked up. Strings make a big difference, too, even more than on wooden instruments.

Ted @ LA Guitar Sales · #13 08-21-2012, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David M123

Well, it definitely was not a dread. Looking at the models on the Rainsong website, I think it may have been a WS-1000, or something with a similar body. But it did have a red rosette, and the one in the videos linked to by Doubleneck fits my memory of the rosette better.

Unless it’s important to ID the specific model, I’m more interested in my original question. Was my experience of its characteristics usual, or just a bad example. And, if the latter, how common is this? If I do buy a carbon fiber, I will probably have to buy one unplayed, so I’d be very concerned about consistency between individual instruments, models, brands.

Thanks for the help!

Dave

If the guitar you played was a Rainsong with a red rosette than it was one of my custom OM's so I am quite familiar with it. This model was the first to combine the hybrid body with the unidirectional top, a combination now being used on the hugely popular Shorty. I played all fifteen guitars (the model is LA1-LE BTW) that were built for me, even kept one and no one ever complained that the tone became "simple and one dimensional" or that there was any loss of power when playing up the neck. In fact no one has ever had such a complaint with any of the hundreds of carbon guitars I sold.

If the guitar you played was an undamaged Rainsong, regardless of model, than here is my theory. Carbon guitars, especially Rainsongs are extremely responsive which means the loss of resonance that can be heard, and more importantly felt with all acoustic guitars once you reduce the scale by playing up the neck will be more noticeable with a super lightweight guitar like a Rainsong, and I think this might be what you are describing.