CF is much more rigid than wood, so its natural frequency will be higher. With the lower tension and diminished overtone energy of nylon, this requires a new way of thinking about soundboards.
The typical bracing patterns of wood soundboards protects the wood from saddle torque. With nylon, this isn't so much of an issue, if at all. A very slight archtop design is all that's necessary.
Instead, the lower bout of a nylon/CF soundboard can be designed similar to a drum head, with bracing providing the function of a drum rim, completely encircling the lower bout.
A perfectly elliptical lower bout would be a nice drum head, and an additional layer of CF around the elliptical edge would create a boundary condition that reflects string energy back into the lower bout, increasing projection and sustain. This kind of bracing would create a more resonant soundboard than having no bracing at all.
Energy transmission and reflection at boundary conditions is probably not a common design consideration for guitar makers, but the strength of CF offers the opportunity to think differently.
|