Carbon Fiber Is It For You?

I had an early 1900s Washburn that had held together pretty well, had a few minor cracks and a warped neck, for a 100 years old, not bad. But.......

I've found myself drawn to CF for all the reasons discussed many times on this forum. Wood is inherently touchy regarding temperature and humidity--in my area I've seen new Martins and Taylors fall apart. CF also allows for more shaping than wood and thus more comfort. CF also tends to offer a consistent play and sound from one example to another of the same model. Finally, I think that CF offers a broader range of tonal qualities than wood.

As you might guess, carbon fiber is for me.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by jdinco

I look at it as the CF have their own tone and it can be very enjoyable too. If they sounded like wood...what would be the point?

i just don't differentiate. I simply don't understand the 'sounds like...' talk. I don't know what wood 'sounds like', any more than I know what CF 'sounds like', and I've been playing for 50 years.

I do, however, know what a good guitar sounds like, and I don't give a flying monkey's left testicle what it's made from.

[jdinco]

Poor Monkey

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

i just don't differentiate. I simply don't understand the 'sounds like...' talk. I don't know what wood 'sounds like', any more than I know what CF 'sounds like', and I've been playing for 50 years.

I do, however, know what a good guitar sounds like, and I don't give a flying monkey's left testicle what it's made from.

Is the whole monkey flying or just the left testicle? I agree with you completely about the sound - my X7 sounds like what a great acoustic guitar should sound like, to me at least and that was all that mattered. But this monkey is either flying around somewhere or his left pelota has become detached and taken flight and neither sounds like a GOOD thing!

OK. WHO LET THE MONKEY OUT?

[mot]

If I was a monkey
The party is on
I got to get my groove on
'cause my mind done gone
Can't you see the rays coming from my eyes
Walking through the place like digi-man
Breaking it down
Me and my white tail
Short coat
Can't see color
Any color will do
I'll stick on you
That's why they call me bonobo
'cause I'm the man of the land when they see me
They say oooooh

[kramster]

Originally Posted by mot

If I was a monkey
The party is on
I got to get my groove on
'cause my mind done gone
Can't you see the rays coming from my eyes
Walking through the place like digi-man
Breaking it down
Me and my white tail
Short coat
Can't see color
Any color will do
I'll stick on you
That's why they call me bonobo
'cause I'm the man of the land when they see me
They say oooooh

I am now a little afraid to get too close to Northern NH whilst in Northern Vermont next week.

My Rainsong is the only acoustic I own now, and not missing my wood acoustics at all. Light weight, always in tune, can play outdoors or in anytime without worry, easy care, neck perfectly straight, and the best intonation of any guitar I've ever owned. And I can get great tones from it through my Katana 50, and it sounds great on it's own as well.

[Doubleneck]

Originally Posted by jdinco

Wood acoustic care certainly is easier in Ohio...you have to do like NOTHING. LOL It's a bit different when your RH is hanging around 9%. I bought a guitar in Ohio a couple years ago, brought it back to Colorado and didn't humidify it enough or soon enough, the bridge separated not long there after.

Fully understand that there are extremes of climate in Alaska and out West where carbon fiber would be the way to go. But these are the extremes? My point was for the vast majority of players far too much is made of the fragility of wood? And I would speculate a lot of wasted time and money spent regulating humidity to perfection?

[mot]

Originally Posted by Doubleneck

My point was for the vast majority of players far too much is made of the fragility of wood? And I would speculate a lot of wasted time and money spent regulating humidity to perfection?

Yep! I have an old Ibanez laminate from the early 90s that has been played or stored in rain, desert, heat, cold and other awful conditions more any other instrument I own except probably my trumpet. It's a beater and still plays great. Really no reason to get a CF guitar unless you just have to have CF. The Ibanez is not worth much, so I keep it just in case I am in a pinch or need a cheap guitar. I will likely give it to the next interested kid who comes along.

That said, I have two CF guitars and am getting another because I love not having to tune every time I pick up a guitar like I have to do with my wood instruments or worrying about it when traveling or storing it somewhere. Plus these two CF guitars play as well or better than any wood guitar I have ever had and most (probably all) that I have ever played. My plan is to get down to only one or two acoustic guitars. Not there yet, but working on it. I suspect I will get down to two or three total when I am done.

[mountainmaster]

Originally Posted by Doubleneck

Fully understand that there are extremes of climate in Alaska and out West where carbon fiber would be the way to go. But these are the extremes? My point was for the vast majority of players far too much is made of the fragility of wood? And I would speculate a lot of wasted time and money spent regulating humidity to perfection?

That is what I thought as well... Until I started losing guitars.

I have always made sure humidity stays around 40% in winter but I used to think summer was quite safe for guitars here in the Netherlands.
Unfortunately local conditions in my house appear to be uncharacteristic for the region I live in. In summer the humidity level here rises as high as 82%. At the moment I have a "dry" spell of "only" 69% but that is about as low as it gets this time of year.

So the remaining woodies are safely stored in their cases, although those bulges in their tops never went away completely which severely limits their playability.

[Tricia]

Carbon fibre is for me, definitely ! The light weight is what attracted me in the first place, and the durability and ease of care have been a wonderful bonus. Physical disabilities prevented me from carrying my other guitars anymore, and made if difficult to hold one and play it for more than few minutes. I did not know anything about carbon fibre when I was searching for a good sounding very light weight guitar, but I am so glad I found out about the Blackbird Rider guitars in 2013. (Recently I also have bought the Klos travel guitar, which is not as good quality, but still nice and suitable for my purposes.) It means the world to me that I can hold my guitars and take them with me if I travel.

[121]

I sold off all my acoustics with any solid wood surface 3-4 years ago.
So happy not having to mess with temp and humidity issues any longer and storing guitars in their cases.
I'll never buy another wood acoustic guitar.

My carbon fiber acoustic guitars have not been in their case since I got them over 3 years ago, they're always within easy reach and ready to play.
They stay in tune and sound great.
Because of the ergonomic curves and bevels of the body, my Emerald acoustic guitars are also the most comfortable guitars I've ever played.

I prefer carbon fiber acoustic guitars over wood acoustic guitars and wish I'd discovered carbon fiber much sooner.