X30 Wooden Veneer Dulls Tone?

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by jdinco

Does that mean we are not adequate ?

With more time and practice, I think I could be adequate. Wait! Which is better: adequate or mediocre? A man has to have goals.

[fregly]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

But... you can never prove it.

I am guessing CF as a material is more consistantly the same between guitars unlike wood and you probably could show a difference. It would be somewhat of a constant variable. Adding the extra mass of the veneer I would not choose myself and if the raw finish is thinner I would go for that as well.

[ac]

Originally Posted by fregly

I am guessing CF as a material is more consistantly the same between guitars unlike wood and you probably could show a difference. It would be somewhat of a constant variable. Adding the extra mass of the veneer I would not choose myself and if the raw finish is thinner I would go for that as well.

I think you are assuming that pure CF, with nothing added, sounds best. I like the idea personally of imagining just a few layers of CF producing a perfect, pure sound.

Certainly, it would be pure CF sound, but it's possible a heavier finish, or the veneer, or other, might actually produce a sound that's more appealing to our ears.

If I'm not mistaken, builders construct the sound board with layers of CF in a variety of ways, even including other non-CF composite materials to "shape" the sound they want their instruments to produce.

If so, the change in overall sound and tone from this, I think, would be far more than from a very thin, consistently applied veneer.

[PTL]

Just ask Emerald directly.

They confirmed to me that there is a difference but it is very subtle. Less bright overtones with veneer. This is consistent with my understanding of the physics. I think the wood veneer may improve the tone for that reason - but this is to your taste.

[fregly]

Post deleted

[Aspiring]

There was a post a few months back that linked to an Emerald Facebook post where they discussed this directly and I believe the statement there was that there is a subtle impact to the Nylon string emeralds but not the steel string.

[kramster]

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

With more time and practice, I think I could be adequate. Wait! Which is better: adequate or mediocre? A man has to have goals.

I strive for extra average

[RP]

Alistair Hay addressed this question on page 120 of Staci Blevins' Building Stories, One Guitar at a Time:

Despite adding an additional layer, even a thin one, to the top of an instrument, there are no readily noticeable changes to the tone quality of the guitar over the plain carbon fibre models. "On the question of tone, yes there are some differences but they are subtle. If I were to do a blind test of ten of my guitars I could hear subtle differences from one to the other, but if you asked me to choose which were carbon and which had a veneer, I fear I would not be able to accurately make that call," says Alistair.

[Mark Stone]

Thanks everyone for your responses! I'm actually leaning towards an X30 without the veneer because of the looks. But it's nice to know if I go for one of the woodies there will be no sacrifice in tone or sustain. This forum continues to rock!

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Mark Stone

Thanks everyone for your responses! I'm actually leaning towards an X30 without the veneer because of the looks. But it's nice to know if I go for one of the woodies there will be no sacrifice in tone or sustain. This forum continues to rock!

+1, and IMHO, a good decision because the carbon-fiber weave looks marvelous.

[RP]

Originally Posted by Mark Stone

...But it's nice to know if I go for one of the woodies there will be no sacrifice in tone or sustain. This forum continues to rock!

Look at it this way, if you opt for one with veneer, you'll only know that it has sacrificed tone if you buy another X30 without veneer. How much is knowing worth to you???

[Mark Stone]

Originally Posted by Kerbie

Mark, I have a Woody Maple X-7 and I can't imagine it having any more sustain. I think it's great and I would think the 30 might be even better in that regard.

Thanks for your comment - I wasn't aware you had an X7.