Carbon guitars and sun?

[gwandsh]

Just acquiring an Emerald, mostly due to heat/humidity resistance as I travel through very different climates. I also participate in sports where carbon gear is used, and a known issue is sun/uv, which can cause carbon deterioration?
Any concerns with playing outdoors in strong sunlight?
Cheers

[Nymuso]

Didn't know carbon fiber per se had an issue with direct sunlight, and I don't own a CF guitar. But I do know that many, if not most of them are black. And I do know that you do not want to play a black guitar in direct sunlight.

Don't ask how I know that.

[jdinco]

I've played outside in direct sun with no issues other than a black top does get pretty warm/hot.

[Captain Jim]

Sun can be brutal on most things. Realistically, you aren't going to be playing in the sun day in and day out... your skin would shrivel away before your Emerald would show any sun damage. You wouldn't leave your $200k exotic car with the carbon fiber hood parked in the sun endlessly when you have a perfectly good garage. Don't leave your Emerald (or any guitar) out in the sun.

Your Emerald will be fine. Enjoy!

[Birdbrain]

Even if you consider the guitar indestructible, you might burn hour hands picking it up.

[JackDaniel]

Originally Posted by Birdbrain

Even if you consider the guitar indestructible, you might burn hour hands picking it up.

Only time will tell.
Or
Like a ticking time bomb.


🙃 couldn't resist 😉

[DethWshBkr]

I've ridden carbon fiber bicycles since the mid 90s, never been aware of carbon deterioration.

[jricc]

Originally Posted by jdinaz

I've played outside in direct sun with no issues other than a black top does get pretty warm/hot.

This! I've been gigging my black Rainsong CH-OM outdoors in the sun for about 4 summers. That's 50 nights a summer out in the heat, humidity, sweat, beer lol. No adverse effects at all.

[Aspiring]

It all depends on the resin and the paint. Composite carbon fiber in epoxy resin in its basic form does not do well in uv over time. However most competent manufacturers will put uv inhibitors in the paint or other parts to protect it.

My carbon fiber sailboats masts and few other pieces need to be reclear coated every few years.

[gwandsh]

Thanks all
Perhaps I was being a tad over protective... just looking to ensure I don't do anything stupid with a new guitar (and technology). I will limit my sun-lit playing time accordingly.
Appreciate the feedback.

[Corndog]

How about asking Emerald?

[slimey]

Carbon guitars are not exactly going through the rigors of flex a racket, bicycle or sailboat would experience.
If your guitar reaches the temps where the resin becomes weakened, you won't be playing it anyway. Most resins melting points are around 540 degrees F.

[Aspiring]

Originally Posted by slimey

Carbon guitars are not exactly going through the rigors of flex a racket, bicycle or sailboat would experience.

If your guitar reaches the temps where the resin becomes weakened, you won't be playing it anyway. Most resins melting points are around 540 degrees F.

UV can damage resins without reaching high temperatures. I would defer to the manufacturers for the physical breakdowns this could cause. While it's true that the forces are not the same in a guitar it is subject to tons of vibration and the layup is much lighter than what is used in bikes / sailboats etc.

The biggest degradation I see in straight uv exposure for outdoor recreation gear is yellowing of the epoxy and also "drying out" of the composite exposing actual carbon fiber outside of the clear coat and epoxy resin. I see this in sailboat gear but that is also left out in the sun 24/7. Notably my 2004 carbon fiber bike that has a top paint layer and lives mostly in my garage when not being ridden visibly looks just fine.

How much that actually degrades the material beyond the cosmetics I am not sure.

And again this is basic epoxy without paints such as clear coats on top. Most guitars have at least a clear coat on top and I would hope they have uv inhibitors in that clear coat.

[The Bard Rocks]

Sunlight though UV degradation can hurt plastics and make them brittle. Yes, CF is not plastic, still there are some similarities - so it's an interesting question.

[mountainmaster]

I never play outdoors, but my carbon fiber guitars are close to a window where sunlight can touch them.

Glass only protects against a part of the UV spectrum (the UVB part that is the most dangerous to human skin). UVA radiation can still penetrate glass.

So now I am wondering if UVA can damage carbon fiber, or plastics in general