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Old 04-04-2021, 04:46 AM
Dru Edwards Dru Edwards is offline
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Default How resistant to breaking are CF guitars?

How resistant to breaking are CF guitars? I know they're not indestructible but moreso than a solid wood acoustic, correct?

For example, are CF guitars less likely to break at the headstock than an acoustic if it were to fall over or jarred in a case?
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Old 04-04-2021, 05:07 AM
Frettingflyer Frettingflyer is offline
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To answer your question, they are much less likely to break at the headstock when dropped. When a hotel driver dropped my Lucky13 I ended up with a bent knob for the G string but all worked well. My McPherson travels in a tougher bag and I think nothing would have happened to it, FWIW.
Someone on here drove over one with not such good results, but if you try not to abuse them they hold up very well. Even to regular travel.
Plus there are now more options with different sounds and feels so there is really something for everyone in CF land. Welcome.
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Old 04-04-2021, 05:25 AM
Dru Edwards Dru Edwards is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frettingflyer View Post
To answer your question, they are much less likely to break at the headstock when dropped. When a hotel driver dropped my Lucky13 I ended up with a bent knob for the G string but all worked well. My McPherson travels in a tougher bag and I think nothing would have happened to it, FWIW.
Someone on here drove over one with not such good results, but if you try not to abuse them they hold up very well. Even to regular travel.
Plus there are now more options with different sounds and feels so there is really something for everyone in CF land. Welcome.
Dave, thanks for your post. It makes sense.
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Old 04-04-2021, 07:31 AM
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Mbroady Mbroady is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frettingflyer View Post
Someone on here drove over one with not such good results,
Yep.....
I’ve posted this pic before, mainly for it’s dark comedy qualities.
I am able to laugh because it was covered under insurance.
But, it took a car to do this. A wooden guitar wood (pun intended) have faired much worse.
Still, the guitar was not reparable. CF guitars are not indestructible

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Old 04-04-2021, 08:53 AM
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But still, not all is lost. There's a great birdhouse right there, or a really interesting garden planter. And the strings, tuners, and saddle look like they're all ready to go. It's hard to beat a CF guitar.
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Old 04-04-2021, 09:12 AM
jwellsy jwellsy is offline
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I'm thinking exploding carbon fiber wall art, lamp or garden statue with brass and copper sheet metal flames slightly discolored with a torch.
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Old 04-04-2021, 10:41 AM
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Acousticado Acousticado is offline
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Hi Dru,

I’d say that the short answer to both parts of your question is “yes”.

I’ve never put any of the CF guitars I own/ed to any sort of stress test to know from first-hand experience, but having read a lot about the attributes of CF by those who should know and my own sense over 13 years of playing various models, they certainly seem stronger/tougher than any wood guitar in every area of construction (including headstock), but as others have said and you’ve surmised, they’re not indestructible if subjected to extraordinary forces.

The question becomes, how much inherent “flex” and/or strength does CF have over wood or vice versa to withstand an unusual force on a given component of the build. I certainly don’t know, but I speculate that CF will better tolerate the usual bumps and grinds and then some, that guitars can be subjected to before failure occurs.
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Old 04-04-2021, 10:59 AM
Captain Jim Captain Jim is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mbroady View Post
Yep.....
I’ve posted this pic before, mainly for it’s dark comedy qualities.
I am able to laugh because it was covered under insurance.
But, it took a car to do this. A wooden guitar wood (pun intended) have faired much worse.
Still, the guitar was not reparable. CF guitars are not indestructible

Still makes my hind end pucker when I see that image.

When I'm asked about how tough carbon fiber guitars are, I relate your experience.
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Old 04-04-2021, 11:11 AM
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If busking, this guitar would make a great money collector (instead of a guitar case).
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Old 04-04-2021, 11:37 AM
Dru Edwards Dru Edwards is offline
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Looks like a Pete Townsend signature guitar!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mbroady View Post
Yep.....
I’ve posted this pic before, mainly for it’s dark comedy qualities.
I am able to laugh because it was covered under insurance.
But, it took a car to do this. A wooden guitar wood (pun intended) have faired much worse.
Still, the guitar was not reparable. CF guitars are not indestructible

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Old 04-04-2021, 12:55 PM
casualmusic casualmusic is offline
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==> some video from KLOS Guitars















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Old 04-05-2021, 09:29 PM
tdq tdq is offline
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I posted this elsewhere too, but my (ex) CA-GX was literally kicked across a room (by accident), had some heavy luggage dropped on it and fallen heavily while in a very light gig-bag. The last one bent a tuner (replaced) otherwise it was fine. Admittedly a few light scratches over the 8 or so years I had it, but solid as a rock. Not invunerable, but a thousand times more resistant than a wooden one.
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