Carbon Fiber guitars - my assessment so far

[steelvibe]

The three CF guitars I have had experience with sound pretty darn good but are music to my ears when environmental factors are considered. They also amplify well and make great worry-free stage guitars. I can also appreciate their fine modern looks.

But CF guitars have their cons. To my ears they do not sound better than their wooden counterparts (at least not better than the wood guitars I've owned or currently own). My answer to the recent "have you sold all of your wood guitars yet" thread is "no", and will likely stay that way. It's not that hard to love and feed at least one fine stay-at-home instrument is it? . I have a wood guitar right now that sounds better than any CF guitar I've owned or played.

Having said that, I follow with avid interest as I watch CF improve. I also think it will serve the curious well to have reasonable expectations of what a CF guitar can offer and what it can't.

There are undoubtedly others out there with more qualified assessments- please share them! That is the the most useful thing about this forum and I hereby thank you all for sharing the good, bad and ugly. The CF section is one of my favorite places to geek out at.

Happy 2019!

[studioman001]

What three cf guitars have you tried so far?

[jdinco]

My X20 does not sound anything like my SCGC or Martin, I can't say which one is better, it changes daily. They are different and all very enjoyable to play and listen to. Of course when that humidity is hanging around 9% or we are traveling it's pretty obvious which one comes out to play the most. Buy what you prefer.

[Methos1979]

With the addition of my second Emerald custom woody the wonderful Martin is on the short end of the stick. Since it's winter though and I hate shipping delicate wood guitars in the winter, it's gotten a reprieve although with the humidity hovering in the low 30's it's been placed in its guitar case with a humidifier sponge and is in a closet. I'll pull it out in the spring and spend some time A/B/C'ing it with the Emeralds and make a decision then.

The latest Emerald (X7 woody) is getting all the love right now even though the X20 is technically the better sounding/performing guitar amplified. I like the X7 for its light weight, small body and short scale. Even though the scale length at 24.6" is exactly the same as the X20, it feels much shorter. Or, the X20 feels much longer now.

The X7 does not amplify as well as the X20. I'm not sure if the K&K was the way to go with the smaller body size. The G note/string can be very boxy and there seems to be a weird 'bleed off' of signal which I'm not sure about either but I don't get from the X20. I'm seriously considering trying a different pickup system in it.

[steelvibe]

Originally Posted by studioman001

What three cf guitars have you tried so far?

Actually it's been 4 total;

2 tried- a RainSong Jumbo JM1000 (with the older N1 neck) and a CA Cargo.

1 previously owned RainSong Shorty

1 currently own a Journey OF660B

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by steelvibe

Actually it's been 4 total;

2 tried- a RainSong Jumbo JM1000 (with the older N1 neck) and a CA Cargo.

1 previously owned RainSong Shorty

1 currently own a Journey OF660B

For me the list goes as follows in this order:

Emerald X20 Artisan (blue with B-Band)
Rainsong Shorty APLE
Journey OF660
Emerald X7 September select series (old style, woody)
Emerald X20 custom woody
Journey OF660B
Emerald X7 custom woody (new style)

Also played Frettingflyer's Blackbird Lucky 13 and Rainsong WS1000

Steel;

I came to CF after having been through more than 40 wooden guitars. My focus has been nylon string instruments. I've owned or played Rainsong, Blackbird, Emerald and Laviora. My conclusion is CF instruments are fine relative to tonal qualities but they have yet to reach the projection and clarity of the better wooden guitars.

Like you, I persist, in part, because of CF durability. When moving through all those wooden instruments I discovered that the better instruments were also incredibly fragile--I live in an extreme environment and lost some of my better instruments due to changes in temperature and humidity.

I stick with CF because it is durable and also has a number of highly desirable side attributes. For example, comfort. I believe that one of the first rules of work is to make yourself comfortable. The Emerald guitars fit the rule. I also like a guitar that can be plugged in, if needed, and all my CF instruments have plugged in nicely.

I've become an Emerald fan because I also have the chance to customize to my taste relative to nut width, scale, neck, head stock, and so forth. And I really like the aesthetics--it's nice having a piece of art that also plays music.

I am also fan of Rainsong and believe that the parlor nylon strung comes very close to the sound and play of a traditional classical guitar. And I really like Blackbird's creative guitars and have owned a Rider, a Super OM, and a Uke.

I feel that there are some downsides to carbon fiber instruments, but they are dialing in and becoming about as good as it gets.

[gerardo1000]

My list of owned CF guitars is (starting with the oldest, and I may be wrong with some years)
Rainsong Dread 2003
Emerald small body all fiber glass, 2005
Emerald X 30 center sound hole 2005
Emerald X20 11/16 neck width center sound hole (still have it) 2006
CA Legacy dread with ebony fretboard 2006
CA Legacy Dread all carbon fiber 2007
CA X 2007
CA GX 2008
Rainsong Jumbo 2007
Peavey OX HG Ele 2015
Emerald X7 2016
Journey RT660
Rainsong CH-OM 1100 NS 2018
Rainsong H-DR1100N2 2018
Peavey Cargo Raw 2018
PEAVEY Legacy L3011 2018.

Between them, several Martins, Taylors, one Gibson, a few Ibanez and Alvarez.
Among the wooden guitars, Martin takes the cake. Among CF guitars, Rainsong H-DR1100NS2 takes the cake (because it sounds like a Martin ��) I also like the sound ofComposite Acoustics guitars.

[jdinco]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

For me the list goes as follows in this order:
Emerald X20 Artisan (blue with B-Band)
Rainsong Shorty APLE
Journey OF660
Emerald X7 September select series (old style, woody)
Emerald X20 custom woody
Journey OF660B
Emerald X7 custom woody (new style)

Not meaning to take this thread off topic, but I will. Just a little. If I may ask Methos, what is your take on the older X7 vs the newer X7 ? Thanks !

[steelvibe]

Originally Posted by jdinco

Not meaning to take this thread off topic, but I will. Just a little. If I may ask Methos, what is your take on the older X7 vs the newer X7 ? Thanks !

I'm interested in this too John- no worries.

On another note....this thread sounds like a job for Kramsterman!

[bsman]

I appreciate the consistency of CF guitars. With my (solid) wood guitars, there is (to me) way more variability; I can never be certain how they will sound (unplugged) from day to day. I have a 2007 Martin custom shop (all hog - no sapele, full gloss finish) 000-15 that can either be inspiring or dead depending on the weather, but I always know precisely what to expect from my Rainsong.

[jdinco]

I owned the older version X7 for over a year, the tone was just OK, once in a while I would hear a very small hint of the plastic toy sound. But the comfort, size and scale certainly overcame most of any tone issues. Obviously it bothered me enough to sell it, but the plan all a long has been to get the new version with the slightly larger body. With the price increases and funds being tight, I'd like to be sure it's worth the gamble. Kramster has been kind enough to invite me to his abode, but it would be a month or more before I could even think of it, looks like a knee replacement in a couple weeks.

[kramster]

Originally Posted by steelvibe

I'm interested in this too John- no worries.

On another note....this thread sounds like a job for Kramsterman!

Yes I have played many and owned a few here and there.

[steelvibe]

Originally Posted by kramster

Yes I have played many and owned a few here and there.

Man of few words

I guess we will have to go off your signature to find which CFs are the keepers (being as you have some older models along with cutting edge new). I do have one question though; What happened to the Shorty? Was that just a loaner to review (I watched your video on that and it was part of my decision to buy one)? Or, did the Darth Vader version CH-OM just look better to you? I only ask because they are the same guitar and you decided to keep the latter version.

[kramster]

Originally Posted by steelvibe

Man of few words

I guess we will have to go off your signature to find which CFs are the keepers (being as you have some older models along with cutting edge new). I do have one question though; What happened to the Shorty? Was that just a loaner to review (I watched your video on that and it was part of my decision to buy one)? Or, did the Darth Vader version CH-OM just look better to you? I only ask because they are the same guitar and you decided to keep the latter version.

The Shorty I had was one with that scratchy sounding top... bothered me for whatever reason...swapped it for the old school center hole green X-30.

Really like all the other RainSong finishes. ...the one in the video was a road tripper