Price drop in all carbon fiber guitars

[jdrnd]

The increased availability of Carbon Fiber producing trees has resulted in a price drop in some brands of carbon fiber guitars.

Using petroleum to produce carbon filaments has become increasingly expensive. As guitar companies like Rain Song, Mcpherson, and Emerald have been having difficulty obtaining enough CF to produce affordable instruments, other sources have carbon fiber have been explored.
For the last 30 years, carbon Fibers from Blackphlegm trees, a common growth in the Amazon, have been harvested by a number of bicycle manufacturing companies. The Carbon fibers from these trees have excellent tensile strength and are easily molded into shapes as diverse as bicycles, furniture and now musical instruments.

Picea Carbifibrous is the scientific name for Blackphlegm trees. These trees are in the “Spruce” family. They require annual temperatures above 75 degrees and high humidity to produce an annual growth of ½ to 2 inches of carbon fiber. The tree heights range from 8 to 16 feet, so they grow at the lower reaches of the forest canopy. Their fibers are blackish red in color and extend from the root to the most distal branches. Their leaves are similar to Maple but without the pointed fronds. One of the reasons that these trees make good carbon fibers is that they have a large and extensive system of leaf pores that allow for CO2 to be easily absorbed. This plant is unusual in that instead of making carbohydrates, as most terrestrial plants do, they fix the carbon dioxide into indestructible carbon fiber filaments. The flowers are pollinated by insects. It tends to grow in light (sandy) or medium (loamy) well-drained soil. It prefers soil with an acid or neutral pH. It can and does grow best in the shade. It is not drought resistant.

They are easily harvested. The bark and woody portions of the tree trunk can be effortlessly separated from the CF. As Blackphlegm trees are still plentiful there are currently no restrictions on harvesting them.

[RP]

Did you miss posting this on 4/1???

[steelvibe]

And they will dull your axe quicker than common core math will your brain.

I'm sending for some seeds and will try growing my own. Home grown is the way to go.

[ac]

[ac]

Or, just harvest the trees once they're made . . .

[jdrnd]

Originally Posted by RP

Did you miss posting this on 4/1???

No sure where you are going with this. The harvesting of Carbon Fiber from Blackphlegm trees has quadupled over the last 6 months alone.

[jdrnd]

Originally Posted by steelvibe

And they will dull your axe quicker than common core math will your brain.

Good point. To overcome the problem, specially made carbon steel chain saws have to be used. I think that the Stihl company is the primary producer of this specialty item.

[jdrnd]

Originally Posted by EvanB

I'm sending for some seeds and will try growing my own. Home grown is the way to go.

Remember the temperature and humidity requirements before you spend your time and money.

The seeds grow true. So if you get a pack of seeds from a tree that was used to make a CF guitar that you like. you will be able to grow a good instrument from your garden

[Captain Jim]

Even if you grow your own, you'll still have to do a set up on it. In the words of the philosopher Kramster: "Just sayin'."

[jdrnd]

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

Even if you grow your own, you'll still have to do a set up on it. In the words of the philosopher Kramster: "Just sayin'."

I know. Don't remind me.

[jdrnd]

Not sure where this comes from, but now that tree grown carbon Fiber is available, many Luthiers known to AGF members, are considering building guitars with CF.

As wood and carbon fiber are both plant products, it goes without saying that Carbon Fiber guitars are as natural as wood guitars.

[ac]

I like this thread.

[perttime]

One serious issue here is that cutting any trees is supposed to be bad. Gotta maximize those carbon sinks.

[guitarwebguy]

No need to cut ... why not pick when ripe .... maybe i could get out my KRISPY CREME gene modification kit and make some tweaks to the generic carbon tree to grow me an X20 .... I wonder if I can graft an emerald branch or a rainsong branch ... things to ponder