Status Graphite Guitars?

[J.R. Rogers]

Has anyone played a Status carbon fiber guitar? These are built in England and I think they mainly specialize in basses but their guitars look really intriguing...

http://www.status-graphite.com/statu...ndex_home.html







They also offer a maple top and hollowbody option:



I want one.

JR

[Res Ipsa]

Oh man! Some beauties there.

Found the price sheet here: http://www.status-graphite.com/statu..._Pricelist.pdf

Interesting options, various bridges, f-holes, coil taps.

Someone should order one 😉

[kramster]

Nice find, didn't know about these.

[GuitarLuva]

Never heard of them before either...nice find. After venturing into the carbon fiber acoustic world I often wondered what a carbon fiber electric would be like.

I believe that there is a big customer base for CF electric guitars. In previous threads it has been argued that there are so many good, durable electrics in the world that CF would have a hard time competing. I think the market is always in flux and the price point of good electrics is possible with good, light weight CF instruments.

My thin-bodied X7 electric is a good example. I've played just about every nylon string electric and the 7 is lighter, plays as well or better, and came at a price point that fits right in with the better wooden instruments.

[mountainmaster]

I own an Aristides electric. Aristides guitars are made partly of carbon fiber and glass fiber, plus a material they call Arium.



Here is mine on Instagram. It is thin but definitely not light weight.

[GuitarLuva]

Originally Posted by EvanB

I believe that there is a big customer base for CF electric guitars. In previous threads it has been argued that there are so many good, durable electrics in the world that CF would have a hard time competing. I think the market is always in flux and the price point of good electrics is possible with good, light weight CF instruments.

My thin-bodied X7 electric is a good example. I've played just about every nylon string electric and the 7 is lighter, plays as well or better, and came at a price point that fits right in with the better wooden instruments.

I totally agree. I remember when I first found out that carbon fiber guitars existed I went looking for electric options as well. There certainly weren't very many options than and still aren't now. It does surprise me though. Electric guitars are definitely more robust than acoustics but they still do need maintenance (truss rod adjustments, fretboard oiling, etc. They are also a lot less dependent on the tonewoods than acoustics and more dependent on their pickups for amplified tone. I for one would love to have a nice maintenance free electric guitar.

[kramster]

Victorian was another ...I think that was the brand... they were at NAMM a few years ago

I thought the Victorians were quite beautiful, though a little old fashioned--that was a 20s brand. There is a newer brand that sounds somewhat the same but I've forgotten the name. Someone will come up with it.

[J.R. Rogers]

I played the Viktorian guitars at Namm a few years back and they were really good. I would love to have one but the factory seems to be closed.
https://m.facebook.com/Viktorian-Gui...1288274230868/



Kramster, I can't believe you don't have a Status already.

Mountainmaster, that's interesting. I wonder what the Arium material is comprised of?

[kramster]

Originally Posted by J.R. Rogers

=

Kramster, I can't believe you don't have a Status already.

Ut oh...pressure is on... wait... you only just told us about these ...did I get out of it??...for now anyway.

[kramster]

2014 Winter NAMM...Victorian booth

What a difference a K makes. Thanks for catching that JR, and thank you Kramster on following up. You guys should be on a forum. Wait a minute......

[mountainmaster]

Originally Posted by J.R. Rogers

Mountainmaster, that's interesting. I wonder what the Arium material is comprised of?

From the horse's mouth...

Arium is made out of different resins and solid additives to create a relatively light and liquid material that is injected into the exoskeleton. The end result is a mixture of resins and particles that creates millions of tiny sound chambers that can resonate freely in all three dimensions.

[Res Ipsa]

Wow! Aristides has some real nice lookers.

One that evokes weathered steel but ain’t:

https://aristidesinstruments.com/gal...0-martian-rust

SS frets, no wood anywhere as they’re using Richlite now for fingerboards rather than ebony.

This particular model - as best I can tell - starts at $2,750 USD give or take a few euros.

Apparently these have been around for a few years, including appearances at NAMM. Based on video reviews (unfortunately most reviews use distortion rather than focusing on the guitar’s clean sounds), the appeal appears to center around innovative designs, playability, and the resonance of sandwiched composite materials. Structural durability - using a relatively soft core material they call Arium - might be on a par with wood guitars (as opposed to the strength of all-carbon fiber construction), but who knows, maybe just as durable?

Some thought-provoking nuggets are in this factory tour: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JqjJ5lpwgw0

Call me intrigued.