carbon fiber?

[Newbflat]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

I wonder when wooden-guitar-only aficionados will ever accept and respect carbon fiber guitars for what they bring to guitar tone and durability.

I didn’t come to the CF forum to bash CF guitars. The tread started elsewhere and was moved here. I have nothing against CF guitars, they have a lot going for them and I’m happy to stand on high and tell you they are the best in the land or what ever. But at this moment with the ones I have listened to (limited) and the Rainsong that I have to MY ear they are not. So are most Gibsons and Taylor’s for that matter. This has nothing to do with the CF vs Wood (us vs. them) argument that seems to be the both bain and obsession of so many on this sub forum. The OP asked and I offered an opinion, I didn’t bash them. When a maker offers me a CF guitar that satisfy what I’m looking for I’m happy to buy one, until then I’m happy with my Rainsong and what it offers me. I never get upset at others people taste in guitars as it’s their ear, not mine. My guitar ego is not that fragile and I have zero interest in getting others to get on my band wagon. What I want in a guitar only needs to satisfy myself and no one else.

[Markcarl]

Originally Posted by zuzu

Had a friend, 98% electric guitar player (and a monster!), over the other night to our acoustic jam. Turns out he is also a monster on acoustic...no surprise there, he is a full time professional guitar player, and just a super guy.

He was playing a Kevin Michael carbon fiber guitar. It had a great sound, but seemed a bit on the quiet side.

Your thoughts on carbon fiber guitar? Is this the future that is here now?

I got my first carbon fiber guitar around 4 years ago - a Rainsong CH-OM1000NS. At the time I was living in Colorado which is very dry and hard on acoustic guitars. I wanted a guitar that would be resilient to temperature and humidity changes. This guitar really surprised me. The quality and playability was as good as the Collings, Martin, Taylor guitars that I own or have owned. The durability was something new to me though. The guitar is almost never in its case. It’s usually on a guitar hanger in my bedroom. It gets played a lot. I’ve taken it on road trips. I’ve left it overnight in my car for days in below freezing temperatures and then brought it into the house and played it. And perhaps the biggest surprise to me is that the guitar sounds really good!

I still own wood guitars - a Collings OM1HACUT, OM2HACUT, Martin OMC-28M, Taylor GS-Mini, and Godin Multiac SA. I’ve owned some other amazing wood guitars in the past including a Martin HD-28, OM-21, OM-18, Taylor 514C, K14C, Larrivee OM-03, Parlor. I appreciate the tone and workmanship of a fine wood guitar. There’s a warmth and character to a well made wood guitar. I don’t think anything will replace that. Because of the climate where I live, I keep my wood guitars in their cases with a humidifier when they’re not being played.

Now there are excellent carbon fiber guitars available with their own advantages. It’s exciting having more options! I recently moved to South Dakota which is also hard on wood guitars. In addition to the Rainsong CH-OM1000NS, I now own 3 more carbon fiber guitars - a Rainsong APSE, 25 Year Anniversary Edition, and WS1000. Each one is different in either materials, soundhole location, body size, or scale. They play and sound fantastic and I don’t have to baby them like my wood guitars! These guitars are kept hanging up in different rooms of my house. I play them a lot and they are part of the decoration of the house! I’ve come to love these carbon fiber guitars for their practicality, aesthetics, and tone. Needless to say, I’m a big fan of carbon fiber guitars AND wood guitars. I just ordered an Emerald X20. I hope I enjoy the Emerald as much as my Rainsong guitars.

[ethanay]

had a Journey OF660 and sold it. had issues first with the guitar, than with their customer support.



had (and still have) an Emerald x7 in their latest iteration, as well as an Amicus based on that experience. don't regret either purchase.


The Journey was very sweet sounding, amped and recorded very well. But quiet and compressed dynamic range (which is IMO one of the reasons why it recorded so well...pre-compressed...).


The Emerald is the best sounding small-bodied guitar I've ever heard in terms of note definition and separation, balance, clarity, projection, dynamic range. It's also got the best upper fret access of any 12 fret guitar I've ever played. IMO it's about the perfect travel guitar. Gig bag holds as much cargo as the Journey's backpack and still fits in overhead bins, and I don't worry too much if I need to gate check it.


I have yet to play a carbon fiber nylon stringer that impressed me. They remind me too much of the Journey. If I want compression, I'll add it to the signal chain.



Carbon fiber doesn't replace wooden acoustic guitars. It never will. It's its own thing. I still prefer the sound of a well-made and voiced wooden guitar made of high quality tonewoods, but it's just a personal preference. Carbon (and eKoa...) can be mass produced with much more consistent results, so ultimately will be more economical in terms of quality per price point. They can be made to sound excellent, and the worry-free characteristics have a lot of value. Not a big deal if it gets bumped, wet, dry, sudden changes in temperature, etc. Not sure how well they do with heat (e.g., being left in a hot car).


My X7 stays out and probably gets played the most, and I thoroughly enjoy playing it. It sounds nice. Really nice. But when I return to my two (high end) wooden guitars it's always a bit of a breath of fresh air in the complexity and character of the notes, and the way that timbre changes with velocity, etc...



I think more electrics should be made from carbon. Sound in electrics comes mostly from amp, pickups, strings and construction (scale, neck joint, etc). Materials are fairly negligible. So having something lightweight and indestructible is really appealing there.

[mikealpine]

Originally Posted by KevinH

All good points.

But the question of do they sound like wood has always seemed kind of pointless to me. They sound like guitars. They have certain sonic characteristics just as wood or metal guitars so. Whether or not a certain CF guitar appeals to someone is a matter of personal preference, just like wood.

Exactly. At no point has anyone ever wondered what instrument I am playing. Only other guitar aficionados even ask about the guitar, which looks different than most non-guitar players expect to see. I strum it. It makes guitar-like sounds and that’s that. It’s a guitar.

[Barb1]

Hi Mikealpine,
I have used my Blackbird Steel Rider to accompany many bar mitzvah services. At the end of the service at least one person usually asks me if I am playing a guitar.
Barb

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by Barb1

Hi Mikealpine,
I have used my Blackbird Steel Rider to accompany many bar mitzvah services. At the end of the service at least one person usually asks me if I am playing a guitar.
Barb

No doubt because that Rider doesn't look like what the general public thinks a guitar "should" look like. Unless you're at a Renaissance festival... where they would ask: "Is that a lute?"

[mikealpine]

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

No doubt because that Rider doesn't look like what the general public thinks a guitar "should" look like. Unless you're at a Renaissance festival... where they would ask: "Is that a lute?"

My thoughts, as well. I suspect you’d get that question if it was made of wood, too.