# Carbon Fibre Guitars



## Acousticado (Jul 28, 2016)

Hi all,

This is my first post other than my new member intro where I mentioned that although I'm into fine wood and carbon fibre guitars, I've been intrigued by the latter in recent years. A forum member asked me to post about them. Perhaps there are other members knowledgeable about CF guitars, but for what it's worth, as an owner of a couple of brands as well as participating in discussions at the Acoustic Guitar Forum (AGF) that include the builders since my first exposure in '08, I have gained a fair bit of insight that I'll share.

First, I hope that wood guitar aficionados are open-minded and won't take cheap shots at CF guitars. They are not plastic toys, they are serious, quality instruments offering tonal palettes worthy of a place among quality wood instruments.

The major builders include RainSong, Emerald, Blackbird, Composite Acoustics (operated by Peavey since '10), Journey (offers a detachable neck travel CF guitar) and Brunner. Access to CF guitars is the biggest obstacle toward acceptance...all except RainSong have very little retail exposure, operating more like boutique builders. Most players who now love CF guitars took an initial leap of faith, including me back in '08 after my Baby Taylor was destroyed while vacationing which I immediately replaced with a CF made by Composite Acoustics (CA) 'Cargo' (size of a BT) bought online, sight unseen. It has been a great instrument that holds its own with full-size guitars. I was so impressed that I ordered the full-size 'GXi' model.

Processes among the builders are quite varied with Emerald (based in Ireland) being the most flexible in offering a range of custom options, including modified scales and neck profiles. Emerald is also very innovative in offering an acoustic doubleneck (I own one), harp guitar, and a 12 string mandolin-type guitar. Blackbird is now also using eKoa as an alternative material used for one of their ukes and the new full-size 'El Capitan'.

In addition to great, interesting tones, CF guitars have the benefit of being impervious to environmental changes and light weight. My Emerald Chimaera 6/12 doubleneck is a testament to this, a game changer really among acoustic doublenecks due to its lightweight, ergonomic low profile...and innovative, modern design (that purists may not like). I love this guitar and the fun it offers in not only having a 12 string available to play all the classic folk rock songs originally written on a 12, but being able to jump between necks in a given song ala Stairway, Hotel, or just to add emphasis in choruses. My avatar has a small pic of my Emerald doubleneck. More pics below.

Anyhow, folks, CF guitars really are worth considering.

My '08 Composite Acoustics 'Cargo' bought online immediately after my Baby Taylor got damaged beyond repair.









I was so impressed with the Cargo, that later in '08 I ordered its big brother, the GXi. It was a fine guitar, but I sold it to help fund the Emerald Chimaera shown in the last pic.









My Emerald Chimaera 6/12 Doubleneck. Although the photo kinda makes it look quite wide, it is not. In fact, the lower bout is only 1" wider than my Taylor 814ce and the guitar only weighs 6 lbs. and only 3.5" thick. Projects very well. Very comfy with curves in all the right places. I play mostly unplipugged, but it's equipped with an L.R. Baggs Lyric pickup.


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## BMW-KTM (Apr 7, 2015)

I have played a number of RainSong guitars over the years. Some are all composite, some have wooden parts. All of the ones I have tried have been very articulate and rang out clear and reasonably strong. With the hype that surrounds them you might expect them to be louder and even clearer than they are. As it is, they are somewhat louder and clearer than a typical Taylor or Breedlove but not significantly so. I admit I have difficulty learning to appreciate them aesthetically but they have two properties which are compelling enough I keep trying them out each time I see one to see if it will grow on me. Those two properties are: no worries about getting caught in the rain when around the campfire and no worries about uneven temperatures on a cool or cold evening around a campfire. On a cool evening, typically the top of a guitar heats up from radiant fireglow while the back and sides remain cold, placing stress on the wood and what's worse, on the glued joints. A composite guitar should theoretically fair better in such conditions. If I were the kind of man to take a $3K guitar to a campfire I would prolly own one. My current campfire guitar is an $800 Taylor. It does quite well. The look of Carbon Fibre seems alien to me on a guitar and I have difficulty getting my head around that. I relate Carbon Fibre with sporting equipment, race cars, Ferrari dashboards, etc.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

I wasn't impressed with the tone from the one I played. I can't remember the brand. I found it sounded sterile and lifeless.


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## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

cboutilier said:


> I wasn't impressed with the tone from the one I played. I can't remember the brand. I found it sounded sterile and lifeless.


I have seen comparative videos of a full CF compared to wood. 

It sounded different, but tones (on recording trough youtube) was not bad. 
I guess like anything guitars, there's good and bad.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Jamdog said:


> I have seen comparative videos of a full CF compared to wood.
> 
> It sounded different, but tones (on recording trough youtube) was not bad.
> I guess like anything guitars, there's good and bad.


For sure. I'm not sworn for or against them yet.


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

I played a few at NAMM this past winter. I'd take wood construction any day, especially for the price but of the group, the only one to stick out in my mind were the Kevin Michael by McPherson...not too shabby but still in that $3K+ range. Others sounded very dull...punchy and dull.


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## Gary787 (Aug 27, 2011)

Rainsong guitars need to be seen, played and heard to be properly appreciated. NAMM is a pretty noisy place to be evaluating tone. My advice is go out and try a Rainsong, they are truly incredible. The real problem I think is price. For older farts $3000 dream guitars are made of wood. For younger and future players CF is a fantastic option.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

A guitar NOT made out of wood? Sacrilege. Lol


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## avalancheMM (Jan 21, 2009)

Gotta say, I love my Rainsong, it projects very nicely, is very articulate and bright without being sterile as some have said. Does it sound like a D-28? Of course not. Does it sound amazing plugged in? Absolutely(Fishman equipped). Bottom is end is clean, the mids are a bit more pronounced than a wood guitar, and the highs are nothing short of wonderful. I have adjusted the truss rod once, as a matter of personal preference, I tune it once before playing it, never mid set, and if I am serenading my beautiful wife in a canoe on a shimmering lake surrounded by mountains, and I lose a paddle, I can use my trusty Rainsong to paddle me back to shore, and be in tune when I get there. They are great at what they do, but they are absolutely not a substitute for a terrific wood guitar. My $0.02.

Regards


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

Got a chance to try a Rainsong today thanks to a forum member. It is an amazing guitar. Different sound but that doesn't mean inferior. Plugged in it is even better. I tried it in a Blackstar 1 watt head with a 1x12 cab, not the ideal setup for an acoustic. I can easily say it is the nicest I've heard a acoustic sound with that setup. I'd love to try it with a proper acoustic amp. It would make a really good gigging guitar. My only complaint, and it was a small complaint, was the fretboard was a little wide and flat and the back of the neck was a little sticky. That complaint would not stop me from buying one. The price is too steep for me though. If I'm going to spend that kind of money I'd want something easier to sell if I needed to.


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## jimmy c g (Jan 1, 2008)

if a guitar can sound good in excessively high humidity and not swell to sh##$ Im all for it, wood first for me tho,,, amazing first post by the way .... J


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

CF guitars have been tempting me ever since a singer-songwriter friend appeared at a show with a Rainsong maybe 15 years ago. Since then I've played a few brands and found them interesting and appealing. I can't see them replacing my wood guitars, but I would love a small body one for fishing and camping trips. The double neck Emeralds really float my boat.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I love the look of the Ovation Adamas line, but the Cf's are way out of my price range


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

Because of the tuning stability they may be a very good option for 12 strings.


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## Acousticado (Jul 28, 2016)

Kerry Brown said:


> Because of the tuning stability they may be a very good option for 12 strings.


Yes. My Emerald Chimaera 6/12 doubleneck certainly benefits from this attribute. It holds its tune very well. Also, the light weight of CF, and in the neck/headstock in particular, allows for a better balanced guitar.


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