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Thread: Carbon Fiber?

  1. #26
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    I don't think the eKoa I mentioned above (no one here seems to notice my posts BTW) is any less labor intensive but sounds less toxic to produce. I played that Clara uke and I thought it was amazing. It primarily made from flax fibers and (I

    OTOH my absolute favorite bow is a carbon fiber one, a custom-balanced Coda bow and in that case the bows are much less expensive to produce than traditional wood one of the same quality. They don't lose their shape over time like wooden ones and I think they can be made with more consistent balance and weight. In addition, I believe that pernambuco is another endangered wood.
    Jim

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  3. #27
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    I thought Ovation , made a carbon-wood laminate to combine the properties


    and have the wood look to the face..


    writing about music
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  4. #28

    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    I've played a Rainsong WS1000 guitar for many years (it used to belong to Delaney Bramlett before that). It's not my best guitar in terms of absolute sound, but as a gigging instrument it's hard to beat. It does sound good acoustically, with a particular 'bell-like' sound, and much more bass response than you might expect. I've had pro players pick it up, determined to hate this 'non-traditional' guitar, play it, and put it down asking where they can get one. It mics and records well, with excellent clarity and note separation. It's in tune all over the neck, and has just as much volume high up the neck as it does at the bottom end. The action and setup is perfect, and never changes whatever the weather or conditions. Plugged in, it's a joy, with both an internal mic and a piezo, with a clever blender preamp. At soundcheck, the routine is 'plug in, strum guitar once. Sound engineer gives thumbs up, and leaves well alone'.
    Don't get me wrong; I love my Martins, Gibsons and hand built stuff; but if I was looking to pick up a guitar for a stage gig, the Rainsong would be in the case and in the car first.
    Tim Mundy
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  5. #29
    plectrist Ryk Loske's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    Another Rainsong fan here. I bought an Rainsong APSE to travel with and i just love it.

    Ryk
    mandolin ~ guitar ~ banjo

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  6. #30
    Registered User Billy Packard's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    Hey Jim, thanks for the heads up on Blackbird! I'm close to SF and I'm very interested in checking out their guitars and having a bit of a chat with them.
    Billy Packard
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  7. #31
    Mandol'Aisne Daniel Nestlerode's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Kotapish View Post
    I nearly bought one of those Mix CF F-styles. I thought it sounded really good, and would be perfect for outdoor gigs in extreme weather, camping when you want more than a beater, touring when there were a lot of flights involved, etc. I wish someone would figure out how to get those into production effeciently so that they could sell at a more competitive price-point.
    I have a Mix F5 purchased several months after moving from Calif. to England. I bought for EXACTLY this purpose and in 6 years has never let me down.
    It is much more than a beater. The Schertler pick up in it is awesome and running it through an Orchid Electronics preamp I can wrest control of my EQ back from engineers who have no clue. I use it for all my plugged in gigs now.

    I have a CF guitar as well. A Rainsong OM-10000. Lovely guitar, also excellent in every respect. I don't use it anymore, so I am thinking of selling it. (the Rainsong, not the Mix. if you're in the UK, ping me.)

    Daniel

    Daniel

  8. #32

    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    The best part about working with carbon fiber, for a luthier, is that the things you learn from one instrument are 100% generalizable to the next n instruments you make. That's not true with wood instruments. Often we do things, think they work one way, and form incorrect conclusions only to find that the idea did not hold true once we switched to a different type (or piece) of wood.

    Want to see if Virzi's really make a difference? Build two identical CF mandolins, one with and one without.

    Want to see if X-bracing or tone bars make a big difference, and if so, what? Make two CF mandolins, one in each configuration.

    Want to see the effect of different matrix resins, finishes, cast vs non-cast tailpeces?

    Go do it, no need to wonder or guess anymore... it may not be 100% directly applicable to wood instruments, but you will learn something about lutherie in general which we haven't been able to really test yet.

    I'm going to do this as soon as I finish running 500+ feet of wiring so I have a functional shop again.

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  10. #33

    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    Quote Originally Posted by mandroid View Post
    I thought Ovation , made a carbon-wood laminate to combine the properties


    and have the wood look to the face..
    According to the Ovation promotional materials, the wood portion of the Adamas top is internal: “The Ovation 2080ES and MM80 feature striking carbon fiber twill tops with a birch core and unique Ovation quintad “T”-shaped spruce top bracing”

  11. #34
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    So maybe to have the gluing the bracing & top on, go same as the all wood ?

    .. just in the bleacher seats







    ..
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
    about architecture

  12. #35

    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    Does CF even need bracing?

    Check out Emerald for what can be done with CF. Beautiful design.
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  13. #36
    Registered User Papalobo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QV9YLvHg8o Somewhat more sterile sounding to my ears.

  14. #37
    Registered User Papalobo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    There are some impressive results , but I'm a traditionalist. If you are performing outside in hot humid conditions , they are worth considering .

  15. #38

    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    I agree, if you thought it was hard to sell graphite guitars, just try selling mandolins to our lot.

    I've found a few composite guitars I liked. They sounded different, like an entirely new tone wood. It takes a while for ears to adjust.
    Silverangel A
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    1913 Gibson A-1

  16. #39
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    Default Re: Carbon Fiber?

    While not calling into question that cold weather doesn't bother CF mandolins, i've read some claims that imply they aren't affected by any kind of weather. i wonder about high temperatures, say in a closed car in summer.

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