fxk - Posted - 12/17/2008:  08:06:12

To the pillory!

So...
When is Paul Beard (or some other foreword thinking reso maker) going to team up with the likes of Rainsong or Carbon Acoustics and build a carbon fiber (CF) resonator guitar?

Seems the material is indestructable, and would allow some new, very resonant surfaces - all very tunable via material thickness. Rainsong and CA are getting quite the following, and CF mandolins are starting to show up.

CF has wonderful acoustic properties - some say better than some good tonewoods - and with the increasing scarcity of the tonewoods, and the soaring prices, CF is starting to look like a "greener" alternative - at least not cutting down trees, anyway.

I can just hear one now - bell-like highs, full bodied lows. Light as a feather.

Ok, I'm ready for my flogging now.

JD - Posted - 12/17/2008:  08:48:47

I'll step up and take a flogging as well and say that I've always been surprised that Ovation hasn't at least tried to make a reso. Can you picture that, a round back resonator? :)

The cutting of trees of exotic or high grade wood is actually very green. These lumber companies want to stay in business and they replant as the clear. It's an amazing ratio of three trees planted for every single tree cut. Believe it or not, these lumber companies are some of the greenish companies on the planet.

JD

fxk - Posted - 12/17/2008:  09:10:08

Wow. I hear you. Debating levels of "green-ness" wasn't where I wanted to go. Can we pretend I never mentioned anything about being green?

Back to the CF resonator...

SGB - Posted - 12/17/2008:  09:30:11

The aircraft industry uses a lot of carbon fiber and is the price driver for it. There have been shortages and then the requisite price hikes when the aircraft industry uses quite a bit of the stuff. It's not cheap and it fluxuates in price like tonewoods.

Steve

9 out of the 10 voices inside my head are telling me to go home and clean my guns.

Dukasyo - Posted - 12/17/2008:  11:09:04

Yeah, I've been thinking something like that too. Rounded fiberglass body, tone wood top (a la ovation) with carbon fiber cover. Cheaper than trying to go all CF. Probably sound good too. Might look cool anyway.

Mike D.

phil dean - Posted - 12/17/2008:  11:46:41

Its already been done fellows. There is a fellow that I met at one of the Seba(Southeast Bluegrass Assoc.) meetings that has made at least one of them. Sounded nice, but, he and I agreed that the weight was too much. He is working on thicknesses to get the weight down. All in all good job by the builder.

masteresoguitars.com

fxk - Posted - 12/17/2008:  11:58:35

Cool. I knew it was not MY original idea, by any means. I'm really surprised, though, that weight was an issue - Rainsongs are light as a feather, and the XOX Handle CF electrics are just over four lbs.

I thought I read that Rainsong was using something like 1mm carbon fiber in their tops without any internal bracing.

Well, anyway, I hope that guy you met continues in the quest and comes up with a winner! I'm sure no guitar maker got it perfect on the first try...

SlimPickins - Posted - 12/19/2008:  17:13:49

This has actually been a while back now, but I actually contacted Composite Acoustics about this exact subject. At the time (a year and a half ago, give or take), the PR representative said that they had already looked into it. They had already brought in Paul Beard and Rob Ickes to get their expertise on the subject. A prototype had already been built with their help and I was told that it sounded exceptionally incredible. When the real deal will be introduced to the masses... your guess is as good as mine. Either way, it's a good sign that the idea has been put into motion and is an excellent step towards the next generation of resonator guitars.

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Life''s too short - sit back, relax, and enjoy the music!

-Brent

El Dobro - Posted - 12/21/2008:  08:37:56

I keep an eye out, but it has to have a good tone AND be lighter than the wood ones.

Don
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