NGOD - Emerald carbon fiber guitar

Started by Mikeymac, November 16, 2017, 09:13:21 AM

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Quote from: Mikeymac on November 23, 2017, 11:03:53 PM
This is one thing I've wondered about carbon fiber guitars: will the tone ever change or "mature"? Or will any change in tone be due to different strings, picks, technique, etc.? Will they loosen up? Doesn't seem like it's in the nature of the materials. Is it too early to know? Or have they been around long enough that someone can speak to a change in tone over time - and if so, how long did it take?
Carbon fiber is baked, both figuratively and literally. It won't be aging.
Except, you know, as ultimately, entropy owns all things.

Quote from: Queequeg on November 24, 2017, 08:13:35 AM
.... entropy owns all things.

Except some "things" not made by human hands. But...if time and use affects the resin/carbon guitar, I suspect it would be detrimental
A Hebrew, under the Spell
Pain is a good thing

Quote from: broKen on November 24, 2017, 08:52:56 AM
Except some "things" not made by human hands. But...if time and use affects the resin/carbon guitar, I suspect it would be detrimental

Okay, so much for guess work - I'm asking if anyone has any real world experience with a carbon fiber guitar over time that heard any change in the tone.

Thanks.  :donut :coffee
2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992

 Nope, not me. But my 18 year old D-02 sure has aged well.  :guitar

Early versions of carbon fiber were reported to fatigue and delaminate with repeated stresses.  Carbon fiber in its various stages have been in use for many years in the construction of a variety of types of sporting equipment that has to withstand repeated battering by the user.  I have yet to find any hard documentation that would indicate that the more modern carbon fibers, like the ones used in guitar manufacturing, have any expected lifespan.  Articles do suggest that wood shortages and controls will eventually increase their use.  One thing for sure, if you bang it hard enough and repeatedly enough it will likely eventually fracture and break.  I have some carbon fiber arrow shafts that are over thirty years old and they are still like new...  Who knows?
George

Quote from: broKen on November 24, 2017, 08:52:56 AM
Except some "things" not made by human hands. But...if time and use affects the resin/carbon guitar, I suspect it would be detrimental
The sun, the moon, the stars (none of which were made by man) are all subject the the laws of physics; thermodynamics; entropy, and will all fade away.
If your remarks are theological in nature, that's not a topic I'm prepared to entertain with you here.

Quote from: Mikeymac on November 24, 2017, 05:20:04 PM
Okay, so much for guess work - I'm asking if anyone has any real world experience with a carbon fiber guitar over time that heard any change in the tone.

Thanks.  :donut :coffee
Yes.
I'm telling you that I have owned a CA for10 years now and baked carbon fiber does not age in the sense that a wooden guitar does.
That is why you can subject it to weather conditions of heat, cold, high & low humidity and it is unaffected by these changes.

Quote from: broKen on November 24, 2017, 08:52:56 AM
Except some "things" not made by human hands. But...if time and use affects the resin/carbon guitar, I suspect it would be detrimental
I have a perfect walking staff, that I found in a river up in the Ozarks.
      It was not made by human hands, a beaver did it. I like it a lot.

Quote from: Queequeg on November 25, 2017, 10:39:06 AM

Yes.
I'm telling you that I have owned a CA for10 years now and baked carbon fiber does not age in the sense that a wooden guitar does.
That is why you can subject it to weather conditions of heat, cold, high & low humidity and it is unaffected by these changes.


That's the kind of response I was hoping for - and your answer doesn't surprise me. Kinda what I expected...

So you'd better like the tone of your carbon fiber guitar when you get it, because it's not going to change much (except for with different strings, picks, eq'ing of the electronics, etc.).
2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992

Quote from: Mikeymac on November 25, 2017, 06:28:17 PM
That's the kind of response I was hoping for - and your answer doesn't surprise me. Kinda what I expected...

So you'd better like the tone of your carbon fiber guitar when you get it, because it's not going to change much (except for with different strings, picks, eq'ing of the electronics, etc.).
True, but seriously, does anyone buy a guitar that they don't like the way it sounds with the belief that it will improve with age?
I'm sure that all the people on this forum are smarter than that.

Quote from: Queequeg on November 27, 2017, 06:27:34 AM
True, but seriously, does anyone buy a guitar that they don't like the way it sounds with the belief that it will improve with age?
I'm sure that all the people on this forum are smarter than that.


I get that, but most seasoned guitar players also know that wood guitars' tone does change with age, and that change is almost always considered an improvement as the wood settles, ages and the instrument matures. I'm just saying this seems unlikely with carbon fiber.

Also, I find it interesting that many people make a distinction between "natural" materials (wood, hide glue, bone nuts & saddles) and "man-made" materials - when all "man-made" materials ultimately came from nature; there is nothing on this planet that is not ultimately natural/from nature!

:donut :coffee
2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992

Quote from: Mikeymac on November 27, 2017, 11:31:44 AM
I get that, but most seasoned guitar players also know that wood guitars' tone does change with age, and that change is almost always considered an improvement as the wood settles, ages and the instrument matures. I'm just saying this seems unlikely with carbon fiber.

Also, I find it interesting that many people make a distinction between "natural" materials (wood, hide glue, bone nuts & saddles) and "man-made" materials - when all "man-made" materials ultimately came from nature; there is nothing on this planet that is not ultimately natural/from nature!

:donut :coffee
Yep. I hear ya.  :thumb
You might enjoy or appreciate  this interesting bit of nature. :wave

Quote from: Queequeg on November 27, 2017, 12:57:19 PM
Yep. I hear ya.  :thumb
You might enjoy or appreciate  this interesting bit of nature. :wave


Thanks for that - yes, I've seen those before.

Here's one of my favorite singer songwriters, David Wilcox, talking about his signature carbon fiber Rainsong. David has played Olson's for years (and played a Larrivee for a brief time back in the mid/late '90's). But on the road, he prefers to play something indestructible...
2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992

Well, I got an e-mail this morning! My Emerald is ready to ship! So I just sent my payment, and they're going to let me know when it goes out the door (out of the country of Ireland?!) with tracking information.

They're ahead of schedule by at least a few weeks by my reckoning - but I'm not complaining!

Updates when I know more...

:nanadance :nana_guitar
2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992

Quote from: Mikeymac on February 16, 2018, 08:35:24 AM
Well, I got an e-mail this morning! My Emerald is ready to ship! So I just sent my payment, and they're going to let me know when it goes out the door (out of the country of Ireland?!) with tracking information.

They're ahead of schedule by at least a few weeks by my reckoning - but I'm not complaining!

Updates when I know more...

:nanadance :nana_guitar

Got a tracking number... it should be crossing "the pond" in the next 24 hours. Then we'll see how long it takes to get through east coast customs and make its way to MintSoda!
2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992

Some folks on the AGF are reporting that they are getting dinged for customs duty on Emeralds.

Looks like there may have been a change to the uniform Tariff schedule.  Really interested to know if you get dinged by customs since I am still considering an Emerald double-neck.

I'll let you know - although they did not warn me of the possibility of this when they shipped it to me (seems like they would have mentioned it if I was going to have to pony up on my end).

Anyway - the guitar has left Ireland, reached the "Heathrow Transit Hub" in London! Next stop, USA!!!  :nanadance
2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992

I got to play an X20-12 last weekend at the "Pheonix Carbonfest".  I could see owning one of those in amber.

Phoenix Carbonfest was a half dozen of the folks from the AGF  meeting up.  I think we had just under 30 CF instruments to play around on.

Quote from: AZLiberty on March 01, 2018, 01:44:55 AM
I got to play an X20-12 last weekend at the "Pheonix Carbonfest".  I could see owning one of those in amber.

Phoenix Carbonfest was a half dozen of the folks from the AGF  meeting up.  I think we had just under 30 CF instruments to play around on.

If I was going to buy another CF it would be an Emerald X20, they sound very full...
George

Quote from: AZLiberty on March 01, 2018, 01:44:55 AM
I got to play an X20-12 last weekend at the "Pheonix Carbonfest".  I could see owning one of those in amber.

Phoenix Carbonfest was a half dozen of the folks from the AGF  meeting up. 

I think we had just under 30 CF instruments to play around on.


That would be an interesting experience, checking all those out and comparing/contrasting...  :thumbsup
2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992

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