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composite guitars?

Itsmesilly
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Itsmesilly
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06/23/2009 8:38 pm
Hey all...
was just wondering what you guys think of composite ( non wood ) guitars?
A friend has a rainsong and its pretty sweet...I have also heard of blackbird.

They are supposed to be able to handle anything in terms of temperature changes and bangs and such because they are not made of wood...

anyone have one or know much about them?
They are pretty pricey and I was wondering if they pay off in the end?
I mean for over 2 grand....
could have a really nice martin...taylor...gibson...guild
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# 1
Neal Walter
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Neal Walter
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06/24/2009 8:53 am
I think I know the guitars you're talking about but I haven't played one myself. I do have an old Dan Armstrong which is plexiglass and it plays great and has nice tone, no complaints:

http://www.guitartricks.com/channel/?input=2

You might ask Instructor Joel Van Dijk, I think he's playing one in his Funk Guitar Tutorial:

http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=12403&s_id=632
[FONT=Book Antiqua][FONT=Arial][FONT=Tahoma]Neal
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# 2
Itsmesilly
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Itsmesilly
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06/24/2009 9:41 pm
Hey Neal...thanks for the reply
I was actually thinking about a carbon fiber acoustic guitar. I love the Rainsong but there are a few others out there too...

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Rainsong-Black-Ice-Series-BIWS1000N2-Graphite-AcousticElectric-Guitar?sku=581064

blackbird is another brand.

I dont have that kind of money to drop on a guitar but I was curious as to why they are so pricey and are you getting what you pay for?
I mean thats a huge price tag....

is it better or comparable to wood?

is its only benefit that it can withstand temp changes and weather issues? non warping?

just curious....
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# 3
Razbo
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Razbo
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06/25/2009 7:13 pm
I don't trust any ad that doesn't grammar check

"the purpose of a truss rod in this Rainsong N2 neck is to allow you to customization the relief to suit your playing preferences."

... or spell check

"Call or click to order this unique acosutic-electric today."

C'mon. For 3 grand they could click the spell checker, no? :D
...so ever since then, I always hang on to the buckle.
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# 4
Itsmesilly
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Itsmesilly
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06/25/2009 10:16 pm
yeah thats pretty lame...but I have to say it isnt the guitar maker who creates their website....whoever made the site should be blamed as well as the person who then checked it to say yeah good thanks and then signed the check....people are in too much of a rush these days....

I do have to say I have played the Rainsong and it sounds and feels really sweet
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# 5
Razbo
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Razbo
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06/25/2009 11:07 pm
It's likely the wave of the future. As exotic woods become more scarce, alternatives like this will replace them and hopefully get cheaper.

Here's one made out of Granite

http://www.squidoo.com/graniteguitarurn

Okay, so it's a cremation urn. But with a nice set of strings...

I was looking for an actual Granite Guitar I'd read about built by some university, I think. It was supposed to have had ultimate sustain.

But I think I am getting off topic. It's too bad there are no sound clips with the ad. There are actually some reviews at Harmony Central on Rainsongs. here is the only one on that model...
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Acoustic+Guitar/product/Rainsong/A-WS1000/10/1
...so ever since then, I always hang on to the buckle.
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# 6
Neal Walter
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Neal Walter
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06/26/2009 5:31 am
That's funny, today I was just remembering as a kid my mom sold lumber wholesale and she had our 14'X14' deck built out of Mohagany! that was outrageous for '82, wish I could put it back or into a guitar.
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# 7
Razbo
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Razbo
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06/26/2009 11:45 am
Wow, that's potentially about 95 guitar bodies!
...so ever since then, I always hang on to the buckle.
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# 8
Itsmesilly
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Itsmesilly
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06/26/2009 8:21 pm
I was watching some extreme lumberjacking show...lolol...whatever
anyway they were cutting down this HUGE 400 year old tree in Alaska and the guy said its value was at about $10,000 because it would mostly be used for high end musical instruments....from the insides of pianos to guitars and violins....

I never thought about that when I say "save a tree"
I am all for saving trees and using less paper and recycling and all...but dont stop making guitars....
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# 9
Itsmesilly
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Itsmesilly
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06/26/2009 11:10 pm
ironically.....
I just got this months acoustic guitar mag and it reviewed one of the rainsongs...didnt get a chance to read it all yet though
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# 10
jwb72
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jwb72
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06/27/2009 4:24 am
Originally Posted by: RazboI don't trust any ad that doesn't grammar check

"the purpose of a truss rod in this Rainsong N2 neck is to allow you to customization the relief to suit your playing preferences."

... or spell check

"Call or click to order this unique acosutic-electric today."

C'mon. For 3 grand they could click the spell checker, no? :D



Music 123 at least takes the time to check.

http://www.music123.com/Rainsong-Black-Ice-Series-BI-WS1000N2-Graphite-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-581064-i1444530.Music123
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# 11
Itsmesilly
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Itsmesilly
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06/28/2009 2:48 am
you know, one of the reasons I was thinking about one of these compositie guitars ( not like I could actually afford it ) is my living room was an attic that was converted...was a small beach house that was made to be year round and ...well...they made the attic into a living room....soooo it gets wickedddddd hot up here. Yes I have an air conditioner but its not on all day and when I do put it on the room goes through crazy temp changes and having a guitar up here would be a death sentence....sooooo a composite would be awesome to withstand the temps and temp changes up here....

but damn they are so expensive.....thats not fair...lololol
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# 12
Razbo
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Razbo
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07/01/2009 12:23 pm
It's still fun to dream. My music store catalogues are soo dog eared, it's sad. And I sign up for everyone I can find, too. :)

You made me wonder something about those graphite guitars with your comment about the temp in your home (sound like a really awesome place btw). Humidity effects and heat effects are quite different things. Different materials will expand and contract at different rates from (I didn't spend 3 years in grade 3 fer nuthin!). I wonder what graphite is like in that respect? It might be 100% waterproof and playable under water, but if it changes shape in a cool breeze, that would kind of suck.
...so ever since then, I always hang on to the buckle.
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# 13
Itsmesilly
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Itsmesilly
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07/02/2009 5:07 am
Nah the whole point of those composite guitars is they can handle the temp changes and they dont warp and get all messed up.....read up on them...its pretty cool...pretty expensive but pretty cool for sure
they can take a beating and still sound awesome
I have played the rainsong....next time you are at a music shop...check one out for kicks
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# 14
raymand55
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raymand55
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07/10/2009 12:49 pm
I like guitar so much ....
it's cool .... if you really know how to play guitar , it's really cool....
I'm also agreed Itsmesilly ...
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# 15

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