Graphite Resonator Guitars

[Deleted]

Hello all

I have read about these. The claim is that they sound as good or better than steel or brass but weigh a lot less, which is my concern.

Does anybody know more about this, who builds them, how much they cost and if they really do give the same sound.

Many thanks

Barry

[Deleted]

Barry, you may be thinking of the fibre-glass Beltona guitars. They're built in New Zealand and have an excellent reputation, although I've never seen one in the flesh myself. There's a thread about them below. They have a website, I'm sure Google will find it.

Cheers, Iain.

[Deleted]

Iain

Thanks. I know of Beltona but there are graphite rather than fibre-glass models too. Kokomo Music and Rich Hoeg arte mentioned.

Barry

[Deleted]

Barry, that's very interesting. I didn't know anybody other than Beltona were building resonators from composite materials. I'll have to do some digging, I'd love to see what they've come up with. The only other maker I knew of was the F1 company that Michael has mentioned, he has one of their guitars (there's a photo of it on the forum somewhere). They aren't made anymore though. Good luck with you search.

Cheers, Iain.

EDIT: I found this link www.kokomomusic.com/pages/luthiers.html, it has a little bit of information but not much. They look very similar to the photos of the F1 guitars I've seen.

[Deleted]

Iain

Yes I got that link but it seems to have no prices or specs.

Cheers Barry

[tark]

As far as I can tell Hoeg guitars is very much a one-man boutique maker. Rich Hoeg has a website, although there isn't much info on it. I'd guess he builds on a one off commission basis.
Shame really, I'd love to see some composite body resonators being built on a small production basis at 'reasonable' prices.

[maxxengland]

I've worked with plastics vacuum forming machines, and it has occurred to me the process suits low quantity production runs. Provided the material has sound qualities you require (polycarbonate springs to mind as light, robust and reasonably rigid, also suitable might be acrylic capped ABS which is cheaper and easier to work with (and you can glue things to it)), the costs and ease of body production would be attractive. But who's going to be the first one to try the idea?

[tark]

May 29, 2008 10:50:20 GMT maxxengland said:

I've worked with plastics vacuum forming machines, and it has occurred to me the process suits low quantity production runs. Provided the material has sound qualities you require (polycarbonate springs to mind as light, robust and reasonably rigid, also suitable might be acrylic capped ABS which is cheaper and easier to work with (and you can glue things to it)), the costs and ease of body production would be attractive. But who's going to be the first one to try the idea?

You need a body material that has an internal acoustic damping factor that is as low as possible. Thats why carbon or glass fibre work. I suspect most of the vaccum formable plastics would be too dead sounding.

[maxxengland]

Well no, the shape would be stiff in itself, so there would be no movement available in the plastic to absorb energy.

I pointed at ABS and polycarbonates specifically as they are among the most rigid sheet materials around but 6mm polypropylene with a couple of % thermoplastic rubber in the mix to avoid low temperature embrittlement, formed into a "guitar" shape, would do the job quite well. I suppose also HD polyethylene would have much the same characteristics. Adhesives don't work well on the last two, so you'd have to screw the top assemply to the body.

I doubt that anyone outside the toy industry would build an instrument that way, but if they do, I offer myself up at £1,000 a week for consultancy on vacuum forming, 4 week minimum contract and you provide and fuel, free of charge, one of those fake Bentley Chryslers for the duration. Or a real Bentley ;D ;D ;D

[Deleted]

I agree that vacuum formed polycarbonate may be a viable method of constructing a resonator guitar body, I've been considering it as a way of building a tri-cone (not a traditional design, something more modern). I'd actually prefer to use superformed aluminium (similar to vac formed plastic but using super elastic aluminium instead) but I suspect the tooling will be too expensive. I agree that the key will be to maximise stiffness in any plastic moulding. It might work, it might not. If I ever get around to building it (don't hold your breath) I'll report back.

[maxxengland]

Seriously, if you try vacuum forming, send me a pm and I'll tell you what I know about it, and it's all from the sharp end of the business, not some know nothing rep telling you how quick and easy it is.

It is quick and easy, provided you do a few simple, right things with it. And the tooling can be almost dirt cheap. But you need to talk it through with the machine operator/setter first.

I've heard about firms that do the fancy chroming, even using wellies as a showpiece. Ever since, I've wanted a pair of chrome wellies.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the offer of help, Maxxengland. If I ever get around to building it I'll get in touch although I'm reasonably familar with vac forming, having done quite a few small scale projects with it at school/college/uni. That experience is what made me think of using the process for guitars. As I said before though, don't hold your breath, I doubt if I'll get very far with it this year.

[maxxengland]

2 other techniques I know of: blow moulding (every plastic bottle in the world) and rotary moulding (truck air inlet trunking, cold water tanks, all sorts).

Rotary is atttractive, it's simply casting in plastic with the added trick of turning the mould around to ensure even surface thickness. What thermoplastics suit the process I don't know. Often thought a trailer body in low temp polyprop would be a good seller, little machining to finish and totally rustproof.