Carbon Fiber Acoustic Guitar Soundboards
Carbon fiber makes a great guitar top, plain and simple. While fans of traditional guitar making may decry anything not spruce or cedar, they'd be amazed at how much carbon fiber vibrates like their favorite woods. Don't believe us? Ask our founder, plasma physicist, MIT graduate, aerospace engineer, guitarist, and luthier, Dr. John Decker.
Wood and carbon’s similarities are why he pioneered the use of the material and started RainSong. It's also incredibly durable, sounds like a ringing bell, and can be stunningly beautiful. But that's not the end of the story.
Carbon fiber is much more versatile than you might think. Because it's a man-made material, minor tweaks and changes in the manufacturing process can yield infinite tonal, aesthetic, and structural benefits. Our three soundboard designs are among the best examples of this in carbon fiber acoustic guitars.
RainSong Soundboard Designs
Black Ice
Unidirectional Carbon Fiber
Soundboard Fusion Technology (SFT)
Black Ice
Our most well-known soundboard construction is the heart and soul of our Black Ice series guitars. Its randomized weave pattern is an experience to behold. Each section of carbon fiber is hand-laid and molded together differently. This process ensures each Black Ice guitar is totally unique and 1-of-a-kind. Yet, thanks to the uniform nature of carbon fiber, the guitars all share the crystal clear top end and extended low-end power.
We'll say it again, Black Ice tops are absolutely gorgeous! They almost seem deep enough to jump into. That's why we generally offer our Black Ice series in a clear gloss finish.
But check out the 25YR or some of our custom offerings to see what a splash of color can do. If you want a carbon fiber acoustic guitar that sounds terrific, plays even better, and commands the stage, you want a guitar with the Black Ice top.
Unidirectional Carbon Fiber
Our unidirectional tops put a totally different spin on a 100% carbon fiber recipe. Unlike the randomized look of our Black Ice tops, unidirectional tops are all about precision and conformity...in a good way.
Found on our Concert Series guitars, unidirectional tops arrange the carbon fiber in, you guessed it, one direction. This construction offers increased strength and stiffness, letting the tops be thinner than our other soundboards. When combined with the uniform grain of the material, the thin tops spread vibrational energy across the soundboard more efficiently. The result is a warmer, more nuanced tone that many comment sounds a lot like spruce.
Unidirectional carbon fiber's detail and warmth make the tops a favorite of fingerstyle guitarists. Al Petteway even has his own signature RainSong that flaunts its unidirectional top in a rare tobacco burst finish.
Soundboard Fusion Technology (SFT)
We outfit our Vintage and Nashville series guitars with tops utilizing our proprietary SFT process. Sonically, they are like slightly warmer versions of our Black Ice tops. But that's where the similarities end. You see, SFT soundboard also uses…wait for it…real spruce!
Don't worry; we haven't lost our way. We still think carbon fiber acoustic guitars are the way to go. That's why we invented a process that fuses carbon fiber with a thin spruce soundboard. But before you think we just glue it and go, we assure you, there's much more to the process. SFT actually marries the two materials in a way where they can vibrate as one and react to your playing together. The tone is definitely dominated by carbon fiber's lows and piano-like clarity, but the spruce does offer a touch of warmth.
Where the spruce really earns its keep is in the aesthetic department. Carbon fiber's look is a bit too striking for some players, no matter how much they love their guitars. We get it. It's hard to beat the beauty of a great piece of spruce on top of rosewood or mahogany. But SFT gives you the best of both worlds. You get the unmatched durability and tone of carbon fiber with real spruce's warm, natural appearance.
Custom Shop Guitars and Options
Our various soundboard constructions play such a pivotal role in our instruments that they define our four series. But that doesn't mean you're limited to those options. Our Limited & Custom selection is often full of each of these tops in different finishes and materials (SFT in cedar is unbelievable!).
Don't see what you want there? Just fill out the form at the bottom of our Custom Shop page and let us know what you're looking for. There's a good chance we can deliver. And because many of our custom options are affordable or completely free, it's a piece of cake to get the RainSong of your dreams.
To Top It Off
When Dr. Decker first invented the carbon fiber acoustic guitar, it was with an eye toward the future. The material was a blank, amazing-sounding canvas that could take guitar design into the future. Our three soundboard constructions do just that while staying true to what makes a RainSong a RainSong. So whether you're all in on the striking beauty of Black Ice, want the delicate voice of unidirectional carbon fiber, or prefer the traditional look of SFT, there's a RainSong for you.