subject: Why Composite Guitars Are Becoming Popular [print this page] It is quite easy for almost anyone to distinguish between the sounds of an electric guitar, and the sound of an acoustic one. An acoustic guitar has a hollow body, and when its string are plucked, the air inside the body helps to amplify the sound. An electric guitar has a solid body and it uses an amplifier to create sounds when the strings are strummed. In fact, if you have ever strummed an electric guitar without the amplifier on, it is barely audible.
In the past, most guitars were made from one solid piece of hardwood. Today, many guitars are made from two or more pieces of wood, and then the seams are glued together. The wood most commonly used today includes ash, maple basswood and mahogany which are generally resistant to humidity and common warping.
However a new trend we are starting to see today is for guitars to be made from composite materials and aluminum based alloys. This helps to make the guitar lighter and more visually appealing. Since wood is becoming more and more rare, this could be the standard for making guitars in the future.
Many of these composite guitars are being created to mimic the same sounds as if they were made out of wood. These composite guitars are generally made out of Kevlar and carbon fibers, which create a totally unique and different feel than wooden guitars.
These guitars are unaffected by humidity and thus don't need to be stored in low humidity environments. Because of this they also stay in tune more consistently than wooden guitars and are water resistant. As we all know wood and water don't mix very well!
The biggest advantage of these composite guitars is that they are saving thousands of trees each and every year.
Of course there are disadvantages, such as higher prices and the fact that many guitarists believe the sound reproduced by these guitars aren't the same as wood. This is obviously up for debate with many people for and against composite guitars.
In the end, it is very likely that in 15-20 years, almost every guitar being manufactured will be a composite, and wooden ones will be a thing of the past!
