If you’re looking full-size carbon fiber guitar, consider Journey OF660 Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar. What makes this guitar one of the best carbon fiber guitars is its build. Using new construction techniques from selected materials, making it more stable in tone, this is definitely a steal.
A carbon fiber guitar is exactly what is sounds like—a guitar made of carbon fiber. There is so much hype about this material that it would make one wonder if a carbon fiber guitar is in fact better than traditional acoustic guitars or perhaps it’s just another fad that would slowly fade away in the next years or so.
In this post, we’re going to look into the best carbon fiber guitar brands.
Also, we’ll look at answering the ultimate question most of you guitar junkies ask a lot – are carbon fiber guitars better than traditional wood guitars? Let’s get into it.
Contents
The best carbon fiber guitars in 2024
- Journey 0FF660 Carbon Fiber Guitar
- KLOS Travel Carbon Fiber Guitar
- RainSong Smokey SMH
- RainSong Hybrid Series H-WS1000N2
- Composite Acoustics Cargo Travel Guitar
Also Great | Editor's Choice | Budget Pick |
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Journey 0FF660 Carbon Fiber Guitar
A combination new materials and construction techniques make this guitar a truly amazing instrument.
Although not made of the traditional tone wood, carbon fiber has been praised in guitar making for its stability, tone, lightness, durability and ultra-modern looks.
This particular carbon fiber guitar has the body and neck connected via a patented fast-release joint that allows for easy packing into the included gig bag.
In addition, the wedge-shaped body provides a surprising blend of small-body comfort and big-body sound, along with improved innovation for an out-of-this-world playing experience.
The proprietary under saddle pickup system lets you plug in to just about any source for great acoustic tone through a PA, an acoustic amplifier, or recording console.
Specifically designed to fit in an airline overhead compartment, the included gig bag features a TSA-compliant laptop fold-out panel for easy scanning in the security line, making this instrument perfect for the musician on the go!
- Lightweight
- Durable and Resilient
- Great volume, defined sound
- No pickguard
- Plain carbon fiber design
- Expensive
KLOS Travel Carbon Fiber Guitar
With everything you need to start playing straight out of the box and start adventuring, KLOS carbon fiber guitar is surely made for anyone and everyone who wants to play the guitar anytime and everywhere.
Even the experts can say that, even though this guitar is not full scaled, it does not hinder them to fully utilize their capability with this guitar’s ability.
Meanwhile, beginners will love the fact that it is compact, easy to grasp and light weight, for them to familiarize themselves with the instrument before going on to play the bigger ones.
This guitar features a carbon fiber body and a wooden neck to produce one of the most comfortable, durable, and relatively affordable and best sounding guitars out there. And finally, this acoustic-electric guitar is an even more versatile guitar, simply because you can now play the guitar on stage plugged in, or even unplugged.
Designed to meet the needs of value-price acoustic guitars and ukuleles, the Fishman Sonitone Onboard Preamp System features a soundhole mounted preamp with rotary controls for Volume and Tone. A perfect instrument for jamming or gigs.
Pros
- Lightweight due to the choice of materials
- Detachable Neck
- Durable and resilient
- More options for customization
- Easy to play
Cons
- No Pick guard
- Tuning always required when reattaching the neck
- Higher possibility of damage in reattaching the neck
- Not a cheap buy
RainSong Smokey SMH
One of the best features of this guitar is that it uses no wood at all making it Impervious to humidity and temperature variations. Thus no humidifier is required in keeping the quality of this baby in check.
The Rain Song’s signature deep-body, cutaway gives it its loud and balanced tone while its 12-frets clear of the body neck for comfortable playability.
In addition, unlike typical under-saddle acoustic guitar pickups that are dependent on string compression for their sound, the Element, which is used for this guitar, was engineered to mirror the soundboard’s actual movement as you play.
The pickup’s minimalist construction lessens any influence on the acoustic properties and creates an intimate coupling between the pickup and guitar for the highest fidelity possible creating the melodious sound that is just soothing to the ears.
- Not susceptible to temperature changes
- Great sound profile
- Easy to play and lightweight
- Bass is not as good as the wooden guitars
- Smaller than standard size guitars
- Plain carbon fiber design
RainSong Hybrid Series H-WS1000N2
Sweet melodious sound, a sound that is a trademark of all RainSongs, particularly this Hybrid Series H-WS1000N2 given to it by its construction.
Coming at a 21 frets, and a Single-piece all-graphite neck, it sure is one of the best carbon fiber guitars out there.
It also has a composite fingerboard and adjustable truss rod, making it easy for you to adjust the fretboard’s action easily.
This guitar also features a Fishman Prefix electronics with a tuner on-board.
Sound-wise, it’s awesome. It’s got that classic carbon fiber guitar tone that you always want in this guitar, but with a more defined clarity.
Coming at this price point, it’s definitely a steal.
- Durable and resilient
- Good sound, great tones
- Very easy to carry around
- Bass response is not good
- Plain design
- No pickguard
Composite Acoustics Cargo Travel Guitar
If you want an acoustic-electric travel guitar that can with stand any gig, temperature, or weather condition, then the Composite Acoustics Cargo Travel Guitar is for you. This great-playing and sounding guitar is mainly made from carbon fiber.
No shrinking or swelling, no cracking and splitting. You could be soaked in the rain and all you need to woory are the electronics and not the guitar itself.
The Cargo has the great acoustic tone that you want and need if you want to impress more than just the dogs, plants and furniture in your living room.
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- Good sound pickup
- Durable
- Expensive
- Bass is not as good as the wooden guitars
- No pickguard
Carbon Fiber VS Wood Guitars – Which is Better?
There is really no absolute winner when it comes to carbon fiber vs wood guitars, as both guitars offer something which the other one may not have. It all comes down to your preference. Traditional guitars look good and budget friendly, while carbon fiber guitars are more durable and expensive.
Price
Carbon fiber guitars: Although the commercialization of carbon fiber as a material has become cheaper for the last twenty years, the price of carbon fiber guitars can still be very painful for the wallet. Most guitars could cost you two thousand bucks depending on the make and the kind of guitar—acoustic or electric.
Traditional Wooden Guitar: The guitar manufacturing industry had been around for years that it had completely mastered the process of using wood in making its guitars.
Because of this, manufacturer had been able to cater to the needs of consumers in varying price ranges. Quality traditional guitars can be bought for less a thousand bucks and you would not regret your purchase.
Verdict: Price wise, the traditional wooden guitar wins.
Looks
Carbon fiber guitars: It is impossible not to think of carbon fiber guitars as a beautiful musical instrument. With it’s obsidian coloring and sleek curves, the carbon fiber guitar belongs to the elite class in the hierarchy of 6-stringed instruments. You can show if off to all your friends both for its sound and appearance.
Traditional Wooden Guitar: When it comes to wooden guitars, looks could greatly vary depending on the kind of wood used. Or whether the material is solid wood or simply laminated wood. Nonetheless, the traditional wooden guitar simply screams vintage.
Verdict: When it comes to looks, it really depends on your preference. If you are the kind who prefers the classics, then a traditional wooden guitar is for you. But if you want a more modern, futuristic vibe, the carbon fiber guitar definitely take the cake.
Durability
Carbon fiber guitars: Carbon fiber is a long thin strand of material composed mostly of carbon atoms. When these carbon atoms are bonded together in microscopic crystals, the crystals align together making the fiber incredibly strong.
This inherent strength allows the carbon fiber guitar to be impervious to changes in temperature or humidity. The use of carbon fiber also ensures the formidability of your guitar from possible dents and cracks.
Traditional Wooden Guitar: Though a traditional guitar can be durable at best, the fact remains that compared to its carbon fiber counterpart, it can be very fragile. Wooden instruments can easily be affected by changes in temperature and humidity that could often cause cracking overtime.
Verdict: The carbon fiber guitar wins this round. It’s just comforting to know that you would not have to worry about the possible damage that a drastic change in the weather could cause to your guitar.
Especially when you’re a travelling musician whose gigs would bring you to places with varying climates, having the carbon fiber guitar is a better option. This is simply the kind of stability you would want in your guitar.
Sound
Carbon fiber guitars: Carbon fiber guitars produces a much louder sound that your ordinary acoustic guitar. You can be assured that the higher you hit those notes, the sound remains consistently clear and resonant. This is attributable to the fact that in carbon fiber guitars damping is consistent across the acoustic spectrum.
Traditional Wooden Guitar: The kind of wood used can really affect the kind of sound the guitar produces. However, a common problem for wooden guitars is the damping. The higher the notes you play, the muddier the sound it produces. This is because as frequency increases so does the damping.
Verdict: Both guitars produce equally beautiful tones that are unique to its material. But for this category, carbon fiber guitars win hands down.The consistency of the clearness in sound is definitely an important factor to consider.
Final Verdict
When above features are used to get a winner between carbon fiber and wood guitar- carbon fiber wins overall.
However, hear me out…
The pros: it’s more durable, produces a much clearer sound as frequency increases, and it definitely won the lottery when it comes to perfectly good looks.
The only downside for carbon fiber guitars is that they are way more pricier. But of course, when you want a quality product, you have to invest in it. Shelling out a bit more cash, may not seem ideal now but it the long run, it will be definitely worth it.
Now, let’s get into the real deal.
What is the best carbon fiber guitar?
The best carbon fiber guitar is Journey OF660 Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar. Yes, it maybe the most expensive on this list, but you’re getting what you’ve paid for. With this, you get a carbon fiber guitar that’s durable, lightweight, and has surprisingly good sound.
thanks for this review. especially liked the video comparison of sound. here are a few of my thoughts.
unless you can keep your wood guitars in a very controlled place you are going to have issues long term. even my taylor which has the best neck i’ve ever played finally succumbed to a neck shim after 14 years. 14 years of good treatment. no damp spaces, direct sun, arid places, etc. Wood is a fickle thing… carbon fiber really appeals to me for this reason. i don’t want to worry about my guitar being at the perfect temp and humidity for years.
i remember getting a parker fly about 6 years ago. carbon fiber electric. perfect neck. change strings up a gauge. couldn’t even measure a change in relief! my wood electrics? every one of them needed adjustment and 2 needed pleks over the years. wood reminds me of vinyl. both are great if you like the idea of caring for a pet.
the few sound demos i’ve heard on carbon vs wood lead me to believe the difference isn’t that dramatic. i generally do like the sound of wood better. having even frequency response is not always a good thing. i generally want less high end when i record a guitar. i hate condenser mics for some things because they are too flat. flat and accurate aren’t always pleasing to the ear.
i’m seriously looking for a carbon fiber guitar now. too many trips to the guitar shop. they really add up!
I’ve owned a Cargo carbon fiber guitar for aa number of years. It sits in its gig bag from Oct. to May in a an unheated house in upstate NY. Every May when I arrive for the summer I take it out of the bag and it is almost perfectly tuned…or good enough for the blues. The built-in pick-up works fine, as I use it with a Pignose amp. I finger pick the guitar and find its action and response to be every bit as good as my 3K Martin that does not go north for the summer. I only wish someone made a carbon fiber 12 string, and maybe they do, but I’ve never seen one.
Emerald !
Emerald Guitars blows them all away, no contest. My first CF guitar was a Rainsong, nice guitar. Then got a Cargo from CompositeAcoustics, pretty cool, still have it. 5 years ago got my first Emerald (X-20 12-string), now own 4 Emeralds, would buy 4 or 5 more if I could afford it. Amazing instruments! Check out their website emeraldguitars.com to see the incredible array of guitars they offer. I’ve been playing both for fun and professionally for 58 years (I’m 66) and these guitars have completely inspired me and rejuvenated my playing. Added bonus: I live in Hawaii and don’t even think about heat and humidity anymore like I used to with my wooden guitars.
Maybe 8-9 years ago I played an Amicus at a guitar store here in San Rafael, CA. Guess it was right before Emerald stopped using dealers. I had fun playing it but $1700 for a “novelty” guitar. When I went back to the store it was gone. Now, I’m irked a little, so I find their website …hmmm…wood veneers for the tops? My obsession was flourishing, I had never thought of myself as a “Royal Ebony” type dude, but now? I will accept no substitute! (except for koa) I told myself to be grateful you got an Emerald. You splurged, it’s gorgeous, sounds like nothing else. You’re more of an electric player anyway.
Well, ok, there’s nothing wrong with seeing what other guitars they make? Wow, that X-10 looks awfully versatile? Certainly, that justifies its cost? Like I said, royal ebony for me, please! Th only thing I don’t like is that I get a little uptight about batteries and remembering to unplug before crashing out. The custom hum bucker its awesome. Recently, I got a used BOSS GP-10 for $250. I’m probably going to need a graduate degree to take full advantage if what it can offer, where do I sign up? 4 Emeralds ? ? YOU DOG !!! Their new website has a virtual room (the cottage they restored) that updates a 3d image of the guitar, incorporating the options that can be a brutal process because it sends the price further up, but they have some wicked up grades. Now they have library of in stock veneer tops that are numbered , so you can pick the top you want. All you have to do is pay for it ! Btw, I have a Martin 12 string as well as a Guild 12 ( for both being 12 string acoustics they are very different from each other. I just might have to indulge in an Emerald 12? I see the guy below saying he knows he won’t like them? Hell, even the same model of a manufacturer can be different. the crazy versatility of the X-10 is undeniable : natural tone, great Piezo sound (yes a contradiction, I know) but then there’s that hum bucker …4 Emeralds…ooh baby ! lol!
Appreciation of playability ad tone is of course subjective. Regardless. My 1943 000-18 Martin and just about every vintage Martin I have played sound so much better than a Carbon Fiber in person and especially a Youtube comparison. However, even on Youtube, wood has always beat Carbon Fiber to my ears. As far as playability, we all have our comfort choices. I love vintage Martin and Gibson necks. Both are different but appealing in their differences. I have not played an Emerald; I know I won’t like it based on measurement and I didn’t think it worth the cost of customization. Rainsong and McPherson are the ones I played and they were exceptional and the neck had a good feel. Still, I enjoyed the tone of wood much more when I played a Martin or other quality guitar in the shop.
Again all is subjective. One thing to note, our best acoustic guitarists do not play these guitars (I don’t think you’ll ever see Tommy Emmanuel or Vince Gill promoting a carbon fiber guitar). . Your greatest singer -guitarists of note, do not play them. Even the “artists” that are shown on website playing them, when they are onstage doing gigs and concerts not promoting these guitars, they are playing their Collings, Martins, Gibsons, Taylors, etc. etc.
Subjective but then so is your favorite anything when it comes to instruments. No right or wrong.
I am in the market right now for an electric acoustic and leaning towards the SC13-E from Martin. Reasonable price with some great innovations.
The new sc’s are pretty cool, great feeling neck. Other than owning 2 , I have no “affiliation” with Emerald, but they are amazing! The attention to detail is meticulous, unlike many of the modern Gibson’s Ive seen produced .
My thinking was that if you plop down some good cash for a quality instrument, isn’t it a nice additional feature that you don’t ever have to worry about the thing warping apart?
As far as acoustic electric, their X-10 has a custom, handmade hum bucker , under saddle piezo and last but not least the wild “ghost” hexaphonic 1 pickup per string in the saddles of a fully adjustable composite bridge. I’m not a midi guy but the thing is set up for that with a 13 pin plug that works with Roland guitar synths. I just got a BOSS GP-10 that, even though it’s old, still has more stuff in there than a mortal could ever take full advantage of. Scratching the surface it’s not to hard to navigate and it is super clean. Their 12 string “Amicus” is what drew me in when I played one. It’s essentially a 12 string capo’d at the 10th(?) fret in D.with a smaller body it s kind of a Mando/guitar nice fisherman (I think) in there.
Finally, the company is extremely proud of what they do, they will continue to innovate, their new website has a virtual suite where the options you select are applied to a 3d model you can rotate etc and the price changes arecright there so you can figure out which bank you’ll need to rob.
yeah, stay away from Emerald, addiction is such sweet sorrow! I only have 2, but that will probably change …
What about Emerald guitars (emeraldguitars.com )? They look prettier than the ones reviewed, have excellent electronics and are custom built. I’ve got no association with the company, just saying!
After buying 2, I get a strong impression that the company is passionate about doing what they do. When I first browsed their site I figured there was just no way I could work out that kind of $cratch for a guitar , let alone 2.
But, I’ve lived to tell the tale! They are perfection personified.