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Thread: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

  1. #1
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
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    Default New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    Synergy Instruments out of Ontario, Canada build carbon fiber guitars and ukuleles. How long they've been at it I don't know, didn't try to find out. Just saw on Instagram they're nearing completion of their first mandolins, pictured below from their IG page.

    EDIT: this company has "gone silent" and still has money taken for orders. Please read this thread in its entirety to get a sense of what is happening.
    Last edited by Mandolin Cafe; Jan-18-2022 at 2:54pm.

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    Registered User withfoam's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    I'll be interested to hear what they sound like. I have to admit that I'm super skeptical that they'll have the warmth. Happy to be proven otherwise.
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  3. #3

    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    Very nice. I too am interested in how these sound. I bet surprisingly good. I've also wondered why Blackbird out of San Francisco never built a carbon fiber mandolin. They have a proprietary carbon fiber material for their ukulele's and guitars that sound phenomenal.

  4. #4

    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    Quote Originally Posted by withfoam View Post
    I'll be interested to hear what they sound like. I have to admit that I'm super skeptical that they'll have the warmth. Happy to be proven otherwise.
    No reason why a carbon fiber mandolin can't have "the warmth".
    https://soundcloud.com/martyjacobson...roto-tarboltin
    https://soundcloud.com/martyjacobson...o-bach-prelude
    The trebles sounded better after I added bracing.. haha.

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    Registered User Glassweb's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    Quote Originally Posted by withfoam View Post
    I'll be interested to hear what they sound like. I have to admit that I'm super skeptical that they'll have the warmth. Happy to be proven otherwise.
    Not all mandolins made of wood have "warmth"... some brighter, some tinnier, some metallic... at the end of the day it's all about finding an instrument that suits you... at least until MAS strikes again...

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  8. #6
    I really look like that soliver's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    I've played Marty's CF he linked to above and I can vouch for it... its reeeeaaally nice!!!
    aka: Spencer
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    Registered User withfoam's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Jacobson View Post
    No reason why a carbon fiber mandolin can't have "the warmth".
    https://soundcloud.com/martyjacobson...roto-tarboltin
    https://soundcloud.com/martyjacobson...o-bach-prelude
    The trebles sounded better after I added bracing.. haha.
    Sounding good! Thanks for sharing! Really neat to see other materials getting used.
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    Pataphysician Joe Bartl's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    I know I'm wishing on a star, but how wonderful it would be if someone came out with an affordable CF bowlback ...

  11. #9

    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Bartl View Post
    I know I'm wishing on a star, but how wonderful it would be if someone came out with an affordable CF bowlback ...
    The Venn diagram overlap of people who want a mandolin and would play one made out of carbon fiber is vanishingly small.
    The overlap of people who want a bowlback and would play one made out of carbon fiber.... gonna need electron beam microscopy to see that one. So that's the real problem, with any of this stuff.

    Carbon fiber is cool, but not really something people get excited about except for secondary reasons, like "I want a mandolin to take hiking/to travel in the Middle East/to take on my sailboat". And for those purposes, a $79 Rogue will work just fine, so the value proposition is a hard one to make.

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    Quote Originally Posted by KMaynard View Post
    I've also wondered why Blackbird out of San Francisco never built a carbon fiber mandolin. They have a proprietary carbon fiber material for their ukulele's and guitars that sound phenomenal.
    I agree and did ask a few years ago when the eKoa ukes came out. I think they said they'd consider it but AFAIK it has not happened. I agree the Clara I played was excellent. Even if they made a flattop version I would be interested.
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    I believe there might be an under $1000 CF mandolin coming from the Klos guitar company. That price might persuade a few people they need a 'leave in the car' mandolin.

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    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    This one looks very interesting. Isn't this the builder that was asking about CF mandolins on the list a year or two ago? Depending on sound, would be interested as a vacation instrument and for gigs where I don't want to take a regular mandolin. Like playing in below zero weather. Could probably hold tuning better than my regular instruments in that environment.
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    🎶 Play Pretty 🎶 Greg Connor's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    I’m glad to see some enthusiasm for carbon fiber mandolins. I have two Carbon fiber guitars that I use every winter when playing out. I leave my Martins, Gibsons, and Breedloves at home, warm and humidified. I would love to have a good sounding CF mandolin too!

    My two Carbon fiber guitars are Rainsong Jumbo and Emerald X30 Jumbo. They both produce a nice full sound. I wonder if a larger CF mandolin would do the same?

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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    I play an often hot, humid, boat cruise in the summer here. I would love a carbon fiber mandolin for those gigs. I could take a Rouge, but wouldn't be happy doing it. Tried leaving a cheap mandolin in a bar I worked in years ago to play on quiet nights. Was no fun with no sound. I ended up bringing a mandolin with me and selling the cheapie. It played well, but just couldn't like the sound.
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    Registered User John Flynn's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    I had a NewMAD CF mandolin on loan for about a month a while ago. I took it to a few jams and a gig. I thought it sounded great. This new offering looks similar. With the supply of wood, including tonewoods, becoming challenged, it may be an idea whose time has come.

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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    I'm not sure tha a CF mandolin would need a larger body to get a full sound, or that there would be a problem with warmth if well designed. My Luis & Clarke CF violin has a smaller body but a bigger and warmer sound than many wooden fiddles I've played.

    Talking of warm, Synergy recommend not leaving your carbon instruments in temperatures higher than 155F - !

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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    Quote Originally Posted by maxr View Post
    ...Talking of warm, Synergy recommend not leaving your carbon instruments in temperatures higher than 155F - !
    In case anyone wonders how hot it gets inside their car here is a calculator to determine that.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    While moving a few years ago I had a thermometer on the floor of the car. Had all the windows open and in 10 minutes it was 120 degrees on the floor, the thermometer was not in the sun.
    Yea it gets hot quick.
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    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    Guess Peter Mix & the collaboration with Clear Carbon of Rhode Island NewMAD CF ended..
    My A5 is on its 2nd set of frets .. having a regular Ebony fingerboard, & Bridge,
    the re fret was as simple as on an all wood instrument ..
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  26. #20
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    I Think they used Pre Preg Cloth, an Autoclave/oven & Vacuum Bagging technique to make them
    then Peter did the finishing fretting hardware fitting, And marketing ..
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    is like dancing,
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    In case anyone wonders how hot it gets inside their car here is a calculator to determine that.
    So remember guys - 'Mandolins Die in Hot Cars'. (there was a useful UK pet safety campaign which substituted 'Dogs' for 'Mandolins' in that phrase).

  28. #22
    Notary Sojac Paul Kotapish's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    If the price point is right, I'd be very interested, as long as the tone and volume is sufficient and the instrument is playable. The one carbon-fiber (Mix) instrument I tried out was very impressive. The tone was certainly comparable to wood instruments in the same price range, and it played great. The fee was a bit steep for a travel/beach hatchet, but I came close to buying it.
    Just one guy's opinion
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  29. #23
    music with whales Jim Nollman's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    About 10 years ago I spent a morning playing a Mix F5 in a group of for-sale instruments that included mostly high-end Gibson F5s. I thought the CF Mix was the best sounding instrument of the lot. I also recall the price of that Mix was commensurate with the $5k+ group of Gibson's. On the one hand, why shouldn't it be pricey since it sounded so good? On the other hand I've since wondered if the value of the Mix has held up over time, as I'm sure all those signature model Gibsons have kept their resale value. Can anyone tell me how much it cost to buy one of those Mix F5's these days. And how many of them were manufactured overall?
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  30. #24
    Registered User trevor's Avatar
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    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    I had a few Mix carbon mandolins through. Definitely no lack of warmth.
    Trevor
    Formerly of The Acoustic Music Co (TAMCO) Brighton England now retired.

  31. #25

    Default Re: New carbon fiber mandolin builder

    No need to wait for a carbon fiber mandolin.....you still have time to enter the http://stringsfordreams.com/ raffle where you can win the 25th and last carbon fiber Z mandolin and support The IBMA Foundation!

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