There’s a lot of options out there for carbon fiber these days, which is awesome for consumers! However, if you come across a carbon fiber guitar that seems way too cheap to be true, there’s a good chance that it’s not real carbon fiber — it’s just weak carbon injected plastic, like the photos above.

So what are the benefits of real, pre-preg woven carbon fiber over carbon injected plastic? Let’s take a look at a few reasons:

IT’S SIMPLY STRONGER

• Pre-Preg Woven Carbon Fiber material has between 40%-75% carbon content vs 3%-15% in carbon fiber infused resins. This results in increased rigidity and an exponentially greater strength to weight ratio. Pre-Preg Woven Carbon Fiber soundboards can be 6-10 times thinner than those of carbon fiber infused plastic.

SAFER AT EXTREME TEMPERATURES

• At higher temperatures, Pre-Preg Woven Carbon Fiber products retain their shape better, a critical issue for stringed instruments with around 140lbs of pull force against a bridge and saddle. At colder temperatures, Pre-Preg Woven Carbon Fiber doesn’t get brittle and crack the way carbon infused plastic resin does.

SUPERIOR GLUE JOINTS

• Because there’s more surface carbon contact in the glued contact areas, joints are rock solid on Pre-Preg Woven Carbon Fiber glued components. This is especially important for guitar saddles and fretboards, which are glued on.

BETTER TONE OVER A LONGER LIFESPAN

• As Plastics degrade over time, they become more brittle and the acoustic properties degrade over time. The lifespan of carbon-infused plastic stringed instruments is significantly shorter than that of Pre-Preg Woven Carbon Fiber instruments – which can easily retain their tone for decades, even in harsh conditions.

MORE ECO-FRIENDLY

• Pre-Preg Woven Carbon Fiber products use a significantly lower amount of petroleum resin, and are significantly more durable. Hence, the raw material input processing and product lifespan are both better for the environment.