Carbon fiber VS wood, violins, violas, cellos?

November 15, 2025, 7:51 AM · Nickie, my brilliant oldest brother was an aeronautical and materials engineer and his company was commissioned in the 80s if I remember correctly, to create a quartet of CF instruments. It seemed pure eccentricity in those days. I never saw them, and certainly did not think that one day CF would be a thing.

November 15, 2025, 8:24 AM · I own a Glasser full carbon composite violin, soundpost and bridge are also carbon composite. I got it to play outside, or for some popular music, but there's no way I would use it for any serious classical performance. It sounds better than expected, but still can't get close to wood in both tone quality and projection.

November 15, 2025, 8:34 AM · My daughter plays a Forte3D cello. The ribs and neck are 3D printed using a material that has only been on the market for a few years. I bought the cello for the price of a typical student model, and to my ears it sounds better than those. It is loud, full, and warm. The neck has a distinctive texture, but it doesn’t impede playing, These cellos are made in the US, which was a factor in my decision to purchase one. It had some pretty ferocious wolf tones when I bought it, but I’ve managed to tame them with brass suppressors. The neck is removable, and the action can be adjusted by a hex bolt. As with any instrument, different strings have a big impact on the overall sound.

I don’t think I would invest in a more expensive CF instrument, but this one will remain my daughter’s spare/outdoor cello as she progresses.

November 15, 2025, 3:09 PM · Two of my colleagues owned Luis & Clark carbon fiber cellos. They played them all the time for musical theater and outdoor symphonic pops gigs, and they worked great.

I tried L&C and MF carbon fiber violins and violas at various conventions over the years (NAMM mostly), and they do play very well although I found their tonal profile very different from that of wood instruments and I would likely need to find a different bow to get the results that I want. I think if I had to play performances where the environment was unpredictable and I couldn't use an electric, I'd spring for one of then.

November 15, 2025, 3:28 PM · I tried a Mezzo-Fote Design Line Acoustic/Electric and returned it; it was not as good as my worst wood violin, though not horrible. The playability was fine, but the tonal palette is not as good. If I needed something to play outside, I'd consider it. Their Premium line might be better though.