Carbon-Klang - Helpdesk

General questions
Material, design and finish
Care and storage
Problems

Why should I buy a Carbon-Klang instrument, as there are decent instruments available made from wood?

The outstanding sound and playabillity in combination with the resistance against humidity and temperatur changes together with the suberb price-performance ratio qualify theses instruments as perfect solo and orchestra instruments.

There are some competitors, whats the reason for the huge differences in price?

All of these competitors serve different target groups and demands. In terms of technology and craftsmanship our sophisticated instruments are state of the art, despite this fact they are still affordable compared to wooden instruments.

Is there a warranty?

Properly used we grant 10 years warranty.

When was my instrument manufactured?

The first four digits of the serial number tell the year of production.

Where is the serial number located?

The serial number could be found if you have a look though the soundhole inside the instrument. For the electric instruments you'll have to open up the service compartment.

Whats the logic about the combination of letters and digits within the model name?

The letters show the type of instrument, the first digit shows the release, the second shows the number of strings.
AV-14 is an acoustic violin of the first release with four strings.

Why is there no webshop?

We think musical instruments are extremely consulting-intensive and customers need to receive individual support. Aditionally the customer should have the ability to try different instruments in order to select his or hers fafourite instrument or have some adjustments done on the favoured instrument.

Is it possible to buy directly from Carbon-Klang?

Yes of course.

Are there dealers offering Carbon-Klang instruments?

At the moment our string instruments are available from the German well known Carbon-Bowmaker Arcus/Müsing. Feel free to ask at your local violinshop for Carbon-Klang instruments.

Where are Carbon-Klang instruments made?

Our workshop is located in southwest Germany near Stuttgart.

Is it possible to visit the Carbon-Klang workshop?

You are welcome to visit our workshop, and learn how our instruments are beeing made. To make sure that we have plenty of time for you, please arrange an appointment in advance.

How do I keep informed about the latest news from Carbon-Klang?

Are there different finishes available?

Usually our carbon instruments come without any kind of paint, instead of paint the instruments get a special wax finish. On demand we could offer our instruments with high gloss and matt painture showing the fibre structure. Opaque colour or custom painture (airbrush, multicoulor or translucent ink) is also possible. The Neck area always remains without any paint for playability reasons.

Is there a difference in sound between an unpainted and painted instrument?

Yes, every kind of varnish is dampening the sound. Some people prefer the sound of a varnished instrument.

What brand and type of strings ar used on Carbon-Klang instruments?

You'll find our recommendation on the product pages. As always the choise of strings is a matter of personal taste and the kind of music you want to play. Feel free to ask us for advice.

Is there a change in the acoustic sound if a pickup is used?

That depends on the pickup used, but in general there is a change audible.

What kind of machine heads are used with Carbon-Klang instruments?

For our guitars and the electric cello we use Schaller or Gotoh machine heads. With our acoustic strings and the electric violin we use Wittner finetuning pegs, pegheads or if desired traditional wooden pegs.

Is there a soundpost used in the stringed instruments?

Yes, we use the adjustable Anima-Nova soundpost which is also made from carbon fibre.

Is there a bassbar or some kind of bracing in the acoustic instruments?

Yes, our stringed instruments use to have a bassbar made from carbon fibre inside. The guitar has a specially designed falcate bracing which is also beeing made from carbon fibre inside.

Do they need a play-in time?

Yes like every high-quality musical instrument they need a play-in time of at least 3-4 weeks to yield optimum sonic performance.

What are the advantages of a carbon fibre fingerboard for stringed instruments?

The shape and surface stays perfect as there is hardly any wear.

Is it possible to alter the sound of the stringed instruments with a change or modification of the bridge?

A different bridge or a modification of the bridge changes the sound of the instrument in the same way like on a traditional instrument made fromt wood. You could also change the tailpiece or chinrest (on a violin or viola) to alter the sound characteristics.

Is the setup made by a luthier with the correct scale?

Yes every instrument is played and fine adjusted, after that we do sound radiation measurements to have an objective knowledge of the quality of the instrument.

Are the carbon fibre instruments lighter compared to wooden instruments?

No, carbon fibre has a higher density than traditional used wood. But carbon fibre is stronger so its possible to use less material and the total weight of our instruments could be compared to a light weight traditional instrument. Our aim was to make the best sounding not the most light weight instrument possible.

Are there any precautions needed for travelling in countries with extreme climate?

Temperature above 60 °C could lead to problems with strings, the bridge of a stringed instrumet might suffer if its way too dry of wet.

Do I need to use a humidifier?

No, a humidifier is usually not needed.

How to set up the intonation and the stringaction on a guitar?

Ask your local guitar maker.

How to maintain and care of the machine heads on a guitar or electric cello.

The machine heads used are maintenance-free.

Do I need to loosen the string tension if the guitar is not going to be played for a longer period of time?

If you're not going to play your instrument for several month it's better to loosen the tension of the strings a little bit.

What should I do when undertaking air travel with my instrument?

Enquire whether the airline will allow you to take the instrument into the cabin. Should this not be possible, hand the instrument in at the gate as special luggage. The lower temperatures in the hold during flight will generally not impact the instrument at all. The handling from the gate to the hold poses a greater risk of injury.

There are cracks on my instrument.

Make some pictures of the cracks and loosen the string tension to avoid more damage to the instrument. Send us the pictures for examination of the damage. After having a first look at the pictures we'll contact you again to coordinate the repair of your instrument.

There is an additional noise while playing.

Usually old and worn strings are prone to make additional noise. On a guitar worn frets might also cause unwanted noise.

The frets of my guitar are worn and need to be replaced.

Please contact us directly for changing the frets on your guitar.

The varnish of my instrument has scratches.

In most cases you'll need a new varnish. Contact us with some good high-res pictures showing the scratches to discuss if a new varnishing is needed.

The waxed surface doesn't look good anymore.

Please follow the care instructions according to the user manual.

The strings action is uncomfortable.

Get in contatct with us or ask your local luthier.

There is a jarring noise within one or more strings.

You might need to get your action adjusted to fit your playing habits.

Some strings use to snap quite often.

The fault might be unsuitable strings, a worn upper-nut or bridge. On a guitar worn frets might also be the reason.

My instrument needs repair, how should I proceed?

First of all get in contact with us to discuss how we can help. After we know what happened, please send us your instrument together with the delivery note.