Press Release
Source: Russell Hixson/JOI Guitars
You’ve seen carbon fiber, but never like this.
Internationally-renowned luthier, Reuben Forsland, is once again pushing the limits of acoustic guitar construction with a new build that blends the organic and synthetic.
Forsland’s company, JOI Guitars, will soon unveil his latest creation crafted out of a breakthrough quilted carbon fiber material that mimics the natural grain patterns of high-end figured woods.
JOI Guitars only produces a handful of instruments a year with some of the most unique, rare and unorthodox materials in the world. Each has a one-of-a-kind story to match. He’s crafted acoustic guitars using a legendary mahogany called “The Tree”, hempwood, and even wooden boards handpicked from Jimi Hendrix’s dismantled childhood home.
As soon as he saw what John Blazy, the creator behind mind-bending materials producer Dichrolam, was doing with carbon fiber, Forsland knew he wanted to be the first acoustic luthier in the world to work with it. Blazy, a high-end furniture designer, chemist and materials inventor sent over some samples and Forsland was blown away.
“I immediately thought it was super unique, and I began to imagine what it might sound like as an instrument,” said Forsland. “Visually it is nothing like any other carbon fiber you’ve ever seen before. It has a quilt figuring, which is sonically unique. It’s exciting to be the world’s first acoustic guitar maker to build with it.” Despite being produced in thin panels, the material has the impression of 3D topography. Blazy explained that this occurs when the reflective fibers of unidirectional carbon fiber are bent during the molding process, and when machined flat, the ends of the severed fibers reflect light according to their molded shape. The result looks like stained quilted maple.
“This is exactly the same way real wood figures show their ‘flash’ of chatoyance,” said Blazy. “Picture the carbon fiber as actually having peaks and valleys, that’s what the mold does. I realized the flat sanded carbon area carried the curved peak effect of the mold. It was wild. I never intended to get into carbon fiber composites, but because I was a woodworker, I knew that wood figure was a highly sought after effect. And I personally love the natural effect of that.”
For the front of the guitar, Forsland opted to pair natural wood to keep some of the build traditional. He used a wood named “Ancient sitka”, a spruce dug from under 20 feet of black soil on an Alaska mountain side, carbon dated to nearly 3,000 years old.
“Its coloring is silver gray, and looks stunning paired with the black carbon fiber. This introduces the new product to guitar clientele and the world in a soft and digestible way. The result is a standard weight guitar, all while being one of the most durable acoustic guitars on the market, the final product is beyond words” said Forsland. It’s not just about looks. The guitar also can hold its own when it comes to sound and tone. “Amazing, sustainable, this guitar rings forever,” said Canadian finger-style guitar champion Calum Graham after playing it.
Forsland noted that JOI Guitars relishes the challenges of going where no other luthier has gone before, when creating guitars. This guitar aims to bring to the world of players and instrument collectors, a new sound texture, and visual experience unlike any other.
Forsland will unveil his piece in early 2024 at the NAMM (The National Association of Music Merchants) show, one of the largest shows in the world for the music industry.
About Reuben Forsland and JOI Guitars:
Forsland is a former Red Seal journeyman carpenter who followed his passion to tell stories through acoustic guitar building. He founded JOI Guitars where he personally hand makes bespoke instruments from materials that inspire him. His pieces have been featured in Smithsonian Magazine, Acoustic Guitar magazines, with Jimi Hendrix memorabilia at Northwest African American Museum in Seattle, Robert Bateman Gallery, the National Music Centre of Canada and the Sarah McLachlan School of Music. He is sought out and respected by professional musicians including Slash from Guns N’ Roses.
