Acoustic-guitar designers must balance the desire for light weight against the need for a stable frame. A light guitar is in general more responsive than a bulky one, but remove too much bracing and the guitar will warp, distorting the sound. Enter carbon fiber. Adamas's Project Q prototype is made almost entirely from the light, strong composite. Adamas leveraged the material's extra strength to remove sound-deadening braces and hollow out the guitar's neck. Because of these structural modifications, the guitar vibrates more freely, creating a well-balanced sound that projects well. At $7,000, it should project you all the way to Carnegie Hall.

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