Carbon fiber has a very clear and precise tone, and when I’m fingerpicking an alternating-bass blues tune on the KLOS, I can hear the bass as distinct notes, rather than percussive thuds. Also, the narrow string spacing at the saddle made fingerpicking feel a bit restrictive.Ĭarbon-fiber guitars should not be judged on the same sonic merits as their wooden counterparts-just as a brass resonator guitar has its own sonic palette, so too does a carbon-fiber axe. Larger hands might feel a little cramped, though, given the neck’s tight quarters. Smaller hands will welcome the slim neck profile and ease of navigation. Pounding out barre chords was child’s play, and I was able to execute hammer-ons and pull-offs with a light touch-partially due to the light-gauge strings (.011–.052). With 14 frets clear to the body, a slim 1-11/16-inch nut, 24-3/4-inch scale fretboard, and low action, I was able to perform single-string runs with ease. If you’re looking for a travel guitar that is easy to play, then the KLOS certainly fits the bill. Speaking of headstock, I also appreciated that it’s placed at a zero angle to the neck, making it more durable than most. This made finger manipulation of the tuners feel a little cramped, at least for me, but once in tune I was ready to rock. The guitar’s headstock is stout-it’s obviously engineered with portability in mind-and the tuners are spaced the same distance apart as those on a Fender Stratocaster. Pillaging an E string from a spare set, I went about assembling the guitar, which required removing the neck from its pouch and attaching it to the body with four long screws, using the included mini screwdriver. Had I done so I would not have removed the capo that was placed at the first fret, thus allowing the first string to unravel from its tuner post, making it difficult to rethread. Admittedly, the first thing I did upon unpacking the guitar was to not read the directions. This optional lightweight package can fold into a backpack, making it easy to transport the KLOS. The KLOS arrived packed for travel, with the neck detached and stuffed away in a separate small bag that was strapped to the main bag for the body of the guitar. With the additional help of Jacob Sheffield and a couple of Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns, the company is going strong after four-plus years Klosowiak’s brother, Ian, stepped in with both his guitar playing experience and knowledge of composite materials to produce the first KLOS guitar. The idea behind KLOS guitars began in 2014 when cofounder Adam Kloswiak left his college dorm window open during winter break, causing cracks in his wooden guitar.
Removing fishman sonitone pickup system portable#
For added convenience, KLOS has made an acoustic-electric guitar with a handy travel package, complete with a detachable neck and portable gig bag. The main benefit of such guitars is that they can go anywhere, take punishment, and still come out sounding like they did before. RainSong, Blackbird, Composite Acoustics, and now KLOS have developed carbon-fiber instruments that can withstand the elements of extreme heat, cold, and moisture without suffering damage. There has been a revolution of sorts in guitar making over the past 15 years.