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GR Bass Natural Fiber cabs
- Thread starter gtirard
- Start date
Just did some reading and didn't know fiberglass and carbon fiber are related but in different ways. I'm also getting a sense that "Natural Fiber" might be substantially less toxic. I sure would like to understand its properties with more precision. Right now the company website's copy is basically voodoo on this topic.
Take a look at his facebook page. there is more info about the Natural Fiber cabinets there.
This is a response that I received from GR Bass a few days ago when I asked them about the Natural Fiber cabinets. (note: English is not their primary language)
75 lbs of equipment on top of my 25 lb carbon fiber AT212 for about 2 months now.
This is a response that I received from GR Bass a few days ago when I asked them about the Natural Fiber cabinets. (note: English is not their primary language)
Our natural fiber cabinets are really innovative and eco-sustainable products.
These are built with the same sandwich technology as the carbon fiber cabinets but with some substantial differences in the materials used.
The structure of our natural fiber cabinets is made from two layers of linen fiber, with inside to complete the sandwich a compound obtained from the recycling of plastic bottles.
This is worked to have the same sound characteristics as wood.
In addition, the cabinet is finished with water resin to increase strength.
For what it is worth, this is my current stack.These are built with the same sandwich technology as the carbon fiber cabinets but with some substantial differences in the materials used.
The structure of our natural fiber cabinets is made from two layers of linen fiber, with inside to complete the sandwich a compound obtained from the recycling of plastic bottles.
This is worked to have the same sound characteristics as wood.
In addition, the cabinet is finished with water resin to increase strength.
75 lbs of equipment on top of my 25 lb carbon fiber AT212 for about 2 months now.
AFAIK a carbon fiber panel has two skins made of carbon fiber mats with a polyurethan foam core.
Now I get that you can make the outer skins from NFC but what core has been used that qualifies to the same criteria "natural fiber and recycled materials"?
Is the panel actually at all a sandwich construction or of homogenous structure like a fibreboard from wood?
@bertthebassist - you seem to be in the know...
I apologize for not replying to this thread sooner.
The photographs of the Natural Fiber cabinets unfortunately don't satisfy either so we are already making new ones.
The natural fiber cabinets needed time to convince shopkeepers to invest in them, not knowing the type of product.
It was the same for carbon fiber, but today all the shops that buy our products prefer to buy the carbon fiber line rather than classic wooden line.
The natural fiber is already available in some American stores, and in others it will arrive in September.
Every week that passes the stores with GR in the United States increase and if it is not yet present in the store where you usually buy, please let us know by email at [email protected] , we will contact it for you.
We are not an important company like many others, Ampeg, Mesa, Fender, just to name a few, but for this reason we want to keep to ourselves the most technical details of the realization of our cabinets.
Our technology is the only thing that allows us to grow quickly as a brand and it would be stupid to divulge important information for us.
P.s. Also sorry for our English communications, we are working to improve that too.
The photographs of the Natural Fiber cabinets unfortunately don't satisfy either so we are already making new ones.
The natural fiber cabinets needed time to convince shopkeepers to invest in them, not knowing the type of product.
It was the same for carbon fiber, but today all the shops that buy our products prefer to buy the carbon fiber line rather than classic wooden line.
The natural fiber is already available in some American stores, and in others it will arrive in September.
Every week that passes the stores with GR in the United States increase and if it is not yet present in the store where you usually buy, please let us know by email at [email protected] , we will contact it for you.
We are not an important company like many others, Ampeg, Mesa, Fender, just to name a few, but for this reason we want to keep to ourselves the most technical details of the realization of our cabinets.
Our technology is the only thing that allows us to grow quickly as a brand and it would be stupid to divulge important information for us.
P.s. Also sorry for our English communications, we are working to improve that too.
I wonder if the mirror-like metal strip on the front could be changed/painted to be something a little more aesthetically pleasing in line with the rest of the cab. Highly interested in these but I'm waiting for more real world impressions from people, I'm always weary of jumping in on the first generation of something like this.
Bars cannot be colored.
I do not exclude that for future releases the Natural series has bars of a different color.
I do not exclude that for future releases the Natural series has bars of a different color.
Sorry, that is very naive answer, if it is sincere at all.
If any of those companies you mention wanted to reengineer your cabinets, they would have absolutely no problem to do so at all.
And most certainly, they would not have to rely on your post on Talkbass.
That said, I sincerely applaud GR Bass on developing a NFC alternative to the highly problematic (from an environmental point of view) use of carbon composite panels.
Well done, I'd love to have an equally environmental friendly, but light weight alternative to wood.
But is it actually?
^ Weird post.
What could their alternative motives be, if they're lying? To maintain an aura of mystery? Could you blame them if it were the case? As long as it gets them more customers than it loses them one or two nosy TB posters, it can be a marginally successful marketing tactic.
Awesome. Let them do all the work from scratch, then. Why make it any easier for them? Either GR's days in this market segment are numbered; or they're not, and being tight-lipped about the ins and outs of the technology won't make much difference, if any.
Probably not, if the core is made out of recycled PET bottles. Do they "actually" claim anywhere that it is "equally" as environmentally friendly as wood?
I'm still trying to find some place on their website where they explain what "natural fiber(s)" these NF cabinets are made from.
(Incidentally, I compared an NF to the equivalent CF cab and specs-wise they are 100% identical. I'm guessing there's a price difference? And/or perhaps a durability difference?)
They’re linen fibers.
The sandwich technology is the same as that used for carbon fiber cabinets.
That’s why they weigh the same.
The costs of making natural fiber cabinets are slightly higher than carbon fiber cabinets, but not wanting to have a more expensive product than the carbon line, which is already an expensive line, we preferred to keep the same price.
The sandwich technology is the same as that used for carbon fiber cabinets.
That’s why they weigh the same.
The costs of making natural fiber cabinets are slightly higher than carbon fiber cabinets, but not wanting to have a more expensive product than the carbon line, which is already an expensive line, we preferred to keep the same price.
No,
they’re just flax fibers processed without other materials and water resin
they’re just flax fibers processed without other materials and water resin
To clarify, when I google "Linen Fiber" it points to the source as fibers of the flax plant. Is this correct? If yes, there are two points on which I'd appreciate clarification:
Strength: Carbon fiber is known for its exceptional strength and stiffness, making it one of the strongest materials available. Linen fiber, while strong for a natural fiber, does not match the strength of carbon fiber. Carbon fiber's high tensile strength makes it particularly valuable in applications where strength is critical. Question: how much (by degree) weaker is linen than carbon fiber?
Durability: Carbon fiber is highly durable and resistant to corrosion and many chemicals. Linen fiber is less durable and may be susceptible to degradation in certain environmental conditions. Question: please describe the degree of less durability and the issue of degradation. In my experience with fiberglass bass cabinets, locations where screws where mounted through the material (and secured with corresponding nuts) ALL came loose within a few months of manufacture. Structurally, it was a disaster that occurred in four different fiberglass cabinets. What assurance can you provide that linen fiber will not create the same result?
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The production of natural fiber cabinets is more expensive than those made of carbon fiber because the flax must be processed in a particular way in order to ensure the resistance that carbon has as its basic characteristic.
The tests on the natural fibet cabineta lasted for about two years, which is why we give 5 years of warranty as for any of our other products that is registered on our site.
The basic guarantee if you do not want to register the product is still two years.
We would never give 5 years warranty if we were not sure of the quality and durability of our products.
The tests on the natural fibet cabineta lasted for about two years, which is why we give 5 years of warranty as for any of our other products that is registered on our site.
The basic guarantee if you do not want to register the product is still two years.
We would never give 5 years warranty if we were not sure of the quality and durability of our products.
I think that 5 years warranty (and responsiveness of the customer service) answer to all potential buyers questions about reliability.
Thank you, I just registered my cab. The vendor didn't tell me I could register online to extend the warrany from 2 years to 5.
That is a head scratcher. That warranty is a heck of a selling point.
As I’ve already explained, and as other users have commented, it’s true that other brands can copy our technology, but why make life easy by explaining how we make our technology?
I prefer not to explain the technical aspects but just to say that the panels are made of natural and recycled materials.
Logically there are not only natural or recycled materials, for example the woofers are our custom shop SICA, the bars, the angles and the feet are the same as the carbon series. But the structure is really eco friendly.
I prefer not to explain the technical aspects but just to say that the panels are made of natural and recycled materials.
Logically there are not only natural or recycled materials, for example the woofers are our custom shop SICA, the bars, the angles and the feet are the same as the carbon series. But the structure is really eco friendly.
Appreciate your explanation!
@GR Bass Staff - you did indeed answer already.
The point of my post above was to thank you.
The point of my post above was to thank you.
