Not taboo to me... but after twenty years of working with composites I'm tired of it. I just want to make things out of wood.
Truth be told, there are a number of ways composites could be used in an acoustical structure that didn't compromise the acoustic qualities of the instrument. Kerfing, bracing, neck strength, neck to headstock transition.....lots of potential improvements come to mind. But a thorough analysis of the acoustic properties of wood would be required before any substitute of composite can occur for the main acoustical components of a guitar (I'm talking acoustic guitars now).
Personally, I've played composite acoustic guitars....and they sound like crap. There are guys that know composites and think they'll make acoustic instruments but without going down a very long, arduous analytical path that qualifies and controls vibration throughout the various structures, these attempts to build guitars are simply composite adventures...and they produce bad instruments. Less so with electrics but I haven't played a composite electric neck yet that I liked.
I've made laminated necks that included layers of uni-directional carbon fiber. One can use a carbon truss rod but if the whole neck is laminated with layers of carbon, then machined, that's a much more efficient use of the uni-direction carbon. Sure....they are stiffer than an all wood laminated neck but I can make a good, servicable neck out of pure wood and I'd rather do that than work with carbon for that slight improvement. It's really hard on cutting tools.
