RainSong Smokey Hybrid And Factory-Installed Strings

SpruceTop · #1 08-05-2015, 05:50 PM

Today, I was the first to play a brand new, out-of-the-box, with setup-checked by shop, RainSong Smokey Hybrid (SMH), at my local dealer. I made sure the guitar was in tune using its onboard L.R. Baggs StagePro Element system. After tuning, I played a few chords and noticed the guitar had a subdued tone with a somewhat dead bass E-string. The guitar came with factory-installed DR Black Beauties Coated Strings that looked cool and went well with the guitar's blackout aesthetics. Frankly, I didn't like the tone and alerted the store owner to my findings. He played the guitar and noticed the same tone. He replaced the strings with a set of his store-brand, uncoated strings and now the guitar sounded significantly better with a much livelier, ringing tone overall and in the bass E-string too. Maybe it was just a bad set of DR Black Beauties but I think maybe the black finish may be detracting from the strings' tone. Given my experience today, I'd replace the DR Black Beauties BKA-12 strings with the regular Elixir #11052 light-gage strings that normally come on RainSongs.

#2 08-05-2015, 07:47 PM

Interesting and thanks for the info. I wonder, is that the case with any/all colored strings? Anyone have any other experiences with colored strings? I can only guess that for the colored strings that the coating is not the same as other coatings?

guitararmy · #3 08-05-2015, 09:09 PM

I've tried the DR Neon strings and also thought they sounded muffled.
Looked neat though...

Ted @ LA Guitar Sales · #4 08-06-2015, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Today, I was the first to play a brand new, out-of-the-box, with setup-checked by shop, RainSong Smokey Hybrid (SMH), at my local dealer...

But did you remember to take a photo for a chance to win a Smokey?

https://www.facebook.com/RainSongGui...type=1&theater

SpruceTop · #5 08-06-2015, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted @ LA Guitar Sales

But did you remember to take a photo for a chance to win a Smokey?

https://www.facebook.com/RainSongGui...type=1&theater

Hi Ted,

I wasn't aware of the contest. I'll have to go back to my dealer and get a photo of myself with the new Smokey Hybrid! Thanks for the alert!

moondoggie999 · #6 08-06-2015, 02:22 PM

When I tried the DR Black Beauties on my Shorty, I was not thrilled. Sound and feel wise, they seemed very similar to when I had played nylon strings on a guitar meant for steel strings. That's the only way I can describe it.

drjond56 · #7 08-06-2015, 05:46 PM

I had the same dull response with Black Diamond coated strings, but not with either Elixir or D'Adarrio coated sets on my Rainsong parlor

Jon

SteelPastor · #8 08-07-2015, 12:47 AM

.

What's the likelihood that Elixir would be open to doing a similar set of strings?

.

Acousticado · #9 08-07-2015, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelPastor

.

What's the likelihood that Elixir would be open to doing a similar set of strings?

.

Who knows? You may want to send them the idea. Can't hurt.

J.R. Rogers · #10 08-07-2015, 04:16 PM

I went looking for one of these today to try but couldn't find one in my area. They look great from the pictures, though! Can't wait to play one...

Earl49 · #11 08-12-2015, 02:05 PM

I got to play a Smokey last Friday in Anchorage during a business trip. Nice guitar, very cool subdued appearance. This was my first experience with the new N2 neck. It is a bit chunkier and noticeably more V-shaped, but not a problem for my hand. Ted, I have been off-line for a couple of weeks and had no idea about the contest or would have shot a pic or two. I'm back home in Idaho now, so revisiting the dealer won't be an option.

My wife loves pink, and we had a few sets of DR Neon's in hot pink / fuchsia. I am secure enough in my masculinity to play pink strings, but too found their tone a bit dull, and they were sticky to the touch (sliding was an issue). Did I mention they sounded dull? The coating eventually flaked off at the pick area, and they were a bit better, but I was glad to use up the last set of them.

PeteCady · #12 08-18-2015, 12:42 PM

Funny thread to find just now. The Lady and I got back (to VT) two days ago, after a three week road trip - a week from VT to Montana (by way of Wyoming, to visit friends and avoid the craziness of people heading to Sturgis on 90), a week in Bozeman, culminating in the marriage of my son, and a week back, again down to WY and across on 80. Needless to say, I spent a good deal of my uncommitted time in Bozeman in Music Villa. On my last day there, the day after the wedding, my son asked me to return the small sound system he'd rented for the reception. On doing so, I noticed they had a new Smokey SMH in the acoustic room. I played it. For quite a while. Later that day, I told Kris maybe I'd like to go back and play it again and see if I was still as impressed. You know the rest. Drove out with one Rainsong, back with two. Paid a little more than the bottom-line price of the back mail-order dealers, but I supported an independent dealer, so it's all good.

Even in spite of being sucked in by the guitar, I had the same impression of the strings. I was sure that there was more in the guitar than those strings were bringing out. I just restrung with a set of GHS PB True Mediums (standard medium gauge low and high E, and B; standard light gauge A, D, and G), but with the two unwound strings replaced with a 15 and an 11. Sort of a modified Norman Blake approach. Letting them settle before I play much, but a few strums sounded very promising. And the action is so smooth on this particular one, as it came from the shop, that my old hands MIGHT be OK without the low tension strings that I've been mostly using.

We shall see. Now I've got to get busy and sell some guitars and free up some room and money.

Earl49 · #13 08-18-2015, 05:18 PM

Congrats, Pete. Ya done good! I consider myself pretty fortunate that a Blackbird Lucky 13 isn't in any shop near me. From what I have read, resistance would be futile once I tried one.

But I too need to clear out some space before bringing anything new into the house. Got several nice Taylors that need adoption to new good homes. If I were heading toward LA anytime soon, I would load them all up and leave them with Ted in exchange for a Lucky 13. But I don't want to get involved with shipping 5-6 full sized guitars.

jazzd · #14 08-25-2015, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Today, I was the first to play a brand new, out-of-the-box, with setup-checked by shop, RainSong Smokey Hybrid (SMH), at my local dealer. I made sure the guitar was in tune using its onboard L.R. Baggs StagePro Element system. After tuning, I played a few chords and noticed the guitar had a subdued tone with a somewhat dead bass E-string. The guitar came with factory-installed DR Black Beauties Coated Strings that looked cool and went well with the guitar's blackout aesthetics. Frankly, I didn't like the tone and alerted the store owner to my findings. He played the guitar and noticed the same tone. He replaced the strings with a set of his store-brand, uncoated strings and now the guitar sounded significantly better with a much livelier, ringing tone overall and in the bass E-string too. Maybe it was just a bad set of DR Black Beauties but I think maybe the black finish may be detracting from the strings' tone. Given my experience today, I'd replace the DR Black Beauties BKA-12 strings with the regular Elixir #11052 light-gage strings that normally come on RainSongs.

ALL of the DR coated strings (Dragonskin, Silver Stars, Red Devils, Black Beauties etc.) have serious issues, but also some nice pros:

-All same basic coating regardless of color

-Can sound awesome fresh out of the pack (put Silver Stars on my Rainsong Hybrid and first few songs were *wow*) but then

-They deflate really darn quick

-Which for some reason pairs awfully w/ carbons, maybe b/c those guitars are such good projectors of whatever they're given.

Not just b/c of the coating per se, but b/c of the way that specific coating pairs w/ the way those strings are cored. Seems to be a more ductile steel, which I suppose reduces breaking but after they're stretched (like as soon as they should be nicely broken-in) they just get muted too easily by the coating.

That said, the DR coating is hands-down best I've found for keeping a good finger grip on strings, even when sweaty. Unlike those *darn slippery Elixirs...

Yet they still slide nicely w/out too much squeak. And they look hella cool.

So those are pros.

Darn shame b/c you'll blow through a pack every few songs. I'm sure even factory playtesting and shop setup would be enough to noticeably dull 'em. :P