New Smokey coming from Germany - review update

sirwhale · #1 10-01-2016, 12:22 AM

The plain hybrid smokey.

Thamann.de the biggest shop (I reckon) in Europe (very well known here), and they now sell Rainsongs. They have a great deal for someone in my position: 30 day trial period, meaning I can directly AB this with my L13, something I couldn't otherwise do.

On top of this, this particular guitar had already been sent back by someone (I've been told that it is structurally sound, but "might have slight marks of use"), so I got it for 200euros cheaper (1550).

I also want to try some different strings on the guitar, as people don't like the black ones. So this is a great opportunity for someone living in Spain!

I'll let you know what i think soon enough.

Earl49 · #2 10-01-2016, 05:58 AM

Enjoy the test drive. You'll probably keep it. The only Smokey I've ever played was in a store in Anchorge Alaska during a business trip last year. Really nice guitar, but those coated black strings have to go! I get the visual "blackout" effect they are going for, but the strings just don't feel good under the fingers (kinda sticky) or sound especially good either.

steelvibe · #3 10-01-2016, 08:32 AM

I really liked Martin Retro strings on the Shorty and would imagine they sound great on any RainSong. The lights have great tension and add less string character letting you hear more of the tonal properties of the guitar, at least that is my assessment.

I'm betting the 12 fret design and deep WS body are a sweet combo under the right strings. Please post your thoughts!

#4 10-01-2016, 09:27 AM

Sir;

Congratulations. I received my RS nylon string Parlor under the same circumstances--the guitar had been returned and I received a very nice discount. I hope you are as happy with your guitar as I am with mine. Nice find.

Mkel12 · #5 10-01-2016, 10:09 AM

Would love to hear the AB, if you plan on recording it. Congrats!

Ted @ LA Guitar Sales · #6 10-04-2016, 09:10 AM

Congrats! We do rather well with both the L13, and the Smokey, looking forward to your review.

sirwhale · #7 10-08-2016, 01:27 AM

So after a night of playing the songs I know, with my wife listening, here's what we thought:

(bare in mind, my L13 is the 2013 version - no soundport, no bridge plate)

Physically
The smokey is nicely made, I like the finish, the body shape is good and sits well on my lap. It has a 16inch lower bout but does not feel like a big guitar. I like the neck; it is similar in beefiness to my L13 and I am instantly adapted to it.
The tuners are a joy compared to the 1:15 tuners I have on the L13.

Tone
First thing - take of those black strings. They were old and dull on this guitar and I didn't want to make any final decisions based on these strings. This is also the only other time in my life that I have played a CF guitar and been able to AB it with mine, so I had to explore. I put on some Newtone PBs 12-52 and the tone was much better.

The smokey has a nice, correct, sound. The balance across strings in volume make it great for stumming. The trebles are clear and pure. The tone is pleasing for when I play none-bluesy songs, and also for blues but it doesn't have a blues edge. I don't find the smokey particularly bright, the glass fibre must really play a role here in warming it up.

For a guitar that has 2 inches more of lower bout than my L13, it has less projection and less bass. This can make my L13 slightly boomy when strumming, which I have to keep under control, but I am impressed once again at how much bass I can get out of this L13. To be specific, I would say the L13 has much more projection on the bass and mids, but the treble strings are similar with the L13 winning slightly.

This is where the comments from Ted and Tdq come in. Ted always says Blackbirds do well with people looking for more of a Martin (bass orientated?) sound. I can hear that very well in this comparison of guitars. I think Ted has also mentioned that CF gives more projection than hybrids.

Tdq told me that a rainsong would work well on the none-bluesy songs I play, which it does. There are songs I play, like by Gustavo Santaolalla, which sometimes need a more "correct" note than my L13 seems to want to give (especially those treble strings). His comments are very true here.

One thing I have noticed, and was a suspicion for a long time, is that the steel frets give off a different flavour too. Buzzes are much bright for example on steel it seems. The smokey has normal fretwire.

I was attracted to the smokey because of its specs: Larger body - 16inch lower bout, 12 fret, 24.9inch scale. I was attracted by the idea of a bigger sound. But, this is where Tdqs prediction fell short (he has not played a smokey, but made his comment on experience with other rainsongs), the L13, with a 14inch lower bout (but all CF of course), has more presence and more bass.

When playing my memorised songs, which are more often than not, blues, folk and Joseph Spence, the L13 has more character, more personality for these genres. The smokey is more "correct". My wife said that the L13 had big black womans voice and the smokey had a voice of a white woman with a fine voice. Both good, but different characters.

So, one night and we have learnt a world of things - my first comparison of composite guitars. Will I keep it? Well it would be great for strumming (seems to be much easier to get a nice rich even tone when strumming compared to the L13), but I rarely strum, I finger pick. It would be nice for songs that require less of the personality of my L13, but that doesn't happen often either.

My wife and I aren't rich and we can't justify another expensive guitar on these grounds (and it wasn't what I was looking for when I bought it either) so it will go back, but with having given me a world of knowledge to work on.

It seems to me that the guitar would that fit the bill of the bigger sound for my style is still El Capitán (but who knows!?). But it's too expensive and I'd prefer a shorter scale. In the future prices will fall (I hope) and maybe new designs will be made. I'll be waiting.

For now I'll continue to be a one guitar man, me and my L13.

Finger Stylish · #8 10-08-2016, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirwhale

So after a night of playing the songs I know, with my wife listening, here's what we thought:

(bare in mind, my L13 is the 2013 version - no soundport, no bridge plate)

Physically
The smokey is nicely made, I like the finish, the body shape is good and sits well on my lap. It has a 16inch lower bout but does not feel like a big guitar. I like the neck; it is similar in beefiness to my L13 and I am instantly adapted to it.
The tuners are a joy compared to the 1:15 tuners I have on the L13.

Tone
First thing - take of those black strings. They were old and dull on this guitar and I didn't want to make any final decisions based on these strings. This is also the only other time in my life that I have played a CF guitar and been able to AB it with mine, so I had to explore. I put on some Newtone PBs 12-52 and the tone was much better.

The smokey has a nice, correct, sound. The balance across strings in volume make it great for stumming. The trebles are clear and pure. The tone is pleasing for when I play none-bluesy songs, and also for blues but it doesn't have a blues edge. I don't find the smokey particularly bright, the glass fibre must really play a role here in warming it up.

For a guitar that has 2 inches more of lower bout than my L13, it has less projection and less bass. This can make my L13 slightly boomy when strumming, which I have to keep under control, but I am impressed once again at how much bass I can get out of this L13. To be specific, I would say the L13 has much more projection on the bass and mids, but the treble strings are similar with the L13 winning slightly.

This is where the comments from Ted and Tdq come in. Ted always says Blackbirds do well with people looking for more of a Martin (bass orientated?) sound. I can hear that very well in this comparison of guitars. I think Ted has also mentioned that CF gives more projection than hybrids.

Tdq told me that a rainsong would work well on the none-bluesy songs I play, which it does. There are songs I play, like by Gustavo Santaolalla, which sometimes need a more "correct" note than my L13 seems to want to give (especially those treble strings). His comments are very true here.

One thing I have noticed, and was a suspicion for a long time, is that the steel frets give off a different flavour too. Buzzes are much bright for example on steel it seems. The smokey has normal fretwire.

I was attracted to the smokey because of its specs: Larger body - 16inch lower bout, 12 fret, 24.9inch scale. I was attracted by the idea of a bigger sound. But, this is where Tdqs prediction fell short (he has not played a smokey, but made his comment on experience with other rainsongs), the L13, with a 14inch lower bout (but all CF of course), has more presence and more bass.

When playing my memorised songs, which are more often than not, blues, folk and Joseph Spence, the L13 has more character, more personality for these genres. The smokey is more "correct". My wife said that the L13 had big black womans voice and the smokey had a voice of a white woman with a fine voice. Both good, but different characters.

So, one night and we have learnt a world of things - my first comparison of composite guitars. Will I keep it? Well it would be great for strumming (seems to be much easier to get a nice rich even tone when strumming compared to the L13), but I rarely strum, I finger pick. It would be nice for songs that require less of the personality of my L13, but that doesn't happen often either.

My wife and I aren't rich and we can't justify another expensive guitar on these grounds (and it wasn't what I was looking for when I bought it either) so it will go back, but with having given me a world of knowledge to work on.

It seems to me that the guitar would that fit the bill of the bigger sound for my style is still El Capitán (but who knows!?). But it's too expensive and I'd prefer a shorter scale. In the future prices will fall (I hope) and maybe new designs will be made. I'll be waiting.

For now I'll continue to be a one guitar man, me and my L13.

For someone that experiments with strings as much as you do, I think you owe it to the guitar to try some 12-54 monels on it. The folky blues work with the monels and my Rainsong.

sirwhale · #9 10-08-2016, 06:30 AM

Hey Vance

I have tried Monels a long time ago. I don't remember being overjoyed with them. I could try them again but I would buy the 11-52s and swap to a 12 and a 16.

steelvibe · #10 10-08-2016, 07:30 AM

Agreed. Retros rock on my Shorty. Don't know which I like more, the Retros or Newtone Masterclass Doublewound.

Mkel12 · #11 10-08-2016, 08:25 AM

Thanks for sharing your experience, sirwhale. Your detailed narrative will help those with interest, but whom cannot play these guitars in person.

I had a very similar experience over the past two weeks. I have owned a 2014 "revoiced" Lucky 13 for a couple of years. I purchased a Kevin Michael Touring guitar (really love the look of the new models) and did an A/B with my Lucky. The KM was dry, somewhat woody- sounding and nicely intonated. The Lucky had much more punch and a fatness that is hard to pinpoint, but is somewhat like your description... Like a soulful singer.

Then I found a Rainsong APSE at a local shop and took it for a test drive at home. Gorgeous guitar.... Best intontation I have ever experienced on a guitar, and a nice, chimey piano-like tone. Still, when I A/Bd with Lucky, I preferred the Lucky.

Finally, the Lucky's playability is off the charts easy. The KM was too cramped for me, and the APSE, though very playable, had a neck profile that was just bit fat for my liking.

Same result.... The Lucky 13 is a keeper.