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  #1  
Old 08-28-2017, 01:29 PM
bry bry is offline
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Default Rainsong CH-PA or Emerald X7 opus

I am looking for a travel/truck guitar. I am a carbon fiber only player. I got tired of trying to maintain wood guitars here in Colorado Springs. I recently purchased a CH-OM from ted. Best guitar purchase ever. I am leaning towards the PA only because I like the neck on the OM and there is a local shop that has one. No where to try the x7.
So my question is, does the Emerald X7 offer anything the CH-PA does not?
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Old 08-28-2017, 01:55 PM
mot mot is offline
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I can't answer your question but the other guitar that I am looking at is the Journey because it folds up into a backpack. I have a Blackbird Lucky 13 and an Emerald X20. Both guitars are amazing, but they are both bigger than the two you are asking about and sometimes I need something for travel that comes in a smaller space. Ukes just don't cut it for me though I have tried.
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Old 08-28-2017, 01:56 PM
jonfields45 jonfields45 is online now
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The Parlor is 3 inches longer than the X7 but a big step up in sound quality, though it has been a long time since I bought and sold my X7-OS.
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Old 08-28-2017, 02:36 PM
jdinco jdinco is offline
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Originally Posted by jonfields45 View Post
The Parlor is 3 inches longer than the X7 but a big step up in sound quality, though it has been a long time since I bought and sold my X7-OS.
Hummm, I have played both and own the X7, I guess all our opinions and needs are a bit different, I don't think the sound quality is a "big" step up at all, perhaps not a step at all. Just my opinion....
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Old 08-28-2017, 03:20 PM
jonfields45 jonfields45 is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdinco View Post
Hummm, I have played both and own the X7, I guess all our opinions and needs are a bit different, I don't think the sound quality is a "big" step up at all, perhaps not a step at all. Just my opinion....
I used to have the same opinion based on my long gone X7-OS and trying used RainSong Parlors in various stores. I can only assume that either the strings were in bad shape or the opaque finishes on those used guitars were not good for them... Also the used ones I played were more often 14 fret ones. I only got the CH-PA a few weeks ago and my expectations were low thinking it would be sort of not quite as good as a GS Mini (but I got a great price so I gave it a shot). I am really pleasantly surprised and quite happy. And as you can tell by the model numbering (OS suffix), that Emerald was long ago and they may have improved since then. It was one of the first OS's offered for sale by Emerald.

With all those disclaimers, I think the CH-PA would be a great choice.
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Old 08-28-2017, 03:39 PM
JasonA JasonA is offline
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IMO what the X7 offers that the CH-PA does not, is ergonomic improvements with the bevel and unique design. I would also not consider the Rainsong a big step up from the X7, but the CH-PA has a tone which will be closer to your OM that you already know you like. In fact, I owned a P12 and a Shorty and I'm not sure the Shorty was different enough to warrant owning both. So the CH-PA may be the safer choice.
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Old 08-28-2017, 03:49 PM
jonfields45 jonfields45 is online now
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One more thought, with the offset sound hole you are hearing the very best from an X7. The CH-PA projects a bigger louder tone best heard by the people you might be jamming with or playing for. It can work with full sized guitars and keep up. Playing just for myself, the CH-PA sounds better if I let it lean back which would not be necessary for an offset sound hole instrument. I usually play for people when I travel and often jam with other guitarists and I put a high value on what an instrument can do to that test. As a personal player, an X7 might be very good, but that was not the bar I set when I decided to sell it.
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  #8  
Old 08-28-2017, 04:47 PM
bry bry is offline
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Thanks for the comments. How different is the shape of the necks between the two?
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Old 08-28-2017, 09:12 PM
AZLiberty AZLiberty is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bry View Post
Thanks for the comments. How different is the shape of the necks between the two?
Rainsong is more C shaped and the Emerald is more D shaped. So the Rainsong is a bit thicker across the thickest part of the neck and the emerald a bit thicker towards the edges.
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Old 08-28-2017, 09:21 PM
jdinco jdinco is offline
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I agree with you Jon, there are so many different factors that enter into it and can influence what we hear and think. I think either guitar is an excellent choice, even though I picked the X7,
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Old 08-28-2017, 09:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bry View Post
Thanks for the comments. How different is the shape of the necks between the two?
There was a recent good discussion about this in this thread, including some illustrations starting around post #40. >>> http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=479708
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Old 08-28-2017, 09:42 PM
bry bry is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Acousticado View Post
There was a recent good discussion about this in this thread, including some illustrations starting around post #40. >>> http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=479708


Wow. That thread definitely went into plenty of detail regarding neck shapes. Thanks. I think I will go to the local shop and give the ch-pa a run through. Who knows , might leave with a new guitar. As others have stated it makes sense to go with what I am comfortable with. I do love my ch-om.
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Old 08-29-2017, 07:19 AM
Captain Jim Captain Jim is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bry View Post
Thanks for the comments. How different is the shape of the necks between the two?
The RainSong N2/NS neck feels "chunkier" than the standard X7 neck. Between those two, my hands prefer the Emerald neck. That said, it doesn't take long to adapt to either neck.
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Old 08-30-2017, 11:59 AM
bry bry is offline
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Can anyone chime in on the tonal differences between the two? Which one is brighter? Which one is louder? Which one is more balanced? Bass response? Dream guitars has videos of both but I'm sure those are not a great representation of the sound. Thanks
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  #15  
Old 08-31-2017, 06:47 AM
bry bry is offline
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I went and played a ch pa yesterday at our local rainsong dealer. The tone of that little guitar was outstanding. Very much like my ch om just not as loud and less bass. My only issue with the ch pa is you can really feel the weight of the neck. I felt like as I was playing I was having to hold the neck from falling. Not an issue with the ch om probably due to the way it is positioned. If only there was a local blackbird dealer.
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