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  #16  
Old 07-23-2014, 05:40 PM
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J.R. Rogers J.R. Rogers is offline
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Thanks for the clarification, Steve!

JR
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  #17  
Old 07-23-2014, 07:08 PM
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I don't about the neck by the actual numbers. I can tell you that I am very comfortable with my Rainsing N2 neck and am comfortable on Taylor 1 3/4" necks as well. Very happy with the Rainsong.
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  #18  
Old 07-23-2014, 08:07 PM
Captain Jim Captain Jim is offline
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I, too, go by feel. I spent decades playing an ES-335. For acoustic guitars, the Taylor neck (especially the T5; yeah, I know - it's not an acoustic) feels very similar. I love my RainSong Shorty, but the N2 neck is definitely thicker. Not enough that it is uncomfortable, but you feel the difference... especially after playing all evening.
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  #19  
Old 07-24-2014, 05:13 AM
Doubleneck Doubleneck is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J.R. Rogers View Post
Thanks for the clarification, Steve!

JR
Sorry overkill, you obviously have seen lots of guitars, do you know of any other acoustic builder that uses a modified U. I have asked the question before and no one has ever come up with one. It seems to be more common with narrow neck electrics, like Fender. John Bolin who designed it with a Rainsong builds electrics.

http://bolinguitars.com/gallery/

I went to the Rainsong website and now all descriptions of neck profiles have been removed. N2 is it now.
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Last edited by Doubleneck; 07-24-2014 at 05:22 AM.
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  #20  
Old 07-24-2014, 09:30 AM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doubleneck View Post
I went to the Rainsong website and now all descriptions of neck profiles have been removed. N2 is it now.
There was a lot of discussion about RS necks on here a month or so ago. The neck molds for the original "N1" neck were wearing out, and Rainsong was getting constant requests for a truss rod. Given the *large* expense of making new molds, they went the N2 path exclusively to accommodate truss rods. Other fallout is that the WS-3000 12 string was always built using the original N1 neck, so now they don't build those anymore. Wish I had picked up one of them up a few years ago when I was tempted.

[Personal opinion alert: I shake my head at the need for a truss rod in these guitars. The necks are so stiff that I'm not sure if a truss rod can really move the neck relief very much. I never see the neck on my WS-1000 move perceptibly working through five different tunings (mostly lower, some higher than standard) or even when using medium gauge strings. And truss rod adjustments is not how you set up the action anyway. Stepping down from soapbox now].
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  #21  
Old 07-24-2014, 10:18 AM
Doubleneck Doubleneck is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl49 View Post
There was a lot of discussion about RS necks on here a month or so ago. The neck molds for the original "N1" neck were wearing out, and Rainsong was getting constant requests for a truss rod. Given the *large* expense of making new molds, they went the N2 path exclusively to accommodate truss rods. Other fallout is that the WS-3000 12 string was always built using the original N1 neck, so now they don't build those anymore. Wish I had picked up one of them up a few years ago when I was tempted.

[Personal opinion alert: I shake my head at the need for a truss rod in these guitars. The necks are so stiff that I'm not sure if a truss rod can really move the neck relief very much. I never see the neck on my WS-1000 move perceptibly working through five different tunings (mostly lower, some higher than standard) or even when using medium gauge strings. And truss rod adjustments is not how you set up the action anyway. Stepping down from soapbox now].
Largely agree with you on truss rods, I truly think most of it is a wood guy feels more comfortable if its there. I have tweaked my JM 1000 N2 but just because I can. Doubt it was necessary.
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2020 McKnight Grand Recording - Cedar Top
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  #22  
Old 07-24-2014, 10:25 AM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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I doubt that Rainsong believed they were necessary either, just bowing to market pressure. Can't afford to lose sales over the question, even if it is a non-issue in real terms.
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  #23  
Old 07-24-2014, 10:53 AM
quiltingshirley quiltingshirley is offline
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I have a Blackbird Classical CF guitar. The neck is certainly rounded to me but then I usually play a small classical guitar with a super flat neck. (someone referred to it as "flat enough to land a plane on") It's taken me a bit to get used to the rounded feel -- like my Taylor with steel strings and a smaller nut.

I have noticed 2 things about the CF, one is the smoothness when sliding up and down the frets. Wow! the other is the clear sound I'm getting, very much like the Blackbird tenor ukulele. It is slippery and I need to use the NeckUp when it's on my lap.

This probably won't mean much to you younger folks but... The other night a friend was playing my guitar and he plays from memory but is a bit hard of hearing. He was playing Ripple and singing and all of a sudden he lost his place. Seems with the sound hole and the hollow neck he was listening to the sounds he was hearing and forgot where he was in the song. He's a wonderful player and singer and others at the Jam just thought he was just adding an instrumental.
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  #24  
Old 08-01-2014, 05:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rampant View Post
I'm mainly looking at the CA cargo and the Emerald X7.

I really like the neck profile on my Taylor - rounded, maybe even a slight V.

Those who have experience I'd appreciate feedback on how the different guitars necks feel.
Hi Rampant. I've got a CA Cargo and an Emerald x20-OS (full size), so I can't offer a direct comparison experience but I can say this.... I like the neck on the Cargo a bit better. I don't have a big hand and the Cargo seems to fell better. Both are 1.75" wide at the nut, which is very common.

The Cargo is 19mm (3/4") thick at the nut and stays at 19mm down to the body. It's got more of a "modern flat oval" shape vs. the Emerald which has a more C shape neck (a bit more rounded back).

The Emerald x20 neck is 21mm at the nut and tapers to about 23mm at the 10th fret, then widens as the heel comes in. I believe the x7 will have the same neck ratio. Actually... I just asked Alistair Hay to build be a custom x20-OS with a slimmer neck (not narrower, just not as deep). I LOVE the x20 even as they come and I can't wait to get my custom.

From a sound standpoint...I am blown away by the great sound my Cargo has! Incredibly good tone all around and amazing depth in the lower registers, especially for the size.
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  #25  
Old 08-02-2014, 12:45 PM
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According to the tech that adjusted my Rainsong, the neck needed a tweak of the truss rod to get it where I wanted it. There was no more saddle left to remove. My feeling is, once you set it, you're not likely to see movement, but I absolutely believe it needs to be there for the fine-tuning. YMMV, which is cool, but this is from personal experience.
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2014 RainSong H-OM1000N2
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A bunch of electrics (too many!!)
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  #26  
Old 08-02-2014, 11:20 PM
steelvibe steelvibe is offline
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I actually agree with mikealpine on this one. I get that there are some cool CF guitars out there that do not have truss rods. However, since I was primarily an electric player for many years, I like having as low of action as possible. Saddle adjustments are great but having a truss is even better. Those who have wooden acoustics know how cool it is to have truss rods when the seasons change- it seems that the all guitars need just a little tweak to get that just right feeling.

Having said that, I think that there is a stigma that guitars without truss rods are a liability more than an asset. Unfortunately what is true about the absolute necessity of truss rods in wooden instruments is wicking into the carbon fiber arena. I believe that they simply are not needed in carbon fiber varieties and only appeal to those who want that extra adjustability should they need it- or maybe for fears that guitars without trusses won't have as great a chance of resale. The only way to have a trussless carbon fiber that is tailor made to any given player is to have them custom made from the get go, but once that neck is set- it is set!
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