Emerald sound hole aesthetics

[NowhereMan33]

I have read many good things about Emerald guitars. I just wish they had a different sound hole design; aesthetics matter and I find it very unattractive. What do others in this forum think about that? It would be nice if they had an alternate design available.

[dgaemc2]

I own a few and love the look!

Mostly I like how the sound projects to the player with the offset design.

[cleser]

I actually LOVE the look of the Emeralds, which additionally motivated me to purchase Emeralds Parlor sized x7 for travel. Whoa, but after playing and hearing the difference; it’s now the only guitar brand I play.
I’m a huge fan!

[mountainmaster]

It looks quite natural to me.

Acoustic advantages aside, it also prevents me from dropping my pick into the sound hole.

The (right handed) Amicus has an older design which is slightly different. It is in the same position but it does not face partly upwards towards the player.

I actually dislike that old design and I wish Emerald would "modernize" the right handed Amicus as they did with the Amicus lefty. That would be an instant buy for me.

[raysachs]

After owning X7s with both the old and new sound hole design, I’m a big proponent of the new design - it sends so much sound straight to the player’s ears that it just sounds way better to the player than the old design. Aesthetically, Emeralds don’t do a thing for me beyond some of the nice wooden veneers. I find their shapes basically ugly and the sound hole is part of the looks I don’t like. But they’re extremely comfortable to hold and play, so it’s function over form IMHO. To me, the X20 is functionally a remarkable guitar and I’d own one but I never bonded with the sound. I like the sound of the X7 and X30 well enough, but they’re bigger and smaller than I like, so I don’t own any anymore. My only CF guitar at the moment is a McPherson Sable, which I like, but I play my Martins WAAAAAY more and just have the Sable for when the humidity in North Carolina is crazy high, which happens a lot when we’re there.

-Ray

[RP]

Originally Posted by dgaemc2

I own a few and love the look!

Mostly I like how the sound projects to the player with the offset design.

Ditto.....

[Mincer]

I dig it. It is functional and at the same time non-traditional, which is why I like Emeralds.

[Captain Jim]

Years ago, I was not a fan of the offset soundhole. Looking for a smaller guitar for travel on a boat and RV, I decided to try an Emerald X7 - this was before the redesign of that model in 2018, and I was instantly enamored with the sound, comfort, and playability of that guitar.

When you understand the function of that offset soundhole, it makes sense: it leaves the center of the top (the best "real estate" for producing sound) intact, and pushes sound closer to the player - a win/win. I was astounded that this smaller guitar was as loud and had better tone to my ear than the RainSong Shorty I had as my first carbon fiber guitar.

Since that time, I have added an X20, an X10, and a Virtuo, all with that gorgeous upturned soundhole. Acoustic guitar players tend to be traditional (the reason why everyone in the wood guitar industry makes the same 4 body shapes). The Emeralds have ergonomic contours that make them the most comfortable acoustic guitars I've ever owned/played. The guitars are beautifully crafted... but, they are not traditional.

It is the forward thinking design that sets Emeralds apart from other "old fashioned" acoustic guitars (and electrics, with their Virtuo and X10 models). That upturned offset soundhole has beautiful flow - in fact, the whole guitar is like having a playable work of art.

Step outside that traditional school of thought and discover what makes the Emeralds unique and sets them apart from all the me-too guitars.

[steelvibe]

I finally got my hands on a used Emerald X10. It was okay, it didn't wow me at all, certainly doesn't beckon me, but I didn't completely write it off. It had horrid dead strings, and it could be that it just wasn't the right body size for me. But the ergonomics are just hard to beat! I have a carbon Journey with offset sound hole, and love it. It looks like modern art! Emerald using exotic wood tops just sends their designs over the edge. Alistair is obviously very proud of this, as he should be.

If you don't like the Emerald design, than it isn't for you- and that's okay. Ironically Emerald did have center placed, more traditional, sound hole placement across the entire line in the early days. I believe the X20, the flagship model, was the first to feature Emerald's evolutionary offset design. Alistair was asking the opposite question you are, and in the end opted for both function and form. Carbon is really amazing material to be able to say something like that, and we are less than 3 decades of R&D into it. Imagine what will be made in another 70 years?

I'd say it seems to be a business decision that really works for him and his buyers. The same mantra that keeps Martin successful keeps Emerald successful, "If the wheel ain't broke...."

[Tøf]

I don’t mind the look of the offset soundhole,I think it’s actually in harmony with the rest of the instrument. But it’s probably not for traditionalists 😊
It also gives a very flattering sound to the player, full and rich. I find the tone for the audience less appealing though, but it’s not really a problem if you play amplified.

[Earl49]

The offset sound hole does two important things: it acts like a monitor so you can hear your guitar better, and it makes for a convenient carry handle.
Actually it does a third thing too - I have never dropped a pick into the sound hole of an Emerald. McPherson chose the offset sound hole for the same technical reasons. It leaves the prime vibrating surface of the top free of holes and bracing.

You can get a Rainsong with the conventional center sound hole (I have those too) if the aesthetic is a deal-breaker. They even now have a spruce veneer in their Vintage lineup so it looks like a wood Martin if that floats your boat.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by NowhereMan33

I have read many good things about Emerald guitars. I just wish they had a different sound hole design; aesthetics matter and I find it very unattractive. What do others in this forum think about that? It would be nice if they had an alternate design available.

Even before the offset soundhole migrated from the top to the top corner, Emerald did in fact offer more traditional looking instruments. Here’s a T20 from 2012 with a soundhole in the ‘normal’ place:

IMG_2482.jpg

It’s ok not to like the current flavour, but I seriously doubt it’s ever going to revert. The offset soundhole is an inherent part of Emerald’s design language at this point.

[tbeltrans]

Well, they had to put it somewhere. I am just glad it made it to the guitar.

I have this image of how soundhole placement is done. Put an image outline in the shape of a guitar on the wall and toss darts at it. Where a dart lands on the image, that is the one that determines the location. The one that landed within the outline of the image was a wild shot, but at least it hit the image instead of the wall around it.

Tony

[NowhereMan33]

Thanks for the comments, everyone! Perhaps a good example of “form follows function” and it may grow on the rest of us over time. Meanwhile, RainSong is another option, if you don’t mind shark fret markers.

[tbeltrans]

My previous post was in jest and I hope folks took it that way.

My first impression on seeing the current version of the sound hole is that it makes the guitars resemble some sort of alien artifact as one might see in a science fiction movie. It doesn't bother me, nor does it make me want to rn out and buy an Emerald. I think it is fine and since it does seem to contribute to the overall sound, which I do like, it is just part of the whole package to me. Playing comfort is at the top of my priorities and of course the maintenance-free aspect. Since I now own three ( count 'em!) Emerald guitars, I would venture to say that if the sound hole were an issue, I would have dispensed with that issue a while back.

Tony