Rainsong unidirectional-top durability?

[esse]

Are Rainsong unidirectional soundboards as durable against string tension(dishing) as BI's soundboards?

I think it will be stronger than a wooden soundboard.

I have ch-om1000ns(2019)

[SpruceTop]

I think the Unidirectional tops are plenty strong and durable but maybe not as strong and durable as a BI-Black Ice or Classic top. Then again, I'm wondering what conditions you're thinking about exposing a Unidirectional top to. I've owned a couple of unidirectional-topped RainSongs, a CO-WS1000N2, and a CO-DR1000N2, and unless it's been corrected on more recent models, I found the unidirectional tops tend to have more of a dishing in of the top. Prior to my new 2022 purchase, my last new Rainsong was 2013 Rainsong WS1000N2 model and what I've found after now owning at least a dozen high-end Rainsongs is that most older RainSongs tended to exhibit this dishing in quality, including Classic topped models and more so the Unidirectional-topped models. My new 2022 RainSong BI-DR1000N2 has none of this dishing in and that's why I bought it, and hopefully, this newer attention to construction cosmetics has extended into newer Unidirectional-topped models too.

[esse]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

I think the Unidirectional tops are plenty strong and durable but maybe not as strong and durable as a BI-Black Ice or Classic top. Then again, I'm wondering what conditions you're thinking about exposing a Unidirectional top to. I've owned a couple of bidirectional-topped RainSongs, a CO-WS1000N2, and a CO-DR1000N2, and unless it's been corrected on more recent models, I found the unidirectional tops tend to have more of a dishing in of the top. Prior to my new 2022 purchase, my last new Rainsong was 2013 Rainsong WS1000N2 model and what I've found after now owning at least a dozen high-end Rainsongs is that most older RainSongs tended to exhibit this dishing in quality, including Classic topped models and more so the Unidirectional-topped models. My new 2022 RainSong BI-DR1000N2 has none of this dishing in and that's why I bought it, and hopefully, this newer attention to construction cosmetics has extended into newer Unidirectional-topped models too.

Did you find any serious dishing in it (unidirectional)?
I'm considering using 11 gauge strings to avoid dishing my guitar.
And I want to keep the low string action of my current guitar (2.2mm at 12 frets) 10 years from now

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by esse

Did you find any serious dishing in it (unidirectional)?
I'm considering using 11 gauge strings to avoid dishing my guitar.
And I want to keep the low string action of my current guitar (2.2mm at 12 frets) 10 years from now

Yes, the Unidirectional RainSongs I owned had enough dishing in that it bothered me and I mentioned this to RainSong over 10 years ago. Are you seeing some slight dishing in of your Unidirectional top now? If so, that's how it was made (this was my only ever complaint about RainSong guitars). Being a carbon-fiber top, don't worry about increasing any dishing in of the top by continuing to use the same-gauge strings (light-gauge) that were shipped with your RainSong. Switch to extra-lights (11-gauge) if you feel you need something easier to play. Your RainSong should look and play the same way it does now even 50 years from now. Enjoy!

[esse]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Yes, the Unidirectional RainSongs I owned had enough dishing in that it bothered me and I mentioned this to RainSong over 10 years ago. Are you seeing some slight dishing in of your Unidirectional top now? If so, that's how it was made (this was my only ever complaint about RainSong guitars). Being a carbon-fiber top, don't worry about increasing any dishing in of the top by continuing to use the same-gauge strings (light-gauge) that were shipped with your RainSong. Switch to extra-lights (11-gauge) if you feel you need something easier to play. Your RainSong should look and play the same way it does now even 50 years from now. Enjoy!

Thankyou!
My guitar is a model produced in 2019, there are no problems yet, and I am currently using 12 gauge (factory).

How long have you been using the guitar to discover dishing? And did you use 13 gauge string for it?

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by esse

My guitar is a model produced in 2019, there are no problems yet, and I am currently using 12 gauge (factory).

How long have you been using the guitar to discover dishing? And did you use 13 gauge string for it?

As mentioned, I've had at least a dozen high-end-only RainSongs, all Classic, Concert, and now a new BI Series. It took me two seconds to see the dishing on any RainSong I've ever owned if it was present and it was on all except my new 2022 RainSong BI-DR1000N2. Some dishing was more prominent on some models/guitars than on others with Unidirectional models at the time displaying the most notable dishing.

I've gone to 13-gauge strings on a Classic RainSong DR1000 without any problem. The neck relief increased by about .001" inch and the action maybe about .002" inch. This was an N1 neck with no truss rod but even with the slight increase in the neck relief and the action height, the guitar with medium-gauge strings was very playable and had more volume, fullness of tone, and punch than it had with the light-gauge strings that were factory-installed on it.

If your current Rainsong Unidirectional top guitar doesn't have any dishing, it likely won't have any 50 years from now. In other words, if you keep using 12-gauge strings or go to 11- or 13-gauge strings you're not going to hurt your RainSong. By the way not only are RainSong bridges glued on but they're both glued and screwed using three small nuts and bolts.

[esse]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Yes, the Unidirectional RainSongs I owned had enough dishing in that it bothered me and I mentioned this to RainSong over 10 years ago.

What problems have you had with dishing? Is it a matter of appearance?

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by esse

What problems have you had with dishing? Is it a matter of appearance?

Yes, just appearance as it makes the guitar look tired and just not what I like.