Played a Rainsong yesterday

[pbankey]

Went to the local shop yesterday and played a Rainsong for the first time. BOY was I left out of something pretty cool!

I've never played the graphite/composite guitars before. This forum in particular gives a lot of praise to CA line of guitars but those seem to be a rare breed around here these days. Anyway, the guitar was surprisingly light when I picked it up. The neck was meaty (a lot more so than my pre-NT profile on my dreadnought), but the guitar sounded, well, like a wooden instrument!

I was really surprised by the tone on this thing. It actually has impressive bottom/top end and sustain, though it seemed to have less overtones and complexity than my rosewood guitar. Anyway, has anyone ever played this or own one? How do you like it?

[gerardo1000]

The guitar that you played (I know it because you said it has a "meaty" neck)
is part of the new Hybrid series, that combines carbon graphite with glass fiber.
I played two of them ( a dread and a grand auditorium) and I found them outstanding.
My personal opinion is that it would be quite difficult to find a wood guitar in that price range that sounds as good. perhaps a Martin dread, but it will not have the awesome trebles of the Rainsong.

[Starter]

Just out of curiosity: is the point or a Rainsong that it's good value for the money, or is part of the appeal resistance to humidity etc.?

I'd love to have a nice guitar that could just hang on a wall, and on the porch in the warmer weather, just to have around. I can't imagine bonding with with it much (presumably there's no herringbone purfling, and I'm spoiled) but I can see the appeal of a good (great?) guitar that doesn't need quite so much careful attention.

will

[chistrummer]

Originally Posted by gerardo1000

The guitar that you played (I know it because you said it has a "meaty" neck)
is part of the new Hybrid series, that combines carbon graphite with glass fiber.
I played two of them ( a dread and a grand auditorium) and I found them outstanding.
My personal opinion is that it would be quite difficult to find a wood guitar in that price range that sounds as good. perhaps a Martin dread, but it will not have the awesome trebles of the Rainsong.

Actually all the Rainsongs can be had with this "meaty", aka N2 neck with adjustable truss rod. I have several Rainsongs and they are amazing instruments. Crisp clean and loud, and yes, I can leave it in my SUV indefinitely.

For the absolute best selection of carbon guitars and the best place to get carbon guitar advice contact Ted @ LA Guitar Sales. Last time I was there they had no less than 20 different models of Rainsongs including custom guitars built for them. They were also the premier CA dealer but CA is gone now..

[Doubleneck]

Rainsong are very good guitars, until Peavey come back next year with a line of their CA's they are the carbon guitar to beat. Love the super lightness. Have not tried the new hybrid but looks like they have a winner. I played a all carbon jm1000 for a week. Just amazing. Love CA's as well.
Steve

[apt]

I have a Rainsong OM without the meaty neck. Much to my surprise, I preferred it to a Martin 000-28VS. I really like the tone of this guitar, and I have no problem keeping it on a guitar stand rather than in a protected case. It's pretty indestructible.

[SkippyX]

I tried out a Rainsong at a nearby GC not too long ago. The price was well beyond reach for me, but I'd heard plenty of good things about carbon fiber guitars that I couldn't resist. I liked it quite a bit.

One thing I noticed as I peered through the soundhole was that I couldn't see any bracing whatsoever. Does anyone know if there's any bracing in there? I assumed that the carbon fiber is so sturdy that there is no need for bracing. Is this the case?

Very resonant little critter, that's for sure. I don't remember ever handling a guitar that vibrated like that one did.

[jgillard]

rainsongs do not use bracing so you will not see any in the body peering into the soundhole!

[MJH]

I absolutely love my WS 1000. I also own 2 great Taylors and love them, but if I had to get down to one guitar, it would be the Rainsong.

[SpruceTop]

Crystalline tonal shimmer is what I noticed when playing my first RainSong a few years ago. Since then, I've had five of them and currently own a RainSong WS1000 Classic Series acoustic-electric guitar. I have on factory-order a RainSong CO-DR1000N2 Concert Series Dreadnought. This guitar features the new N2 adjustable truss rod neck and has RainSong's lightest soundboard featuring unidirectional carbon fiber. It will take a total of about six weeks to get my guitar.

There is nothing to fear about buying a carbon or composite guitar, especially a RainSong because of their consistent quality control, as the tone of modern carbon and composite guitars rivals, and in some ways surpasses the tone of similar body-style all-solid-wood instruments. RainSong guitars, whether the most expensive all-graphite, all-gloss models, or the newer, much less costly, Hybrid (gloss) and Studio Hybrid (non-gloss) composite (graphite/glass fiber) models, are wonderful-sounding instruments that are more durable than all-solid-wood guitars and impervious to relative humidity and a wide-range of temperature changes compared to their wooden counterparts.

I'd recommend that every player have at least one carbon or composite guitar in their collection as a tonal and more carefree-maintenance alternative to their fine all-solid-wood guitars. You can leave a carbon or composite guitar out on a stand for anytime play without humidity and temperature issues changing its tuning and causing possible structural issues. Take one traveling too for a more carefree musical experience.

The MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) price of the various grades of carbon and composite guitars are well within the same MAP price range, high-to-low, as a Martin HD-28 down to the lower end of the 16 Series. For example, if a player is thinking of buying a Martin D-28, they can for the same price, get a top-of-the-line, all-graphite, all-gloss finished, RainSong CO-DR1000N2 Dreadnought (like my on-order model) with built-in Fishman Prefix Plus T pickup/preamp for a ready to play, acoustic-only or amplified live-performance axe. Another nice bonus is that RainSong acoustic-electric guitars are, for the most part, lighter in weight than the lightest all-solid-wood, comparable body-style guitars.

For those who've never played the newest renditions of carbon or composite guitars, I think you're in for a pleasant and ear-opening experience! Of course, like any guitar, hopefully the strings will be fresh when you do sit down to enjoy these fine guitars.

RainSong: http://www.rainsong.com/

Regards,

SpruceTop

[Kindness]

I tried the WS1000N2 the other day. I played it with and without amplification at GC and was very surprised at the sound. It is a full sized guitar, and I would be interested to play one of their smaller travel guitars.

I think it really is important too to have someone play the guitar for you so you can hear it. It's amazing how different a guitar can sound when you are playing it and when someone else plays it for you. You can pick up a lot of differences and subtleties.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by itself

I tried the WS1000N2 the other day. I played it with and without amplification at GC and was very surprised at the sound. It is a full sized guitar, and I would be interested to play one of their smaller travel guitars.

I think it really is important too to have someone play the guitar for you so you can hear it. It's amazing how different a guitar can sound when you are playing it and when someone else plays it for you. You can pick up a lot of differences and subtleties.

Currently, RainSong's smallest model is their OM1000 Orchestra Model, which is available in various grades and costs. Perhaps, with the rising interest in graphite and composite guitars, RainSong will introduce a travel-sized guitar. Until then, Emerald (Made in Ireland), Blackbird (Made in U.S.A.) offer travel-sized guitars that have been well-received by players. Composite Acoustics (CA) did make a travel-sized, wildly successful guitar, called the Cargo. Will Peavey bring this model back when they resurrect the CA brand early next year? Perhaps, but the price may be a bit higher than when CA was in business, especially if Peavey maintains good and consistent quality control over the Cargo and all CA models.

Emerald, Blackbird and RainSong guitars, and their MAP prices, can be viewed at AGF sponsor, MacNichol Guitars & Mandolins:

http://macnichol.com/catalog/acoustic-guitars

Definitetly, a big difference in tone as heard when playing the guitar as to hearing it, out front, as would an audience member. I noticed this, recently at my dealer local, when after playing a freshly-arrived RainSong WS1000, I asked the store owner to playit as I stood about eight feet in front of the guitar. Wow! Night-and-day tonal difference!

Regards,

SpruceTop

[SuperB23]

I played one of the new hybrid ws-1000's the other day and I was very impressed with how lightweight it was and how lively it was. The top seemed thinner and more responsive than I remember Rainsongs being in the past. I'd like to play one of the CO (Concert) models.

[RiloKiley]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Crystalline tonal shimmer is what I noticed when playing my first RainSong a few years ago. Since then, I've had five of them and currently own a RainSong WS1000 Classic Series acoustic-electric guitar. I have on factory-order a RainSong CO-DR1000N2 Concert Series Dreadnought. This guitar features the new N2 adjustable truss rod neck and has RainSong's lightest soundboard featuring unidirectional carbon fiber. It will take a total of about six weeks to get my guitar.

There is nothing to fear about buying a carbon or composite guitar, especially a RainSong because of their consistent quality control, as the tone of modern carbon and composite guitars rivals, and in some ways surpasses the tone of similar body-style all-solid-wood instruments. RainSong guitars, whether the most expensive all-graphite, all-gloss models, or the newer much less costly Hybrid (gloss) and Studio Hybrid (non-gloss) composite (graphite/glass fiber) models, are wonderful-sounding instruments that are more durable than all-solid-wood guitars and impervious to relative humidity and a wide-range of temperature changes compared to their wooden counterparts.

I'd recommend that every player have at least one carbon or composite guitar in their collection as a tonal and more carefree-maintenance alternative to their fine all-solid-wood guitars. You can leave a carbon or composite guitar out on a stand for anytime play without humidity and temperature issues changing its tuning and causing possible structural issues. Take one traveling too for a more carefree musical experience.

The MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) price of the various grades of carbon and composite guitars are well within the same MAP price range, high-to-low, as a Martin HD-28 down to the lower end of the 16 Series. For example, if a player is thinking of buying a Martin D-28, they can for the same price, get a top-of-the-line all-graphite, all gloss finished, RainSong CO-DR1000N2 Dreadnought (like my on-order model) with built-in Fishman Prefix Plus T pickup/preamp for a ready to play, acoustic-only or amplified live-performance axe. Another nice bonus is that RainSong acoustic-electric guitars are, for the most part, lighter in weight than the lightest all-solid-wood, comparable body-style guitars.

For those who've never played the newest renditions of carbon or composite guitars, I think you're in for a pleasant and ear-opening experience! Of course, like any guitar, hopefully the strings will be fresh when you do sit down to enjoy these fine guitars.

RainSong: http://www.rainsong.com/

Regards,

SpruceTop

Just out of curiosity, is the rainsong completely resistent to humidity factors? For example, could I leave it in my car, without a case in -40 degrees celcius weather overnight? would it still be fine? What about submerging it in water?

[RP]

I love my Rainsong OM HS1100N2. It's my go-to guitar....