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  #1  
Old 07-22-2017, 09:48 AM
Belerian Belerian is offline
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Default How loud is the X20 compared to other wood guitars?

I have an x20 but I feel like the sound range isn't as good as wood guitars. To me, it reaches the loudest it can get too easily. Is it just my playing or is it the guitar? I play fingerstyle by the way.

On a side note, will medium gauge strings be louder than lights?
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Old 07-22-2017, 01:47 PM
Carbonius Carbonius is offline
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I can't answer in regards to the X20, haven't got my hands on one yet.

In regards to strings, yes. Thicker gauge will give you more volume. I believe it's mainly because you can play harder before it rings sharp. Also, more metal would contribute to the tone and volume. At minimum I play with light top medium bottoms tuned standard. I need my upper strings to be a bit spongy but the bottom are spongy enough as is, even in a medium gauge.

Take SRV for example. Stevie Ray Vaughan got amazing tone out of his guitar and a part of that was his gauge. He played 13-60!!! That's like 15 gauge on an acoustic. PLUS, he ran high action. Sure he tuned to E flat, but that doesn't make THAT much of a difference. So Stevie could dig in hard without going flat. It's shocking how much he could bend with such thick strings!
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Old 07-22-2017, 02:50 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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It varies with almost every guitar. Some get more tone and volume when driven harder by heavier gauge strings. Others seem to get "choked" by the extra tension and either don't get any louder or even suffer some loss of tone. You will probably have to experiment for yourself and see if the difference is perceptible with mediums.

As for it getting "too loud too easily", you may have to adapt your playing technique a bit. If you are used to playing hard to get tone out of a wood guitar, it may well take less effort to do the same with an X20. I could say that about my Rainsong WS-1000 versus a wood GA. Playing the Rainsong in the quiet living room, I often have to lay off some to keep from being too loud.

I look forward to getting my X20-12 Artisan in December and playing it against my Taylor 354-LTD (maple / spruce), then giving a full report here.
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Old 07-22-2017, 04:30 PM
Captain Jim Captain Jim is offline
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Here's a link to a thread that features a video where acoustic rockers switched from their wood guitars to Emerald CF...

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=472776

When I dig in, my X20 is powerful.
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Old 07-22-2017, 05:52 PM
mot mot is offline
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I would call the X20 an extremely responsive guitar. Sort of like driving a sports car instead of a minivan. They will both can get you where you want to go though depending on your needs. I can play my X20 fairly quietly with or without pick or I can play it so loud it drowns out my voice. It's a lot harder for me to play it quietly, but I can do it and it's worth it.
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Old 07-23-2017, 04:54 AM
Frettingflyer Frettingflyer is offline
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I was most surprised by the easily accessible range of volume overall, especially with a pick. With fingerstyle I find that the upper limit isn't quite what I had hoped but you do adjust so you can play quietly and enjoy a dynamic range. I often use mine in hotel rooms and the quiet is helpful. I think with my picking(flesh only) it isn't really any louder than my Shorty except maybe I get a touch more to the ear due to the sound hole design? In loud environments I have to work to be heard, fwiw.
Haven't tried mediums.
Dave
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Old 07-23-2017, 01:59 PM
AZLiberty AZLiberty is offline
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When I played my brother in law's X-20 I thought it was pretty quite. I don't know what strings he had on it though.

Note: I do not use a flatpick
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