The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Carbon Fiber

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #31  
Old 01-14-2017, 06:51 AM
grandstick grandstick is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 204
Default

Hi Steve. Good to see you on this forum. I've been gravitating towards all CF instruments ever since I got my XG Grand back in 2004. I had a Cherry NS with a graphite neck made for me (Don Schiff used it on his "Rainfall" video to demo for SE), but I never really bonded with it. So I traded for a solid Teak Grand.

I currently have an CA GX, and think CF is the way for me to go. There was a red Chimaera on local CL several months ago, but I balked at the selling price. Now I sort of regret missing out on getting it.

Paul


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote
  #32  
Old 01-14-2017, 08:52 AM
AcouStickistNS AcouStickistNS is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 234
Default Hey Paul!

Had to put "Stick" and "NS" in my username to see if anyone from our Chapman Stick forum here would notice. Not using "MichNS", as after I started meeting people face to face even as far away as Australia, they all want to call me Mitch

I also have a decent Martin with Fishman electronics, took foverever to find as I wanted an acoustic I could also tap on. Spent six hours at Elderly Instruments up here in Lansing to make a decision.

Funny how things relate to each other, a doubleneck guitar has always been something I wanted but never did a lot of serious looking for. A lot of Gibson SG'd are a bit expensive, and back when Ovations were around I did not like the body.

Being a Stick player, I met Glenn Poorman, who ironically went to my high school. Through him I discovered the adult music programs at Interlochen. Through Interlochen I met great musicians like Laurence Juber, Billy McLaughlin, and Muriel Anderson. Muriel kindled my interest in Harp guitars. While looking into them I found Emerald, and then I noticed something totally unexpected- a carbon acoustic doubleneck that costs way less than the SG. Had to have it

For an instrument that may appear pretentious to some, I find it quite useful. Every week at Steve Osburn's store the group guitar lessons has dwindled down to about four of us regulars plus Steve and now is evolving into writing songs. We did two performances at a local theater in 2016. Nice thing about having the 12 is I can add something unique on they fly with two other acoustic players. So the Chimaera is getting a lot of use and not being some toy that's nice to have.
Both performances were fund raisers for Steve's work with special needs musicians who are now getting into their twenties.

Acoustic fingerstyle does have benefits for Stick playing, and vice versa. Funny thing is now I have a guitar with more strings than my Sticks. The next time a guitar player tells me my Stick has too many strings, I'll pull out a pic of my doubleneck
Reply With Quote
  #33  
Old 01-17-2017, 12:42 AM
AcouStickistNS AcouStickistNS is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 234
Default Another vid..

.. be kind here, I used my DSLR here with the same Rode mic, but after a few camera-mic setup mishaps, took me about three takes which took it's toll on my playing a bit. But the sound quality and video is a bit better.


Reply With Quote
  #34  
Old 01-17-2017, 06:47 PM
GuitarDoc GuitarDoc is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Chesapeake Va
Posts: 294
Default

Good job. One of the best captures of the acoustic chimera sound. It is one of the benchmarks by which up coming samples will be measured.
Reply With Quote
  #35  
Old 01-20-2017, 05:37 PM
Doubleneck Doubleneck is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 6,427
Default

What is that guitar to your left!!
__________________
Steve
2020 McKnight Grand Recording - Cedar Top
2005 McKnight SS Dred
2001 Michael Keller Koa Baby
2014 Godin Inuk
2012 Deering B6 Openback Banjo
2012 Emerald Acoustic Doubleneck
2012 Rainsong JM1000 Black Ice
2009 Wechter Pathmaker 9600 LTD
1982 Yairi D-87 Doubleneck
1987 Ovation Collectors
1993 Ovation Collectors
1967 J-45 Gibson
1974 20th Annivers. Les Paul Custom
Reply With Quote
  #36  
Old 01-20-2017, 07:30 PM
Guest 928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Steve;

I would tell you, but why diminish a bit of curiosity? OS may be more generous.
Reply With Quote
  #37  
Old 01-21-2017, 01:29 PM
AcouStickistNS AcouStickistNS is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 234
Default NS Stick

Quote:
Originally Posted by Doubleneck View Post
What is that guitar to your left!!
NS Stick, an 8-string hybrid guitar-bass-tapping instrument made by Stick Enterprises. Co-designed by Ned Steinberger. All Wenge wood, EMG active pickups.
Reply With Quote
  #38  
Old 01-21-2017, 01:34 PM
AcouStickistNS AcouStickistNS is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 234
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by EvanB View Post
Steve;

I would tell you, but why diminish a bit of curiosity? OS may be more generous.
Sorry, you lost me on that, talking diminished chords or? What is "OS" ?
Reply With Quote
  #39  
Old 01-21-2017, 01:46 PM
Doubleneck Doubleneck is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 6,427
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by AcouStickistNS View Post
NS Stick, an 8-string hybrid guitar-bass-tapping instrument made by Stick Enterprises. Co-designed by Ned Steinberger. All Wenge wood, EMG active pickups.
Wow, you are no stranger to lots of strings, would love to see that in action as well. Looked at website, looks like you got to be a tapper. Oh well!
__________________
Steve
2020 McKnight Grand Recording - Cedar Top
2005 McKnight SS Dred
2001 Michael Keller Koa Baby
2014 Godin Inuk
2012 Deering B6 Openback Banjo
2012 Emerald Acoustic Doubleneck
2012 Rainsong JM1000 Black Ice
2009 Wechter Pathmaker 9600 LTD
1982 Yairi D-87 Doubleneck
1987 Ovation Collectors
1993 Ovation Collectors
1967 J-45 Gibson
1974 20th Annivers. Les Paul Custom

Last edited by Doubleneck; 01-21-2017 at 01:54 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #40  
Old 01-21-2017, 04:10 PM
Guest 928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

AcouStick;

Sorry about that. My intent was to mess with Steve, why diminish his curiosity?) And I blew the second part; I printed OS instead of AS, as in you might be more generous (which you were).

If anyone was going to ask about your 8 string it would be Steve. He was one of the first to have an Emerald double neck guitar. He brought it to Park City for one of the past CarbonFests--he's drawn to multiple strings and he plays them well.
Reply With Quote
  #41  
Old 01-21-2017, 05:24 PM
AcouStickistNS AcouStickistNS is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 234
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by EvanB View Post
AcouStick;

Sorry about that. My intent was to mess with Steve, why diminish his curiosity?) And I blew the second part; I printed OS instead of AS, as in you might be more generous (which you were).

If anyone was going to ask about your 8 string it would be Steve. He was one of the first to have an Emerald double neck guitar. He brought it to Park City for one of the past CarbonFests--he's drawn to multiple strings and he plays them well.
Got it now - I looked if there was another Steve and missed Doubleneck's signature Besides the 8-string, myself and GrandStick (Paul) also have 12-String Grands, the traditional Chapman Sticks most people are familiar with, and in the spirit of this forum section, my Grand Stick is also from the last run of carbon graphite Sticks that Emmett made. Afterwards he replaced the graphite models with a bamboo material, that is quite similar to carbon but much lighter.
Unlike carbon fiber guitars, the graphite Sticks were actually heavier than their wooden counterparts.

My first NS was tuned BEADGBEA, and I recently replaced it with a new one that has a different style of frets. I liked it with the straight fourths tuning BEADGCFBb and kept it that way. Having guitar tuning in the beginning was nice to learn on, but for a 34" scale length there's not much advantage as you can't barre chords or physically reach the typical chords we play on guitars, so now I'm re-learning what I can do in straight fourths across 8 strings. Something to think about when going for instruments with more strings than normal. I did take it up to a guitar seminar at Interlochen a few years ago as another friend of mine put on a Stick demonstration in one classroom. Was fun seeing what some of the advanced classical guitar students could do with it. They were amazed how well they could play it for such a different instrument they've never seen before. Besides tapping, they can be finger picked and played like a bass, you just need a light touch.

Do a Google search on Gary Jibilian, he works at Stick Enterprises and is an absolute monster on the NS. He's at NAMM currently playing at the CBI Cable's booth if I remember correctly.
Reply With Quote
  #42  
Old 02-02-2017, 04:38 AM
AcouStickistNS AcouStickistNS is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 234
Default Truss

It's been a little over a month now and being more acclaimated to this guitar I decided to do one small tweak. I tightened the truss on the six string. It always felt a tiny bit bowed to me, but being the bottom neck I wanted to make sure it wasn't me not being used to it. All I did was barely move it, a really tiny increment. That's all I needed. Worked perfect. The 12 never needed it. Really nice to have a carbon 12 string on too, stays in tune for quite a long time. We've had some extreme weather conditions here in Michigan, was 60f a couple of weeks ago, this week it's back in the 20's. Did absolutely nothing, the instrument is that solid.

The truss action responded similar to my PRS electric. Truss tweaks are rarely necessary and respond well to the tiniest of movement. Only really needs it except when I switched string gages.
Reply With Quote
  #43  
Old 02-02-2017, 08:14 AM
Doubleneck Doubleneck is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 6,427
Default

I found that the double works well turned down 1/2 step. I always liked my 12s that way. Does help with string tension but also kind of opens up a little lower? Maybe not quite the tight term? I have the early one with hollow necks. I have a generic relief built in. It's very playable but I would tweak it if a rod was there.
__________________
Steve
2020 McKnight Grand Recording - Cedar Top
2005 McKnight SS Dred
2001 Michael Keller Koa Baby
2014 Godin Inuk
2012 Deering B6 Openback Banjo
2012 Emerald Acoustic Doubleneck
2012 Rainsong JM1000 Black Ice
2009 Wechter Pathmaker 9600 LTD
1982 Yairi D-87 Doubleneck
1987 Ovation Collectors
1993 Ovation Collectors
1967 J-45 Gibson
1974 20th Annivers. Les Paul Custom
Reply With Quote
  #44  
Old 02-02-2017, 02:17 PM
Mark L Mark L is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 874
Default

Thanks for the discussion here gentlemen!

I've been desirous of either a Chimaera or an X20 12 for quite some time. I even began to spec out a Chimaera 12/Bari doubleneck, but had to back off of that due to several considerations at the time.

Now I'm lusting after a Chimaera again, likely just a 6/12 rather than Bari/12. I've noted theat Emerald, to their credit imo, continues to evolve many design and component elements - truss rod composition, tuners and pickups, for example.

So, my question for you owners of Emerald doublenecks and 12 strings, and possibly Baritones as well: what would you do (or not do) differently now in ordering a Chimaera, with respect to what you have in hand?

Thanks for your replies. If this turns out to be an unintended thread hijack, I'll gladly repost. M.
Reply With Quote
  #45  
Old 02-02-2017, 02:36 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Idaho
Posts: 10,982
Default

Great question, Mark. I'm listening too....... as I ponder the potential / likely order of a 6/12 Chimaera.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Carbon Fiber

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:23 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=