Neck profile on Emerald X-20...

[K20C]

I am considering getting an X-20, but I haven’t played one and none of my friends has played one. I’m curious as to what the neck profile is like.

I have a couple of Taylors and Martins for reference. Can someone with an X-20 and has experience with Martins/Taylors give an assessment?

Thank you.

[shadow714]

I was just going to ask a very similar question. How the x20 neck compares to the Rainsong CH-om1000. Lets see.

[kramster]

Ted Knows stuff like this... wait for it.......

[Acousticado]

This thread might be helpful...

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...M+neck+profile

[Puerto Player]

The neck is nothing you can't get used to. It's good. It's better than the V necks on some Martins, but not as thin as early Taylor's....except my Custom X20. It's a normal C shape. Not a flat C or V type C. Nothing out of the ordinary.

The neck profile on the Emerald instruments can be whatever you want. I've ordered several different neck profiles and received what I ordered. You can get anything you want at Alistair's restaurant.

[Methos1979]

I've owned two stock Emeralds - an X20 Artisan and an X7 Woody. I also recently played an X20 Artisan and got to A/B it with my new X20 Custom Woody which has a custom neck carve.

The stock necks are kind of a rounded C shape with a bit of a flat spot on the back. Not too thick but not too thin - medium, I would call it. I was not a fan of them which is why when I did my custom with them or ordered a soft V neck - their first, which they made from a mold I provided from a Santa Cruz guitar I had at the time.

The only stock carbon fiber neck I've ever liked was on a Journey OF600, oddly enough. They neck on that guitar was kind of D shaped with a flat spot on the back but thinner than the Emeralds.

I had a Rainsong Shorty APLE which was similar as I recall to the stock Emeralds - kind of round and medium thick.

[Earl49]

I can only echo some of the thoughts above. My X20-12 is a twelve string with 1-7/8" nut width. It feels nice and easy to play, very Taylor-like. I did briefly have a double-neck Chimaera 12/6, and the six string neck felt fine too as I recall. That is why I ordered a twelve string single-neck version without any trepidation.

My Blackbird Lucky 13 is a little beefier D-shaped neck profile than my N1 (original neck) Rainsong WS-1000. L-13 feels more like the newer N2 / truss rod neck on Rainsongs, at least to me anyway. My favorite neck shape is the Taylor, but I have no trouble at all switching between Taylor, Emerald, and Blackbird, or playing any of them for hours straight.

The "feel'" of neck shapes and dimensions is so personal of an experience, it is very hard to quantify. The best we might do (other than test playing) is a series of contours at the first, fifth, seventh and twelfth frets, but I don't know if anyone has compiled those drawings.

[Acousticado]

I assume that the necks on my past Emerald Chimaera 6/12 doublenecks are the same as that of the stock X20. To me, it’s just slightly chunkier than a Taylor neck, especially up past the 12th fret. A couple of weeks ago, I tried my first-ever Rainsong, a used P12 at a Guitar Center. Perhaps this model wasn’t the best RS for me to try because I wasn’t that impressed with it overall. The neck definitely seemed chunkier (U) to me. If that’s how most RSs feel, then they’re not for me. I had some interest in a CH-OM, but if the neck is like the P12, I wouldn’t like it.

[Earl49]

Tom, Rainsong uses a fairly flat 20" fret board radius, and some here have complained that the fret board edges are somewhat sharp / squarish. I'm OK with Rainsong necks (either N1 or N2) but that could explain part of your impression.

To the best of my ability to recall, the twelve string neck on my X20-12 is the same as the twelve string side of the Chimaera.

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by Earl49

Tom, Rainsong uses a fairly flat 20" fret board radius, and some here have complained that the fret board edges are somewhat sharp / squarish. I'm OK with Rainsong necks (either N1 or N2) but that could explain part of your impression.

To the best of my ability to recall, the twelve string neck on my X20-12 is the same as the twelve string side of the Chimaera.

Thanks Earl. You could be right about the RS I played. I hope to access more models, especially a CH-OM, but the only retailer that carries RSs where I am in SW Florida for the winter is a Guitar Center, and their stock of anything isn’t all that great.

Not to derail this thread, but in terms of tone, how would you compare the X20-12 to the 12 neck of the Chimaera? The bodies on these two guitars are quite different, the X20 has the integrated soundport, and it isn’t susceptible to the tone bleed/sympathetic vibrations of a second neck. So I suspect the comparison may be apples and oranges. Something similar may be true for the X20-6 vs. the 6 neck of the Chimaera (I realize you don’t have the hands-on experience with the latter comparison)?

Emeralds have a long decay, sustaining for a long time. Have you noticed this on your X20-12 and if so, does it cause any muddiness, or is it tight with crystal clear note separation when fingerpicked? I value your opinion. Thanks!

[K20C]

Thanks, everyone, for the input. It’s very helpful.

Tom, thank you for your reference. I had not seen it.

Originally Posted by Acousticado

This thread might be helpful...

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...M+neck+profile

[B. Adams]

I was in the same boat as you, no one has an Emerald around here. I can't help you out yet, but I have a Taylor 614ce and an X20 on order that should be here within a couple weeks. If you're very patient I'll share my opinion once I have my X20 here.

I ordered my X20 with the standard neck profile, based on Sean's recommendation, with him knowing that I like the Taylor neck profile. I'll find out soon if he was right.

[zeeway]

I had the same concern, coming from a Taylor. The transition to a stock X20 was painless, with the neck feeling close to a Taylor. The X20 makes me smile very day.

[Captain Jim]

My favorite wood guitar is my 814ce; the favorite carbon fiber is my X20. In stock form, the necks are not the same, but are quite similar. While Emerald will make a custom neck to your specifications, if you like the Taylor, you will very likely be delighted with the X20.