Custom Emerald X20OS 12-string

[mchalebk]

Time to start talking about my Emerald X20OS 12-string that I will be taking delivery of in the not too distant future.

I am moving towards 24” scale guitars. I have very short fingers and I’m not getting any younger (I’m 57). I have found in the last year that I get a fair amount of discomfort if I play a lot with 25.5” scale guitars.

I already traded my Cargo for an Emerald X7OS. Of course, the Cargo had a really short scale length (22.75”), which I never liked (caused me problems when I would capo high up the neck. However, I really love how the X7 plays.

When I had a RainSong JM3000 12-string, I once tried heavier gauge strings and then tuned the guitar down a full step to see how I’d like it. I didn’t care for how it sounded tuned down a full step. However, I then tried tuning it down a half-step and it sounded amazing. So, when ordering my new 12-string, I decided a 24” scale guitar that I could tune to standard pitch with heavier gauge strings might be the way to go. Doing a little research I found out that a 24” scale is comparable to the scale length of a 25.5” guitar going from the first fret.

So, that was the first custom part of my order, a 24” scale (with plans to use heavier gauge strings, the ones Martin calls light, but other string makers call medium).

The next is I decided to go with a narrower neck. I found the wide neck of the JM3000 problematic, so I decided to go with a 1.75” nut width (I think this is what my old Ovation 12 had and what CA used for their 12-string).

I also ordered Sperzel open back tuning machines, wanting to make sure the guitar wasn’t too neck heavy.

I had decided to go with full gloss finish, however, there was a mixup and it looks like I’m getting the Crystal Ice finish (with amber weave).

I decided that I no longer want to go with barn door pickup systems or have to worry about batteries in my guitars, so decided to have MacNichol install a Barbera Saddle Transducer pickup. That’s all that’s left to do before I take delivery. When the guitar shows up at MacNichol, they’re going to make a saddle for it, send the saddle off to Barbera and Barbera will make a matching saddle transducer.

http://www.barberatransducers.com/guitar_pickups.html

There was one other feature I wanted, but didn’t know how practical it was to ask for: a pinless bridge. I wondered if Alistair could do something along the lines of the Elliot pinless bridge design:



Alistair was able to come up with something similar. Here are a couple of photos:




I will be adding to this thread as more photos become available or after I take delivery. I want to give the pickup a good going over. I suspect it will sound great going through my D-TAR Mama Bear modeling preamp. I have plans for recordings to demonstrate the acoustic tone and plugged in tone of the guitar. And will post links here.

If this guitar lives up to expectations, I plan to order a matching 6-string version (the one change I would make to the specs is that I would order the 6 with a 1 11/16” nut width, which is all I ever played before getting my CA Vintage Performer). Anyone interested in buying a GX Aura? I plan to sell mine to pay for the new 6-string.

[Doubleneck]

Well thought out, should be fasinating for the actual guitar to get into your hands. The 24 inch scale should give you a lot of flexibility. I have gotten used to always tuning down my 12 strings down 1/2 step. First to save the pressure on the guitar (wood ones) but also like the reduced tension given you have 12 strings to tangle with. Wait to hear how it turned out for you.

[mchalebk]

I'm a bit bummed now. I thought step photos looked a little on the red side. Turns out, there was another mixup and the guitar was made with the red weave. Turns out they can sand it down and make it amber, so that's what I'm asking for. At least, this way I should be able to get the full gloss finish. I really want the amber weave.

Sure hope this doesn't delay things by weeks. I've been waiting a long time for this guitar...

[mchalebk]

They were able to get rid of the red and turn it into the amber weave it's supposed to be. Here's some video:

http://youtu.be/5oXSQsRW5FI

[mchalebk]

Here are some photos (courtesy of Michael Stone at MacNichol):