Emerald Kestrel
 

Anybody try one yet?

https://emeraldguitars.com/wp-conten...trel-QM-VA.jpg

Interesting guitar! Emerald has a couple of nice sound clips of the Kestrel on their website. Very clean, crisp tone, acoustically as well as amplified.

I wonder how one would ever get the opportunity to play one before buying? They appear to be exclusively direct to consumer.

Livingston, you won't find one in dealerships. Emerald only sells direct to consumer. However, they are good about their return policy if you buy from stock, the guitar comes back in like-new condition, and within the specified time frame. You would be out the original $55 shipping charge, plus whatever it costs you to mail it back to Ireland (~$90 the one time I did it. The guitar that I returned was awesome and perfectly built, but did not quite fit me, so I went custom).

Being a brand new model, it will be a while before you might get lucky enough to find an owner near you for a test drive. Most of us who own Emeralds are quite open to sharing. (I have five, but not a Kestrel). I suggest paying attention to the Carbon Fiber room, where there is a lot more traffic and discussion of Emeralds.

That is an awesome piece of quilted maple on that beautiful Kestrel.

"That is an awesome piece of quilted maple on that beautiful Kestrel. "

Which begs two questions for me - is that a layer of veneer on a carbon fiber top, or is it carved solid wood? Is carved solid wood able to compete with carved spruce, redwood, etc, for a truly excellent acoustic guitar?

I've got a few guitars with exceptionally visually interesting back and side wood, but I only ever look at the front... So I wonder why?

Very thin veneer.

If it's like every other Emerald with a wood-looking top, it's a razor thin veneer on a carbon fiber top. And the back and sides are also carbon fiber, but without the veneer. The veneer is just there for aesthetic purposes - people with equivalent all carbon and carbon+veneer models seem to find no notable difference between the sound of the all-carbon tops and the carbon+veneer tops.

Because not everybody only ever looks at the front?

I found this video which shows a bunch of the emerald guitars. The Kestrel comes on about 2 minutes in.

I wonder how a Kestrel would look with a fan fret?

NGD
 

Here's mine that I just unboxed. Typical, flawless work by Emerald. Very fast-feeling neck. The one pleasant surprise was how thin the guitar body is. I guess I was expecting a body thickness more typical of my other wood archtops. This feels more like a semi-hollow. And of course, it's very light!

https://i.imgur.com/KpLiOKw.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Isf4m05.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Jth6bMa.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/alJXF48.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/iy8T7Gm.jpg

That's really rather lovely. I'd love to hear more after you've had a chance to play it for a while.

Maybe I missed it, but is the Kestrel strung with acoustic strings? Looks like PB’s on there. 12’s?

Yes indeed. I guess they're 12s. I string all my acoustics with mediums and these feel pretty light in comparison.

I'll put on some flatwound Black Diamonds in a bit.

Backcountry, I'm interested in hearing your take on this guitar after you put some flats on it. I have seen a few of your posts and from what I have seen you have some traditional archtops. Your guitar looks great.

I have been a fan of Emerald for a while and I'm looking forward to your opinion regarding the tonal aspects of this guitar. I have played regular Emerald's and one of Alistair's custom guitars so I'm not concerned about the build quality. I also own a AT with a Krivos pickup.

Thanks Backcountry. I wonder what a set of acoustic 13’s would do in terms of top response, since that’s what you’re used to. I play that gauge on dreadnoughts, and am fine both with a flat-pick and various methods of fingerstyle, from bare to thumbpick. I also have a really nice 900 series Eastman archtop strung with acoustic 13’s in nickel bronze, which I like.

Next question: how arched is that top? I’ve looked at available photos and have not het seen a good one showing the actual degree of arch, and the general contours. Not sure I personally would even be able to take such a set of photos if called upon, but if you get a notion and have opportunity, do you think you could snap a couple at an angle that shows the top? Thanks.

Fwiw, put me down as a real fan of what Emerald is putting out! I’ve grabbed “a couple” myself in the past year or so. Great stuff.