CF with Taylor-like Playability
 

Hi,

I am looking for a CF guitar that has the same playability I find in the Taylors that I try.

My first experience with a CF guitar was about seven years back with a used CA Legacy. I loved the sound of that guitar, but the action was so high that it affected the intonation. did order a few replacement saddles to try going lower, but the original saddle on that guitar ended up being as low as possible.

I needed a playable acoustic, so I swapped the Legacy for a new Taylor 214ce. Considering I what I paid for the used Legacy was the same as the new street price for 214ce, I considered myself lucky. In terms of playability, that guitar has been a dream. Until 2010 I was an "electric-only" player for 25 years, and the overall feel of that Taylor has been more comfortable than any other acoustic I have tried. The only issue with it for me is the tone, which isn't bad for what the guitar cost, but it isn't what I am looking for in an acoustic.

I have had the good fortune of running into several solo acoustic performers who use either Rainsong or CA instruments, and what I hear from their guitars is the type of tone I like in an acoustic. Each of them (three in all) offered to let me try their instruments, and I found the action to be overall too high for my liking. I am aware of the value of a good setup, and I am comfortable doing work on my guitars (including installing Floyd Rose trems on two of my strats). Thus, I am more than willing to put in the labor necessary to setup an acoustic to my liking, but I would like to know that my goal (Taylor-like factory specs on action) is at least achievable.


Have any of you setup (or found) a Blackbird, Emerald, or Rainsong to the same type of playability found on a factory spec Taylor?

When I first received my Blackbird El Capitan, I felt the action was higher than I preferred. I was used to the lower action on my Journey Overhead. I purchased another saddle from Joe and brought the new over to my buddies at The Music Gallery. They told me the action was already spot on and was standard, but I told them I would like it lowered and they did. Love it now.

Todd in Chicago

Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk

I own a Taylor 814ce and love the Taylor neck. My experience with CF guitars is limited to offerings by Composite Acoustics and Emerald and I find the necks of both are well within the comfort of my Taylor.

Playability is affected by a number of things, action height, string tension, neck shape, scale length, and the shape and size of the body. I have played just about every CF guitar out there, and overall, you will not get closer to the feel of a Taylor Grand Auditorium than a Rainsong WS.

I can only speak relative to nylon string guitars. The Taylors are very nice. In my estimation, the Emerald acoustics play just as well, if not better. My Emerald nylon string guitars play very much like electric guitar necks--easy and fast.

I played a Taylor 514 for a long time before switching to a Larrivee. as far as cf guitars go, I prefer the Emerald neck and the classic Rainsong N1 neck to be my two favorites. It's all down to personal preference though;you really need to try the various guitars out for yourself and see what works for you and what you don't care for.

@rrogers97: Rainsong N1 necks have been out of production for a long time. They only use a much beefier (thicker) neck now. Some players really like the new neck and others prefer their older, slimmer neck.

Old models with the N1 neck are up for sale now an then and are supposed to be very similar to Taylor.

Currently, for necks most similar to Taylor in feel and playability, probably Emerald or CA. Emerald can also customize the neck to the nut width you are most comfortable with.

1 3/4 is their standard width. There would be an added charge for other widths. You'd need to check their website to see how much extra that would be for say, 1 11/16 width or 1 7/8, etc.

Other than the different neck profile, my Rainsong WS/N2 plays very much like a Tayor x14. I did have the saddle on the Rainsong lowered a little - as I also had done on my Taylor.

CA makes a narrow neck (1.69) version of the GX. The neck is a close match in both nut width and profile to the Taylor 710 which it replaced. The GX ~ still with the factory set up ~ is much more playable due to other issues (neck angle, etc.). The GX plays like my strat... with heavier gauge strings.

Comparatively, the Rainsong neck profile is fatter, the Emeralds are flatter and I don't see them as "Taylor like" based on my experience with the 710.

However, all good. Never met a bad CF guitar.

As you can see in my signature, I have a few Taylors and a Rainsong Shorty. The neck profiles feel almost identical. I had hand and wrist surgery last spring resulting in limited mobility. That led me to sell my Martin 000-18 GE and Clapton models because of neck profiles. What I have now works well.

For me the 12 fret model Taylor's work best, insomuch, that I may sell my 814ce DLX and get the 812ce DLX.

I have never gotten a guitar in 40yrs of playing that I did not set up to my personal liking. They all need adjustment of some kind, especially wood as it moves so much.
Having said that the Fiber are really stable and I like the fact you can set the neck relief at near flat, mine has 5 thousands relief and I set it at 5/64 on the top at 12 and it plays like butter..nice neck shape as well IMO.

I truly appreciate the comments and suggestions. As long as a neck doesn't have a hard or soft-v shape, I am good with it. I have a wide variety of thicknesses and nut widths on my electrics, and I am comfortable moving between those. Even changing from one guitar to another with a different scale doesn't bother me (e.g., strat on one song, Les Paul on another, then to a PRS).

At this point the best option appears to be buying models from each manufacturer and keeping them all :D.

I am a little hesitant to return to a CA after my experiences, but the Peavey buyout does a good bit to restore my confidence in that company. In my opinion, Peavey guitars in the late 80s through the end of US production (particularly the Wolfgangs) were high quality instruments that never gained the respect they reserved. I am sure Peavey brought a considerable amount of production knowledge to CA.

I would agree that many of the CAs seem to come from the factory with fairly high action, but that's easily changed with a good setup. Right now the action on my GX is 5/64" low E 4/64" high E, so they can be made quite easy to play.

Well, I'm glad that problem is solved. :D

In 2012 and into 2013 I was hunting for the perfect guitar and had narrowed it down to 3 Taylors that were available then. In the meantime my mandolin got too close to my then 2 year old so I decided to get a tough beater guitar first and the Taylor later. I stumbled into talking to Emerald and ended up getting a new 2013 X20 on a great deal. It plays so well (and looks good too) that though it's still my beater guitar, it is also the main guitar I use these days. Neck's not quite the same as a Taylor, but it cured me from wanting another high end Taylor FWIW.

I also wanted a little blues guitar after I got the X20 so I knew to look at the CF line up too and finally got a Lucky 13. Awesome little guitar, but I wouldn't call it a Taylor replacement like the X20 has become for me.