Anybody play an X10 Slimline?
 

I had an X10 for a little while, but sent it back because the body felt too big for me. I liked the sound and the neck. I'm wondering about the slimline. I've listened to some acoustic video comparison of the X10 and X10 slimline, but there's nothing like playing it live.

Evan will be the go-to guy for this - the Slimline X10 was something he had Alistair custom make for him, long before Emerald made it part of their regular line. It was that red Slimline X10 that Evan had that stayed in my mind, resurfacing when the X10 was re-introduced.

I was lucky enough to own one of Evan's most beautiful creations, his thinline X10 nylon in Royal Ebony. Ergonomically, it was a complete joy to play. Mine was a nylon so that combined with the slimline body made for a very subdued acoustic tone and volume but plugged in it was excellent sounding.

I would imagine a steel string would be similar in it would be more subdued in volume but less in tone than the nylon. In the end I only sold it off because I went in a completely different direction going from three Emeralds to three Cole Clarks in about two months time. But it was no reflection on the Emeralds.

Thanks Methos and Captain Jim. More food for thought.

The slim 10 was nice. It did not project like a top-line classical guitar, but it was OK as an acoustic and very nice as a an electric. I suspect it would be better acoustically as a steel string.

My thin-bodied X7 was a real surprise relative to acoustic sound. Alistair had it being played during the shipping video and it projected way beyond its size. Alistair was amazed and when I got the guitar I could hardly believe its projective ability. It's the one guitar I regret selling. A new-sized slim 7 might be a really nice instrument.

That should throw a little confusion into the equation.

Thanks Evan. I had an X7 for little while, but the scale length wasn't right for me.

I'm really debating going for the X10 Slimline with ghost + K&K. I play in an acoustic duo but am always plugged in so I need it to sound good plugged and not really concerned how it sounds unplugged. I currently play a Martin HD-28 and the goal with the The X10 Slimline would be a good enough sounding "gigging" guitar for long summer shows where standing up playing comfort is a big factor and of course carbon fiber to minimize the effects of humidity and heat changes.

I have been corresponding with Emerald and they can do a 1 3/4 nut on the X10 Slimline for an upcharge.

If it's mainly for gigging you may want to rethink the midi pickup. That can only be used with a rather large and very expensive pedal which would be another setup encumbrance to carry. You can get a nice QSC powered speaker for about the same money as the midi setup will cost.

The level 2 setup with the mag pickup would probably be used a lot more than a midi ghost pickup.

If (when?) I ever order another custom Emerald woody, it might very well be a slimline if Emerald still offers that. I know a year or so back reading that Alistair was 'scaling back' on the 'anything goes' custom orders. One thing for sure is that if I make a custom order the pickup system will be an LR Baggs Anthem StagePro as the pickup systems I have had in the 5 Emeralds I had were always their biggest shortcoming. Note that's more a testament to the pickup systems themselves than the Emeralds.