Another Mark and Jim music video released this morning. Observant carbon fiber enthusiasts will notice the Emerald X10 I am playing in this one...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f413Z5_j-S0

Very Very nice! You two have it down. And yes, I noticed the 10, looks a little like mine.

One of your better ones me thinks Jim ! Well done. I can hear Mark's neighbors....."Hey, there's some guy walking down the street with a guitar on his neck" ! LOL

Good observation, Evan. Although, I have stated here that I was quite taken with your thin-body X10... I agonized between the red and another veneer. I'm very happy with the red with a bit of extra black shading, and the Crystal Ice back and sides.

Yours definitely gave me the inspiration to have Emerald make one unique for me.

Thanks, John. I think Mark is well-regarded by his neighbors. He told me about having to wait for a paddle boat to pass through the background to get some of those shots by the pond.

Yep, I sinned again. While I did play my Emerald X7 for a while this morning, I worked on a music project without carbon fiber later. In fact, without an acoustic guitar for the first time in about 25 years.

I got a Fender Mustang Micro (recommended by our own Jon (jonfields45), and took some time today to record with it. I posted this on the Electric Guitar sub-forum, but thought some here might have some interest in what the other side (nothing dark about it) is doing.

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It was a rainy day in the Tropical Tip, so a good opportunity to make some music with the Fender Mustang Micro...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAxYkw57j8w

First time in about 25 years that I made music with (gasp) no acoustic guitar somewhere in the mix. The music tracks were recorded with a Spire Studio. The guitar parts were direct into the Spire, through the Fender Mustang Micro - no amp, no Spire amp effect. Bass and electronic drums direct in, vocals through a Yamaha mixer then into the Spire.

Video shot with an iPhone, then all edited in iMovie. Fun project; the music took less than an hour, another hour to shoot the video, and a couple hours to edit.

I give the Fender Mustang Micro two thumbs up. My aging back gives it three thumbs up. ;)

Hey Jim - did you move up to New Hampshire?!? Saw this guy in front of me today...

Photos

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...8685d03f99.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f36f8fbc3f.jpg

Hi Scott - Nope, still in the Tropical Tip, where our motto is: Eat BBQ or Die. I'm kidding, of course - there are times when I've gone a week or so without BBQ.

It is getting a bit warm and humid here (good to have CF guitars); I need to get another pesky medical check up out of the way and we'll be heading out in the motorhome. Not heading to NH, though. This time.

I've often had personalized plates, but Joan wanted specialty plates the last couple years: Save Texas Ocelots.org... on the motorhome and the toad. I looked, but they don't offer: "Play Guitar or Die" plates. ;)

Still not sinning. What can I say: good, clean living. Got that latest follow-up out of the way (no word, yet, but the doctor set me up for 6 months for the next follow-up, so she's expecting that to be clean, as well).

I have been spending more time playing. I'm back to making a choice for which guitar to take for getting away soon... it will be one of the three Emeralds. Here at home, I have been picking up the X20 the most lately. I was thinking I might take the X10 again. Thinking back, it has been a long timer since I changed strings on the X10... 10 months. I don't ever go that long on my guitars that get regular play. I guess the solid body electric I got around the first of the year has been getting the lion's share of the electric playing.

I generally use extra lights (.010 - .047) on the X10; this evening, I put on a set of lights (Elixir PB Nanoweb .012 - .053). I have always considered this X10 to be nicely balanced, but relatively quiet. Pretty sure I have had lights on there before, but what a difference - it now sounds louder than my X7, but still great balance. A bit more "punch"... but on the down side: I can't bend these strings worth a darn now. Trade offs.

When changing strings, I always look the guitar over closely, do a thorough cleaning of the fretboard, etc. Well, that's different: on the fretboard, bottom edge, between the 4th fret and the 9th fret, the edge of the fretboard had little chips in it. I hadn't noticed this before. I bought a kit from Stew-Mac to clean up the gawd-awful fret ends on that electric I mentioned, so I smoothed out those nicks. Didn't take much to clean it up, but I haven't seen this on any of my other guitars. I'm the only one handling my guitars, so I know it hasn't been dropped or abused. I'll keep a closer watch on it.

I have found that all of my CF guitars (including my X10) are really sensitive to string choice. It's amazing how the same guitar can sound like a different animal with a change in strings.

I did something today that I haven't done in over a year and a half (thanks to Covid): I spent some time in a quality guitar shop. I bought gear from these folks when we lived in the Black Hills (Haggerty's Music Works). No, I wasn't looking at carbon fiber today, actually considering another wood guitar (watch out for that flying pig!!!). This place has an impressive offering of Taylor Guitars (one of their Top 10 dealers globally). The only non-carbon fiber acoustics I still have are Taylors.

It was nice to look, select, and play. And a friendly, knowledgeable salesperson who brought me things to play that weren't on display. Nice experience. He asked if I'd bring my Emerand X20 by on my next trip in... he hasn't seen one in person... he said, "I have sure heard good things about them."

Still an ambassador for carbon fiber. ;)

Sounds like a lot of fun. I’ll be interested to hear their reactions to your X20 after your next visit.

I’ve just reread this whole thread to remind myself what everyone was suffering from :) I trust that all the previously documented health issues are resolved, in remission, or, at the very least, under control.

Good for you Jim, I think it's always good to look over the fence and see what's happen in the other field. I'm not looking at carbon fiber or wood, I'm headed to the linin side of things.

Hi David - yep, it was a pretty pleasant time. I had their Taylor Room all to myself. The salesman (my new best friend) slid the glass door to that room closed as he left... it was fun.

As far as documented health issues, my "numbers" are looking good; at my follow-up last month, the doctor said, "Go enjoy your summer away - we'll check again in 6 months." So, I'm taking that as: 6 months of good news. We're enjoying a lot of riding time on these great roads in the Black Hills, and that is good for body and soul... that's what this current time is about. And, who knew it was about looking at guitars, too? We'll see how things play out.

Thanks for asking. Our mutual buddy Evan was having hip and heart issues - so, how you doin', Evan?

Looking over the fence? I don't even have a fence. I'll be interested to hear about your linen adventure, Evan - assuming that means a Savoy? If that's the case, I think we'd all like to see a NGD thread. I played one at the Great Carbon Fiber Gathering at Kramster's place a few years ago - nice guitar. Keep us posted.

Jim