Gig report!
Update for gig report:
Just finished our 3rd Christmas brunch gig of the month and today used the brand new Emerald X7 custom woody. All went well. The guitar performed flawlessly. No strings popped out and over it was very stable. I did have to retune more than normal but that was likely due to me using my old PW capo and not the Shubb Fine Tune that still sits on the X20. I'd forgotten that with the PW I always need to tweak a tiny bit here and there depending on the capo position. No so with the Shubb Fine Tune. I might have to pick up a second one of those someday soon. The only problem with the Shubb FT's is they only go so far up the neck. Normally this is not an issue but we did add a Christmas song that capo's at the 9th fret and the Shubb won't make it that far. Oh well, only two Christmas shows left anyway.
As for the X7, it was very comfortable and easy to play and a joy to perform with. The tone did get a little boxy in the mid-range strings but the variable high-pass filter on the Headway made quick work of any wolf-tones encountered in the different capo positions. I think the X20 will still remain the gigging workhorse for the most part as the overall tone from the larger, deeper body is preferable when playing amplified. One area the X7 does excel/exceed the X20 is that it does not have that overly hot A string that the X20 does. So each has it little bit over the other. I can see the X20 getting the call most of the time with the X7 coming along as backup or in some cases the X7 will get the call just to change things up.
For those considering the two and can only pick one I would say that if you prefer lighter weight, more resonant body, easier access to the upper frets and portability in a smaller body then the X7 would fit the bill. If you're looking for an all-arounder with deeper and more even tones, better amplification and just an excellent workhorse of a guitar and the slightly increased size isn't an issue then the X20 would be the choice. In reality you really can't go wrong with either. If I could only have one I'd keep the X20. But I think the pair covers just about any eventuality for me.
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