Okay, an interesting thing happened to me today. I was spending time in Breckenridge CO with family and saw a rare sight indeed; a busker playing some good fingerstyle and with decent vocals on....a RainSong.
I heard him from 50 feet away before realizing he had a RainSong and walking up from behind him I could see the weave back and sides. I love RainSong guitars and immediately approved of his choice of instrument. I was close enough to determine that it was an H-OM1000N2. it had to have been around awhile because the saddle and nut were really darkening to a dark cream patina. The guitar likely sported a Fishman Prefix +T and he was plugged in to a Roland AC60 RW. He had a clothes hamper for a tip jar labeled "401K". Gotta love a guy who dreams large!
He was friendly and took my compliment on his playing as a way to explain how the blues song he was riffing out wasn't from Robert Johnson but rather had likely been ripped off a couple times before really being made famous by Johnson (I've since forgotten the names he mentioned but
he knew his stuff).
It sounded fantastic and filled the open ambience adequately from a good 25-30 feet.....outside. It made me realize how good RainSong guitars sound standing in front of them. I wasn't ever able to hear others play my Shorty when I had it because right after I bought that guitar my life had changed significantly with personal problems with loved ones close to me. My Shorty did make it to a couple jam sessions and open mics but that was about it- and it was always me playing it. I don't know if others were afraid to play a modern age material guitar or what. Weird I tell ya, because if I'd never seen a RainSong in the wild and a friend or family member brought one to a party I'd certainly at least
ask if I could give it a spin.
It made me miss my Shorty for the first time (similar guitar really that one would be hard pressed to tell the difference amplified and outside). Both OM bodied, only mine was equipped with a K&K.
But come on RainSong....that neck! I do prefer the N2 over the N1. It is a polarizing neck, oddly comfortable in the first positions, might be one of my favorites in that area. I wanted to like it RainSong...I really did. The string spacing was nice at 1.75, but combined with the heft of the modified "U" it really made it feel even wider somehow, and narrower in other respects. Just an oddball neck and even harder trying to articulate thoughts about it in writing. This heft was especially noticeable past the 5th fret and exaggerated as you moved higher up. The cutaway really didn't matter with the awkward neck heel, and combined with that crazy heft you feel like you have to "fight" to get notes to ring clear up there.
The threads have been numerous and there was even another today speaking about this very thing. Make a middle-of-the-road neck between the N1 and and N2 and you have a winner; I almost could guarantee it. You might even get me to purchase again and many forum members I'm sure would agree. You might be able to bang out the chords to Steve Miller's "The Joker" on these necks but try playing anything with appegiated chords and a 4 fret stretch. Good luck!