View Single Post
  #1  
Old 12-29-2018, 12:15 AM
Melt in the Sun Melt in the Sun is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 252
Default NGD - Emerald X20 with some issues

EDIT - I did send the sales@emerald email a note and a link to the album. I know Kevin is out until the new year, not sure who might be manning the fort over the holidays but we'll see what their response is.

So, I received my X20 Royal Ebony 8 days after ordering on 12/20...surprisingly quick given the Christmas shipping rush! Sadly and contrary to the experiences of others on the forum, I think this guitar has some problems. All the following aside, I really like the sound, which was my biggest unknown. Standing back, the guitar is a beauty. It does smell weird though...not like wood, that's for sure!

Now that's out of the way, first thing is that the nut is cut way too high. With the low E pressed at the 3rd fret, I can fit a business card between the string and first fret. It's pretty stiff in the low positions.

The fingerboard and fretwork is not great - photos below. I'm rather disappointed given that this is nearly a $3k guitar. I have far cheaper instruments with close to flawless fret finishing.

All in all, most of this stuff could probably be fixed with a relatively inexpensive trip to Rainbow guitars here in town. The frets could be crowned and polished and the nut recut without much fuss. As for the big dent at the 24th fret, it seems there's likely nothing to be done there. Same with the side dots, unless I had them drilled out and replaced with something large enough to cover the scars.

Thoughts welcome....



The treble edge of the fretboard is notably less glossy than the other 85% of it. I'm not sure if this is due to buffing?


Veneer trimming could be a bit more precise (given the price) and what looks like a big drip of black finish:


Veneer @ bridge, cut straight across at all corners


Flat-top frets (visible in other photos too). Many have clear scratches from leveling and very wide tops.


Unevenly shaped fret ends, with black finish embedded in the uneven ends (frets 18-23), and very sloppy 24th fret side dots.


Similar on treble side - see gloss difference, fret ends w/ black finish, and leveling scratches on frets.


Big dent/dip at the bass side, frets 23-24. The frets are installed over top of this, with black finish in the gaps underneath.


12th fret dots are much better than the 24th, but are certainly not straight.


Not sure if this is normal - wavy indentation at the back of the neck/headstock. Is this normal?
__________________
enough instruments to be mediocre at all of them

Last edited by Melt in the Sun; 12-29-2018 at 10:04 AM.