Emerald X20 - is it beautiful

[GuitarLuva]

Originally Posted by highvibrational

It's my biggest guitar purchase ever and I sincerely hope I will love it. Thank you all for your feedback. My gut tells me I made the right choice. Let's see how the journey unfolds...

Congratulations, the X20 is an amazing instrument. I've had mine for about a week now and have played it every day so far. It's body feels like a concert hall but it sounds like a dreadnought. Very comfortable to play both sitting and standing. You won't be let down!

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by GuitarLuva

Congratulations, the X20 is an amazing instrument. I've had mine for about a week now and have played it every day so far. It's body feels like a concert hall but it sounds like a dreadnought. Very comfortable to play both sitting and standing. You won't be let down!

That's how I'd describe it too - I probably have a time or two. And the X7 (new model) feels like a parlor but sounds like a 000 / Auditorium sized guitar. Since I don't need the volume of a dread anymore, the X7 worked better for me, but the X20 is an awesome guitar and at a different stage of life, it's likely the one I'd have kept...

-Ray

[GuitarLuva]

Originally Posted by raysachs

That's how I'd describe it too - I probably have a time or two. And the X7 (new model) feels like a parlor but sounds like a 000 / Auditorium sized guitar. Since I don't need the volume of a dread anymore, the X7 worked better for me, but the X20 is an awesome guitar and at a different stage of life, it's likely the one I'd have kept...

-Ray

That is also nice to know about the X7. To keep the theme rolling, the X30 (Emeralds Jumbo) is also super comfy. It has a big lower bout but due to all the contours and bevels it feels like a dreadnought, though more comfortable IMO. One really unique feature of the X30 vs any other guitar that I've played is the way it sends the vibrations through your body. It really is an amazing experience for the player.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by GuitarLuva

That is also nice to know about the X7. To keep the theme rolling, the X30 (Emeralds Jumbo) is also super comfy. It has a big lower bout but due to all the contours and bevels it feels like a dreadnought, though more comfortable IMO. One really unique feature of the X30 vs any other guitar that I've played is the way it sends the vibrations through your body. It really is an amazing experience for the player.

I think I'd have liked the deeper / warmer tone of the X30 even more than the X20, but the X20 was already a bigger and louder guitar than I had any need or desire for, so the X30 would have been that in spades. What I said about the X7 i find true of the new one. The older one feels even smaller than a parlor, but sounds a lot like a parlor, albeit a REALLY nice parlor, a lot louder and smoother than a lot of parlors. I wouldn't call it boxy, but I think some people have... I can't imagine finding the new one boxy. I actually find it a big warmer than the X20, which rings out a bit more in the higher register and I always felt the need to tame a little bit with warmer strings. The new X7 doesn't do that... Sounds like a smaller version of a big guitar, rather than like a small guitar, IMHO.

-Ray

[GuitarLuva]

Originally Posted by raysachs

I think I'd have liked the deeper / warmer tone of the X30 even more than the X20, but the X20 was already a bigger and louder guitar than I had any need or desire for, so the X30 would have been that in spades. What I said about the X7 i find true of the new one. The older one feels even smaller than a parlor, but sounds a lot like a parlor, albeit a REALLY nice parlor, a lot louder and smoother than a lot of parlors. I wouldn't call it boxy, but I think some people have... I can't imagine finding the new one boxy. I actually find it a big warmer than the X20, which rings out a bit more in the higher register and I always felt the need to tame a little bit with warmer strings. The new X7 doesn't do that... Sounds like a smaller version of a big guitar, rather than like a small guitar, IMHO.

-Ray

The X30 is deeper and warmer than the X20 that's for sure but to my surprise the X20 is a little louder, as I mentioned in the NGD post. Not night and day louder but it is noticeable. That changes nothing for me though I love them both.

[ac]

Originally Posted by highvibrational

So, just so I have it right, I can take a carbon fiber guitar anywhere and though the tuning may change a little from direct sunlight, it will really sound and play consistently in any environmental condition?

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Heat and your guitar:

From a quick Google search.

"Graphite fiber has a negative coefficient of thermal expansion, which means when it is heated it will shrink. When the graphite fibers are put into a resin matrix (positive CTE), the composite can be tailored to have almost zero CTE. Graphite composites are used for high precision and thermally stable applications."

Likely, extreme string temperatures will expand or shrink the metal enough to throw pitch off. This seems much more likely than the effect of temperature change on carbon fiber guitar body parts, although there still might be slight changes there as well, depending on the build properties.

An interesting experiment: Put to test an in-tune wood and CF guitar of roughly equal size, both with the same new strings, in the summer sun (i.e., Phoenix) for an hour or so. Compare string pitches with a tuner.