Rainsong is Closing Their Doors

[Fixedgear60]

Between this announcement and the Blackbird fire ... I am very sad.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by Sarah1F

I’ve been rather heartbroken over this. No lie. I absolutely love my RainSong. It is shocking to me that the company would be giving up, although everything I see now in terms of carbon fiber seems to revolve around Emerald. RainSong is a wonderful guitar with fantastic people and awesome customer service. I will cherish my V-DR1100n2 even more than I already do. I wish I also had a parlor model!

There’s still time - give them a call

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by RP

I'm sorry to see this, but not really surprised. The more inspired Emerald guitars became, the more I really questioned some of the things that Rainsong was doing...

I suspect that, when it came down to it, the traditionalists won. If I’m going to buy a guitar that looks like a D18, why would I buy one that’s not even made of wood - whatever advantages the modern material might have?

We’ve all seen enough of the “doesn’t sound like wood” posts to know how entrenched those traditions are.

[Steve-arino]

I have a Rainsong OM-1100NST that I bought from another AGF'er a couple of years ago. No electronics, and has pretty chunky neck. Super lightweight. Plays great, nice tone, rings like a bell. Glad I have it. The only CF guitar that I bonded with.

Sorry to hear about Rainsong.

[RP]

Originally Posted by David Eastwood

I suspect that, when it came down to it, the traditionalists won. If I’m going to buy a guitar that looks like a D18, why would I buy one that’s not even made of wood - whatever advantages the modern material might have?

I saw the traditionalists as opting for a Rainsong when they decided to go carbon fiber. That was the appeal of Rainsongs for me...

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by RP

I saw the traditionalists as opting for a Rainsong when they decided to go carbon fiber. That was the appeal of Rainsongs for me...

Sadly, it seems there weren’t enough of you…

Despite your multiple efforts over the years

[AZLiberty]

Originally Posted by RP

I saw the traditionalists as opting for a Rainsong when they decided to go carbon fiber. That was the appeal of Rainsongs for me...

Agreed. A big appeal is that Rainsong made traditional 0. OM, D J bodies. That makes getting a decent case much easier. It's easy to hand one to someone and they know pretty much what to expect. (other than how light it is)

My main guitar for a decade or more has been my Rainsong Shorty.

I am quite saddened to hear this news.

[OnTheFidele]

Originally Posted by Steve-arino

I have a Rainsong OM-1100NST that I bought from another AGF'er a couple of years ago. No electronics, and has pretty chunky neck. Super lightweight. Plays great, nice tone, rings like a bell. Glad I have it. The only CF guitar that I bonded with.

Sorry to hear about Rainsong.

Awesome that you have one. I'd be happy with a used WS1100N2 or OM1100N2 (preferably with the offset soundhole). I was going to order one of those. Literally sent my email to Dave with my requests yesterday. Really not a fan of barn door electronics. Unfortunately, there are none in the market and there haven't been any on the market for a while now. I'll have to continue looking.

I really hope someone buys the brand. There is a lot that could be done with the brand, techniques, knowledge, and tools. Lots of room for experimentation, too.

[dgaemc2]

Another sad day for CF enthusiasts! Twice in 1 week!

[codecontra]

I was really liking their Vintage series with the wood tops. It seems like they were onto something there. Definitely a warmer sound than traditional carbon fiber Rainsongs. And they just came out with this in 2019.

The recent shift in the past year or so, pulling away from brick and mortar dealers is interesting in hindsight. I suspect they were having some financial difficulty.

I also think Emerald has stepped up their game in all respects. Especially with their online interface, 3-D guitar building, options, and customer interactions.

[mikealpine]

My H-OM is still my most gigged guitar. A few years back I wanted a dread, would have gotten the V series, but wanted a cutaway. Unfortunately whatever molds they’d need would have cost a fortune, at least according to the e-mails I exchanged. I hope the staff all find other employment.

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by dgaemc2

Another sad day for CF enthusiasts! Twice in 1 week!

Yeah, I was sorry to see this. My first carbon fiber guitar was a RainSong... although I have to admit that my next 4 have been Emeralds. It seems to me that RainSong made a couple half-hearted efforts at something new over the past couple years - it would be hard to compete with the innovation and design that Emerald has exhibited over the last decade.

There have been some offshore CF makers (Enya, Lava Me, Klos) that are producing guitars for well under half of what the established quality makers (Emerald, McPherson, RainSong) are getting; that has to have hurt the sales of a traditional style maker like RainSong.

With the fire at Blackbird, Peavey letting CA languish and wither away, and now RainSong closing up shop, it shows what a tough market CF can be. That leaves Emerald and McPherson at the top, Journey as a mid-tier, and the others competing for the budget market.

I don't see that I would have been in the market for another RainSong, but it is sad to see any business make that decision to close up. It may have been time for the principals at RainSong to retire. When my wife and I decided to retire almost 18 years ago, the business we owned was a profitable, going concern. We considered just closing the doors and selling off equipment, as we were both ready to be done. The commercial real estate broker than we enlisted to sell the commercial property asked what were were going to do with the business.

"Just close it up and sell the equipment." He asked to see our operating statements, and said: "I can sell this for you," and suggested a price that he thought would be right.

"Well, that sounds attractive, if you think you can find a buyer." He did. We stayed on for 90 days to train the new owner and staff. We were the principals in that business and thought without us there, there is no business. Perhaps that is what Dave at RainSong is thinking? For a small business that has a hands-on owner, it can be hard to consider that someone else may have the passion and work ethic (and the funds) to carry on with it.

Likely, anyone who could afford to buy it AND has the skill to produce a product like RainSong is already operating a successful business.

A tip of the hat to RainSong... one of what I consider to be "the Big 3" of quality CF guitars. I'm sorry to see you go.

[Steve-arino]

I never did understand the RS neck nomenclature. I know I have an "CO-OM-1100NST" (label in the guitar). OM is approximate size, I believe the 1100 is "no electronics", does anyone know what the NST means?

[RP]

Originally Posted by Steve-arino

Does anyone know what the NST means?

12 fret and short scale???

[RP]

Originally Posted by David Eastwood

Sadly, it seems there weren’t enough of you…

Despite your multiple efforts over the years

I tried my best to keep Rainsong in business...