Need Rainsong OM advice?

[Yendoggy]

Hey ya'll!

So I've had a great Concert series Rainsong Dread for years. I custom ordered it with no electronics. Now I just am NOT into Dreads.. even for my travel guitar. I'm going to special order the same series in an OM.

I actually have a parlor hybrid... it was a bit TOO small for what I wanted.. the merry go round.

Now on my special order OM you can choose 12 fret or 14 fret... on wood guitars I love 12 fretters... any thoughts?

Pretty sure I'll go 12 fret but though I'd inquire to you CF lovers.

[Captain Jim]

If you don't need the upper fret access, I'd go for the 12-fret. It moves the bridge deeper into the lower bout, making for a richer tone. I had a Shorty SG-FLE; great playing and sound with the 12-fret.

[CRM]

I have the Rainsong Smokey Hybrid which is a 12 fretter as well, and love the rich warm tone it produces.......They are no longer in production but when I do a search you can still find one or two new ones for sell....

[RP]

I have a Rainsong CH-OM1100NS 12-fretter that I really love. Fun and easy to play, sounds great and didn't break the bank....

[Yendoggy]

yea I think I'll go 12 fret... and dear god no Im never on the 14th fret playing.. generally I think acoustic guitars dont really sound that great up there... i guess some super high voiced chording stuff maybe... but lead on an acoustic up above the 12th fret.. YUCK...

Was it Doc Watson or someone like that that said "there aint no money above the 5th fret"

I have a PA hybrid and a CO Dread right now that I am selling both... I really love the sound of the CO series more than the hybrid.. a bit more top end... so I'm going with that series.. hoping they can also do a less "bling" inlays like the hybrid series. I'd prefer the simple rosette and the dots instead of the sharks but I somewhat doubt they will...

They cant do a non cutaway in these which I wanted and I get why not obviously. Okay.. definitely thinking 12 fret... thanks ya'll!

[steelvibe]

I would say that your decision rides on what style you play. If primarily a flat picker or strummer you might really like the extra oomph you get from a 14’er. The 12’ers sure are sweet for a fingerstyle player though. I wish Emerald would do a 12 fret production X20. Then again, maybe it’s a good thing they don’t for the safety of my marriage [emoji3]

[jonfields45]

I've owned quite a few RainSongs (S-OM, H-DR, CO-DR and those listed below), though never a 12 fret OM. Based on my experience I think the Concert Hybrid 12 fret RainSongs are their best sounding instruments. With the cut-away I don't miss the 14 fret neck and I think the NS neck might be slightly thinner than the N2 neck.

[RP]

Originally Posted by Yendoggy

Was it Doc Watson or someone like that that said "there aint no money above the 5th fret"

Former Wrecking Crew studio musician Tommy Tedesco, I believe....

[nickv6]

I saw Chet Atkins say it in an interview once. Not to say he said it first though.
Nick

[MiG50]

For my playing, the Rainsong 12-fret neck is perfect, and it puts the bridge right in that sweet spot of the lower bout.

[NoodleFingers]

I have exactly that guitar--a Concert OM 12 fret. Absolutely fantastic guitar. I love it. And amazingly loud for a guitar of that size.

[Jim K]

Yendoggy,

I just sent you a Private Message via the AGF form system. Please check it out.

Best regards,

Jim K

[JohnFrink1]

Originally Posted by Yendoggy

...on my special order OM you can choose 12 fret or 14 fret... on wood guitars I love 12 fretters... any thoughts?

In my opinion the most significant difference between 12-fret and 14-fret RainSong OMs is the difference in string tension caused by the different scale lengths: 24.9" vs. 25.4"; the lower tension of the short-scale 12-fret makes it feel softer and easier to play, but the greater tension of the long-scale 14-fret gives it more power and projection. You pays your money and takes your pick. Hope this helps.

[Kindness]

12 fret all the way

[Yendoggy]

Thanks I went 12 fret and my dread is up for sale here