My Emerald X30: What I Did Right And What I Did Wrong

[esimms86]

I continue to enjoy the heck out of my Emerald X30. I feel very fortunate to have asked for abalone dot inlays when that was still an option. I also prefer bridge pins over the pinless design, so I'm thrilled to have been able to buy mine when that was the standard (though, in truth, I do like the pinless bridge design that's used on Lowden guitars; not an option for Emeralds). Interestingly, having bridge pins gives one the option to try Graph Tech, bone or Martin's Titanium pins to experiment with how that might affect the sound (I haven't tried this, though I've thought about it doing that subjective experiment).

I gave some initial thought to buying mine with a Krivo pickup installed. I opted not to go with it and that was my bad. I eventually ended up(most fortuitous, for me) buying one of the last two Krivos that Jason had in stock before he stopped offering the Micro Stealth pickup for general sale(it is now exclusive to Emerald and a few other builders). I then had the Anthem pickup taken out and replaced with the Krivo. If I initially gone with the Krivo AND the Anthem, then I would have been able to replace the Anthem with the K&K, with the Krivo still intact. I did have the Krivo fit with separate volume and tone roller controls within the soundhole. Interestingly, a Krivo/K&K option is not listed on the 3D builder.

I do love the amplified sound reproduced by the K&K that I have fit inside my Mya Moe tenor ukulele.

Beyond that, I had to have a visible hole drilled into my X30 to fit the wire for the Krivo. That is because the pickup that Jason makes for Emerald has the wire coming from the underside of the pickup so that there is no visible wire entry through the instrument's top.

I did use to own an Emerald Kestrel but I sold it after experiencing what a great archtop-like tone that the X30 with the Krivo provided when plugged in to my Carr Rambler amplifier. I suspect that it would also sound great plugged into a solid state amp like a Hendricksen, for instance.

The Kestrel is a great guitar(my buyer was over the moon upon receiving it, especially since they rarely show up on the used market) but, knowing what I know now, I would probably have instead bought an X7 or X10 to get a less bassy, more balanced sound and also have a nice travel guitar to take on a plane.

[JackDaniel]

What do you like about the krivo?

[esimms86]

Originally Posted by JackDaniel

What do you like about the krivo?

To me, it sounds like the guitar that it’s in, perfectly amplified. The acoustic quality of the guitar comes through, just like playing an archtop with a floating pickup. And no piezo quack or 60 cycle hum. Play with the tone control to season to taste.

[David Eastwood]

If I had one regret about my original X20, it would be that I didn’t order it with a Krivo. Back in 2018, that’s a mod Emerald would probably have been perfectly happy to do, but I was already at the limit of my budget at the time, and decided to live without it.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t change a single thing about it

[esimms86]

Originally Posted by David Eastwood

If I had one regret about my original X20, it would be that I didn’t order it with a Krivo. Back in 2018, that’s a mod Emerald would probably have been perfectly happy to do, but I was already at the limit of my budget at the time, and decided to live without it.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t change a single thing about it

In 2022 they might have to make the edge of the fretboard straight to accommodate a Krivo. Otherwise, I don’t know how it would work with curved piece of fretboard extending over the guitar body.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by esimms86

In 2022 they might have to make the edge of the fretboard straight to accommodate a Krivo. Otherwise, I don’t know how it would work with curved piece of fretboard extending over the guitar body.

Agreed.

….

[Jrh]

I’m happy to have ordered the matte finish on the entire guitar (x20). I love the feel of it and kinda fun for it to be unusual and no longer offered.