Another NG(order)D - this time flame maple

[wickedwahine]

I just paid the invoice for my archtop order and also paid an invoice for another new guitar - this time an X7 nylon woody in red flame maple. Though the photo on their Facebook page today of a blonde flame maple is pretty stunning. I still want red but that blonde is beautiful. Hmm

Pic of the veneer I chose...


So now with two coming in, two have to go. Looks like I am selling both my Taylor K24ce koa for the archtop and the current blue X7 nylon woody in quilted maple for a red flamed one. I’m out of town for a few more days but need to get to work selling when I get back home.

[Melt in the Sun]

Nice choice...I love the natural look too! I bet that Tamo Ash they used recently would be beautiful natural, but I better not think too hard about it.

Unrelated, I almost asked them about doing a vivid turquoise finish. I guess you asked for something similar and it didn't turn out right? So, this is a straight replacement of that one?

[wickedwahine]

Originally Posted by Melt in the Sun

Nice choice...I love the natural look too! I bet that Tamo Ash they used recently would be beautiful natural, but I better not think too hard about it.

Unrelated, I almost asked them about doing a vivid turquoise finish. I guess you asked for something similar and it didn't turn out right? So, this is a straight replacement of that one?

Yeah, I was inspired by the blue of the “Lake Tahoe” Emerald, and had even mailed them a paint sample of the peacock blue I wanted, but alas, it was not meant to be. Alistair said the wood was too dark to take that color paint. What broke my heart was I interviewed a guy for the Emerald book last week that had an X20 woody in the exact blue I had wanted. After making him promise to give me first dibs if he ever sells it, that just made me sadder about mine not being that color. So I would rather rehome it to someone that loves it and try something completely different. I had fleeting thoughts about trying the turquoise again, but with no guarantees, figured it was better to just completely change course and get red, rather than be disappointed again.

I really want an X7 nylon in my collection since I love the size and feel of the X7 and need a travel sized nylon, but despite my best efforts I wasn’t able to really bond with the blue one. It is a wonderful guitar, just not the one for me. It will kill me to eventually see other folks probably end up with that blueI wanted, but I will just have to convince them to sell it to me second-hand.

I would say if you do decide to try it, be sure to ask for a very pale wood veneer so the color doesn’t end up too dark. And if you pull it off, sell it to me! Haha.

[Melt in the Sun]

I wonder how much they've tried with the very light ones. They had some bleached maple burls a while back, and that newest shipment had some very very light flamed maple. I don't see why they couldn't create something like this - it's just light wood and dye, right? I didn't end up going for it, mainly because it's a bit on the obnoxious side. Now, I'm glad I didn't...it must be heartbreaking to be disappointed like that.

[wickedwahine]

Originally Posted by Melt in the Sun

I wonder how much they've tried with the very light ones. They had some bleached maple burls a while back, and that newest shipment had some very very light flamed maple. I don't see why they couldn't create something like this - it's just light wood and dye, right? I didn't end up going for it, mainly because it's a bit on the obnoxious side. Now, I'm glad I didn't...it must be heartbreaking to be disappointed like that.

Haha that is almost exactly the shade I was hoping for - just a tad darker than that. But yeah, I just don’t have the nerve/heart to try again. Red may not be my first choice, but it is safe and a known quantity.

[kramster]

We get to live through you oh wicked one..nice.. cant wait for the 2 after these ..

[Earl49]

Red over that maple veneer should be spectacular, Staci. I nearly bought a Taylor 614 in red years ago, it looked so nice. My red X30 is very subdued. In most light it looks maroon.

Not to hijack, but we recently bought her X7 koa veneer woody. My wife is very happy with it. It was a wonderful transaction, and I highly recommend Staci as a seller.

Earl;

Well you better recommend your wife--she's quite an enabler.

[karlhawaii]

Beautiful flame on the maple veneer. Do you have an estimate of the build time?

[wickedwahine]

Originally Posted by karlhawaii

Beautiful flame on the maple veneer. Do you have an estimate of the build time?

Thanks Karl. Nope. My last nylon X7 took five months, so I am hoping this one (and the koa archtop I ordered) will be available when I visit the factory in August.

[Captain Jim]

Anyone else here think it is a bit ironic that there is discussion of the flame maple (including a Les Paul photo) on the CF forum? For full disclosure, while in Guitar Center today, my wife pointed out a striking T5z with a gorgeous flame maple top. She asked, "Do you think they would take the T5 in trade?"

I said, "We'll never know."

Nice to see that we are "all inclusive" here.

Congrats, WickedWahine, on your two new orders!

[Dubh1805]

Great choice on the flame top! I love red-stained flame maple and other types of red-stained woods on guitar. The deep red should really pop on the top you chose and create a nice, lighter colored, 3D red contrast.

[wickedwahine]

Originally Posted by Dubh1805

Great choice on the flame top! I love red-stained flame maple and other types of red-stained woods on guitar. The deep red should really pop on the top you chose and create a nice, lighter colored, 3D red contrast.

Thanks, I appreciate the kind words. Though if I don't sell my quilted maple blue X7 nylon it may all be for naught. My household has a one guitar in, one guitar out policy. I'm probably posting the blue one on Reverb this weekend if there are no takers here on AGF for it.

But yes, I think the red should be a better fit for me.

[Melt in the Sun]

I'm still wondering about this color thing. I was thinking, I wonder if Emerald actually uses stains at all in their builds, or just tinted finish?

The "black carbon" is just a clear coat, after all. It seems that the other colors are just tinted finish, which is why they are so dark - carbon is still black, so you only see the color within the finish when there are bright reflections from the fibers. I can't imagine carbon fiber takes a stain at all.

But, I have seen some custom builds (like the red cross one) where they clearly use stains. So I'm confused. Either way, they need to up their color game. I noticed this one on the website - a custom X7 with a very poor color match between the body and headstock. What gives? I'd be pretty unhappy if this were mine.
https://emeraldguitars.com/portfolio...e-short-scale/

[wickedwahine]

Originally Posted by Melt in the Sun

I'm still wondering about this color thing. I was thinking, I wonder if Emerald actually uses stains at all in their builds, or just tinted finish?

The "black carbon" is just a clear coat, after all. It seems that the other colors are just tinted finish, which is why they are so dark - carbon is still black, so you only see the color within the finish when there are bright reflections from the fibers. I can't imagine carbon fiber takes a stain at all.

But, I have seen some custom builds (like the red cross one) where they clearly use stains. So I'm confused. Either way, they need to up their color game. I noticed this one on the website - a custom X7 with a very poor color match between the body and headstock. What gives? I'd be pretty unhappy if this were mine.
https://emeraldguitars.com/portfolio...e-short-scale/

I think it is because the body is quilted maple. The maple can vary a great deal in color this purple one has a lot of dark quiilting - why my blue one is so dark versus a guy I saw last week that also had a blue quilted maple and it was the exact color I had been hoping for (which is actually what prompted me to finally list my blue one for sale - it broke my heart to see in person one that was what I had wanted and wasn't able to get).

I don't know what they did on the red cross one, if you say it is a stain, I believe you. Generally, from my understanding it is not a tinted finish, it is actually a paint being applied - at least on the veneers. I'm not certain as to the carbon fiber portions, but believe that is paint as well.