NGD - Custom Emerald X20 Nylon

[btbliatout]

I have to take my statement about volume back (sorry for misleading you all!). Tonight I used a simple sound meter app on my phone, and my C9 on average seems to be 3-4dB louder, which I simply could not tell from the player's perspective.

I then sat the guitars on a stand and plucked strings from as far away as I could reach with an arm, and with me positioned as far off to the "bottom" side of the guitars as I could (getting the sound hole side of the X20 as far away from me as I could). From that perspective, it was pretty clear the C9 was a bit louder.

So don't go getting an X20 Nylon if volume is a super important thing to you. It's no slouch in volume, but a wood C9 costs 1/4 of the price and is louder. Get the X20 for the ergonomics, humidity and temperature immunity, and the CF tone.

[steelvibe]

Congrats on your new Emerald!

Oh, the weekend is almost here .....

[btbliatout]

Ok everyone. I warned you that you wouldn't want to hear my playing, but here's a few bits that might let you compare an X20 Nylon to a Cordoba C9.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wW...4OFWAZLXgQbbWQ

Microphone: Rode NT1-A
Amp: Fender Acoustasonic 40
Recorded on an old cheap Chromebook via a no-name brand 3.5mm cable between Amp and Chromebook

Volume is very low, but I set it low because I found if I strummed I'd hit the top of the dynamic range. So be ready to turn up your speakers and hear noise. I've done ZERO processing.

[jdinco]

A bit hard to hear, but from what I could hear, I really liked the sound of the X20. Thanks for doing that!

[Mark L]

Just a simple question for the OP: do you like your X20 nylon overall?
Thanks, Mark.

[mountainmaster]

To be honest, I think the Cordoba C9 sounds better in these recordings. Every note comes out nice and clear whereas the X20 suffers from a lack of both high and low end.

I believe it has something to do with those Optima strings. The sound of my X7 Nylon really opened up once I switched to Savarez Alliance Corum.
Perhaps Optima Gold strings are not the best choice for an Emerald Nylon guitar. Just my 2 cents.

[btbliatout]

@Mark L: I do like it. I like it a lot!

@mountainmaster: I was planning on switching to my usual Savarez 500CJ strings today, but didn't want to miss out on recording a little something with the Optima No. 6 Golds on while they were there. I'll try to do the same bits for comparison.

All, also note that I started with the X20 pretty cold, then shifted to the C9. There's something to be said about me being both more warmed up, and more confident with an old friend. Not sure if there was any such effect, but I can't say that their wasn't. I know that I had some false starts (had to stop and start recording again) when I was holding the X20, but didn't have any with the Cordoba C9. *shrug*.

Onwards to changing strings.

[Methos1979]

Another weekend has come and nearly gone and still no photos. I'm beginning to question if this guitar really exists!