Ordering an Emerald...

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by RP

It seems real easy to inch ones way into large sums by adding this and that option. After doing a lot of soul searching, I realized that since $$$ is an object (as opposed to "Money is NO object"), I decided to take the minimalist route and ordered a black X20 with pickup that was in stock at Emerald...

Excellent plan. Your upcoming experience with a stock model will help you determine what customizations you might prefer. Also, with it being stock, you'll recoup more of your original purchase price if you decide you want something a little more personalized - or, heaven forbid, that it's just not for you

[RP]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

...Your upcoming experience with a stock model will help you determine what customizations you might prefer. Also, with it being stock, you'll recoup more of your original purchase price if you decide you want something a little more personalized - or, heaven forbid, that it's just not for you

My thoughts exactly. I can dip my toe into Emerald Pond without getting soaking wet...

That Eatswodo seems to be a very reasonable person. He doesn't mention one other benefit of a stock order--you eliminate a lot of wait time.

Good for you RP, I look forward to future reports.

[RP]

Yeh, I was starting to drive myself a little nuts thinking of adding this option and option. And you start adding a couple hundred here and a couple of hundred there onto $2000 and pretty soon you're talking about real money. Of course, I say that tongue-in-cheek as a paraphrase of the remark often attributed to, albeit erroneously, Everett Dirksen, "" A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money."

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by RP

Yeh, I was starting to drive myself a little nuts thinking of adding this option and option. And you start adding a couple hundred here and a couple of hundred there onto $2000 and pretty soon you're talking about real money.

When I ordered my X20 last year, I went in the opposite direction. Emerald had recently discontinued the Opus series - which is where my heart and wallet had landed. So, I whittled down the X20 Artisan to as close as I could get to Opus pricing - eliminate the pickup (which I didn't want anyway), and the hard shell case.

Outside of my $340 Martin, this is the best money I've ever spent on a guitar purchase in a half-century of playing. I have every expectation that #2 will at least be its equal.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by RP

Yeh, I was starting to drive myself a little nuts thinking of adding this option and option. And you start adding a couple hundred here and a couple of hundred there onto $2000 and pretty soon you're talking about real money. Of course, I say that tongue-in-cheek as a paraphrase of the remark often attributed to, albeit erroneously, Everett Dirksen, "" A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money."

I was about to refer to the same quote when I was reading the first line of your post, but you got there first. But if it wasn't Everett Dirksen, who was it? I always thought it was his... Of course, that was also back when a billion was real money!

[Captain Jim]

My first two Emeralds were from stock (well, one was a Select Series, but it was already made); loved everything about 'em. Then, I ordered an X10 with a custom shorter scale (24.6"). The wait turned out to be just over 4 months. Since I go back and forth between the scale on the X7 (24") and the X20 (25.5"), I can't say that the slightly shorter scale I ordered on the X10 is significant. No idea if the X10 would have been ready sooner if I hadn't ordered the shorter scale.

All that to say: I don't do waiting well. One other thing I did request on the build was a bit more black shading on the edges (red CF, no veneer). I don't think that added anything to the build time. Was it worth the wait? Oh, heck yes. Could I have taken that 4+ month wait if I didn't already have a couple other Emeralds to play? Maybe, but it wouldn't have been pretty.

[RP]

Originally Posted by raysachs

Congratulations and a great choice. And you should have it next week sometime if they have their typical Friday shipping schedule together....

Enjoy!

-Ray

It keeps getting better. It's shipping today. I wonder how long it will take to reach me in Central Virginia...

Originally Posted by eatswodo

When I ordered my X20 last year, I went in the opposite direction. Emerald had recently discontinued the Opus series - which is where my heart and wallet had landed. So, I whittled down the X20 Artisan to as close as I could get to Opus pricing - eliminate the pickup (which I didn't want anyway), and the hard shell case.

That was also my inclination when I started looking at Emerald guitars, but I don't think I'll regret having the hard case and pickup. The veneers look amazing, but as many of you pointed out, they look very different in regular lighting. My cabin in the woods has rather subdued lighting so I wasn't sure if I'd get my money's worth from a fancy veneer. And then there were all the other desirable but increasingly pricey options...

[Earl49]

Originally Posted by RP

It keeps getting better. It's shipping today. I wonder how long it will take to reach me in Central Virginia....

That is unusual, as they normally only ship in bulk on Fridays. They email an AnPost (Irish mail) tracking number which you can follow until it arrives at Heathrow in London. Once the tracking says "despatched from Heathrow" you lose all capability to follow your shipment until your guitar is released from customs. Then sometimes you'll see some tracking info on the USPS web site using the EF number they gave. My wife had better luck with the USPS phone app than I did on their web site, FWIW.

We've had four guitars shipped from Donegal and all got to us in 7-8 days here in Idaho. (Most came through NY but strangely enough one came to SF first, then on to us). The eight day one included a Federal holiday when US Customs had the day off. Fingers crossed for a quick delivery, and welcome to the Emerald club.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by RP

It keeps getting better. It's shipping today. I wonder how long it will take to reach me in Central Virginia...

Just saw it on today's shipping video...

[Captain Jim]

Good timing! Congrats on the incoming X20!

[RP]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

Just saw it on today's shipping video...

Way cool. I just watched it but had never previously seen an Emerald shipping video. Looks like a bunch coming to Virginia......

Originally Posted by Earl49

That is unusual, as they normally only ship in bulk on Fridays. They email an AnPost (Irish mail) tracking number which you can follow until it arrives at Heathrow in London. Once the tracking says "despatched from Heathrow" you lose all capability to follow your shipment until your guitar is released from customs. Then sometimes you'll see some tracking info on the USPS web site using the EF number they gave. My wife had better luck with the USPS phone app than I did on their web site, FWIW.

We've had four guitars shipped from Donegal and all got to us in 7-8 days here in Idaho. (Most came through NY but strangely enough one came to SF first, then on to us). The eight day one included a Federal holiday when US Customs had the day off. Fingers crossed for a quick delivery, and welcome to the Emerald club.

Thanks Earl. Who is going to teach me the secret handshake??? How do these hold up under strumming? Is it unheard of to apply a pick guard? If it's 7-8 days from Ireland to Idaho, is it feasible that I'll see it around the beginning of next week?

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by RP

Thanks Earl. Who is going to teach me the secret handshake??? How do these hold up under strumming? Is it unheard of to apply a pick guard? If it's 7-8 days from Ireland to Idaho, is it feasible that I'll see it around the beginning of next week?

The secret handshake appears in a vision after months of playing. They hold up fine under strumming - it's one of their strong points I'd say. I've never seen one with a pickguard - it's pretty tough to scratch that finish, but I guess you could put one on if you want. The two Emeralds I ordered directly from Ireland both left on a Friday and both arrived at my house the following Tuesday morning. So, yeah, if it moves through Heathrow and customs smoothly, you SHOULD see it by early next week - it could possibly even show up later this week. That said, there are horror stories of them taking a ridiculously long time, but I'd say the closer you are to New York by USPS, the quicker it's likely to be. I'm just outside of Philly, so we get stuff overnight from NYC all the time - you're probably an extra day or so, but still pretty close. You may as well start getting excited - by next week this time you should have it if not sooner....

[Earl49]

I wouldn't bother to apply a pickguard to my Emeralds (or my other CF guitars) but I generally don't need them on wood guitars either.

It is coming by air delivery, so the major hold up is US Customs. Her's hoping that yours sails through smoothly and that you have it by Monday. [fingers crossed]

[RP]

Originally Posted by raysachs

...I'd say the closer you are to New York by USPS, the quicker it's likely to be. I'm just outside of Philly, so we get stuff overnight from NYC all the time - you're probably an extra day or so, but still pretty close. You may as well start getting excited - by next week this time you should have it if not sooner....

Cool! Where outside Philly? It sounds like USPS handles the last leg of the relay so a Saturday delivery may be possible....