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  #1  
Old 08-13-2022, 07:41 AM
gerardo1000 gerardo1000 is offline
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Default Journey RT660 or Rainsong CO OM ?

I am looking to add to my (small) collection of guitars (a Guild D-140 and a Recording King RO 328) a carbon fiber guitar with a OM or Concert body, and I have restricted my (theoretical) choice to the Rainsong Concert, orchestra model, and the Journey RT660. I do not intend to travel, I just want a nice guitar to be always on the wall even during the Michigan winters, with no concerns for the lack of humidity.
I know that the two guitars are quite different in size and scale length, but still they would both fit my needs, they both have a 1 3/4 neck, and I mainly play fingerstyle, and am not a fan of the dreadnought shape.
Now my question is: does the Rainsong deserve to cost more than two times the Journey? Does it sound SO much better? I do not have stores in Michigan that stock both guitars therefore I cannot make a comparison. Thank you in advance for your opinions!
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Old 08-13-2022, 08:31 AM
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Originally Posted by gerardo1000 View Post
...Now my question is: does the Rainsong deserve to cost more than two times the Journey? Does it sound SO much better? ...
Let me preface this by saying I don't own, nor have I played either of these guitars. But I recently bought a Journey OF660 and reviewed it in a couple posts here. I can compare the OF660 to an Emerald X-20, which costs around twice as much as the Journey. It's pretty clear to me that Emerald (and perhaps Rainsong) put more effort into fit/finish, so I'm sure labor costs are much higher for my X-20 than the OF660. So that could be part of the cost difference between the RT and the Rainsong. My X-20 is also much more responsive than the Journey. I've heard from other forum members that the RT is on the quiet side. That may or may not make a difference for you. Even though my OF660 is quiet I'm hanging on to it because I like its warm bass-rich voice, and because I was looking for a travel guitar.

Just curious, have you ruled out Emerald for some reason? They are comparable in price to the Rainsong.

Best of luck in your search. Being unable to try them out doesn't make it any easier. You might also check out the thread here regarding people who are willing to let people take their CF guitars for a spin. Might be someone near you.
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Old 08-13-2022, 08:54 AM
gerardo1000 gerardo1000 is offline
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Thank you Kevin for your answer. I must say that to compare the sound of an X-20, which has almost a (sort of) dreadnought depth and size, with a Journey OF 660 which is definitely a small body, is a bit unfair :-)
The difference between the RT 660 and the Rainsong OM bodies instead is smaller, that is why I was looking for that type of comparison.
Regarding Emerald... I definitely discarded the X 7 which is a bit too small for my taste and needs (I am 6ft tall) and as already said I do not need to travel with the guitar. I discarded the X 10 because of the 1 11/16 neck that for me is a no no. So I am left with the X-20 which is maybe a bit too deep and big in size for me, although I understand that it is nicely shaped so that it looks smaller when you hold it. But I have a couple of issues with the X 20. I listened (with headphones) to dozens of demos of the guitar, either from Emerald itself and for other players, and I am not sure about the sound. from what I can understand listening to audio and video clips, Rainsong guitars seem to have a warmer, more natural tone. Secondly, I really do not like the design of the Emerald pinless bridge. If it was similar to the one adopted by Breedlove, I would have no problem. But THAT pinless bridge, I am afraid, calls for trouble in time, which defeats the purpose of having an ever lasting carbon fiber guitar. So, that is the reason why I am left, in my mind, with a Rainsong OM or a Journey RT 660. The video and sound clips of the RT 660 (There are not too many) show quite a nice sound with decent low end...but again, nothing can compete with a test in person, that is why I am hoping that some forum members who had the opportunity to play these guitars can help.
P.S. I also looked at McPherson. I discarded the Touring because of the 22.5 inches scale. I love the Sable, from what I can judge listening to youtube videos. But it is a big guitar. I am looking, as salready said, for a OM or concert size.
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Old 08-13-2022, 10:42 AM
jricc jricc is offline
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Hi gerardo, from my experience with both, I own a Rainsong CH-OM and have played the Journey, I'd choose the Rainsong hands down. It sounds excellent and IMO, is just a better built guitar. I've gigged it over 500 times outdoors and it handles the elements like a champ.

The Journey was certainly not a bad guitar, but to me, felt like a travel guitar and was pretty heavy in comparison to the Rainsong.

Hope this helps.
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Old 08-13-2022, 11:10 AM
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Originally Posted by gerardo1000 View Post
Thank you Kevin for your answer. I must say that to compare the sound of an X-20, which has almost a (sort of) dreadnought depth and size, with a Journey OF 660 which is definitely a small body, is a bit unfair :-)
The difference between the RT 660 and the Rainsong OM bodies instead is smaller, that is why I was looking for that type of comparison....
Absolutely, when talking about sound. The point I was trying to make is that the difference in price between the two is, shall we say, probably because Journey spends less time on getting it right - at least from my experience with the OF660. Their wood guitars might be a different story.

It's hard to get a feel for the size of a guitar if you can't play it, which is common for CF guitars. Emerald promotes the X-20 as their dreadnaught size. But really its more like an OM. Here's a side-by-side comparison of the Rainsong, an X-20, and the Journey RT:

E vs RS vs J.jpg

The X-20 is actually a wee bit smaller than the Rainsong in the lower bout, and about 0.5" shorter in body length. More importantly, the X-20 has a sort of organic shape with curves and bevels to contour to a players body. I'm 5'8" and normally don't like OM-size guitars as much as 00. But the X-20 feels way smaller than my OM-size Huss & Dalton, even though they are close in size. For me, the unique shape of the X-20 is one of its best features.

However, if the sound of the Rainsong appeals more, that's the way to go.

I see that Guitar Center carries Rainsong. Their easy return policy would make that a safe bet.

Last edited by KevinH; 08-13-2022 at 11:33 AM.
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Old 08-14-2022, 02:04 PM
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VJP5 VJP5 is offline
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I’ve had both a Rainsong Shorty and OM. I currently have the RT660. Here are my thoughts:

Tone: on its own, the Rainsong is better balanced IMO. The Journey has a surprising amount of bass, given its size. Like any other guitar, strings and your attack can influence this, but overall, I prefer the tone of the Rainsong.

Quality: on its own, the Rainsong is superior. Out of the box it was near perfect, with just a few tweaks on a setup. My new Journey needed the nut replaced. It was virtually unplayable out of the box. There are several blemishes that passed QC, which shouldn’t have IMO. Even the lower saddle needed to be sanded. All minor costs but something to consider.

So why do I have the Journey? I was looking to get a travel guitar for camping and the beach. Looks we’re not important to me. Tone and portability were higher on the list. Even with the extra setup costs, the Rainsong was more than twice the Journey. With time and strings, RT660 is less bass heavy and just fun to play. The more I play it, the happier I am with the tone. I also don’t gig, so the minor tone sacrifice wasn’t a concern for my livelihood. FOR ME, I’m glad I saved the $1000+ as I put that money towards my custom X20 (on the way ). Hope this helps you.

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Old 08-14-2022, 02:13 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gerardo1000 View Post
I am looking to add to my (small) collection of guitars (a Guild D-140 and a Recording King RO 328) a carbon fiber guitar with a OM or Concert body, and I have restricted my (theoretical) choice to the Rainsong Concert, orchestra model, and the Journey RT660. I do not intend to travel, I just want a nice guitar to be always on the wall even during the Michigan winters, with no concerns for the lack of humidity.
I know that the two guitars are quite different in size and scale length, but still they would both fit my needs, they both have a 1 3/4 neck, and I mainly play fingerstyle, and am not a fan of the dreadnought shape.
Now my question is: does the Rainsong deserve to cost more than two times the Journey? Does it sound SO much better? I do not have stores in Michigan that stock both guitars therefore I cannot make a comparison. Thank you in advance for your opinions!
If you don't need to travel by plane, then this could be your next fun, take anywhere, stage-ready (even if you don't want to do this), durable guitar: Enya X4 Pro AcousticPlus Carbon/Composite Guitar
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Old 08-15-2022, 02:17 AM
gerardo1000 gerardo1000 is offline
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Thank you for the suggestion, Spruce Top. But the 1 11/16 neck width of the Enya Pro is definitely a no no for me!
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Old 08-15-2022, 10:40 AM
casualmusic casualmusic is offline
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Thank you for the suggestion, Spruce Top. But the 1 11/16 neck width of the Enya Pro is definitely a no no for me!
Would 37mm spacing carved into a new nut work? On his Enya thread Spruce Top estimated the max safe spacing without rolling strings off the edges of the fretboard.

Cheers
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Old 08-15-2022, 11:51 AM
Frettingflyer Frettingflyer is offline
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I have a Rainsong OM and have borrowed and tried the OF660. Obviously I prefer the OM, but I must echo the above to consider the X20, it really does feel smaller than it is.
Like you I play mostly fingerstyle and prefer the 1 3/4” nut. Good luck whatever you decide, and don’t forget the McPherson!
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  #11  
Old 08-19-2022, 04:36 AM
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Hi Geraldo

There is a used RainSong ASPE, dressy version of OM, listed on the Manchester Music Mill website.

https://manchestermusicmill.com/rain...ag-x7901-used/

Cheers.
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