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Old 04-18-2019, 10:39 PM
g.macdonnell g.macdonnell is offline
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Post Rainsong CH-OM: Initial Review

10 days ago I received a CH-OM1100NS from Ted & Helene at LA Guitar Sales, who were terrific. It’s my first Carbon Fiber guitar, but I’ve been playing & working on guitars for 20 years. The stability of CF was certainly the primary factor, b/c of the temperature & humidity where I live & travel. That said, I’ve played enough Rainsongs to know I like their tone. I was really excited when the Concert Hybrid series came out, since I love the Rainsong NS neck, and I don’t have a ton of money.

Initial Impressions:
After 10 days to really play with the Rainsong, & I’ve been very impressed. My first thought after opening the excellent case, was that the guitar is beautiful. The unidirectional top reminds me of Obsidian Falls in Oregon, water running over black rock. The result combined with the weaved back & sides is stunning. The Inlays are subtle & flawlessly executed, and the overall fit & finish is superb. The edges of the soundboard seamlessly blend to the back and sides. It’s an understated, yet elegant instrument, and a fascinating blend of modernity & tradition.

I’ve played several Rainsongs, but am always amazed at how lightweight they are. This OM is barely over 3lbs., compared to a friends Bourgeois OMC, (mahogany/ spruce & Waverly tuners,) at 3.95 lbs. The balance is slightly neck heavy, about the same as any light acoustic with diecast tuners. The Gotoh 18-to-1 tuners are smooth & accurate, but slightly heavy. I saved 2 oz at the headstock by installing some Gotoh black acrylic tuner buttons. After consulting’s dave at Rainsong, (great customer service!,) I ordered a set of CXB-01, which are Carbon Fiber open-backed tuners w/ threaded bushings. They weigh only 3.7 oz for a set. I’ll have to drill a 2nd hole to mount the tuners, but I work on carbon Fiber & graphite fairly often at my day job.

Setup, Fit & Finish:

The setup is perfect; the action is 0.058” on the 1st string, 0.079” on the 6th. Relief is 0.009”, with zero buzzing. There’s 0.27” of saddle above
the bridge slot. A straightedge resting on the 13th fret hits about 1/16” below the top of the bridge, but a longer straight edge rests right on top. I suspect this is due to some deliberate fall-away on the upper frets. There is no “bellying” on the top. The fact that setup will remain perfect regardless of weather is amazing.

The intonation is remarkable. Most strings are well under 2 Cents, (1.25-1.5 is the average,) except the 6th, which is about 2.25-3 cents, (though with a light touch I can get it under 2 cents.) The 1st & 2nd are within 0.5 Cents, & the 3rd string isn’t far behind. Incredible!

The fretwork is flawless; perfectly filed ends, mirror-polished tops, no high or low spots. There’s just enough fall-away to prevent buzzing when strummed hard, and the edges of the fretboard are nicely chamfered. The fret ends are pocketed, giving an appearance similar to binding. It’s is easily one of the finest fret jobs I’ve ever seen.

I’ve been doing fretwork for about 15 years, and usually find something to correct. Apart from luthier-built guitars, the only makers I’ve seen to rival Rainsong are Bourgeois, Collings, Huss & Dalton, McPherson, US-made PRS acoustics, & Santa Cruz.

The neck shape is wonderful, reminiscent of a ‘59 Gibson profile, but with a bit less shoulder. It’s about 0.9” at the first fret w/ a slight taper. I’ve always preferred thicker necks for long-term comfort, but my friends who’ve play it also loved the shape, and one of them wears a women’s small glove & plays Taylors.

Tone:

The most important aspect, of course, is tone. The first thing I noticed was the dynamics; this guitar is one of the most responsive I’ve played. Played lightly fingerstyle, it has a breathy, warm tone with exceptional clarity. You can hear each note even strummed hard, & altered tunings are piano-like. Flatpicking with a heavy touch, it has a soaring tone, bright, but full of detail & richness.

The pick attack is instantaneous, yet not overly percussive, (it doesn’t have that explosive Selmer-Macaferri pick attack.) Strummed aggressively it has remarkable definition & seemingly unlimited headroom. While not truly scientific, I did do some testing with a cheap dB meter. I compared the Rainsong CH-OM with a couple dreadnoughts & OM’s. The loudest competition was from a friend’s Bourgeois OM & Dreadnought. 1’ from the soundhole, the Rainsong could easily achieve over 96 dB, with the hardest strums hitting 100.1. As a comparison, a Bourgeois spruce/mahogany dreadnought averaged around 94, with maximum readings of 99.2. The Bourgeois OMC was slightly quieter, around 93 average, with the highest reading at 97.8. Interesting, a light touch exacerbated the volume discrepancy, with the Rainsong, often 3+ dB higher than the competition. Again, take these readings with a grain of salt, but the readings do reflect the subjective experience in the room.

The fast response, clarity & brightness is reminiscent of a fine spruce/mahogany guitar, but in addition those characteristics, there’s some really unique attributes. It‘s incredibly even across the frequency spectrum, resulting in more presence in the treble, and a fuller midrange & & louder bass than a similar-sized wood guitar.

The sustain is amazing, & even on every fret & string, as if there is an onboard compressor. Combined with the fuller midrange, it is almost reminiscent of an acoustic recorded with an external mic blended with a good pickup system.

I’m skeptical that in a blind test most listeners would notice something “different” about it’s tone. Blindfolded, an experienced player would hear the discrepancies with a traditional guitar, but I don’t think you’d characterize it as “unnatural.”

Because it’s so dynamic & has a flatter response, to get a more traditional acoustic sound, you have to use a lighter touch. But taking advantage of those characteristics allows you to get a wide range tones previously unavailable. In particular, there’s a lot of potential for lead playing & fingerstyle. I’m really looking forward to figuring out how to best incorporate these possibilities .

Conclusion:
Obviously, I love the guitar. The more I play it, the more I discover attributes I appreciate. I may add a clear pickguard to protect it during jam sessions. I have some scrap 1mm carbon fiber & will make a truss rod cover, (I don’t mind the stock cover, but CF covers look great!) I’ll add those Gotoh CF tuners when they arrive, (made to order in Japan.) I already have a good OM gigbag, but maybe offering one instead of the (high quality,) case would be a good way to highlight the lightweight & durability for players on the move.
At some point, I will add a pickup, but haven’t decided which system. I love K&K, & considered order w/ or installed, but when I plug in w/ other instruments, sometimes the K&K’s I’ve tried are a bit undefined & feeds back, (played solo, it’s great.) I’m actually looking at the Mi-Si Motif and/or Air, to maintain the lightweight but with an active system.

I’d like to thank Helene, Ted & Dave for seeing me in the right direction, and everyone at Rainsong for making such a great guitar, at a price working people can afford.

If this guitar were identical in feel & sound, but made of wood, I’d still love it. The fact that I can let it sit out in the humid & dry months, and bring it with me on jobs & volunteer projects, means I can spend less time worrying & working on the guitar & more time making music. That is a wonderful thing!
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Old 04-19-2019, 03:55 AM
Finger Stylish Finger Stylish is offline
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Great review.
Glad you're happy with your new Rainsong!
I have tested almost every string out there on my Rainsong, and the Martin Retro Custom Lights are what I've been using for 2 years. Great long lasting strings.
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Old 04-19-2019, 05:28 AM
g.macdonnell g.macdonnell is offline
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Thank you! I’m a longtime reader of this forum, & have learned a lot here & at the sadly defunct MacNichols forum.

I have a set of the Martin Retro’s & a D’addario NYXL Nickel, after reading how well they compliment CF guitars. I’m really looking to trying them out. Usually I prefer Pearse 92/8’s, & during the humid months I usually use Martin Lifetime SP’s, & will give those a try as well. (I also have some Silk & Steels, Pyramids & Thomastik’s I may try out.)

I definitely hear the brightness some people have complained about, but so far
have found it quite manageable with changes in picking technique.

I notice picking with the flat of the pick at the bottom edge of the soundhole, as is fairly standard, highlights the attack & brightness. Using more pick edge and shifting about 1” towards the neck makes a significant difference, & with the 12th fret bridge location, is actually where my arm naturally falls.

I have noticed a dramatic difference in tone with different pick materials, with my favorite casein picks, (Red Bear, Pearse or Clayton,) working beautifully with the Rainsong. Polycarbonate picks are usually my “pocket” pick, (Ultex/Ultem,) and those work well, but definitely highlight the brightness. Nylon is quite warm, but I miss the overtones & powerful range. Celluloid picks are a great middle ground.

Any other suggestions for techniques, strings etc?
Thanks in advance!
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Old 04-19-2019, 06:09 AM
jonfields45 jonfields45 is offline
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If you would like a static cling pickguard PM or email me your address and I'll send you one.

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Old 04-19-2019, 06:47 AM
kramster kramster is offline
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The CH OM is a great critter for sure.. I kinda love mine.
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Old 04-19-2019, 07:23 AM
Captain Jim Captain Jim is offline
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Nice review. And, welcome to the carbon fiber world. Good to have options... including the option of having the guitar out and being able to ignore the humidity (or lack of).
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Old 04-19-2019, 09:05 AM
JerryM JerryM is offline
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Great review and it more or less mirrors my experience, have had five RS's over the past few years. My only objection on any of them was the trap door electronics which I just don't care for. Worked great, but aesthetic wise don't like them.
Super fast neck and playability for sure, playing up tempo fiddle tunes and Celtic the action once dialed in is wonderful and I like the neck profile.
The pick I have settled on after many is the TAD40 by BC. Very fast and it has a round tone and full tone on the CF.
I have used the Martin Retros as well, they work good, but my go to string now is SCGC low tension. Last a conservative 3 mo. and that's playing every day. On the CF they give an nice projection and cut thru a mix well.
Glad your enjoying your new guitar, and I also second the Ted and Helene recommendation , they are super people and always give good prices.
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Old 04-19-2019, 09:30 AM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by g.macdonnell View Post
.....If this guitar were identical in feel & sound, but made of wood, I’d still love it.
That says it all, plus the rest of the review is very well done! Tone is paramount, and CF tone is different than wood - not necessarily better or worse, just a different mix of response, overtones, and sustain. Good description.

I bought a classic all-weave WS-1000 about 18 years ago based on playability and durability, but still a very nice tone. It has seen many gigs and many campfire jam sessions. If I were shopping today the choice might be the C-H version instead based on the lower price and the warmer tone. I'm still quite happy with the original too.....
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Old 04-21-2019, 06:46 AM
g.macdonnell g.macdonnell is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonfields45 View Post
If you would like a static cling pickguard PM or email me your address and I'll send you one.

Thank you so much, Jon! Those look great. I do already have some clear pickguard material, but I truly appreciate it. Such camaraderie on this forum!
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Old 04-21-2019, 07:05 AM
g.macdonnell g.macdonnell is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JerryM View Post
Great review and it more or less mirrors my experience, have had five RS's over the past few years. My only objection on any of them was the trap door electronics which I just don't care for. Worked great, but aesthetic wise don't like them.
Super fast neck and playability for sure, playing up tempo fiddle tunes and Celtic the action once dialed in is wonderful and I like the neck profile.
The pick I have settled on after many is the TAD40 by BC. Very fast and it has a round tone and full tone on the CF.
I have used the Martin Retros as well, they work good, but my go to string now is SCGC low tension. Last a conservative 3 mo. and that's playing every day. On the CF they give an nice projection and cut thru a mix well.
Glad your enjoying your new guitar, and I also second the Ted and Helene recommendation , they are super people and always give good prices.
I agree about the barn door- it’s great that Rainsong has embraced more options, including no pickup. Barn doors are convenient, but as pickup technology changes, having one can reduce your options. (It would be great if barn doors were standardized throughout the industry, though. I like that Takamine’s setup allows you to drop in a newer preamp in any of their guitars.)


I’m so glad you mentioned the Blue Chip pick- I’ve got a TAD 50 I forgot to try. It’s a great compliment to the Rainsong. Warmer & fatter than a casein pick, but more articulate than celluloid or nylon.


I’ll have to order a set of the Santa Cruz strings. Looking around here i’d heard good things, which I’d expect from them.

As a side note, a friend snagged a OM/PW a few years back for about $1700! he’d called me to ask if that was a decent price l, & I was foolish enough to be honest! Great guitar! I once spoke briefly w/ Richard Hoover, & was so impressed by his knowledge & generosity.

It’s heartening to know that there are so many great people in this industry.
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Old 04-21-2019, 07:12 AM
g.macdonnell g.macdonnell is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl49 View Post
That says it all, plus the rest of the review is very well done! Tone is paramount, and CF tone is different than wood - not necessarily better or worse, just a different mix of response, overtones, and sustain. Good description.

I bought a classic all-weave WS-1000 about 18 years ago based on playability and durability, but still a very nice tone. It has seen many gigs and many campfire jam sessions. If I were shopping today the choice might be the C-H version instead based on the lower price and the warmer tone. I'm still quite happy with the original too.....
That is really cool! Those Rainsongs are the guitars my friends and I lusted over in school. I really like the Classic series Rainsong’s tone. They definitely have more treble presence, & their clarity is unmatched.

The Concert Hybrid series is definitely closer to “familiar” territory, and a bit warmer, but they’re equally musical. The Classic are less forgiving, though!
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Old 04-21-2019, 12:36 PM
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I own one of the hybrids series in a dread. Very nice. The tone and playability are exceptional. I bought the one without a pickup and had a pickup of my choice added by my luthier.
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Old 04-22-2019, 05:20 AM
g.macdonnell g.macdonnell is offline
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Originally Posted by BoneDigger View Post
I own one of the hybrids series in a dread. Very nice. The tone and playability are exceptional. I bought the one without a pickup and had a pickup of my choice added by my luthier.
If I may, what pickup did you decide on?

After looking at a Blackbird guitar, I’m interested in the Mi-Si offerings, but don’t see too much posted about them, though most of it is positive
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Old 04-22-2019, 05:41 AM
jonfields45 jonfields45 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by g.macdonnell View Post
If I may, what pickup did you decide on?

After looking at a Blackbird guitar, I’m interested in the Mi-Si offerings, but don’t see too much posted about them, though most of it is positive
I gig with a Mi-Si Trio. It is similar to a Baggs Element in overall performance as it is based on the same UST. It is a very minimal footprint inside your guitar but you do need to charge it periodically. I did test mine once letting a charge go 4 weeks and then see how long it would run. It seemed to easily exceed the promised 18 hours. None the less I keep the charger cable slung over the guitar's case so that I remember to charge before leaving the house. It works well with Tonedextor if you need to tweak to perfection.



I've got another nearly identical guitar with a passive soundboard transducer. I have the Schatten HFN instead of the AGF standard K&K. It can be EQ'ed to a much better acoustic tone than the Mi-Si, but is unusable without EQ for me (a K&K sounds fine to me without EQ). Its big advantage over the K&K is ease of installation with no cyanoacrylate glue required. The HFN is good enough that Tonedextor is probably a much slighter improvement.



I use a Schatten BB-03 for a volume control on the guitar when I feel I need one. It is internally a 500K ohm log taper POT and will work with the HFN or the Mi-Si. I made a low impedance version (25K) that in theory is a better choice for the active Mi-Si but in practice makes no difference.

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Last edited by jonfields45; 04-23-2019 at 09:57 AM.
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Old 04-22-2019, 10:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by g.macdonnell View Post
If I may, what pickup did you decide on?

After looking at a Blackbird guitar, I’m interested in the Mi-Si offerings, but don’t see too much posted about them, though most of it is positive
I put in a Fishman Matrix Infinity. I realize some people don't like those, but it works well for me!
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