#76
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But the other thing to be aware of is that they're kind of like their bare carbon guitars in the sense that they look amazing photographed under Emerald's glamour lighting, but in the real world, they really suck up light and don't give much back. As beautiful as this guitar is, if I don't have it in a REALLY well lit spot, it's kind of just another guitar. Sort of like my red X20 is basically a very very dark purple 95% of the time under almost all normal lighting. I'm curious as to whether some of the lighter shade veneers are also like this or if they really pop more in ordinary lighting. Because mine, as gorgeous as it is when you can see it, needs a LOT of light to look great. So I bought a LOT of light for it! -Ray |
#77
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Ray, that starlet deserves to be in the spotlight! Good call!
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#78
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My black X20 doesn't change as much in various lighting, so I got that going for me.
__________________
YUP.... Emerald: X-20, Center hole X-10 (Maple) and X-7 (redwood), Spalted Chen Chen X 10 level 3, CA: Early OX and Cargo McPherson: Early Kevin Michael Proto Some wood things by Epi, Harmony, Takamine, Good Time, PRS, Slick, Gypsy Music, keyboards, wind controllers.. etc |
#79
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Great lighting tip! I wouldn't like the little clip on things though. Maybe I'll have to put in some recessed LED lights in the ceiling pointing at the wall the X20 (and soon the X7) hangs on to get that effect!
Like Ray, I'm planning on only keeping two and the battle has been raging in my mind since the day I placed my order back in July. Everytime I think the battle has been won (or lost, depending on the guitar!) I then have second thoughts the next time I pick up the loser, which is usually the Martin. Ray's early thoughts after first receiving the X7 mirror exactly what I assume mine will be: That the X7 feels and sounds very similar to the X20 and that this will be both a good AND bad thing! The Emeralds are my gigging guitar while the Martin is my choice for intimate unplugged playing. Like Ray, I'm going to wait until the X7 arrives and then A/B/C the three of them together before making the final choice. The wife did say just yesterday that a third guitar on the wall would be allowed although it would have to be on a different wall. |
#80
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I may end up keeping both X7s, but not at the same location. Our older daughter is in the last months of her medical residency up in Maine. When we travel up to see her there, we drive and I take a guitar along. But she's interviewing and entertaining contract offers for a permanent position starting in August or September and while, she MAY stay in the Northeast, it's looking more and more likely she's gonna end up out in the Pacific Northwest, either in Eugene or in the Olympia, WA area. If she ends up in the Northwest, we're going to be going out there at least a couple times per year, probably for at least a couple weeks at a time. And I hate flying with guitars.
So my thought is to just take or ship the older X7 out there, they can hang onto it for me, and when we visit, I'll have a guitar to play. There's an argument for selling the X7 and buying something dirt cheap out there, but any wood guitar is gonna suffer without any humidity management in that area, so a cheap-ish carbon fiber guitar is a better solution and a used older model X7 is selling for about as little as you can pay or a carbon fiber guitar. So, if she ends up out west, so may my older X7. I'm not gonna have an opportunity to sell it until March anyway, and she's going to have to make a commitment by the end of the year, so I'll figure this out before I was going to sell it anyway. It was a solution in search of a problem and I may have found the PERFECT problem for it! BUT, there's no question in my mind that IF I sell one of my three Emeralds, it would be the older X7. That question was settled within the first 2-3 days of having the new one... They're too similar to have them competing for the same playing time and, between the two, the new one is a clear winner for my wants/needs/preferences... And, oh yeah, I don't like the lighting arrangement either - I just wanted to see how well it worked and it works quite well. I'll give them some time and I figure I'll eventually not care about lighting the guitar anymore and take them down OR I'll get something nicer and more permanent. This is a cheap test drive... -Ray |
#81
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Is she in Portland? If she is and you come out I'm only an hour away! Maybe an hour and a quarter, tops.
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#82
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But, yeah, if you're on the New Hampshire Coast, we drive around Boston and then right up 95, so I'd imagine we pass not far from you. If she stays in the area, I'll get in touch and try to stop by one of these times. -Ray |
#83
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#84
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Ray;
And you still have money for a good guitar? I've been through the school stuff with myself and my daughter. Sort of leaves you breathless (and moneyless). |
#85
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She's absolutely worked her butt off for as long as I can remember - she's wanted to be a doc since she was about 5 years old. And it's about to pay off. I can't believe how much money she'll be making starting next year. And she's a family practice doc, not a specialist, so she won't make nearly the money of a lot of specialists. But she'll be making more than anyone in my family ever has, as far as I'm aware. She's not in it for the money, but she's gonna be in the money regardless. She's been so frugal for so long, it's gonna be interesting to see how she handles having those kind of resources. I might suggest she take up guitar! -Ray |
#86
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__________________
Emerald X30 Padauk Custom Emerald X20 Koa 1998 Gibson J200 Elite 1972 Martin D-28 McPherson Sable Breedlove Masterclass Taylor PS16ce Macassar |
#87
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I think her head is on real straight, but I also know most folks tend to “grow into” their incomes. And she’s gonna go from broke student and frugal intern to making about twice what my wife and I have ever made combined. If anybody can handle it, she will, but it’s gonna be an adjustment... But in the range of problems to have, its not a bad one... -Ray |
#88
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I actually just installed a door for one of my bedrooms yesterday as it was missing one when I got this place a few months ago so I must be doing ok in her book...first time I ever put a new one in with new hinges and all... I just had a curtain up as that room needed no real privacy. A few guitars are living in there and they are not modest it seems.
Sounds like a fine daughter you have there.
__________________
YUP.... Emerald: X-20, Center hole X-10 (Maple) and X-7 (redwood), Spalted Chen Chen X 10 level 3, CA: Early OX and Cargo McPherson: Early Kevin Michael Proto Some wood things by Epi, Harmony, Takamine, Good Time, PRS, Slick, Gypsy Music, keyboards, wind controllers.. etc |
#89
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And yeah, doors are good. I count 8 interior doors in our condo and there are only 1 or 2 I'd be OK to be without... She should be able to afford some doors soon... -Ray Last edited by raysachs; 12-10-2018 at 02:59 PM. |
#90
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Daughters use their Dad as a role model to look for boyfriends/husbands. So that says a lot about you Ray. Beautiful daughters and beautiful guitars....what more could a man want. :-)
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John |