Emerald and RainSong necks

[DethWshBkr]

Does anyone know the fretboard radius on the RainSong and the Emerald X30?

I find my RainSong to be significantly easier to play chordally. Seems more difficult to not buzz anything on the Emerald, and just more effort to barre. I have the same strings, and the action is quite nice on both. I'm wondering if the Emerald has a smaller fretboard radius for one....

[jklotz]

Originally Posted by DethWshBkr

Does anyone know the fretboard radius on the RainSong and the Emerald X30?

I find my RainSong to be significantly easier to play chordally. Seems more difficult to not buzz anything on the Emerald, and just more effort to barre. I have the same strings, and the action is quite nice on both. I'm wondering if the Emerald has a smaller fretboard radius for one....

I have no idea about the rainsong, I've never played one, but my X20 seems to have a very flat radius on the fb. I've noticed the same as you, bar chords are a little difficult on it. I also find the neck shape to be a little awkward. More like a D shape with a flat back and wider shoulders, than a C shape which I greatly prefer. Lowdens are the same way - maybe it's an Irish thing?

BTW - I just looked at the Emerald site. They don't list the fb radius in the specs for my x-20. It feels like an 18" or maybe a 20", but I haven't measured it.

[northtrader]

Rainsong is 20" radius

[lat18]

Originally Posted by jklotz

I have no idea about the rainsong, I've never played one, but my X20 seems to have a very flat radius on the fb. I've noticed the same as you, bar chords are a little difficult on it. I also find the neck shape to be a little awkward. More like a D shape with a flat back and wider shoulders, than a C shape which I greatly prefer. Lowdens are the same way - maybe it's an Irish thing?

BTW - I just looked at the Emerald site. They don't list the fb radius in the specs for my x-20. It feels like an 18" or maybe a 20", but I haven't measured it.

I totally agree. I have a Rainsong and a CA which both have C-shaped necks. I bought an X-20 and after two years I still hate the D-shaped neck, can't get used to it. I guess I should just sell it. Sure do like the arm bevel though.

[DethWshBkr]

So I do have a contour gauge, and I checked.
The RainSong neck is CLEARLY deeper, but more rounded. The Emerald neck is shallower and more flat.

Now, the fretboard, the RainSong is flatter than the Emerald. If the RainSong is 20", I would estimate the Emerald is 16".

At third fret, the RainSong is slightly narrower, but at the 12th fret, it is a lot wider.

[Tøf]

Emerald indicates a radius of 16” for the X30 in the specs.

[redi]

Might be Emeralds seem to have necks that get a bit wider from about the 7th fret up. Mine do, and some others have noted this. Another poster on the forum ordered a different neck spec recently in another thread to address this.

The standard neck profile is a bit of an Emerald oddity from my perspective. I have no other guitars in the stable where the neck gets notably wider outside the string spacing the higher you go.

[Tøf]

I did the same, I ordered my X20 with a tappered profile as I found the standard one too wide up the neck. I don’t think it’s possible anymore though, at least not for the time being.

[Methos1979]

My RainSong(s) neck is very flat, very similar to my Froggy Bottom. Frankly, I would prefer a bit more radius. I don't remember any of my Emerald's having a particularly flat radius. I find fretting bar chords harder on guitars with a flatter radius.

[domen]

Yes all Emeralds have 16" radius except x10 with 12-16" compound radius.
I have an x20 with 12-16" compound radius and i feel more comfortable do barres on first frets. but also depends a lot on how we phisically do the barre, someone coming from a classical school setting prefers a flat freatboard. Not me.