Who uses their CF guitars outside in the elements?

[ac]

Emerald X7-OS and X7 are both travel size, about 13.5 inches across the body, 34 inches long. Super light. There is only one smaller and lighter CF guitar made and that is the X5-OS. It's an inch less wide, inch less long, and slightly thinner--but the sound is almost like the X7s. All carbon fiber, even the fretboard, stainless steel frets. The tuners, strings and any electronics you add would be affected by water. Super, super guitar 2.7 or 2.8 lbs (I forget). The X7s give you a little more room for your arm--depending on your playing style and the X7-OS is the only carbon fiber guitar which includes a beveled edge for your arm. That's a nice touch and why I went with the X7-OS, but I'd love to have an X5-OS as well.

BTW, the X7s are both smaller and lighter than the Cargo but yet have a 24 inch scale length, not 22.x like the Cargo. Some love the Cargos scale length but it is too small and crowded for me--and I'm not a big guy.

Unplugged:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDcIFHTUsrk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFjURA5jsCk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBvhSoMyaq0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm-SM4exY10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLjvghAiBuU

[sonicland]

I took my RainSong on a ski trip last January and was going to take pictures of me playing it out in the snow. I chickened out, not because of the guitar but because of the MiniFlex 2Mic that's in it. I was worried that taking it out of the case in 20 degree temps might damage the condenser elements in the mics. Don't know if that's true or not but I decided not to chance it.

[djphelan01]

I have a CA cargo that I leave in my truck most of the year and play it on my lunch break at work.

[kramster]

I keep an X-7 in my truck a lot for after a hike or kayak outing or what ever... folks pretty much expect that I have it with me... sometimes a cargo is with me too...

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by djphelan01

I have a CA cargo that I leave in my truck most of the year and play it on my lunch break at work.

Originally Posted by kramster

I keep an X-7 in my truck a lot for after a hike or kayak outing or what ever... folks pretty much expect that I have it with me... sometimes a cargo is with me too...

Leaving the guitar in the car for when it's needed. Definitely not something you can do year round with an all solid wood guitar.

[jonfields45]

In my serial guitar ownership saga (compulsion?), I've owned every brand of composite guitar. All of them have survived sunny summer days in my car trunk, in a light gig bag, with no issues. I don't think I will ever go back to a wooden acoustic for this reason alone. You can find plenty of postings on this forum about insulated case covers, elaborate humidification solutions, and other extremes of wooden guitar maintenance. Even if I did not think my RS CO-DR1100N2 had excellent tone and an edge in projection/volume, I would still be playing it because it can always be where I go with no fuss. I bought an insurance rider for theft and I'll just buy another with no worries I can't get truly the same instrument. Jon

[dkoloff]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Is the Emerald X7os also a travel guitar, like the Cargo?

The x-5, x-7 and even the X-10 from Emerald make for very nice travel guitars....particularly the x7Os..offset soundhole.

[kramster]

My X-7 is smaller than the cargo when I travel as I have it in an X-5 case...
..my only luggage when I went to Kauai.. Undies and socks and things all in and around the guitar




And here on a local (short) model...

[Mr Fixit eh]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Hey All. Just wondering ... who uses their carbon fiber guitars in places where one would be afraid to use a solid wood acoustic? I'm guessing in places where you don't have to worry about the humidity but anywhere else?

Yes, why else would you have a CF guitar?

Well actually, I'd consider buying my Rainsong SWS1000 based on tone alone, but that was a bonus. I play it outside as cold as I can stand busking. I don't play it in the rain to any great extent because it does have electrics. I'm not afraid to leave it in the car in the heat of summer (other than theft)

Steve

[ac]

Originally Posted by kramster

My X-7 is smaller than the cargo when I travel as I have it in an X-5 case...
..my only luggage when I went to Kauai.. Undies and socks and things all in and around the guitar

How is the fit in the X5 case? Is it tight on the ends--as in the point of the headstock feels hard from the outside of the case--or does it still have padding you can feel?

I bought the Martin Baby (or big Baby--I forget) gig bag and it makes the smallest looking package possible, I think. But it is actually "too" short. The headstock feels completely hard from the outside of the case so the padding isn't protecting too much right there. Also, the padding of the Martin gigbag is nowhere as nice as the Emerald bag and the Emerald bag is super tough nylon vs. some poly/cotton cloth used in the Martin bag--which is already fraying.

I'm asking because if the fit is near perfect, it sounds like a great bag to get for the X7. There is another bag out there that is very nice and looks smaller because it is form fitting, but it is not any shorter than the original X7 bag. The Martin and the X5 bag are shorter--but too short is not good.

[Steve Christens]

There was a fair amount of discussion on bags for Emeralds over at McNichols. If you can find one of the older style Taylor Baby bags those about the smallest you can go with an Emerald X7. I tried one at the store and didn't like how tight it was about the body. But the Road Runner Little Brat was quite a good fit.

http://macnichol.com/forum-post/4807?page=1

[buzzardwhiskey]

I played a gig in Lava Hot Springs near some hot pools this winter. The air temps got down to around 16 degrees F. I kept my fingers warm (or tried) using two portable heaters, one just inches from my fretting hand and the other at my feet. The foam ball covering my mic was ice encrusted by the end of my set.

At the other end of the spectrum, I play at a farmers market in the summer and it has occasionally been 95 or so.

[kramster]

Fairly tight fit yes.

[scooter74]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Hey All. Just wondering ... who uses their carbon fiber guitars in places where one would be afraid to use a solid wood acoustic? I'm guessing in places where you don't have to worry about the humidity but anywhere else?

Like on the beach, camping and snow? Ah, yes, count me in.

[kramster]

Yesterday....