Advice on a CF Fingerstyle Guitar

benderman57 · #1 05-15-2012, 06:45 AM

Need some advice. I’m on the lookout for a fingerstyle CF guitar. I own a couple of CA Dreads, a cargo, and a Rainsong 12 string so I’m really in to the CF guitars especially for gigging. I’d like to get something smaller bodied for playing fingerstyle on gigs with a pickup of course.

Right now I’ve been at home playing a little Recording King 12 fret 00 size that is really about perfect for doing styles like James Taylor and stuff like that. I can do them really on any guitar but am really liking the size & sound out of the smaller bodied guitar for this kind of stuff.

I’m looking at Rainsong Shorty’s, and I’m sure they would work well but wanted to know what other stuff people are liking like Blackbird, ???
Any help anyone can share would be great as hard to just got to a shop around where I live and play different stuff.

Thanks for your time!

Mr. Ed · #2 05-15-2012, 08:02 AM

I mostly play fingerstyle. My Rainsong OM1000 works perfect. You probably are right about the Shorty.

tbeltrans · #3 05-15-2012, 05:51 PM

In my personal opinion, you have already got it with your Cargo. But then, advice like that doesn't help generate new sales.

Tony

scooter74 · #4 05-16-2012, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

In my personal opinion, you have already got it with your Cargo. But then, advice like that doesn't help generate new sales.

Tony

You know on paper the Cargo would seem to work well for FS, and it will do in a pinch, but it's not ideal. I own a Cargo and find the super short scale and less than perfect intonation higher up the neck means it's better suited to cowboy chords. If we are talking travel size than the Emerald X7 would be a better candidate IMO but the OP isn't looking for a travel FS.

rwskaggs · #5 05-17-2012, 04:34 AM

My Rainsong dread is fantastic for fingerstyle - in spite of the larger body. Very responsive to the lightest touch, but will roar with the Martin D's at our bluegrass jams.

I use the D'Addario PB Bluegrass gauge strings, and they feel like lights on it...

benderman57 · #6 05-17-2012, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilstev

You know on paper the Cargo would seem to work well for FS, and it will do in a pinch, but it's not ideal. I own a Cargo and find the super short scale and less than perfect intonation higher up the neck means it's better suited to cowboy chords. If we are talking travel size than the Emerald X7 would be a better candidate IMO but the OP isn't looking for a travel FS.

I agree, I mean I can make it work for FS and have but a little less than ideal for me personally. I really am loving my Recording King RP1-626-C so I may just end up outfitting it with a pickup but I'd kinda just like to have a CF for plugging in and travel. Plus what a great excuse to buy another guitar!

As always I value peoples opinion so thanks everyone!

tbeltrans · #7 05-17-2012, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilstev

You know on paper the Cargo would seem to work well for FS, and it will do in a pinch, but it's not ideal. I own a Cargo and find the super short scale and less than perfect intonation higher up the neck means it's better suited to cowboy chords. If we are talking travel size than the Emerald X7 would be a better candidate IMO but the OP isn't looking for a travel FS.

I also own Cargos and find them to be just fine. I realize many people don't care for the short scale, but for some of us it is fine. One way to use it is to approach the instrument as a 12 fret that allows occasional reaches to the higher frets. That is how I do it, since I have always preferred 12 fret instruments anyway.

However, in general, I think my suggestion should be taken as that. If it doesn't work for the OP, fine. My own experience with suggestions in forums has been that there have been times when somebody suggested something that I had initially rejected, but when I revisited the suggestion, found it workable. So maybe an open mind on this would be better than clamping down right away.

Regards,

Tony

tbeltrans · #8 05-17-2012, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benderman57

I agree, I mean I can make it work for FS and have but a little less than ideal for me personally. I really am loving my Recording King RP1-626-C so I may just end up outfitting it with a pickup but I'd kinda just like to have a CF for plugging in and travel. Plus what a great excuse to buy another guitar!

As always I value peoples opinion so thanks everyone!

This response was quite a bit friendlier and more open-minded. I can suggest an idea and people can either try it or reject it, but at least considering it seems worthwhile. I treat threads like this as a sort of "brainstorming" session in which ideas can be tossed about. You seem to "get it", and I appreciated that. I think theat Wilstev's suggestion of the Emerald is a good one because you get a smaller instrument AND a "normal" scale length. If you can try one, you might like it for your purposes.

Tony

Hotcole · #9 05-17-2012, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

This response was quite a bit friendlier and more open-minded. I can suggest an idea and people can either try it or reject it, but at least considering it seems worthwhile. I treat threads like this as a sort of "brainstorming" session in which ideas can be tossed about. You seem to "get it", and I appreciated that. I think theat Wilstev's suggestion of the Emerald is a good one because you get a smaller instrument AND a "normal" scale length. If you can try one, you might like it for your purposes.

Tony

Tony, I don't see wilstevs response as unfriendly at all. Benderman was looking for a cf fingerstyle guitar and has already made the decision that his cargo isn't up to the task and wilstev seems to agree. Are you suggesting benderman should try and make the cargo work?

tbeltrans · #10 05-18-2012, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hotcole

Tony, I don't see wilstevs response as unfriendly at all. Benderman was looking for a cf fingerstyle guitar and has already made the decision that his cargo isn't up to the task and wilstev seems to agree. Are you suggesting benderman should try and make the cargo work?

What I am suggesting is that he take another look at it. As I said in a previous post, I have had the experience of writing off some idea or thing, only to have somebody in a forum suggest I take another look at it. There have been times when having another look, I found that it would work. It was only a suggestion and nothing to make a big deal about.

The Cargo is not only good for "cowboy chords". I play all over the fretboard just fine. That doesn't mean that everybody can or should, but it does mean that such is possible. I don't find that the short scale is uncomfortable. If anything, I find it to be both comfortable and possible to make reaches I might not otherwise be able to make.

Again, this subject area is highly individual. I can only suggest from my experience and others can decide what works best for them. I can suggest the OP take another look at the Cargo before deciding, but it really is up to the OP what he should ultimately do. I personally see no harm in that.

Tony

jonfields45 · #11 05-18-2012, 05:29 AM

RainSong now has a 12 fret neck of slightly shorter scale. All it needs is a cut-away Martin 0 sized body to make the perfect guitar that blends the portability of travel sized guitars, the tone of a full sized guitar, and the no worries of graphite. I am quite sure this will appear reasonably soon, because Ashvin behaves in every way like a good business man. I say wait a little or be prepared to eBay that Chinese version when the graphite one appears.

Look at this niche:

Baby Taylor - scale too short, and crummy tone
Martin L - scale too short and crummy tone
Taylor GS Mini - nice tone but too big to carry on a plane, scale a bit short
The multiple 12-fret cutaway 0 (parlor) sized wooden guitars - too fragile and expensive for risking an airline gate check in a gig bag
Cargo - scale too short
X5 - very low volume
X7OS - could be perfect, but tone is somewhat unconventional, scale a bit short

RainSong Parlor Cut-away - perfect!

jonfields45 · #12 05-18-2012, 08:03 AM

AND Emerald freely admits that the X7OS is their biggest seller!

Ted @ LA Guitar Sales · #13 05-18-2012, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

The Cargo is not only good for "cowboy chords". I play all over the fretboard just fine. That doesn't mean that everybody can or should, but it does mean that such is possible.

Calling Larry Pattis.. Larry Pattis to the forum please!!

tbeltrans · #14 05-18-2012, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted @ LA Guitar Sales

Calling Larry Pattis.. Larry Pattis to the forum please!!

P_K · #15 05-22-2012, 06:16 PM

i'm really surprised that nobody mentioned Blackbird here. it seems that this subforum is quite polarized towards Rainsong. i can understand it as it is the company that has been longer around here

the OP asked about Blackbird also. i think that the guitar that is closer to your Recording King 00 is the Lucky 13 by Blackbird. men, i love this guitar! for me, it has the perfect crossover size between a travel guitar and a full sized guitar. just right on the middle. it really shines for folk songwriter's music as James Taylor's. it resembles the blues guitars from the beginning of XX century but with cutting-blade technological and architectural design. it is really light and loud.