NGD Emerald X20 UPDATE!

[jjhturbo]

Originally Posted by Simon@Emerald

We have also switched to TNT (at significant cost increase to us), and as they have their own logistic path on both sides we are assured these will be processed immediately. Tracking the packages already on route with then is looking very promising. We can only hope there are no further disruption given the current climate!

Thanks, Simon! As others have mentioned here and on many other threads, you guys are all amazing in the service you provide to make sure the customer is happy. My X20 has not arrived yet, but as you mentioned...the shipment with TNT looks promising. Based on the latest tracking info I've received on my order, I'm hoping that customs clearance happened quickly and is moving towards the final leg of shipment here in the states.

24/04/2020, 04:45 United States Pacific Shipment in transit
23/04/2020, 15:26 United States Central Shipment in transit
23/04/2020, 12:17 Formal customs clearance required
23/04/2020, 06:48 Liege Euro Hub Shipment in transit

[Ruppster]

I am buying this Emerald for my 60th birthday, which is May 13th. Hopefully that gives me a little wiggle room if the guitar is held up in transit. My wife thinks I should wait to open the guitar if it arrives sooner. I may need my AGF support group to weigh in on why that is a terrible idea....

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by Ruppster

I am buying this Emerald for my 60th birthday, which is May 13th. Hopefully that gives me a little wiggle room if the guitar is held up in transit. My wife thinks I should wait to open the guitar if it arrives sooner. I may need my AGF support group to weigh in on why that is a terrible idea....

I have it on very good authority that the longer you leave it in the shipping box, the greater the likelihood that the label will become detached.

Therefore, you should open it immediately.

[RP]

Originally Posted by Ruppster

I am buying this Emerald for my 60th birthday, which is May 13th.....

Cool idea. I'm buying my X30 for my 70th birthday on May 11. If we make this a regular thing then the wives can't possibly say "No."

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by Ruppster

I am buying this Emerald for my 60th birthday, which is May 13th. Hopefully that gives me a little wiggle room if the guitar is held up in transit. My wife thinks I should wait to open the guitar if it arrives sooner. I may need my AGF support group to weigh in on why that is a terrible idea....

Happy Birthday. I turn 61 the same day. Stevie Wonder turns 70 the same day. So I guess we're in good company...

I sort of bought my cocobolo X7 as an early 60th birthday present. I was gonna place a custom order in January or so of last year, hoping for a mid-May delivery. But then around Thanksgiving I saw EXACTLY what I wanted on the Emerald website as in-stock. So I bought it about 5 1/2 months early. It was gonna be a lifetime guitar. And if I hadn't gotten into fingerpicking it probably would have been. But it turned out that particular size and configuration naturally dropped my hand way forward of the bridge, and getting it back to the bridge to palm-mute or to anchor my hand was not a natural act. So it wasn't a lifetime guitar. Maybe my current CEO-7 will be with me the rest of the ride. I can't find a single thing I don't love about it at this point. I hope I don't!

Happy birthday in advance!

-Ray

[jdinco]

Originally Posted by Ruppster

My wife thinks I should wait to open the guitar if it arrives sooner. I may need my AGF support group to weigh in on why that is a terrible idea....

I've heard that if the boxes aren't opened within a very short time frame that Kramster will show up at your house and take a nap on your porch with his camera. Waiting on the guitar to be unveiled. Which would be fun, but it may be better to just open it.

Enjoy your new guitar !! I'll be playing mine later today !

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

I have it on very good authority that the longer you leave it in the shipping box, the greater the likelihood that the label will become detached.

Therefore, you should open it immediately.

...and that will start an even longer thread than the last time it happened.

Tony

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by jdinaz

I've heard that if the boxes aren't opened within a very short time frame that Kramster will show up at your house and take a nap on your porch with his camera. Waiting on the guitar to be unveiled. Which would be fun, but it may be better to just open it.

Enjoy your new guitar !! I'll be playing mine later today !

If you don't want to call a pest control company, I have heard if you whack him with a rolled up newspaper and firmly say, "Go home!", he will... probably do whatever he wants anyway.

If you let the guitar sit in the box one nanosecond longer than necessary, you let the bad guys win. I don't know who the bad guys are, no idea what they win. I would just use those words for immediate opening justification. This offer void where prohibited by law or spousal disapproval. Don't blame me - I wasn't even there that day.

Simon, Chloe, ol' WhatsHisName, and the crew at Emerald need to see evidence of your smiling face when you open the box... please don't delay this, especially considering all they have gone through to get you your guitar as soon as possible. I stand firm in saying: It's the right thing to do.

That's all I got.

[new2guitar_eh]

Tell her you ordered a mug and the guitar was thrown in for free. Then, you can open the guitar now and save the mug for your birthday....problem solved!

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by jjhturbo

Thanks, Simon! As others have mentioned here and on many other threads, you guys are all amazing in the service you provide to make sure the customer is happy. My X20 has not arrived yet, but as you mentioned...the shipment with TNT looks promising. Based on the latest tracking info I've received on my order, I'm hoping that customs clearance happened quickly and is moving towards the final leg of shipment here in the states.

24/04/2020, 04:45 United States Pacific Shipment in transit
23/04/2020, 15:26 United States Central Shipment in transit
23/04/2020, 12:17 Formal customs clearance required
23/04/2020, 06:48 Liege Euro Hub Shipment in transit

I’ll be very interested in your impression of the X-20 versus your Froggy’s. My Rainsong for the price I paid for it stands up well tonally against my more expensive wood guitars. I get along OK with the Rainsong neck but I’ve been considering an Emerald because I get the impression the neck will be friendlier and the body bevel will be more comfortable. My Rainsong is the biggest guitar I own and the lower bout width combined with a nearly square edge on the body sometimes feels a touch uncomfortable. My Froggy neck fits me well and I’ll be encouraged if you find the Emerald neck feels as good as your Froggy’s.

[jjhturbo]

Originally Posted by SprintBob

I’ll be very interested in your impression of the X-20 versus your Froggy’s. My Rainsong for the price I paid for it stands up well tonally against my more expensive wood guitars. I get along OK with the Rainsong neck but I’ve been considering an Emerald because I get the impression the neck will be friendlier and the body bevel will be more comfortable. My Rainsong is the biggest guitar I own and the lower bout width combined with a nearly square edge on the body sometimes feels a touch uncomfortable. My Froggy neck fits me well and I’ll be encouraged if you find the Emerald neck feels as good as your Froggy’s.

Well, not too long after you typed this last post, I got a knock on my door and lo and behold....my Emerald X20 just arrived!!!
I purchased it on 4/6, it was shipped out on 4/17, and received here at my doorstep in CA on 4/24! Not bad at all, and definitely exceeded my expectations, esp considering the COVID environment.

What a beauty the guitar is, of course, physically, but also am remarkably pleased at the tone. It's on the brighter side...but I would expect if I wanted to warm/darken the tone a bit, I can experiment with diff strings. As others have mentioned on many threads, am very pleased with the overall projection and tone. Playability is excellent and the volume is much louder than you would expect. The bevel and the neck profile are all very comfortable. My first impressions are that the neck feels slightly deeper than the Froggy neck profile, which I would describe as a low profile C. The X20 seems "slightly" deeper, but still a C and seems a little deeper than the Froggy as you go up the neck. All in all, pretty similar and I don't anticipate any problems getting used to the slight difference of the Emerald.

Those are first impressions! As I get further acquainted, I may have different opinions, but so far....very very pleased.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by jjhturbo

Well, not too long after you typed this last post, I got a knock on my door and lo and behold....my Emerald X20 just arrived!!!
I purchased it on 4/6, it was shipped out on 4/17, and received here at my doorstep in CA on 4/24! Not bad at all, and definitely exceeded my expectations, esp considering the COVID environment.

What a beauty the guitar is, of course, physically, but also am remarkably pleased at the tone. It's on the brighter side...but I would expect if I wanted to warm/darken the tone a bit, I can experiment with diff strings. As others have mentioned on many threads, am very pleased with the overall projection and tone. Playability is excellent and the volume is much louder than you would expect. The bevel and the neck profile are all very comfortable. My first impressions are that the neck feels slightly deeper than the Froggy neck profile, which I would describe as a low profile C. The X20 seems "slightly" deeper, but still a C and seems a little deeper than the Froggy as you go up the neck. All in all, pretty similar and I don't anticipate any problems getting used to the slight difference of the Emerald.

Those are first impressions! As I get further acquainted, I may have different opinions, but so far....very very pleased.

Congratulations are certainly in order, but also keep an eye on that label!

I saw your pictures and that is quite a beauty. I didn't know carbon fiber could look so good.

Tony

[RP]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

...I didn't know carbon fiber could look so good.

Tony

It can, and it does....

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by jjhturbo

Well, not too long after you typed this last post, I got a knock on my door and lo and behold....my Emerald X20 just arrived!!!
I purchased it on 4/6, it was shipped out on 4/17, and received here at my doorstep in CA on 4/24! Not bad at all, and definitely exceeded my expectations, esp considering the COVID environment.

What a beauty the guitar is, of course, physically, but also am remarkably pleased at the tone. It's on the brighter side...but I would expect if I wanted to warm/darken the tone a bit, I can experiment with diff strings. As others have mentioned on many threads, am very pleased with the overall projection and tone. Playability is excellent and the volume is much louder than you would expect. The bevel and the neck profile are all very comfortable. My first impressions are that the neck feels slightly deeper than the Froggy neck profile, which I would describe as a low profile C. The X20 seems "slightly" deeper, but still a C and seems a little deeper than the Froggy as you go up the neck. All in all, pretty similar and I don't anticipate any problems getting used to the slight difference of the Emerald.

Those are first impressions! As I get further acquainted, I may have different opinions, but so far....very very pleased.

Nice that it showed up so fast! Congratulations! Interesting to hear your impressions. Keep 'em coming!

[Ruppster]

I'm crushed...tuned in like a kid waking up at Christmas to see the Emerald shipping video with my new cocobolo X20...it wasn't there! Should I be concerned? I can't tell you how foolish I felt getting excited about hearing Alistair say, "And, this beautiful X20 cocobolo is headed to Jeffrey in Mississippi.

By the time I got around to sending an email it was nighttime over the pond. I know this rates right up there with "My label fell of, what are you going to do about it?", but when you've got GAS and you think you're going to be teased with your a video of new guitar right before it ships you look forward to it. And, at my age it's nice to feel the blood coursing through the veins.

Oh well, I bet they're just making sure the glue on the label is extra dry...