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  #1  
Old 02-06-2019, 09:19 PM
Hinto Hinto is offline
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Default Rainsong CH-WS1000NS Opinions

Hi Carbonites,

I like the sound of this guitar on the YouTube videos I’ve found. I’m interested in any first hand experiences you may have.

Particularly how it would compare to an Emerald X20.

Also wondering how it would compare to higher end Rainsong guitars. Their website is somewhat vague in terms of the difference between each series.

Thanks in advance for any input you can provide!
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  #2  
Old 02-06-2019, 09:30 PM
byudzai byudzai is offline
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Emerald X30 is THE ONLY CARBON FIBER GUITAR RAHHHHHHHHH

Lol. I actually think that. Emeralds are so cool.
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  #3  
Old 02-06-2019, 11:08 PM
jdinco jdinco is offline
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I think there's several threads here addressing this comparison. I owned a H-WS1000 and still own a X20. The X20, fits your body better with all the contours, and has a warmer fuller sound than the RS to my ear. The RS is clear and articulate and a great guitar, but once the X20 showed up, my RS didn't get played, So it was sold. Try and find them both to play if you can, they are both very good and your preferences may be different than mine.
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Old 02-06-2019, 11:17 PM
Captain Jim Captain Jim is offline
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Hi Hinto - this is a good place to learn about carbon fiber offerings. The CH-WS1000NS is essentially a lesser finish (in my opinion) of the large body RainSong that has been a staple for them. The hybrid makes use of carbon fiber and glass fiber for a warmer (and less expensive) tone than their all CF guitars. I had a Shorty for 4 years; that is the smaller version - it was a nice guitar.

You'll have to forgive byudzai - Emeralds can do that to a player. Speaking from experience.

It is easier to find a RainSong in a guitar store or online. Emeralds are from Ireland direct only, unless you can find a used one. Without being a fanboi, if I were choosing between the CH-WS and an X20, I would be going for the X20. No doubt, you will find others here who are firmly in the RainSong camp. I don't much care for the "my guitar is better than your guitar" discussions, but there is a lot about the X20 to like... rich sound, plenty of punch (not as much as byudzai's X30), and the most comfortable full-size acoustic I've ever played. The neck on the X20 is less chunky than the RainSong NS (or N2) neck - I find the Emerald much more to my liking.

Looks are subjective, but I find the Emerald to be a more attractive, contemporary look. There are plenty of traditionalist acoustic players who would disagree with me. I bought that Shorty 5 years ago based on the design which is very close to the Taylor Grand Concert. I would call the RainSong WS closer to the Grand Auditorium. The X20 is close in size to that, but feels more comfortable because of those great curves and bevels. And comfortable may mean you will pick up the guitar more often and play it longer.

Another style difference IS more than just looks: the offset soundhole. The playing experience with an X20 is enhanced (to my ear) with that great offset (and upturned) soundhole. And, the curves and design around that soundhole are downright sensuous (again, opinion). I am a convert to the positives of the offset soundhole.

Both are nice guitars. Both have their own sound. Either would be a fine instrument for you, so I can't tell you which would be best for you... just say which is my preference. Good luck with the decisions.
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Old 02-06-2019, 11:23 PM
byudzai byudzai is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hinto View Post
I like the sound of this guitar on the YouTube videos I’ve found. I’m interested in any first hand experiences you may have.

Particularly how it would compare to an Emerald X20.
On a more somber note:

The offset soundhole is an amazing feature. If you go to my X30 video, in my signature, and skip to about 10:30, I discuss everything I like about it. The tuner placement is especially priceless.
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  #6  
Old 02-07-2019, 06:21 AM
kramster kramster is offline
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I would guess they are both great guitars.
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Old 02-07-2019, 06:48 AM
jonfields45 jonfields45 is online now
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The RainSongs with the 12 fret neck are less bright. Of the RainSong options, a 12 fret WS would be one of the loudest and most like a wood guitar in tone. I've got two of the 12 fret parlors and I even use the one with 12s for no PA gigs and it keeps up with my partner's HD-28. I had a CH-WS for about a year and when it first arrived I thought this was a nice upgrade to the parlor's tone. But I played the parlor so much more I trained myself to like it's tone, comfort, ease of transport, minimum footprint on a small stage, and looks so much better that the WS was unplayed. I sold the WS and bought a backup parlor with their top-of-the-line cosmetics.

There is a good video of a H-DR vs. a Collings D2H which I think sums up where RainSong 14 fret guitars stand relative to a king of wood guitars. RainSongs are brighter and punchier. The 12 fret ones take that brightness down a notch. In my experience and to my ear, the 12 fret neck makes a big difference and the other options for the same body styles are primarily cosmetic (my CO and CH parlors sound the same to me).

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=536844

To my eye all of the Emeralds are unforgivably ugly and no amount of veneer makes up for their weird look, but of the regular posters to this discussion group I am in the minority.
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  #8  
Old 02-07-2019, 08:42 AM
gerardo1000 gerardo1000 is offline
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My son bought exactly the same Rainsong, one month ago, at our local music shop. We played many wood guitars in the same price range, and also other Rainsong, like the Hybrid Series. This one really stood out. It is a great guitar, powerful, balanced and versatile, you will not be disappointed.
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  #9  
Old 02-07-2019, 08:44 AM
Aspiring Aspiring is offline
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I personally preferred the co-ws1005 series when I compared them myself. I don't know how much this had to do with the offset soundhole but I found that to be the fullest and richest sound. I also did find one dud 1005 at one of the stores that I went to of the 5 1005s I played. Don't know if it was strings or what but the one instrument was just off in tone. The other 4 were all pretty consistent and varied in finish between black and the color bursts.

From the rest that I tried I actually liked the sounds of the ch series the next best and picked up a ch-pa from a price and size standpoint as I was looking for something for moving around more.

If i was looking to have one for pure home use and based purely on sound it would have been the co-ws10005 for sure. I scored a great deal on a Breedlove Premiere Concert copper earlier this year and that is my playability and tone favorite so far. If I didn't have it already I would have looked a lot closer at the Rainsong ws as a one guitar solution. I do like the neck on the Breedlove better than my parlor though.

That said I love how easy it is to pick up the parlor and play it anywhere so I think the ergonomics comments are all valid. I just sent money off for a used 2018 x7 to head my way so I will get to see how that compares early next week. I also haven't tried an x20 so don't have a comparison base.
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Old 02-07-2019, 09:31 AM
Matt McGriff Matt McGriff is offline
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I’ll have had one for a couple of months and while I like it, I have a couple of small issues with it. I find the bass a little lacking, especially when I tune to drop d. The intonation is also a little off and use of a capo exacerbates this.
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  #11  
Old 02-07-2019, 10:37 AM
Melt in the Sun Melt in the Sun is offline
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I briefly owned an X20 and spent a couple hours A/B/C/D/E with that guitar and a CH-WS, CH-OM, APSE, and my Taylor 510. The shop also had a CO-WS1005 (offset soundhole) and an H-DR1000 dread, neither of which I liked so didn't spend much time with them.

The X20 had the warmest sound, by far. Taylors have a well deserved reputation for brightness, but that is nothing compared to the rainsongs. They are startlingly crisp. Is that bad? Not necessarily...depends on the buyer. It's easier to subtract treble with string choice than add it.

Comfort, the X20 wins easily. It's far more comfortable than even the OM-size rainsongs. Most acoustic guitars have neck dive when using a strap, so I was surprised that the X20 does not.

The X20 has lots of frets. The rainsongs are all 12-frets to the body and only 18 total. Is that bad? Not necessarily...depends on the buyer. I did notice a marked lack of sustain on the high frets with all the rainsongs. I thought that strange. Notes died very quickly, relative to my taylor or the X20.

The CH-WS is much cheaper That matters too.
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  #12  
Old 02-07-2019, 10:58 AM
MiG50 MiG50 is offline
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I have a CH-WS1000NS, and it's a great guitar. Big, full, deep body, with the bridge centered in the lower bout, makes for a powerful sound. It's not as comfortable as my Shorty, which is a tad smaller and shallower, but it also has more punch, volume, and low-end in comparison. Great for strumming, balanced enough to flat-pick, sensitive enough to fingerpick. It's probably the most balanced of all the Rainsong shapes. And you absolutely can't beat the price/value, nothing else in the CF world comes close to the quality-for-dollar than the CH series.
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Old 02-07-2019, 11:47 AM
steelvibe steelvibe is offline
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Hey Hinto didn't you purchase a new X7 at some point? I never heard another word about it but was hoping to.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jonfields45 View Post

To my eye all of the Emeralds are unforgivably ugly and no amount of veneer makes up for their weird look, but of the regular posters to this discussion group I am in the minority.
Jon, I think you should tell us how you really feel

I actually appreciate your honesty and I think most of us here are thick-skinned enough to take it. I mean, we already hear about it from the "never CFer's"- what is one more opinion gonna hurt?

While aesthetics rank low on my radar for what I want in a guitar, looks are important. I don't think all Emeralds are ugly but I do think the Emerald signature style overall compliments some body types more than others. I think the X20 looks weird, not ugly but weird, especially the cutaway and the whole body on the back. Conversely, the new X7 is gorgeous to my eye. As for the veneers? They are growing on me but I like the way Emerald does their naked CF weave just as much if not more. Incidentally, when it comes to RainSong aesthetics I find the WS body shape the least attractive of all and even asked about it on this forum once, what it meant. My favorite response was "weird shape".

Nothing to add to speak to the OP question since I've not played either guitar but on video they both sound very nice but the X20 takes the win.
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  #14  
Old 02-07-2019, 12:35 PM
Hinto Hinto is offline
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Thanks for all the feedback guys. I did in fact get a nice X7 in the Fall. It has some weird intonation issues, as Matt states above. There's a local luthier who has a Plek machine and I'm tempted to have him take a look to see if there's anything off with the guitar. Otherwise it's pretty nice.

Now I'm looking for a larger body CF and sort of by default I was thinking about an X20 or X30. I prefer the estehtics of the redesigned X30 and X7 over the look of the X20. As stated above I find it a bit weird looking.

And then there's the price. That's what prompted me to start looking at the Rainsong CH and H guitars.

I'll keep thinking about it.
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  #15  
Old 02-07-2019, 02:35 PM
BT55 BT55 is offline
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I own an H-OM and an X20. My H-OM is a fine guitar but does not compare to the X20. The X20 has better ergonomics and tone. I haven’t had the opportunity to play an X30 and don’t want to because I’m sure that I’ll want one. [emoji2]
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