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  #16  
Old 02-07-2019, 02:41 PM
jonfields45 jonfields45 is offline
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Originally Posted by steelvibe View Post
Incidentally, when it comes to RainSong aesthetics I find the WS body shape the least attractive of all
I feel the same way and that was one of the reasons I sold my CH-WS. I know a Jazzmaster is more comfortable (at least seated) than a Strat, but I would never own one for the same reason.
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  #17  
Old 02-07-2019, 06:02 PM
pandaroo pandaroo is offline
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I currently own both, my pick would be the X20 if i have to choose. The X20 is lush and rich and loud. My Ch-WS is mellow, too soft sounding for a large guitar, i think the top is less glassier sounding and the short scale resulted in slightly loss of volume.
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  #18  
Old 02-11-2019, 12:04 PM
chistrummer chistrummer is offline
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Originally Posted by jonfields45 View Post
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.
Clearly beauty is in the eye of the beholder but while you may be in the minority on this tiny sub forum I would guess that like you the public at large also prefers a more traditional look given the popularity of Rainsong guitars.
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  #19  
Old 02-11-2019, 02:59 PM
EarlG EarlG is offline
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Avenue Guitars has a good comparison on SoundCloud that includes several Rainsongs:

https://m.soundcloud.com/avenue-guitars
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  #20  
Old 02-11-2019, 07:09 PM
GuitarLuva GuitarLuva is offline
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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.
I'm the complete opposite, and this is speaking from before I owned one, but I fell in love with the "futuristic" look from the Emerald's, especially with the veneers. The offset soundhole really turned out to be a godsend. I have nothing against Rainsong, the one I had was absolutely gorgeous, and I'm usually not picky when it comes to neck profile but that N2 neck on them is really in a league of it's own. There was no way I would ever get used to it and was the main reason I parted with it. I really think Rainsong should go back to the drawing board on that neck design and this time leave Steve Miller out of it.
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  #21  
Old 02-11-2019, 07:39 PM
steelvibe steelvibe is offline
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Originally Posted by GuitarLuva View Post
I'm the complete opposite, and this is speaking from before I owned one, but I fell in love with the "futuristic" look from the Emerald's, especially with the veneers. The offset soundhole really turned out to be a godsend. I have nothing against Rainsong, the one I had was absolutely gorgeous, and I'm usually not picky when it comes to neck profile but that N2 neck on them is really in a league of it's own. There was no way I would ever get used to it and was the main reason I parted with it. I really think Rainsong should go back to the drawing board on that neck design and this time leave Steve Miller out of it.
I agree on the RainSong neck to an extent. I had a Shorty for 4 years and found after that amount of time that I had a love/hate relationship with the NS. In the cowboy chord zone it was actually a very nice profile in my opinion- it just rested in my hand very nicely (my hands are not huge but are big as I wear an XL glove). However, as I moved up the neck it became just too much to get some of the stretches I need for my style of play (I do play often up the neck and with a capo as high as fret 4).

I have played the original RainSong neck (the N1) and find the N2 or NS is by far a nicer neck. However, like I said in my OF660 review, sometimes you don't know how you like a neck until you play something else. I prefer the OF660 by a country mile...and I've often wondered about the wisdom of consulting with Steve Miller as well. I mean, I'm not a Steve Miller fan so I could be ignorant here, but isn't he known for being a songwriter and electric player more than anything? Just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

RainSong makes fantastic guitars and I would consider one again but I think there should be options on the neck and taming the trebles are a couple things RainSong could consider tackling. I also wish they would make all their models available without cutways- I would be all over an OM should they ever do that

Oh, and thanks EarlG for the Avenue Guitars reference; I was already aware of them and have listened to nearly all the samples but it is the absolute BEST sampling of RainSong A/B'ing from a tonal standpoint anywhere on the web.
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  #22  
Old 02-11-2019, 08:04 PM
GuitarLuva GuitarLuva is offline
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Originally Posted by steelvibe View Post
I'm not a Steve Miller fan so I could be ignorant here, but isn't he known for being a songwriter and electric player more than anything? Just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
Yes he would certainly be known primarily as an electric player. Come to think of it I'm not totally sure if they do any acoustic music at all. I would bet that he has acoustic guitars in his collection. I wouldn't call myself a huge fan by no means but I certainly like a handful or so of his songs. It was definitely an interesting move by RainSong for sure. They probably just wanted some type of famous musician to be tied to their name. They certainly should offer some variety in neck profiles as that N2 neck sure has a lot of beef to it. A friend of mine made a joke when I owned a RainSong N2= Nuff for 2. I did make an honest effort to like it though, but there was no way it was gonna happen for me at least.
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  #23  
Old 02-12-2019, 06:58 AM
mountainmaster mountainmaster is offline
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Originally Posted by GuitarLuva View Post
Yes he would certainly be known primarily as an electric player. Come to think of it I'm not totally sure if they do any acoustic music at all.
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  #24  
Old 02-12-2019, 01:07 PM
GuitarLuva GuitarLuva is offline
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I actually liked that version better than the recorded version, thanks for sharing. Oddly enough though he wasn't playing a RainSong with an N2 neck.
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  #25  
Old 02-12-2019, 01:25 PM
jonfields45 jonfields45 is offline
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He has his own signature Steve Miller Martin model (there might be more than one):

https://reverb.com/item/18846633-mar...rc=aw.ds&pla=1
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  #26  
Old 02-12-2019, 08:08 PM
btbliatout btbliatout is offline
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To chime in, I have a CH-WS1000NS, and it's my main steel string. It came with slight intonation issues, but I had a local luthier swap out the nut and saddle with bone, and had it intonated and all that, and now it's as spot on at the 12th fret as an acoustic can be.

I had a chance to compare it with a Jumbo Black Ice, a CO-WS1005NS, and one of their parlors, before I made my purchase, though I can't remember which parlor. Comparing the CH top with the Black Ice top, I can tell you I didn't notice a huge difference in tone. The shop owner had the same opinion. Sure, it's there, but it took all the little ear training I had to really get it, and even then, I couldn't tell you which was better. I went with the CH, as I enjoyed the very nondescript look it has. I think most would find it a lovely instrument. I don't regret my purchase at all, and pick it up at least 4 or 5 times a week. Admittedly I became much more attracted to it once the intonation issues were resolved though.
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  #27  
Old 02-13-2019, 05:27 PM
chistrummer chistrummer is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonfields45 View Post
He has his own signature Steve Miller Martin model (there might be more than one):

https://reverb.com/item/18846633-mar...rc=aw.ds&pla=1
Yes, there was also a higher end 00 12 fret, it's the guitar he's playing in the video. Steve is by no means just an electric guitar player. I'm surprised his acoustic chops are being questioned here.
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  #28  
Old 02-13-2019, 05:54 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hinto View Post
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.
I own an older original WS-1000 and a 2016 X20. They are different tonally, but I reach for the X20 nine times out of ten these days. Gotta love those ergonomic bevels and contours! My WS-1000 is from 2001 and has the original neck, which I prefer. The N2 neck works fine for me too, but given a choice I'd always opt for the old profile. I also don't feel the need for a truss rod in my N1 neck.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Melt in the Sun View Post
The X20 had the warmest sound, by far..... Comfort, the X20 wins easily. It's far more comfortable than even the OM-size Rainsongs.
The X20 is a GA/000 sized guitar that sounds like a dreadnought, the X30 is a true jumbo that feels like a dreadnought and sounds bigger still.
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