RainSong's 25th Anniversary

MiG50 · #1 01-13-2021, 03:52 PM

Not sure if everyone had a chance to catch the RainSong 25 Year Anniversary Special

It looks like an Orchestra OM model with a blue-tinted Black Ice finish and an offset soundhole. Might be a limited edition, they haven't posted any pricing or dealer availability so far. I see abalone rosette and sharks!

Hard to believe that they've been in business for 25 years already... We've come a long way since then!

RP · #2 01-13-2021, 04:16 PM

I'll pass......

SpruceTop · #3 01-13-2021, 04:26 PM

I'd like to see RainSong do something with the shape and/or contouring of the soundhole. IMHO, the round soundhole shape just doesn't look aesthetically appealing as is.

RP · #4 01-13-2021, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

IMHO, the round soundhole shape just doesn't look aesthetically appealing as is.

I agree. Like Emeralds or not but their sound hole is very much integrated into the guitar's form. Rainsong's as shown here looks like an afterthought....

EvanB · #5 01-13-2021, 04:41 PM

THE OLD MICHAEL CF FORUM ONCE HAD A GREAT DEMONSTRATION OF RS HISTORY WITH AN INCREDIBLE VARIETY OF INSTRUMENTS. NOT SURE IF ANYONE STILL HAS THAT..........

MiG50 · #6 01-14-2021, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvanB

THE OLD MICHAEL CF FORUM ONCE HAD A GREAT DEMONSTRATION OF RS HISTORY WITH AN INCREDIBLE VARIETY OF INSTRUMENTS. NOT SURE IF ANYONE STILL HAS THAT..........

They've certainly made a wide variety of instruments over the years, I know I've seen a lot of oddities and curiosities over the years (both in this forum and the defunct McNichol forum). It's too bad there isn't a more comprehensive history available somewhere online.

steelvibe · #7 01-14-2021, 11:20 AM

Personally I like it! Mostly I like this guitar because it is a12 fret OM- my favorite body size from RainSong.

Steve DeRosa · #8 01-14-2021, 01:36 PM

Personally I'd like to have seen them do a real 17" jazzbox (not the one from the Hawaiian days) like the Martin Lewis archtops from about 10 years ago, to take on Emerald's offerings:

Earl49 · #9 01-14-2021, 05:56 PM

Good for them! This would be nice choice if you happened to really like teal as a color, and that OM model. Black Ice is visually interesting. I have no working experience with the offset sound hole 1100's.

My WS-1000 is from early 2001, so it is 20 years old now -- not quite in on the ground floor. I was aware of Rainsong as a brand before that, but the only examples I ever saw in person at a store were the original Windsong models at $3500. (Maybe that is where the WS model designation comes from?) Those were very nice, but priced comparable to an Adamas.... and beyond my pay grade then. They soon came out with the Classic series to get the price point down and then things took off for them.

jdinaz · #10 01-14-2021, 06:54 PM

I played one of the 1100's a couple years ago, at the time I thought it was the best sounding RS there was. It would be interesting to play one now and see if I still liked it that much.

AZLiberty · #11 01-16-2021, 01:41 AM

I have played a WS with the offset soundhole. One at Teds place and one at Rainbow.

For reasons that are inexplicable, they sounded brighter than the center soundhole WS. Which is confusing. I normally associate an offset soundhole with a slight bass increase. Of course, both had the factory strings on them. And I really hate Elixir 80/20s as thin, bright, and tinny.

mountainmaster · #12 01-16-2021, 09:07 AM

https://www.rainsong.com/blackice/25yr

The teal finish appeals to me, but I have always hated that black ice patchwork. It reminds me of Frankenstein's monster.

jdinaz · #13 01-16-2021, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZLiberty

I have played a WS with the offset soundhole. One at Teds place and one at Rainbow.

For reasons that are inexplicable, they sounded brighter than the center soundhole WS. Which is confusing. I normally associate an offset soundhole with a slight bass increase. Of course, both had the factory strings on them. And I really hate Elixir 80/20s as thin, bright, and tinny.

That's funny, when I played the WS1100, I thought it close to being bass heavy. LOL I don't doubt you at all, lot of variables in there.

AZLiberty · #14 01-16-2021, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountainmaster

https://www.rainsong.com/blackice/25yr

The teal finish appeals to me,.

See, I really don't like the Teal/Blue/Cyan or whatever it is. Now if it was a nice dark Amber like my Emerald...

steelvibe · #15 01-16-2021, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZLiberty

See, I really don't like the Teal/Blue/Cyan or whatever it is. Now if it was a nice dark Amber like my Emerald...

I think the color is a nod to their Hawaiian roots. I agree with you though that they could easily offer up all their models with various transparent tints to their poly.