Which Dreadnought?

[Doubleneck]

Glad you signed up for the roadshow, it is a wait but may be worth it, I have it the first of the year. While you wait you should be able to find that Rainsong somewhere, Peavey is already stocking CAs in my small town.

[Doubleneck]

Sachi, I know Voyage Air guitars are very popular on this site. I just find it so ironic that guys on this site will gladly buy a laminated Chinese guitar because the neck folds but they would never even consider a guitar like that for their normal play. And on a camping trip you still have a fragile wood guitar? What Carbon does is give you the ability to take your player with you anywhere. I really totally agree with what this guys is trying to do.

[sachi]

Originally Posted by Doubleneck

I just find it so ironic that guys on this site will gladly buy a laminated Chinese guitar because the neck folds but they would never even consider a guitar like that for their normal play.

Well, when I owned mine I typically played it more than either of my Martins or my Taylors. It's simply a good guitar. The only reason I replaced it was because I wanted an even smaller travel guitar.

And on a camping trip you still have a fragile wood guitar? What Carbon does is give you the ability to take your player with you anywhere. I really totally agree with what this guys is trying to do.

To be sure, a carbon guitar will be less fragile, but the tradeoff (compared to the VA) is that it would be less portable and it may not have the sort of sound the OP would like. Not knowing if the OP was aware of the VA, I mentioned it simply as another option. It is of course up to the OP to decide whether he has any interest in it.

[seamusknives]

I've seen the Voyage Airs and do think they're really clever. They're still wood, though. One of the main things I'm going for is complete resistance to the humidity/temperature fluctuations. Here in St. Louis, relative humidity will fluctuate 30-40 percent. I've had great performance for years from my C.F.road bikes and my kevlar canoe so it seems time to reap the benefits the material has to offer to the music world.

[vester]

I rarely post on here but I thought I would chime in. Don't count out Emeralds T20! It's very affordable and sounds amazing actually in my opinion more wood like than the CA's

[seamusknives]

I really didn't want to count out Emerald but their distribution situation here in the US makes me apprehensive. After trying some RainSong and CA guitars locally, I'm getting a RainSong Concert Series Dreadnaught from MacNichols to try through their "road trip" program. It should arrive this Friday. So far, I like RainSong's build quality, weight, playability and of course, sound. The H-DR 1100 N2 is the model I'm most interested in and sure do wish I could try one but it doesn't look like that will happen. From all of your responses (THANKS!) it doesn't look like it would be a bad way to go.

[Doubleneck]

You can't go wrong with Rainsong.

[P_K]

i agree with Vester: one of the best kept secrets is the T20 by Emerald Guitars. it is pretty affordable and sounds amazing. i don't know why it isn't more popular. it think that it is because it is a new model and there are not too much around. my second favorite dread would be the Legacy, if you ask me.

anyway, the X20-OS has a lot in common with a dreadnought. it is like an avant-garde evolution of a dread. it shares a lot in common with the sound of a dread, with a hint of an archtop guitar but much more confortable

[seamusknives]

Well, my one week's time is just about up with the RainSong CO-Dread. Michael's (Mac Nichol's) road trip program is a great thing and I sure do commend him for having it. The beauty of having a guitar for a week is that you can get past the initial infatuation a nice guitar will give you and then really evaluate it with less emotion by the time you have to send it off.
I'm still pretty infatuated ! For me, the N2 neck is almost perfect. I wouldn't mind it to be just a small bit wider. My old Martin D35S and my current Taylor Nylon series both have 1-7/8" nuts and with my large hands and fingers I like the room. That being said, I could live just fine with the 1-3/4". The RainSong also sounds good, too, and as some of you've said and Michael told me, the Hybrid series would probably sound a little less bright which I might even prefer. I can't help but wonder how an Emerald T20 would compare. The spec's and price seem to be very similar. Have any of you been able to A-B compare the two of them?
Thanks, and thanks again to Michael

[CAFAN]

I love my CA Vintage Voiced Legacy so you can guess what I would recommend