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View Poll Results: Are you primarily a strummer or fingerpicker?
Fingerpicker 25 67.57%
Strummer 12 32.43%
Voters: 37. You may not vote on this poll

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  #16  
Old 09-12-2020, 05:15 PM
David Eastwood's Avatar
David Eastwood David Eastwood is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueStarfish View Post
This is an interesting poll, I’m learning something useful.

I have an Emerald X20, have had it for about at year. I’m still fairly new in my guitar learning — have only been playing for 2 years now, after a nearly 30 year break from music. Previous musical experience was all horns, not fretted instruments, so guitar is requiring a complete retraining of mind and body which is very humbling. I bought the X20 because I was at the point where I thought I might enjoy a “better” guitar and like the idea of the stability of carbon.
Have you experimented with strings at all? I, and others here, have found our CF guitars rather more sensitive to variances in string type than their wooden brethren.

Ultimately, of course, the X20 may not be for you, your style and your ears - but strings are a point to consider.
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  #17  
Old 09-12-2020, 06:35 PM
BlueStarfish BlueStarfish is offline
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That’s a good question. I’ve tried a number of types and gages of strings on the X20. So far I prefer Martin Retro’s in the “Tony Rice” gage. Between the monel construction and the heavier gage, they help on the margins to tone down the overtones. But it’s still only on the margin, the guitar still is what it is at the end of the day.

I also tried a number of PB variants from different makers, as well as aluminum bronze. And it came with 80/20 bronze. Each sounded a little different. The Martin Retros sounded the best to my ears.
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  #18  
Old 09-13-2020, 11:07 AM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Percentage-wise: 75% uasage of flatpick; 25% fingerpick.
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Last edited by SpruceTop; 09-13-2020 at 01:03 PM. Reason: Correction made on percentages to reflect 100%
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  #19  
Old 09-13-2020, 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by SpruceTop View Post
Percentage-wise: 75% uasage of flatpick; 30% fingerpick
That extra 5% makes all the difference
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Last edited by David Eastwood; 09-13-2020 at 12:30 PM.
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  #20  
Old 09-13-2020, 12:39 PM
steelvibe steelvibe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SpruceTop View Post
Percentage-wise: 75% uasage of flatpick; 30% fingerpick
Now that is what I can pickin' above and beyond! Carbon can handle it.
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  #21  
Old 09-13-2020, 01:02 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Originally Posted by steelvibe View Post
Now that is what I can pickin' above and beyond! Carbon can handle it.
Yes, indeed, it can! Then again, if you look back at my OP, you'll see I never posted the incorrect percentages that I did post because I've corrected it to reflect the real reality that I need to highlight at this given moment so I don't look like a fool. Okay! Okay! Given the present real reality that we're all living in, my little quip here could be considered unfunny by some but maybe right on by others .... Don't know, maybe ...
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Last edited by SpruceTop; 09-13-2020 at 01:12 PM.
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  #22  
Old 09-13-2020, 01:04 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eatswodo View Post
That extra 5% makes all the difference
Indeed it deedy deedy do and that's why every AGFer should buy a carbon guitar to add to their stable--Let's All Go Organic!
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Martin D-18/UltraTonic
Adamas I 2087GT-8
Ovation Custom Legend LX
Guild F-212XL STD
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Taylor 717e
Taylor 618e
Taylor 614ce
Larrivee D-50M/HiFi
Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass Special/HiFi
Larrivee D-40R Sunburst
Larrivee C-03R TE/Trance M-VT Phantom
RainSong BI-DR1000N2
Emerald X20
Yamaha FGX5
Republic Duolian/Schatten NR-2

Last edited by SpruceTop; 09-13-2020 at 01:11 PM.
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  #23  
Old 09-14-2020, 08:37 AM
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It depends on the mood, the company, the guitar etc... as to what I do. I'll keep it simple and just key on only one factor - the guitar.

X20 - I played with strings a lot when I first got it (almost 7 years ago). I couldn't tell you what I currently have on it, but it sounds good strumming or finger picking so I am not changing until they wear out. I did go through several different sets and combos to get there, and probably will again when I change them. I do know that I have a flat wound B string. The B and E are the weakest of the strings in my opinion compared to the rest, so I try to keep them proportionately heavier to help with balance. This is my go to guitar for any situation. BlueStarfish - I'd recommend playing around with strings to get the balance you want. Sustain isn't a bad thing. You can control it through your technique if you want less. Also if you are willing to try an archtop, the Kestrel has very little sustain but a lot of chunk.

Lucky 13 - I have some heavy electric strings on it because I was trying to make it sound even more jangly. It does well finger picking and not too bad strumming even with the strings. I had something like retros on it before and it was noticeably more tame then. Not sure why Blackbird discontinued these. So much fun to play.

Kestrel - Lots of mids, not much bass and the sound dies off quickly. There is a sustain, but it vanishes fast. Have Dogal Flat Wounds I think. If I am strumming this thing, people can hear me playing over a quarter mile away in a crowd with no amp. If I am finger picking I have to have an amp to be heard by anyone but me. I think it sounds better finger picking, but I also like the attention getting factor of the cutting chords. Although the X20 sounds louder to me and I am washed in sound, this little toy can cut through anything with its nearly brittle sounds. The X20 dies off quickly with distance. It'd be my preferred go to guitar for any situation as far as playability and dynamics go, but it's too fragile. Any moderate thump and the tail piece pops off by something as benign as a happy dog wagging their tail while being petted. I only had to do that once busking (a kid inadvertently knocked it over while locked in hard case), and I am much more careful to the point of either not bringing it or pampering it when I am out and about. I'd love for this to be my travel guitar except I don't have a soft case for it and the 10 minute LEGO rebuild required every time the tail piece pops off.

Lots of other factors on whether I try to strum or finger pick. Generally I am too busy transposing a song to something I can sing in my range to consider much else, so I keep any finger playing to songs I'm singing that aren't too complicated except when I am practicing out of anyone's earshot. Also finger picking doesn't carry in any kind of crowd and I rarely bring an amp. If I'm not singing and just accompanying, I theoretically have more brain cells free to try fancier stunts. That all gets glumped up because now I am too busy watching the singer to do little more than strum the right chord in time and try to stay out of the way. So much to learn. So much to learn...
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PS If you don't want to invest in yourself, why should anyone else even bother to try?
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