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  #16  
Old 06-01-2021, 01:01 PM
geewhiz geewhiz is offline
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YES! The side markers are hard to see! I used a white marker and made them a little brighter and bigger...
Glad I wasn’t the only one
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  #17  
Old 06-01-2021, 01:55 PM
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I had a CH-OM for a while. I liked it in many ways but a couple things sent it down the road. On the down side, the side fret markers were really hard to see on certain dark stages or under certain color lights. Most of the time it wasn't an issue but there were a couple gigs where I hit a clunker note because of that. It's funny, but I didn't think I really paid attention to those little dots but subconsciously I think we do.

I also thought the shoulders of the neck/edges of the fingerboard felt a bit sharp. I'm really not fussy about necks or profiles but there was something about that Rainsong neck that I never completely warmed up to when I did thumb over the top of the neck voicings.

I also didn't get along great with the Baggs Element. Maybe if I had known about the Tonedexter I might have kept the guitar, who knows.

On the upside, it was a LOUD little beast with a bold voice and easy/fun to play. Now and then I wished for a bit more warmth from it but it was still almost shocking how much sound came out of that little thing. I loved being able to leave it on the stand year round and schlep it to gigs without worry (I live in the Northeast too).

I think it's cool what Rainsong is doing with their Nashville models. Good luck with yours and may you choose the best guitar!
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YES! The side markers are hard to see! I used a white marker and made them a little brighter and bigger...
YES! I noticed this as well the first time I played th CH-OM outside in the bright sunlight (simulating busking). I thought the exact same thing about not really paying attention to them but for a quick positional reference, I guess we really do! I remember thinking to myself that if I'm going to use this outside for busking I'm going to need to somehow make those position markers more pronounced.

I also agree that the CH-OM is very loud. I actually do like the Element. The quack is annoying but I love the power and ability to really shape the EQ with the three bands. The lower signal coming out of the Anthem is a bummer for me. I've sent emails to both RainSong and Baggs but I also spent some time on Baggs forum and saw many posts about the Anthem's low output so I know mine is not defective.

I really don't understand why it needs to be so low. The Cole Clarks manage to power a three-way pickup system plus an onboard preamp/EQ with a single 9v battery and it gets very loud with similar levels to the Element StagePro. I'm not sure exactly what Baggs reasoning is for such a low output. It almost seems deliberate.

Another thing is that the changes in EQ and the blend of internal mic are very subtle. I hear very little change to the tone no matter how much mic I blend in. In their defense it's the same with the Cole Clarks though. I guess that's by design as too much/too hot mic leads to feedback. But I would prefer a more pronounced EQ and of course more output signal.
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  #18  
Old 06-01-2021, 07:04 PM
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Methos1979 Methos1979 is offline
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More updates on the Anthem vs. Element StagePro differences: I contacted both RainSong and LR Baggs customer support via email with my concerns about this issue. First and foremost let me say that both responded very quickly, within an hour or so, and with very understanding, helpful and friendly responses! So that was quite refreshing! Both reps (Dave from RainSong and Caleb from LR Baggs) confirmed that there is indeed a significant difference in the outputs between the two pickup systems. But each also offered a little insight into other things that make it worth summarizing their replies individually. These are their direct responses, to which I'm bolding the parts that are really interesting to me:

Dave from RainSong - "Your guitar is one of my favorites that we've built recently. The Nashville treatment works very well on the OM body. I enjoyed the review you posted on the forum.

The output on the Anthem systems is lower because of the feedback potential with the live microphone inside the guitar. This is how LR Baggs recommends the system be set up. There is a level control for the microphone inside the battery compartment and you can increase the output if you'd like.

I have a V-OM1000NSX and was messing around comparing it to my Shorty which is structurally identical to your CH-OM (we basically have the same guitars) and they have very different levels as well.

At this point your N-OM is the only one we've made. I'm guessing we'll see more in the future but yours will always be the first."


So, he reads our posts on AGF which is cool. I like it when I know manufacturers are paying attention to their customers! I did not know about the level control inside the battery compartment so I will be playing around with that a bit and rest assured I'll report back here how that goes. Last, I wondered if mine was the only or at least the first Nashville OM. It is, which is also way cool. But also good news that there most surely be more made down the line. But mine will always be first. Sorry!

Caleb from LR Baggs - "The Anthem is definitely a lower output system compared to most other active pickups. The Element systems tend to be on the hotter side too, so a direct comparison between the Element and Anthem can sometimes be a little jarring. The Anthem should have more than enough output to drive any acoustic amp or mixer though. You will just need to adjust the gain a bit to compensate.

When the Anthem was first designed, we almost added another gain stage internally to boost the level, but since most players plug into an amp or mixer with a good amount of gain available, we decided to minimize the noise potential and leave with a lower output. As long as the tone quality is good, there shouldn't be anything wrong with the system."


These were two really important points I felt worth mentioning. His use of the word, 'jarring' is exactly what I felt upon first comparison. This is aptly explained above by the admission that the Anthem is admittedly lower output (then most other active pickup systems!) while the Element tends to be 'on the hotter side'. So of course a direct comparison between the two is going to be jarring.

Then it was very interesting to read that they considered adding an additional gain stage to internally boost the level. So it would seem that they were aware of the lower output when designing but figured it would be fine with most amplification systems and they are not wrong there. My main issue with the low output is due primarily to the rather anemic output of the Bose S1 Pro system all by itself, something I'm fully aware of and have written extensively about.

So, again and still, glass half full. But regardless, still plenty of great information and thanks a bunch to Dave at RainSong and Caleb at LR Baggs for their quick, helpful and friendly replies! That's how customer service is supposed to be!!
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  #19  
Old 06-01-2021, 08:21 PM
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Great customer service indeed!!!
That's interesting that the Baggs rep said the Element is on the hotter side. While it may be louder than the Anthem, I found the Fishman Prefix Plus in the WS1000 Classic I was comparing to have much higher output than the Element in my BI-WS1000N2. Maybe the Fishman is just really, really hot. That being said, I much prefer the tone of the Element over the Prefix which was one of the reasons that I kept the BI and returned the Classic.
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  #20  
Old 06-02-2021, 08:00 AM
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I dialed up the mic signal just a little bit - about a quarter turn - and it made a world of difference in perceived tonal improvement/change when engaging the blend slider. Interestingly, while increasing the blend made for a more full and better tone for fingerstyle the change for strumming was less noticeable.

Additionally, the percussive tapping on the top sounded much better with the blend slider dialed all the way out. The more mic was blended in the more tubby the sound became while with the mic dialed complete out the percussive tapping was defined and crisp.

This presents a challenge for me on the one song I use percussive tapping on the intro and outro - 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover - as I segue immediately from tapping to fingerstyle playing!

Here is a brief instructional YouTube video from LR Baggs where they talk about proper mic adjusting with the screw:

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  #21  
Old 07-03-2021, 06:15 AM
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Here's another update with some more thoughts a month out from the last post. I've spent a lot of time playing this guitar in that month. In fact, with a few very short exceptions, it's all I've played. Part of this is because it's the new kid on the block, part is because it's so comfortable and fun to play and part of it is because I really wanted to get to know it and put it through its paces, especially amplified. We've started scheduling some gigs and this guitar could very well get the call for the first few.

We have started to practice for the gigs by playing through our 'full gig setup' which is guitar and mics through an EAE StompMix X6 digital mixer into the Bose S1 Pro. The guitar sounds really good. Not quite as good as the Cole Clark Angel 2 but still really good. Also, the first gig is going to be outdoors and no telling what the weather will be so CF is the smart choice. I'm getting a really good feel for the LR Baggs Anthem StagePro onboard preamp system and wanted to share that for those that encounter this system.

Now that I have the added signal power of the mixer there is no issue with low output that I experienced when playing straight into the Bose. Basically I set it up as follows: For strumming the volume and mic mix sliders are set around 75%, the bass gets bumped up a bit past 50% while the trebles are cut to around 30%. For fingerstyle (no nails) volume and mic get pushed to full while the bass is cut to 25% and the trebles bumped to 75%. These settings are very similar to how I handle these changes on the Cole Clark, unsurprisingly.

I reluctantly let the other RainSong (the CH-OM1000NS) go to a new home. I thought about keeping it at least for the summer but we still have yet to get out and do some busking and since I can do that with the Nashville it really didn't make sense to hang onto it although I was sorely tempted to do just that. But in the end I posted it in the AGF classifieds where it survived all of 3 hours before selling for my full asking price, again unsurprisingly.

I've probably got one more update in me after I play the guitar at an actual gig. In the meantime, whether you're reading this post from the beginning as a first timer somewhere in future after finding it in a search or just staying up to date on my ramblings, know that the RainSong Vintage/Nashville series do a great job and jump on one if you're on the fence. There's a like-new Vintage OM in the classifieds for a decent price right now.

Until next time, play on!
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  #22  
Old 07-03-2021, 03:32 PM
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Methos;

I really enjoy your postings; they are articulate, informing and entertaining. I look forward to the gig report.
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  #23  
Old 07-03-2021, 04:55 PM
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I forgot to mention, I installed some ebony tuner buttons I had laying around and I like the look much better. I wasn't wild about the chrome.


Last edited by Methos1979; 07-04-2021 at 07:10 AM.
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  #24  
Old 07-03-2021, 05:20 PM
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I installed some ebony tuner buttons I had laying around and I like the look much better...
I totally agree....
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  #25  
Old 07-04-2021, 07:40 AM
jricc jricc is offline
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Default Thnx Scott!

Thnx Scott for another informative review! Very cool your burst OM Rainsong is the first! It's a beaut. It's great that Rainsong and LR Baggs are listening to players who are out there. Interesting to read about the gain differences between the Element and Anthem systems. On a personal level, I don't mind using the Element system with some midrange cut for my gigs. For me, it's a usable sound for noisy restaurant/ bars. Anyway, thnx again
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  #26  
Old 07-21-2021, 07:41 AM
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Another update, albeit not a live performance update - yet. I literally just realized today that my assumption of the mic blend slider operation was completely wrong. I assumed that I 'increased' the mic blend by dialing up the slider. WRONG! The blend slider works as such: The more you push the slider up, the more you blend the signal towards total piezo UST. The more you push the slider down the more you blend the signal toward the mic! DOH!

This should have been apparent from the tapping experiment I noted below. I thought slider up was more mic as the highs became much more clear and articulated. In fact what this was just all piezo which should have also been very clear since in this position the dreaded piezo 'quack' was at its highest! So now I have to totally rethink my settings for live play. The truly sad part about this is that there are little indicators actually on the slider showing this! Duh.

In reality not much will change other than dialing on more mic for the few percussive songs we do. I finally got around to setting up the EAE StompMix X6 mixer from scratch for the Nashville and it sounds better than ever. We've got back to back gigs coming up the last Friday of July and first Friday of August. So I'll report back after one or both of those with an update on how the Nashville performs in a live, amplified setting. Stay tuned.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Methos1979 View Post
I dialed up the mic signal just a little bit - about a quarter turn - and it made a world of difference in perceived tonal improvement/change when engaging the blend slider. Interestingly, while increasing the blend made for a more full and better tone for fingerstyle the change for strumming was less noticeable.

Additionally, the percussive tapping on the top sounded much better with the blend slider dialed all the way out. The more mic was blended in the more tubby the sound became while with the mic dialed complete out the percussive tapping was defined and crisp.

This presents a challenge for me on the one song I use percussive tapping on the intro and outro - 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover - as I segue immediately from tapping to fingerstyle playing!

Here is a brief instructional YouTube video from LR Baggs where they talk about proper mic adjusting with the screw:

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  #27  
Old 08-17-2021, 11:57 AM
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Okay, one last (likely) update, this time post-gig. Actually, post-gigs.

We played an assisted living facility a couple weeks back. Full setup with the guitar going through the StompMix X6 into a single Bose S1. Overkill for sure but needed the extra mic inputs. The place was small and the residents seated so close that the volume needed to be turned WAY down low. In reality, this gig can be done completely acoustic with no amplification. Regardless, the guitar sounded great and performed well, as expected.

The second gig was a private party, outside in some hot and humid weather. We opted for just one mic and guitar straight into the Bose S1. Again, sounded great and performed well although getting enough volume from the guitar on the fingerstyle songs was hard. I think that for this guitar I'm going to definitely need to make sure I pre-amp the signal through something when using just the S1. Using a second S1 would work well for this providing more power and spread.

I'm seriously considering picking up an EAE D6-58 120w system which is their current flagship amp with battery power and wood cabinet. The extra power plus the built-in mixer (basically the X6) plus the extra inputs would make for a great one-and-done system that would work almost anywhere. And then I could use the single or dual S1 Pro(s) as needed if yet more fill was desired.

I should also say that we finally did get out and do some busking. I used the Nashville and it performed very well. Overall I'm really digging this guitar and while it isn't quite as good live as the Cole Clark Angel 2, it's still the best sounding guitar amplified after that one and it's also the most comfortable guitar to play in my current stable due to its small(ish) size and short scale. Add to that the benefit of carbon fiber and you've got yourself an extremely capable guitar for just about anything you can throw at it.

Anyway, to any that have read this far, once again (and still) I highly recommend this guitar!
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  #28  
Old 08-17-2021, 12:07 PM
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A very nice chronical from an experienced player--thank for an enjoyable trip.
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  #29  
Old 08-17-2021, 12:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Methos1979 View Post
Okay, one last (likely) update, this time post-gig. Actually, post-gigs.

We played an assisted living facility a couple weeks back. Full setup with the guitar going through the StompMix X6 into a single Bose S1. Overkill for sure but needed the extra mic inputs. The place was small and the residents seated so close that the volume needed to be turned WAY down low. In reality, this gig can be done completely acoustic with no amplification. Regardless, the guitar sounded great and performed well, as expected.

The second gig was a private party, outside in some hot and humid weather. We opted for just one mic and guitar straight into the Bose S1. Again, sounded great and performed well although getting enough volume from the guitar on the fingerstyle songs was hard. I think that for this guitar I'm going to definitely need to make sure I pre-amp the signal through something when using just the S1. Using a second S1 would work well for this providing more power and spread.

I'm seriously considering picking up an EAE D6-58 120w system which is their current flagship amp with battery power and wood cabinet. The extra power plus the built-in mixer (basically the X6) plus the extra inputs would make for a great one-and-done system that would work almost anywhere. And then I could use the single or dual S1 Pro(s) as needed if yet more fill was desired.

I should also say that we finally did get out and do some busking. I used the Nashville and it performed very well. Overall I'm really digging this guitar and while it isn't quite as good live as the Cole Clark Angel 2, it's still the best sounding guitar amplified after that one and it's also the most comfortable guitar to play in my current stable due to its small(ish) size and short scale. Add to that the benefit of carbon fiber and you've got yourself an extremely capable guitar for just about anything you can throw at it.

Anyway, to any that have read this far, once again (and still) I highly recommend this guitar!
Thanks for the report Scott and glad you are digging your Rainsong Nashville!
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  #30  
Old 08-17-2021, 12:52 PM
steelvibe steelvibe is offline
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Nice guitar indeed. Glad it’s working out for you!
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