Trying To Bond - How Long Do You Give a New One?

[tippy5]

Originally Posted by jrb715

Six years ago, I bought a Collings CJ35 that I knew immediately I wanted, but also knew the neck and the nut width certainly weren't ideal for me.
The exception? A Collings OM2G short scale I bought seven years ago.
In all these cases the marriage was about the combination of owning the tone and developing physical comfort. But I loved the tone of each from the beginning.
I'd never expect to get comfortable with a sound that didn't move me initially.

Maybe the feel, finger muscle memory and the physical freedom to execute kept you from realizing that some guitars just don't pass the reach for it constantly category?
It's real funny to find out a 1/16" of string spacing, or a too big, or deep of a body....., or whatever minor dimension, just turns off the music spicket.

I just jettisoned a nice 2016 000-18 for the slightest of feel issues.

It's part of the journey unless you luck out and go to a store with the model or maker that you desire and the songs just come right out accurately.

My honeymoon GAS period is around a month. A few string sets and a luthier setup generally is effort worth investing.
Then, over several weeks, I can tell if I reach for the case and get used to the challenge of the new girls demands. Or hit the town with a trusty good friend that is more comfortable.

[chistrummer]

Originally Posted by Dadgad4

Got a beautiful Emerald Woody X20 here on the forum last month. But I'm just not bonding with it and I don't know why not. How long do you give it?

Originally Posted by Dadgad4

Thanks all. In the past, I knew immediately - wether it was tone or feel - there was something that me made not want to put it down. With the X20, I have to force myself to play it and after 10 minutes, I'm asking myself why I bought it. I think Jayne is correct, if you don't love it, you're not going to play it. And if you have guitars that you do love .......

Doesn't sound like it's for you. You should know within hours, certainly within a few days if you like it.

[Pitar]

Originally Posted by guitar george

I wonder how many thousands of outstanding guitars get passed up because they are sitting in guitar stores or being sold online and have not been properly humidified, were not set up properly or had old strings? The tone of most guitars can be improved by checking out these details and correcting them if necessary.

Good point. Turn it around. How many thousands of people aren't playing guitars they would thoroughly enjoy but won't be cause they're in stores too distant to travel to (to play first). I'm one of those people. I won't buy a guitar without playing it first. That's about guitars I'm aware of and curious about, like the OP's Emerald X20. It might be a guitar my ear enjoys. I've reinvented it for the classical guitar sound so I can imagine steel on carbon fiber to be similar in character. But, without one to sample first I'll never know.

[Dadgad4]

Thanks to everyone for their advice and comments. I forced myself to play the X20 for an hour last night. After 60 minutes here are my thoughts:

* I like the neck profile and feel
* String spacing is perfect for what I do (fingerstyle)
* Beautiful to look at - build quality and finish are flawless
* Intonation is spot on up to the 12th fret
* Tone - it sounds sterile to me and that's the problem - I changed strings,
played her for another 20 minutes and still the tone sounds, well, like a CF
guitar - not the guitars fault. I bought it to have something I wouldn't worry
about on the couch in the Chicago winters. It fits that need perfectly. But
ultimately, the tone doesn't do it for me.

So, this beauty will be listed in the coming week or so. Thanks again for everyone's help.

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by Dadgad4

Thanks to everyone for their advice and comments. I forced myself to play the X20 for an hour last night. After 60 minutes here are my thoughts:

* I like the neck profile and feel
* String spacing is perfect for what I do (fingerstyle)
* Beautiful to look at - build quality and finish are flawless
* Intonation is spot on up to the 12th fret
* Tone - it sounds sterile to me and that's the problem - I changed strings,
played her for another 20 minutes and still the tone sounds, well, like a CF
guitar - not the guitars fault. I bought it to have something I wouldn't worry
about on the couch in the Chicago winters. It fits that need perfectly. But
ultimately, the tone doesn't do it for me.

So, this beauty will be listed in the coming week or so. Thanks again for everyone's help.

That's a very fair period and assessment process. I try to buy the 'unknown' instruments where I can have a trial/return period. But sometimes I need longer to make a complete evaluation.

[Pura Vida]

Dadgad4, I think you're making the right decision. I'm not a CF expert, but I wouldn't expect it to change or evolve as much as a traditional wood instrument. When you know, you know... and if you're not feeling it, then it's time to go.

[Pura Vida]

This has been a great discussion, and I've enjoyed reading all the responses.

For me, if it's a used guitar, I tend to know fairly quickly. But if it's a brand new guitar, it can take me a little longer. For me, Cedar and Sitka tend to be easier to predict, but Red (Adirondack) Spruce seems to require a longer time period.

I've purchased most of my guitars online, and maybe b/c I over-research everything (not just guitars), I haven't had too many surprises. And I'm a bit of a restless soul, so sometimes I'm not bonding with a guitar b/c my tastes have changed (and maybe they'll change back later). That's one reason why I keep a variety of great guitars, rather that just one exceptional one.

I considered selling one of my guitars so many times. During its first 12-16 months, it was tight, and its tone was dark and brooding. But recently, it's starting to find its own voice. It's developed incredible clarity, abundant responsiveness, and it's starting to warm up (albeit slowly). This guitar taught me a lot about patience, and I'm no longer thinking about selling it, as I've become fascinated with where this guitar's journey will take me.

[TheJackal]

I bought a really nice Avalon from an AGF member June of 2018. Played it for a while, then began having a few problems with my fretting hand. I attributed it to the different neck profile and string width of the Avalon so into the case it went. Almost offered it at a bargain basement price on trade for another guitar but, thankfully, as it turns out, I did not.

Recently found a Seagull SWS at a bargain price and bought it to have an "office" guitar. Love at first strum. It moved to the top of the rotation.

I decided that since I had fallen out of love with the Avalon, it could be my office guitar. Brought it up here last week and, wow, what a great guitar. My hand issues were unrelated to the guitar. It plays like a dream, sounds incredible, unplugged or plugged. For me, it took walking away from it for a long time and then giving it another chance to find out how much I love playing this guitar.

Brings up another problem, though. What do I do about an office guitar? Another bout of GAS about to hit, maybe?

First world problems, I suppose.

[alnico5]

I have 4 electric guitars I bought without playing. I bought the **** things and by golly I'm gonna bond with them.

[fazool]

If you are working at bonding it's not happening.

[Cool555]

Originally Posted by Dadgad4

Thanks to everyone for their advice and comments. I forced myself to play the X20 for an hour last night. After 60 minutes here are my thoughts:



* I like the neck profile and feel

* String spacing is perfect for what I do (fingerstyle)

* Beautiful to look at - build quality and finish are flawless

* Intonation is spot on up to the 12th fret

* Tone - it sounds sterile to me and that's the problem - I changed strings,

played her for another 20 minutes and still the tone sounds, well, like a CF

guitar - not the guitars fault. I bought it to have something I wouldn't worry

about on the couch in the Chicago winters. It fits that need perfectly. But

ultimately, the tone doesn't do it for me.



So, this beauty will be listed in the coming week or so. Thanks again for everyone's help.

Don’t “force” yourself to like the Emerald X20. There were definitely some pros (reasons) that made you take the plunge to get this guitar. Put the guitar aside for a few days. The tone of CF takes some getting used to; it’s sort of an “acquired taste”.

Meanwhile post your story on the CF section of AGF. You may get some guys telling you their story of how they dislike their CF guitars initially...and eventually like...and then love the tone of CF. After reading some comments and stories....

Then play your CF guitar again after a few days. You may “feel” and “hear” differently then. If you still don’t like it after all these steps, someone who’s eyeing an Emerald X20 may be eagerly waiting for you to list your sale (not referring to myself).

The above is my 2 cents...