new X20 review - Page 6

#76 03-01-2021, 10:33 AM

Earl;

Don't bother trying nylon strings--they are not likely to give you anything worth having on a steel string guitar.

jdinco · #77 03-01-2021, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvanB

Earl;

Don't bother trying nylon strings--they are not likely to give you anything worth having on a steel string guitar.

Yeah, I tried it on an X7 and it was a major failure.

David Eastwood · #78 03-01-2021, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl49

Kevin has already opined that they "....like the new X20 tone....", implying that something knowingly changed in the construction

He could, of course, have been referring to the ‘new X20’ as the revised model with the new bridge, and heelless neck joint. Unless he actually said that there had been a change in the fundamental construction of the guitar, it’s just speculation to assume that there was such a change.

Forgive me if I’ve missed a reference or comment elsewhere to the contrary. I still think you got a lemon, and I’m still a bit surprised that Emerald weren’t a little more eager to take a look at it.

Earl49 · #79 03-01-2021, 05:32 PM

Nope, those were not the changes. PM sent.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvanB

Earl;
Don't bother trying nylon strings--they are not likely to give you anything worth having on a steel string guitar.

I never thought that nylon would be a "good" option Evan, but I'm running out of ideas. At the moment it has a fitted bone saddle sitting on two layers of rubber band (as a vibration isolator in an attempt to modify the energy transfer) and wears the mellowest strings that I can find -- short of nylon. I don't necessarily want mellow tone, I just want a reasonable and usable tone.

jdinco · #80 03-01-2021, 07:53 PM

Not sure about anyone else, but I can say that I was considering ordering a short scale X20, but since that is the same configuration as what Earl ordered, I'm going to put that on hold until some other samples are out there.

Frettingflyer · #81 03-02-2021, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdinaz

Not sure about anyone else, but I can say that I was considering ordering a short scale X20, but since that is the same configuration as what Earl ordered, I'm going to put that on hold until some other samples are out there.

When I owned my X20 Artisan I was able to play a custom with a short scale neck side by side and neither of us noticed a significant difference, certainly nothing like Earl has experienced. Coincidentally, Earls “old” X20 is the X20 I owned and did the A/B with. Both of the guitars were of a similar vintage though, so not sure about a “new” sound, but a short scale from a few years ago sounded great. I had been thinking of maybe a someday order with a custom neck profile as I had trouble with maybe some early arthritis pain in my hand with the Emerald neck but otherwise loved that guitar. I should say I have no fretting hand issues with my Blackbird, McPherson or even Rainsong and Taylor but for some reason I did with the X20.

jdinco · #82 03-02-2021, 01:04 PM

Thank you for the input Flyer !

Earl49 · #83 03-03-2021, 09:41 AM

Dave's hand trouble became my favorite daily player and made me a real fan of Emerald guitars. His loss, my gain. And I think I know whose X20 that he A-B compared with. That one was offered to me and I really should have bought it.

For clarity, I do not think it is the short scale per se creating the tone problem. With a capo on the first fret of the older stock X20 and tuned to Eb that guitar still sounds really good - way better than the new one. There is just something about the newer build that really compromises the tone of the custom X20. I have no idea exactly what is different internally, but something sure is....

casualmusic · #84 03-04-2021, 02:59 AM

Hi Earl.

Would it be worthwhile using a mechanic's stethoscope (or med stethoscope) to isolate any area(s) that ring harshly?

Another approach might be to experimentally dampen areas of the body and soundboard with a lump of putty or plasticine?

PS. Saw a Youtube video where Alistair told Johnny that the new X20 design (without the heel) is a bit louder. Wondering whether the loudness is on the treble side?

Cheers

.

jdinco · #85 03-04-2021, 10:00 AM

I think at this point I may use some C4 to try and dampen the harshness, if it were mine.

Earl49 · #86 03-04-2021, 10:21 AM

A chainsaw has crossed my mind, JD.

Or boxing it back up, shipping it back to Donegal and letting it be THEIR problem, not mine. In any event I did not get the guitar that I was expecting, or was hoping for, and I've reconciled myself to having lost the entire purchase price. I am pretty much done with Emerald - permanently. It is a good thing I have the ones that are here (which I still like) before they "improved" the design and tonality.

The thoughts and support here so far are appreciated. I have a set of TI Plectrums on deck for the next string change, but have very little hope remaining that even those strings will save it. Then I'm done.

new2guitar_eh · #87 03-04-2021, 10:55 AM

Anybody from Emerald watching this post? Would be a great time to chime in!

#88 03-04-2021, 11:00 AM

Earl;

Just one more time? There are a million string-types out there, you can't quit now. Or maybe it is time for you to just quit, sent the darned thing back to Alistair and get back to making some music, maybe sing some blues: got them hard emerald blues.

mountainmaster · #89 03-04-2021, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

Like you and others, I’m surprised there’s any “variability in construction” with Emeralds. I can see where there might be with the changing of the bridge, but other than that, I’m lost at trying to figure it out.

Do you have any thoughts on what could contribute to any variability in those guitars?

Honestly, it does not surprise me that much. While the material may be consistent there is a lot of manual work going into these guitars.

I think what matters most after the guitar has left the mold, is how much of the material is removed and where exactly it is sanded away. For example, bumps or ridges on the inside could act as bracing.
Maybe in this case the sandpaper hit some kind of magic spot for brightness.

Anyway Earl, IMO this is a dud which should be shipped back.

casualmusic · #90 03-04-2021, 11:30 AM

Yeah. I'd send it back regardless. Get it out of here!

PS whisper:
- Maybe try a classical string set on the minuscule very unlikely chance that a nylon string X20 was built on the same day, and yours by error was made using the nylon guitar cutting_pattern or fabric_weights?
- Or when layering your guitar a strip of fabric might have been omitted? Or something shifted out of position during that tricky one piece molding process?