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Review of the Rainsong Shorty Steel String
November 7, 2011 - 6:29pm
So, I headed to Kramster's house after work. My expectations were already high. A short scale CF guitar with the unidirectional top.
I picked her up, and started playing my fingerstyle songs. If I had closed my eyes, I would have sworn I had my Wood OMC in my hands. THAT is how great sounding this guitar is.
Kramster and I took turns playing for one another, and it became more and more clear over the time we spent with it, that Ashwin had created the best CF guitar we have played to date. This guitar sounds great unplugged and plugged in. It is the first CF guitar I have played that I have absolutely loved unplugged.
Is this a travel guitar. Nope. I would say it is about the same size as my OMC wood guitar. The rough finish was quite nice, and the quality, what one would expect of Rainsong, excellent. To look at the guitar, you would never know it is a short scale. But it plays like butter, and handles fingerstyle and heavy strumming. What was particularly interesting was the fact that you could play it softly, or dig in and play it hard. And it responded. Responded just like my wood guitars. Pure genious.
Every CF guitar has its own purpose. Emerald, Blackbird and Cargo build some great guitars. Each suited for its own purpose.
But having been a singer since I was 6 years old, I guess I am a music snob. By the way, ew plugged it into a Schertler amp and it sounded amazing (my gosh these are fantastic amps!).
I did not sing tonight. I really thought this guitar deserved the spotlight...
(1 vote)
November 7, 2011 - 7:03pm
#2
Sophie,
Thank you for your review. Can't wait to try this one out. Any videos?
November 8, 2011 - 6:26am
#3
I would like to see Macnichol try a couple of things with this guitar:
1. Show a video of the gloss vs the FT finish to see if there is a sound difference
2. Put a bone saddle on it.
3. Well, put heavier strings on her and drop her down one step.
Also, are their other options other than the TKL case? Holy smokes, gorgeous case but super heavy!
Thanks!
November 8, 2011 - 7:11am
#4
SophieTheo wrote:
I would like to see Macnichol try a couple of things with this guitar:1. Show a video of the gloss vs the FT finish to see if there is a sound difference
2. Put a bone saddle on it.
3. Well, put heavier strings on her and drop her down one step.
Also, are their other options other than the TKL case? Holy smokes, gorgeous case but super heavy!
Thanks!
Hoping for nice (high quality) gig bag. And, with my old, arthritic hands - lighter strings. :)
November 8, 2011 - 8:45am
#5
SophieTheo wrote:
I would like to see Macnichol try a couple of things with this guitar:1. Show a video of the gloss vs the FT finish to see if there is a sound difference
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
November 8, 2011 - 9:12am
#6
Sophie,
I had the joy of trying the acoustic FT finish version yesterday at MacNichol's. I agree with everything you said. By far the best sounding CF guitar to date (especially for a diehard wood fan!) and amazingly much easier to play than I imagined with the short scale compared to my Breedlove OM. I really like the finish and size as it didn't feel like it wanted to slip off my lap. I've been looking for a CF guitar to take camping/travel and so far this is the clear winner.
Thanks for your review.
Stephen
November 8, 2011 - 11:26am
#7
cjd-player wrote:
SophieTheo wrote:
I would like to see Macnichol try a couple of things with this guitar:1. Show a video of the gloss vs the FT finish to see if there is a sound difference
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
I'll put this on high priority our video list. It hasn't been done yet, as I had set up the gloss model that's here as a lap steel model, and I started talking a glass artist about the possibility of making a guitar saddle out of glass, and took of the saddle from the gloss model for her to make a sample from. As such, the gloss model has been saddle-less, but she came back yesterday and returned the saddle. She's going to have try a few things out, but thinks that she can make a glass saddle, which I think would work wonders with a lap steel model.
We're running low on bone saddles, but expect a big supply in about two to three weeks. Once in, I'll get one on a Shorty as well as mediums.
November 8, 2011 - 12:29pm
#8
Glass?? Cool!
__________________
Life Is good.. just getting expensive.
CA: 5i, OX, Cargos x 4,
Emerald:
black X-7, and 2 Woodys: X-10, X-7,
RainSong: Shorty FT
Some Yammys and Godins and others. Too many?
November 8, 2011 - 12:47pm
#9
Kramster wrote:
Glass?? Cool!
Yes, it could work out very well. She's checking to see whether she can get it in roughly the shape needed, and then we can sand it down for fitting and intonation.
If not, she's going to help me make some bottleneck slides.
November 8, 2011 - 12:55pm
#10
Just wondering... What's the advantage of bone in an RS? How about glass?
Life Is good.. just getting expensive.
CA: 5i, OX, Cargos x 4,
Emerald:
black X-7, and 2 Woodys: X-10, X-7,
RainSong: Shorty FT
Some Yammys and Godins and others. Too many?