Emerald X20 carbon fibre acoustic guitar assessment

[@woodygranger2126]

I have 3 Emerald Guitars. X20, X7, and an X5. I set them up when I got them. As an example, the X7 was the first one I bought. The setup is exactly where I set it in 2014, and it is now 2024. So I know that the setup is good for at least a decade! I set it up like an electric guitar, and I play it hard! The other two, X20 and X5, are just as stable so far. I haven't taken my wood acoustics out of the case for years!

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Thanks Woody that’s a great bit of testimony, very useful to know.

[@garywhitt98]

Sam, you are correct. The beautiful thing about an Emerald is the absolute confidence you can have in its immutability. The x30 has the bass for which you were searching.

[@Pharesm]

I have the same Emerald guitar, but the 12 string version. After about 3 months, while I was playing over my Ampero II, the pickup quit working. I figured it had to be the battery, but replacing the battery did not fix the problem. I emailed Emerald, and got a email reply, saying "that has never happened before" and failed to respond any further, on a 5,000 Euro Guitar!

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

That sounds terrible. Surely there’s a long, long warranty on that guitar? Taylor has a 12 year warranty as I understand.

[@Pharesm]

@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars They used to have an unlimited warranty, but they just cut the Warranty duration, but mandatory warranty is 2 Years by law. Its not working for a year now, and the company is not responding... I might have to make a request to my legal insurance...

[@Pharesm]

@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Emerald has very different bridges, that alter the sound considerably. They'll charge you change the bridge. But I suggest to email them and explain what you don't like about the sound and have them explain to you the details of the bridge versions. Hope that may help. their bridges have changed and there are more different ones.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

I mentioned your issue to Kevin Quigley at Emerald Guitars. He said to please contact him [e-mail] and they can try to resolve the problem. He's seen this video so you can mention that you commented here. He emailed me on the above 'sales@' address so it does work. Good luck.

[@Pharesm]

@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars I don't have your knowledge, but I also feel the bass is a little week, nothing the X30 wouldn't fix - though if you don't hear it personally these, don't take it from me, I have no special guitar knowledge. I just found its body not as streamlined and shapely as the X20. I had a fabulous, expensive Taylor, with fabulous sound, but it did something weird when you let a chord ring out: the sustain had nothing to do with the tonality you had played - seemed to me, like a mistake with the bracing, but that's just a wild guess. I have many Emerald, buying another, because I didn't like the last one: The T8 had so little sound, you couldn't hear it over the camp fire. The first, smaller X5 guitar was louder. My recent X20-12 was fantastic, until the LR Baggs pickup died for no visible reason. Then the Emerald employee gave me the shake down "you must have done something" No, I didn't "do" anything, but play. There was a concerted effort to dissuade me from getting this fixed on warranty: "Thats so strange, this never happened. Meanwhile my guitar has no working pickup for about a Year. I don't have a room with good enough acoustics, so I rely on the pickup to record tracks.

[@garyc2483]

Many thanks for a wonderfully detailed assessment, Sam. Looking forward to picking the X20 up and checking out that electric guitar action! I have to say of all the guitars I’ve owned in my life, this is the one that has me the most excited. And it is all the other guitars I have owned (and some I still own) that motivated me to explore the world of carbon construction. Of my three wooden acoustics, the two oldest need a neck reset, and the brand new hand-built acoustic I bought six months ago has already reached the point where the action has nowhere left to go. It’s not something I went into lightly though. These guitars are not cheap - especially if you go for the custom option as I did - so I did plenty of research. The base acoustic model in carbon weave (no veneer, standard though pinless bridge, no pickup) starts at £1650. I opted for a koa veneer, which I chose from a huge array of different types available, the adjustable bridge, and a Ghost + K&K pickup system, which obviously pushes the price up. There are other custom options, including different neck widths/scale lengths'radius, inlays, etc. You can essentially put what you want together in Emerald's 3D Builder and they build it for you (takes around two months. (Check out the process here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6nCoGWFm5aZnNk&ab_channel=EmeraldGuitars )Alternatively, they always have models available from stock if you don't want to wait. emeraldguitars.com/ I have to say that I am impressed with the company, and everyone I spoke with during the process was helpful, knowledgeable and passionate about the product. I’d definitely buy from them again, and if funds were available I’d go for one of their 12-strings, as the construction makes so much sense for a 12.

[@robertnewell5057]

See my comment Gary, but basically I have the same guitar and agree with every word you and Sam say. Enjoy your X20. Cheers.

[@skateborg]

I have a 2018 Emerald X-7 and a 2019 Emerald X20-12 that both have their pinned bridges molded into the carbon fiber guitar tops. These 'old-style' Emerald bridges have no adjustable features other than a compensated (Graphtech?) saddle, which is not uncommon in traditional acoustic guitar building standards. A little over a year ago, Emerald updated the way their carbon fiber bridges are fabricated using a CNC machine, with tight tolerances on the adjustable metal saddles. I’ve been wondering if Emerald glues this current generation of carbon fiber bridge + adjustable metal saddles + ghost piezo elements to the carbon/veneer top. Turns out the bridge assembly is bolted to the guitar top. See the view inside the guitar around 4:40 to 5:06. I would think that bolted-in assembly actually dampens the vibration of the top of this generation of Emerald guitar.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Good spot Kevin! There are two very distinct bolts there, you're right. I assumed that it was 'magically extruded' out of the top. Whether or not it has an adverse effect on the tone is another very long-winded discussion... :-D

[@bert_b13]

Beautiful guitar, thanks for the walkthrough.

[@FieldAble]

Thanks for sharing your experience & opinion on acoustic construction Sam. Last time I was shopping for an acoustic I noticed that the majority of them had overly high action, even the high priced brands like Takamine, Taylor & Martin. Ended up getting a semi acoustic jazz box instead.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

This whole 'designed to collapse' thing with acoustic guitars has been bugging me more and more as the years go by. Your choice was a smart one I think.

[@paulcockerill4260]

This thing about guitars folding up, does that make a Taylor a better choose due to the bolt on neck? And as an aside what’s your view of their GS Mini, I’m toying up with buying that or the Martin Dreadnaught Jr.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

It’s less about the type of neck joint, more about the tendency of the string loading to slowly deform the ‘box’ structure of the guitar body. In that process the neck acts as a lever to help deform the box. Whether it’s glued or bolted it will do do the same thing to the guitar structure. Some guitars seem to resist this deforming better than others though and different examples of the same model vary greatly; different brands with different kinds of internal structure & bracing can resist the forces better than some other designs. But there seems to be no absolutes in this because it’s wood and every piece of wood is slightly different and reacts slightly differently to force, heat and moisture etc. Bolt on necks however DO make for an easier neck reset if/when your guitar gets to that stage, so worth being that in mind.

[@77guitarts22]

With all of these things, IMHO still worth it to have a wood guitar just because of the sounds flavours that no other material will be able to replace... Wood is a breathing thing and so should the music be also

[@joemorton9217]

Great video man! I had an x20 and it was similar to yours with sound and playability. I then bought an x7 and the x7 blows the x20 out of the water in my opinion 🤷‍♂️. I sold the x20 but I’ll never get rid of the x7

[@teapotwood2817]

Thanks for sharing this…I really don’t now how I feel about it. Do I really need to go carbon to be safe from a collapsing acoustic ?I Would Love to know what you think about the ovation guitars regarding the collapsing structure problem. Does the moulded back help in anyway or are they just as prone to this ever growing problem Thank you

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Good question. From the few older Ovations I've encountered on the 2nd hand market I'd say 'no' - the moulded back doesn't seem to save them from ending up with unplayably high actions. Not all; some... or even many. This can only be a combination of the bridge rising up and the neck rotating with the heel end pressing down into the top... Not a lot of other structural options to explain it.

[@teapotwood2817]

@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Thank you. I really don’t know the best way forward. Buy cheap then it isn’t the end of the world if it does collapse, but then I’ll be sacrificing sound. Sad that buying expensive acoustic isn’t a guarantee of quality anymore!

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

@@teapotwood2817 You have to keep in mind that my view is... slanted i.e. people rarely bring me perfectly condition old acoustics with lovely low actions. More often than not it's the opposite of course. I'm not sure it's about old models being strong / better built vs. new and trashy either. I haven't had enough experience of acoustics across the board to really make any statistically meaningful pronouncements... just that a LOT of acoustics I've seen have rising playing actions that are close to - or have gone past - the point of no further adjustment without going down the route of a full neck reset. From that I can't help but conclude that many (possibly a small majority or worse?) acoustic guitars deform and that price point and brand name don't appear to offer any protection from that process.

[@glennsophie3235]

Hi Sam, I totally agree with your views on acoustic guitars and their susceptibility to folding. The bridge doctor is a definite step forward but I still feel that long-term maintenance (by me) is risky. I would love to find a £400 guitar that I could maintain for life. So no neck reset or new bridge or regret. I guess carbon fibre will remain out of financial reach for me.

[@77guitarts22]

When you think about how much these Emerald guitars cost, ( however nice they might be), cost wise, you would do much better with a used wood guitar and a steam neck reset by yourself ( I did on many acoustics), and learning the easiest way to setup a guitar... But it needs for you to look it up on KZbin or Google and learn some new things... I did and I'm glad.

[@18robsmith]

It looks fantastic, I love the way the sharp corners flow between the surfaces. The yellow/gold epoxy(?) used to bond the carbon gives the back a lot of life, and is so different to the usual clear or black colours. I think the fret ends should be a lot smoother than that, they just don't look finished compared the rest of the instrument. If those fret ends were a styling thing I think they would all be the same shape, whereas they all appear to be different.

[@garyc2483]

Rob - the fret ends should have been dressed, but mine must have slipped past QC. As soon as I told Emerald they offered to have the guitar collected to sort them out, but when I told them about Sam they were happy to foot the bill. Can't say fairer than that!

[@18robsmith]

@@garyc2483 Glad you are looking toward a satisfactory out come. (I've just got to continue digging behind all the cushions to see if I can scrape the require coinage together, so far I've found 14p......)

[@tom5216]

I’m sure you’re right. The Taylor 816 was a beautiful guitar and sounded great until the bridge lifted. It also bellied out significantly. It was as if the bracing had given up or not been glued properly and the bridge and top were pulled up by string tension. I could slip a credit card between the bridge and the bellied top. My other Taylors are 20,18 and 7 years old and are fine. I’ve never had a problem with the Yamahas, all of which are solid woods.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

I honestly don't have a conclusive answer / view on this whole question... but I see loads of 'mid-priced' guitars (in the £300-600 price range) which are barely a couple of years old and are already so 'bent outta shape' that there's not enough saddle room to correct their high actions. And that's not even counting the guitars that come through almost brand new with impossible actions from the 'get-go' where even IF I manage to improve the playing action then there's zero adjustment left for future months or years. Some manufacturers would have it that it's ALL about humidity - which I think is really *convenient* because then it's all down to the customer. Much better than admitting that in possibly a majority of cases the structure of these guitars turns out to NOT be up to the amount of string-loading they're subjected to. I can't help thinking that Taylor's bolt-on neck and shim-pair system is a tacit (and rare!) admission of this structural inadequacy. Don't get me wrong; I think their system is superb and makes their acoustics realistic propositions for a longer life with their owners... but it IS an admission nonetheless.

[@G_Demolished]

When they make them sound better than a D18 I’ll believe they’re the future.

[@robertnewell5057]

See my big comment. In life they sound great. As well as an Emerald, I have a Martin J40, HD35 and MC68. Only the HD35 beats my Emerald. The others are as good. D18 is a great guitar as well, mind you.

[@garywhitt98]

I have an X30. Boom. My nephew has a D18 that I play beside it. Emerald wins.

[@timesurfingalien]

Out of my range. Would love one.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Me too ;)

[@leftienigeblank4320]

Hi again , Sam . Over many years I've had a few " downmarket" acoustics come my way , ( "Egmond" is the only brand I can call to my old, feeble mind just now ) . Mostly made from plywood , or very cheap timbers . Only redeeming feature was ---A TRAPEZE TAILPEICE ! No string-tension trying to turn it into a long-bow . Usual issues with frets , neck , nut, tuners , but the body justified spending a little time and not much money on them . My hourly rate is very reasonable ,,,,, if I'm the customer , har-har . Cheers , Nige .

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Yep. My 'engineering brain' says that fixing the strings to the strong back end of the body and only having a small amount of 'down' force on the bridge has got to be the best solution for a long life... But I presume there is some kind of tone limitation that comes with that arrangement - or else everybody would be doing it and acoustic guitars would last practically for ever.....?

[@robertnewell5057]

Great video. I have 3 Martins (J40, HD35, MC68) the oldest of which is 33 years old. I also have a couple of handmade acoustics. I don't cosset them, I've gigged most of them, and they have all stood up well (with actions close to your electric setup). I also have a 10 year old Yamaha LL16 which is likewise in great shape. That said, I wouldn't be worried if after a long time, they needed some attention. I think the jury is in on that one, and, there is an inherent weakness in traditional acoustic guitar construction - given the amount of string tension and the need to have the top light enough to be responsive - and that is putting the soundhole exactly in the spot where there is the most danger of folding up. Lots of small makers of wood guitars are putting the soundhole out at the side for that reason. WIll that catch on, no. Tradition dictates that the soundhole stays in the middle, so eventually there will be problems. On the other hand, I'd be very angry if guitars in that price range behaved as you describe, and I'm sure you are right that it happens - maybe I've just been lucky I also have a an Emerald with the exact same spec as Gary C (except a different wood veneer), and your 'electric guitar' action, with no buzz however much I thrash. I have no problem with the level of bass response (only my HD35 beats it) played acoustically. They are great guitars. The fingerboard widens more than is usual, and you can't get a Paige Clic past the 5th fret. As for the 'sounds different in front' thing - if I'm buying I always play against a wall (same with trumpet). Sounds like you have quite a buzz on the treble, by the way, as you say, but you were giving it a fair bit of welly. Great review, whether it was meant to be or not. Thanks to Gary C for mentioning that this is not an 1800 quid guitar. That's about the cost of the basic version - no veneer, no position markers on the board (just the side), no electrics. Still great for a lifetime guitar. I forgot to say that, like Gary C, I found Emerald an exceptional company to deal with.

[@tom5216]

I have 4 Yamaha solid wood guitars and 3 Taylors. I’ve never had an issue with any of them except 1 Taylor 816 that the bridge lifted on within a week of purchase. That went straight back. The humidity where I am averages about 50% so that’s probably why I don’t have issues. I can’t speak for their lower end guitars but the higher end Yamahas are extremely well built and stable.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Wow that's lousy for the Taylor for the bridge to lift. I've seen plenty of such repairs and always the glue is 3-4mm short of the outer footprint of the bridge, losing about 20% of the overall gluing 'real estate'. Average UK home humidity is in the 50% region so I still not convinced that humidity is the cause of the regular flow of 'creeping actions' I see on acoustic guitars of all makes. What's almost certainly true is that I don't see the good ones - like yours; by definition people bring me the ones that have become unplayable. I'm beginning to think that string loading is the primary culprit and *some* individual guitars and woods resist those forces much better than others. The ones that remain strong stay home and get played; those than don't get brought to people like me :)

[@MsDenver2]

Dose it sound as good as wood as I like to play John Denver music so can a carbon have the warmth I need?

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Hey MsDenver2 - it's very difficult to say. I liked the tone but I can tell it from wooden acoustics (at least I think I can). But your question is more about the warmth. What I experienced was that the sound in front of the guitar was much warmer and bassier than the sound that was coming out of the soundhole positioned on the top ege.

[@neilstallworthy9611]

Hi Sam, you mention the term "plecked" a number of times during the video, presumably referring to the neck. What do you mean by this?

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Hi Neil - my apologies, I'm guilty of assuming everyone knows about the legendary Plek machine. It's a computerised 'cabinet' that you put your guitar into... and the computer scans the lay of your frets. Long and short is that it ends up grinding your frets level to a very accurate degree. The machine costs a 6 figure sum and a 'Plek' treatment is in the region of £200... Lots of people swear by it - although I'm not convinced that it gives better results than my levelling method that I use on every set up. But I don't know; but I do know that I won't be buying a machine like that! I think the excellence of the neck on this guitar is more to do with the 'default' excellence of the carbon fibre neck construction (such that the neck bends evenly without the 'hills and valleys' I find on most wood necks) more than the 'Plek' treatment. But again, it's a hypothesis not a fact. Hope that clears up what the 'Plek' is :)

[@neilstallworthy9611]

@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Thanks Sam. Makes sense now. I much prefer your process which is much more satisfying when I get it right.

[@charliewelch328]

That guitar is beautiful! Just got McPherson Sable Carbon Fiber. Maybe next year I'll get an Emerald

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

I agree... a guitar for life.

[@ARKenMan]

I got the sable too and I want an x20 next.

[@dandial3733]

Is that the LR Baggs Element Pick Up or the Ghost Piezo Pick Up? The bridge looks like the Ghost.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Hi Dan sorry for late reply... if I said "LR Baggs Element" I may have been er... misinformed (or read the wrong spec)... The 'standard' X20 I think starts off with the Element (under saddle transducer) but this obviously has a custom spec i.e. the individual saddles - which means they must be a Ghost-like system (if not actual Graph Tech Ghost saddles)...

[@leftienigeblank4320]

Hi Sam, hope you're both well . H'mm , part carbon , part wooden ? Wood tends to move with changes of temperature and humidity ,,, Plastic / Carbon doesn't . I've seen several Ovations where the top and the "bowl" have parted company , usually round the bottom bout . Any thoughts ? Cheers , Nige .

[@kazzTrismus]

vacuum molded in resin at 0.3mm wood thickness means that wood is fully impregnated with resin before hardening....that wood is now a composite material

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

@@kazzTrismus That's what I was going to reply. It is as 'woody' as a photo of wood :-) Beautiful to look at though.

[@garyc2483]

The wood veneers start life much thicker than that, but once fused with the top, they are sanded down as thin as possible to ensure that the resonace isn't compromised. The build process is pretty interesting - check out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6nCoGWFm5aZnNk&ab_channel=EmeraldGuitars

[@robertnewell5057]

@@garyc2483 Precisely

[@MsDenver2]

You’ve made me think because over the years I have built up my guitar collection and I love them but your right because they are wood and glue so I see your points that you make . So can I ask are the carbon fibre guitars good enough sound wise to replace my wood guitars , I ask this because I don’t know anything about carbon fibre. You have definitely got my attention, thankyou 😊

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Hi @MsDenver2 - the tone is.... different. Side-by-side you can tell the Emerald from another all-wood guitar perhaps in the kind of way that you can easily tell a Strat from a Les Paul... but one isn't better or worse than the other. The question would be 'can I listen to a piece of music with an acoustic guitar mixed in it and identify it as a wood or carbon fibre guitar?' and I think you'd be very hard pressed to do that. The other question is 'do I like the tone this guitar produces' and if you DO, then it could be your 'last ever' acoustic guitar :)

[@GurungyNoHamuster]

Interesting. I have an APX4A with a top so bowed it can't be fixed. Never gigged, looked after well... just pulled out of shape. I even use pretty light strings.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

You know what? I've seen too many Yamaha APX's. You must know exactly what I mean about that 'bad feeling' associated with a purchase...

[@davelewis4215]

Sam, Interesting as usual 👍 It’s a very good looking guitar but for that money the frets should of been rolled before it was sold.One of the reasons why I bought a Sire Larry Carlton acoustic guitar is because they roll the frets beautifully.👍

[@patrickhatrick1216]

The fret issue should not exist

[@ASQUITHZ9]

I have a Adamas w397 and I have compared it with several expensive acoustics that I own and went to see and buy and I came away with none of them and I still wouldn't swap it for any thing just like it! half 1/2 C f and ebony f board .

[@condocord7544]

excellent video

[@Acoustic_Music-h6x]

This does not seem nearly as loud as a normal acoustic guitar when played acoustically. Is this just youtube or is this a thing? Is this a factor of the ghost bridge or the guitar itself?

[@AntonioCavicchioni]

Nice guitar... is it possible to refret a fiber carbon guitar fretboard?

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

I think the review / promo video said that the frets on these guitars are stuck on i.e. no slot, no tang. Don't quote me on that but I *think* that's what they said. So presumably yes, you could re-fret but not in a standard way... It's a good question if I'm looking at it as a 'lifetime guitar'. Maybe Emerald sells fret sets for techs / luthiers to work with.. maybe they offer a viable re-fretting service too. *UPDATE / EDIT* : Gary pointed out to me that the Emeralds ARE slotted (so I was thinking about another kind of guitar...-my mistake!) - see Gary's comment below for link to Emerald video on construction.

[@garyc2483]

@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars - Check out this video at around 1m 24s for some slotting action: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6nCoGWFm5aZnNk&ab_channel=EmeraldGuitars

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

@@garyc2483 Ah got you, so I was thinking of another type of guitar. Wonder what that one was...?

[@garyc2483]

I don't know about all brands, but on this Emerald and Rainsong carbon guitars it most certainly is. But as these are stainless steel frets and I'm knocking on a bit now, I fully expect them to outlive me!

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

@@garyc2483 Yes... I was conscious of that myself when I was saying '....a guitar for life' on the video :-)

[@johnfraser2201]

yes carbon is more stable than wood or paper ? nigal kennady has a strad its 300 years old plays fine?

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Nigel Kennedy doesn't have a mass-produced instrument with a constantly rising action that's in a slow process of folding up, does he? But millions of acoustic guitarists do :D

[@MsDenver2]

Does the neck get sticky or remain smooth with your hand sweating?

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

That I don't know as I didn't really play it 'in anger'. I guess like any neck you could 'satin' it up with 1000 grit paper...

[@richarddlewis5422]

Is it just me, or did the guitar sound much better when he strummed it with his thumb (and side of fingernail) than with a pic?

[@wilhen1]

Did he buy it new? Hard to believe those fret ends came from the factory.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Yes. And you're right, it is surprising that the fret ends were sharp. As I mentioned though, Emerald were nothing but helpful; they immediately offered to ship it back to them to put right at no expense to my customer and he appreciated that. But he chose to send it to me to evaluate generally as he's sent me guitars before - and while I had it, he wanted me to sort out the sharp ends which of course I was happy to do. If it was my guitar I would find no fault in Emerald for the issue but more importantly their response to it. Top notch guitar and service as far as I can see.

[@paintbox48]

Hi Sam...very interesting look at what seems a very impressive guitar. Just a couple of thoughts - it's unlikely you could find any single guitar that will have the best voice for different styles of music. There is no reason to reject a guitar just because of what it is made of - take a resonator guitar for example, you either like or don't like how it sounds. I would be a bit disappointed though if the guitar didn't sound pleasing to the player - even if it sounded okay to the audience. Re the flat frets - I seem to remember Ben Crowe refitting frets on a Parker Fly - with super glue!

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

I got that ‘no tang’ thing wrong; these frets are regular and set in slots. You’re right though, no one guitar does everything you want. The whole thing is subjective: I liked how this sounds - just slightly surprised how much louder it is in front of the guitar than above it. I’m also not a ‘tone freak’ and I have never been on a quest for perfect tone so maybe I’m not typical. I liked this guitar for a number of reasons.

[@SaintKimbo]

It's a mistake to play these carbon guitars and compare them directly to a wooden bodied guitar, as far as tonal quality is concerned. They have their own sound and it is an acquired taste, but if you persist with a good quality one, you get used to it and you start to prefer it. Even though they sound a little 'thinner' at first, you come to realize that it is a more 'pure' sound and when you go back to playing wooden guitars, you notice the effect that the wood has on the notes, it can be pleasing, of course, but when you go back to your carbon guitar, it's like the window has been cleaned.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Good points, thanks. It's impossible NOT to compare them - but you're right and I kept saying "although it's different, I like this, could live with this..." On its own terms it was very decent sounding.

[@livealoha50f]

I have an x30 (fan frets) I named her “Crack”. Because she cost as much as a kilo and after you learn to play her - you actually get dope sick. First it starts as a silly notion, I will “just look” at the x20 Nylon string…. Ouch! 5 grand! Close the browser. Convince yourself that nylon won’t sound good with carbon fiber. A week later. “Oh, no! Alistair just said they thin the tops for the nylon string!” You know it will sound good. Back to the website. “It’s still 5 grand”. But every day with the X30 is just a testament as to why the x20 makes sense. I am sure it’s a brain chemistry thing because owning the next Emerald makes more sense than the price tag. That is real guitar crack my friend. You might judge me but the real danger is, though it’s crazy pretty, it’s not the guitar that you’re jonesing for, “it’s the instrument”. I have played 1 to 10 hours a day - every day for 36 years. Who would have thunk it. The playing dynamics of my Emerald are so locked in, the material, quality, plus care (Alistair is a pro host and designs thoughtful guitars* that care about your needs and experience) these factors together, create an experience where I don’t consider it a guitar anymore. It’s a new kind of instrument. Wooden guitars bow and absorb the string energy. They change and interfere with how you create notes. Carbon fiber throws the string energy and removes the presence of playing excuses - 150 notes all sweet spots - every day - any day - any temp, elevation or humidity, the note is always there. Think of each note on a guitar as a door that I have to open to make sound. On wooden guitars each door opens differently, sometimes the door sticks, or the knob doesn’t turn, the door is twisted, a foot off the ground or the door nob has moved. JT said “Me and my guitar, always in the same mood.” I agree… Until the moment I leave my Luthier’s shop, and go outside to “guitar hell - which is a car” then my guitar is like a cat (affectionate when and where it wants to be). But my carbon fiber (stronger than steal) doesn’t move, so the action is set in a laboratory, the fretboard is symmetrical, the doors are mechanically transparent - each fret is an event horizon of my fingers creating unimpeded string energy (if I play it good - it plays good 100% of the time) all the while holding this 5 star luxury love-me guitar - brought to me by the Irish Mr. Roarke of fantasy Luthier Island). AND IF YOU CAN PLAY LIKE ME - YOU WANT MORE OF THAT!!! Crack!

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Sounds like an intense 'share' from a Carbon Fiber Guitars Anonymous meeting :D But I absolutely get it. Very well put! The neck on this thing was - and still is - the most accurate / precise on anything I've ever played. Under load when set straight it was STRAIGHT and when set with relief it was SMOOTHLY curved. No 'hills', no 'valleys'. The rough fret ends on this were simply a rare QC oversight which Emerald were more than keen to take back in and put right. As it happens my customer found it quicker and easier to have me do it, but it was no reflection on Emerald who were very good and responsive.

[@kazzTrismus]

those frets are horrendous...so bad its got to be an oversight/production mistake. they got their first touch with the rough file and completely missed the finishing stage. lunch buzzer on a friday?

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Could well be; not having seen another of these guitars it's harder to be sure. But I can't see any manufacturer deliberately leaving such precisely-cut faces on their fret ends even for 'stylistic' reasons...

[@robertnewell5057]

@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars I couldn't believe those fret ends, so I checked my X20. They have the same triangular facet, but are completely smooth and rounded over on every edge. Commentators should note that Emerald stand behind their product and, as Sam noted, will fix anything you are not happy with. Still don't see how that got through, though.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

@@robertnewell5057 Thanks for the comment Robert. Yes, no criticism of the company at all. Just that my customer wanted me to give it the 'once over'. This guitar has elicited a broad range of reactions / responses - very interesting. I can only go by the fact that I wanted to keep on playing it each time. I've never been in search of 'perfect tone' so whether this sounds 'better' or 'worse' than something else is less important for me personally than some of its other attributes. Then again, I'm not a skilled acoustic player and don't perform or record with an acoustic....

[@karlstevens7062]

I've played a couple of carbon guitars over the years and they both sounded the same unplugged ,different but very flat and uninteresting a bit like cheap laminated top acoustics. I wonder if those frets will suffer the same fate that befell the Parker fly's ie fall off, but only time will tell. I have to say 2mins into video the cheque book was out and I was salivating over that beautiful looking instrument but then you played it and my heart sank , real shame. I bet it sounds great plugged in as the two I played did. The compromise sound hole ie not at the player or the audience seems to fail badly.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Definitely don't judge its overall tone from my recording (done using a compressed headphone mic going into a radio receiver via the iPhone, saved as a .MOV file, exported out of Final Cut Pro as a smaller .mov file... Lots of processing going on there for sure. I like how this instrument sounds in real life; I'd say definitely find the higher-quality recordings to fairly assess the tone rather than this video.

[@karlstevens7062]

Yea Sam I understand the limitations but I've heard you play various acoustics under the same limitations and I felt this one sounded the worse, as I said I was having severe G.A.S for this guitars and I checked out the sound comparisons and I can't say I actually trust them anymore than listening to yours also a few other youtubers. Personally I think these guitars have there place and all there advertisements concentrate on the 'bomb proof' nature which out preforms wood in all aspects. I would like to see one them make a carbon guitar like a traditional guitar with braces which are very important for the sound and see if they can get these things to sound better , to my ears it's the only thing missing, but if I see one in the shops one day I'll try it out and hope I'm wrong (please god let me be wrong because my heart and eyes want to tell my head and ears " we told you so " ).

[@glaciernine228]

A comment lower down confirms that these frets are epoxied into slots and still have the tangs on the frets. The Parker Fly frets had their tangs removed and were epoxied onto an unslotted fretboard. At the very least, even if the slots are wider than the tang on these to prevent cracking an incompressible fretboard material (which seems to be the case in the emerald video), the epoxy is holding these frets on under the crown, and on both sides of the tang - that's 2 more glued surfaces than the parker frets had, so I expect the Emerald's frets will outlast the parker solution.

[@davehernandez4177]

Any lefty’s?

[@williamtsol636]

👍

[@18robsmith]

Can I hear the difference when you put the mic in front rather than by your face? Oh yes, and how. It becomes so much fuller and richer, great sound from the audience, but to the player the low end is somewhat lacking, but is well defined.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

I just heard it back Rob - and yes, it's a huge difference (and that's with a speech-oriented microphone). As mentioned on the video, there must always be a difference between hearing it from the player's perspective and from the audience perspective... but in this guitar I do think that difference seems quite pronounced, despite the upward-facing sound-hole.

[@jonathannewby5795]

You (as in one ) can go on about this, and similar, guitars till the cows come home. But the problem is less quality (though the unamplified tone doesn't make you go 'wow') than price. Which to me makes it, and all relatively expensive guitars, a curiosity, because beyond the means of the average player. And that's what counts. So unless the price of this kind of guitar comes down, as has happened with modern CNC cut budget Asian guitars, without loss of quality, it will remain a curiosity. I can buy 17 of the second-hand Yamaha that I've just bought for the price of one of these, so a no brainer there, because the advantages are not that great. If the neck is the point, get a cf neck on a wood body.. A lot to pay for 'stability', which may not in fact be better. And the Yamaha neck is dead on. The Yamaha Revstar has cf inserts in the neck, and ss frets, so no probs there. So I suspect the news of the death of the wood guitar is much exagerrated, in the way that other innovations became absorbed, rather than replaced wood. That's my view. However, as a technical review, very good, and interesting. Regarding distortion, etc, in wooden guitars, I have a number of vintage acoustics at difference price points, the only probs with a couple of them being belly movement from string tension. My '70s Yamahas are still precisely as good as the day they were made, and the same with others. Plus they have probably sonicallly improved over, unlike a cf body. So not my experience. Also I find the proportions of this guitar a bit visually lumpy but that's just one design. That said, its playability may compensate. What is more interesting to me are the pickup variations of the Emerald Virtuo, if that is a priority.

[@jonathannewby5795]

Now I understand that the cost of an Emerald is due to the cost of the cf material, and the extensive and thorough hand finishing, plus plek, and a limited number of guitars produced. So surely value for money, if you have it/want it/need to pay it.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

I think that if there is ever a 'death of wooden acoustics' it might be because people get fed up of finding them deformed-to-unplayability within even a short couple of years of purchase. I see TOO MANY newish guitars - even those in the £1000-1500 range - that are 2-3 years old with the saddle adjustment maxed out, nowhere else but an expensive neck reset to go and an uncomfortably high action. Will people ever STOP paying that sort of money for guitars that fold up in a few short years? Only the market & time will tell. But when I look at this carbon fibre guitar I'm not comparing 'tone for tone' I'm looking at a guitar that won't fold up, that won't leave a customer feeling bitter that their £1500 in the end didn't save them from having to go back to square 1 and either pay £4-500 for a neck reset or write it all off and start looking for another guitar... which hopefully will last longer... That's why the Emerald seems attractive to me; spend once, play for my whole lifetime...

[@jonathannewby5795]

@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Thanks for the reply. I cannot but bow to your no-contest superior knowledge and experience as a luthier, and I have no doubt you are correct. An interesting feature of cf is the ease of ergonomic design, which anyway is influencing wood guitar design. It will be interesting to see to what extent cf is taken up by the big brands, or any brands for that matter. But then the guitar has always been subject to technological innovation, from steel strings to everything else. Not sure that fan frets quite caught on, but guitar development is a fascinating subject. I too will surely eventually buy cf, but no more guitars for a while. I've bought 4 in the last 2 weeks, 3 second-hand, including a guitar banjo. It's getting ridiculous. I worked in Harrods Piano (and Guitar) dept, when it existed, and bought a number of good quality guitars cheap, including 3 Crafters, and considered the J9. Which I'm now watching on your video. Which videos I really enjoy, the process, solutions, and commentary. Have subscribed. All the best.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

@@jonathannewby5795 I'm no expert in acoustic guitars, wood or carbon fiber... but having seen so many guitars in the process of becoming 'unplayable' thanks to slowly deforming under load the idea of a guitar that would stay the same seems very appealing to me. But there's no doubt at all that the Emerald is tonally different to many wooden acoustics... but then so is a Strat to a Les Paul etc. I'm not attached to any way of doing things or even constructing things; so long as it's interesting, useful, nice-sounding and easy to play I think it has a place.

[@valueofnothing2487]

I listened to their video and I think Martin has nothing to fear. Maybe Taylor. Sounded very subdued, plastic like.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

It IS different, that’s for sure. However the ease of play, the accuracy of the neck plus the ‘one-time cost’ could still make it a very attractive option. If you have ever had to accept the demise of a pretty but finally unplayable ‘normal’ acoustic guitar the longevity of these Emeralds might prove really appealing…

[@JonHop1]

Beautiful guitar, but is it really economical/practical? Not really.. I dont even wanna imagine how much that thing costs.. I mean the smallest Carbon Fiber pieces on my car are massively expensive.. And now with production shortages and price increases due to inflation and other things, Im sure this is running $2000+ easy... Well maybe carbon fiber will become cheap in the future??... I doubt it tho..

[@garyc2483]

I guess it's a question of perspective, Jon. I'm by no means wealthy, but for me it is economical/practical if you look at it as a guitar for life that, in terms of maintenance, will (potentially) only ever need the strings replaced. The carbon construction means it won't be affected by exposure to heat/cold/humidty, and the frets are stainless steel so should outlive this old geezer, etc. Indeed, when I look at the small fortune I have paid to maintain my traditionally constructed acoustics over the years (two of which need an expensive neck reset), it's a bargain! Only the test of time will tell, but Emerald have been making carbon guitars since 2001, and I haven't heard of any issues concerning longevity. The construction also means that I can keep the guitar in my lounge on its stand all the time through all the seasons, or chuck it in the back of the car on a hot sunny day and not have to worry about it. My most expensive acoustic spends most of its time in its case, so you can guess which guitar is going to get played the most. That on its own is worth alot to me.

[@hughzapretti-boyden9187]

For me guitars are made from wood, reminds me of that other revolution in guitars back in the day, the Synth-Axe!

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

But…but…everyone has a Synth Axe don’t they??

[@bakters]

My brother bought recently a cheap wooden acoustic for a 10yo kid. It sounded better than this plastic-fantastic of yours. I wanted it, it was that good. Expensive wooden guitars is where the problem is. You pay your money, especially without knowing what you pay for, you are likely to be disappointed. Cheap, well made instruments? No problemo. Overbuilt top, no fancy scallops, plywood everything that does not matter, and it still sounds like an acoustic guitar, not a loud unamplified electric. Just play the living out of them for the nest few decades. You will eventually get what I own, and would not trade for any new guitar I ever heard.

[@TheFissionchips]

'In the year of '39........

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

An old favourite of mine - and yours :)

[@TheFissionchips]

@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars one of only a few of their's I still listen to. Out of interest, Sam; would you take on a total fretboard scalloping job?

[@theo9952]

Ιmpressive 21st century guitars. Just one thing, I 'd rather they had the sound hole on the side instead of the front.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Hi Theo - good name (my 2nd son's name) :) The separation of the sound hole's 'voice' and the guitar top's 'voice' is a deliberate and interesting move. From my experience of hearing it (as a player) it would seem that the sound hole transmits less bass and more high frequency dynamics and the top transmits more bass power. This leads me to wonder if Emerald's hypothesis reads something like this: "A sound hole allows the projection of the tonal dynamics / nuances BUT reduces the volume when it's located in the guitar top.... so the side-located sound hole still allows the nuances out but increases the volume projected to the audience thanks to the un-holed soundboard..."?? But if it IS true that a guitar soundboard with a sound hole transmits the combined low, mid and high frequencies all together then surely the separation of the higher frequencies from the lower ones resulting from moving the sound hole elsewhere would reduce the high frequency sounds heard by the audience.... which wouldn't be such a great thing, right?? If it's true that higher frequencies are 'localised' while low frequencies are difficult to place in space then I would have thought that it was better for the soundhole to face an audience and the bass to emanate from the front and back of the guitar.... Who knows!? I certainly don't. Having said all that it could be that the design logic is simply this: • when someone is playing un-amplified, the PLAYER (by default) is usually the primary audience. Better that the sound hole projects the tonal dynamics / high frequencies at the player • when someone is playing to an audience they almost certainly will be AMPLIFIED in which case the purely acoustic nature of the guitar (and where it projects its different frequencies) will be irrelevant since internal mics and piezos will be creating the sound. Maybe that's what it's all about?

[@theo9952]

@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Τhank you for your interesting analysis Sam !

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

@@theo9952 More like 'thinking out loud' :-) It would be good to talk to the designers at Emerald to hear their rationale in detail.

[@WillMoon]

Those frets look horrendous. WTF Emerald...?

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Emerald were absolutely willing to take the guitar back and sort them out; no questions asked and apologies given. My customer (who has had me work on several other guitars and knows my work) preferred me to do the fret work instead - hence I did so. I've got no issues with Emerald as a result of this; mistakes can happen and they were perfectly responsive and accommodating about the issue.

[@Shagley]

Well if it sounded like my martin i would buy it but it doesn’t so I won’t

[@robertnewell5057]

See my other comment. I've got one of these and 3 Martins (J40, HD35, MC68). Only the HD35 is better. You need to hear them in life.

[@underskillednunderpaid]

The frets are actually not very good at all, very surprised at the terrible fretwork

[@willwilburn9473]

There is no way I would ever even consider buying one of these things.

[@jodymarentez9847]

ρяσмσѕм ✋

[@deanmcbride8747]

I've come to the conclusion the guitar is horrible. Those fret ends are some of the worse I've seen. They don't sound good either. The only thing I like on the emerald is the guitar tuners, but their not made by emerald. Everyone just plays dadgad tunes on it. It don't sound good in standard tuning. Buy a better guitar. I'd send that guitar back for a refund. Best wishes Dean

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

HI Dean - to each their own as they say. Have you played one or is your view based on seeing them online / hearing them on KZbin?

[@200_percent6]

LOL, have you actually played one? I now own 3 and they're all I play

[@IvanMidwing]

Very annoying strumming... Talk or play please....😅

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

Don’t stay around to be brutalised by my video a moment longer than you need!

[@IvanMidwing]

@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Is it this the best U can do? I already left......

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

@@IvanMidwing but your ego brought you back still. Change your outlook and aim to make friends with every interaction... your life will explode with colour, amazement and opportunities if you do. All the best to you.