The Black Friday sale was too good, and I needed a new performing acoustic guitar. Thing is, in Florida, it gets really hot and humid and can get really cold and humid. Gigs are almost always outside or when inside, it is crazy air conditioning.
My needs for an acoustic are different than most. Most normal dread-shaped guitars are too big, and even smaller parlors can dig into my ribs and forearm. When choosing a performing acoustic, plugged in sound is the only thing I care about. That is what I hear onstage, and that is what the audience hears. So in the past, I've used things like a Line 6 Variax Acoustic (sounds great, but you need a bulky external power supply) and a Godin Multiac Steel Duet Ambience, which can sound great. But not all the time. Most of the time, it sounds thin and tinny plugged-in, certainly capturing the acoustic sound of the guitar.
So, I've been on the lookout for a small, thin-bodied acoustic that I could play for 4 hours and not be in pain, and sounds amazing plugged in. And, it has to be impervious to temperature and humidity.
So, I ordered a custom-made carbon fiber guitar from Emerald after playing 2 of them locally. Yeah, they look weird, and yeah, they aren't a Martin, Taylor, or Breedlove, but they aren't supposed to be. Besides, I've heard all 3 of those brands with pickup systems that sound terrible through a PA, even though the guitars themselves sounded amazing. So, I chose a model with a blend-able 2 pickup system: a humbucker in the neck, and Graph-Tech piezos (with Strat style saddles!) in the bridge. I can send each pickup to its own channel. Their website has a virtual builder and I didn't go for fancy wood tops or anything...I love the look of plain carbon fiber.
I ordered this Black Friday weekend, and it was built and shipped, but hasn't arrived. However, Emerald photographs every guitar they custom build, so I have great pics. So, this is my exact guitar:
Here is the webpage, if you want to zoom in.
Also, since they build just a few guitars a week, they always do a shipping video. This is my guitar, and I am 'David from Florida':
It should show up the week I am in LA at NAMM, but we'll see.
My needs for an acoustic are different than most. Most normal dread-shaped guitars are too big, and even smaller parlors can dig into my ribs and forearm. When choosing a performing acoustic, plugged in sound is the only thing I care about. That is what I hear onstage, and that is what the audience hears. So in the past, I've used things like a Line 6 Variax Acoustic (sounds great, but you need a bulky external power supply) and a Godin Multiac Steel Duet Ambience, which can sound great. But not all the time. Most of the time, it sounds thin and tinny plugged-in, certainly capturing the acoustic sound of the guitar.
So, I've been on the lookout for a small, thin-bodied acoustic that I could play for 4 hours and not be in pain, and sounds amazing plugged in. And, it has to be impervious to temperature and humidity.
So, I ordered a custom-made carbon fiber guitar from Emerald after playing 2 of them locally. Yeah, they look weird, and yeah, they aren't a Martin, Taylor, or Breedlove, but they aren't supposed to be. Besides, I've heard all 3 of those brands with pickup systems that sound terrible through a PA, even though the guitars themselves sounded amazing. So, I chose a model with a blend-able 2 pickup system: a humbucker in the neck, and Graph-Tech piezos (with Strat style saddles!) in the bridge. I can send each pickup to its own channel. Their website has a virtual builder and I didn't go for fancy wood tops or anything...I love the look of plain carbon fiber.
I ordered this Black Friday weekend, and it was built and shipped, but hasn't arrived. However, Emerald photographs every guitar they custom build, so I have great pics. So, this is my exact guitar:
Here is the webpage, if you want to zoom in.
Also, since they build just a few guitars a week, they always do a shipping video. This is my guitar, and I am 'David from Florida':
It should show up the week I am in LA at NAMM, but we'll see.
