Been losing my mind for quite a while with a 1998 Taylor 555 12 string that has a Fishman Matrix - it has a most delicious bottom end through my PAS - however, my wife insisted I buy a Rainsong Jumbo 12 string tonight, which features an LR Baggs Element pickup, and I bet it's going to blow mine and everyone else's mind, plugged into the PAS. Will keep you informed - the guitar is due here by the weekend.

#1 reason the Taylor is now on sale - even Taylor says to keep the guitar in the case when not in use - or build a humidity-controlled room to leave it out in - but I prefer leaving all my guitars out and about so I can grab them and play them without all the latches and such. The JM3000 will take its place next to the WS1000 I already own, which is always out and always gets played.

They say the Jumbo Rainsongs are LOUD.

And I thought the Taylor 555 12 string was easy to play.....

The guitar showed up about twenty minutes ago - in a Martin Guitars shipping box. I was offended, since I think Martin Guitars are way overrated and way overpriced. The FedEx guy was already walking back to his truck by the time I answered the door, clearly not caring whether I was home or not, with a $2300 guitar sitting on the front porch.

I had the camcorder rolling.......knowing the guitar would be in perfect tune when I took it out of the box - but someone at Elderly Instruments detuned all 12 strings for shipping, and put a sticker on the box that read "Temperature changes can cause finish cracks in your instrument! Please allow several hours for temperature to adjust before opening." These folks obviously don't understand Rainsong. Temperature and humidity are no longer factors with these guitars.

Spent a good ten minutes retuning it - and I am happy to say, it plays and sounds wonderful. Maybe not quite as "loud, loud, loud" as advertised, but the guitar is lighter than the Taylor, plays easier, and I bet sounds twice as good plugged in - the difference between the old Fishman Matrix and the new Rainsong Element.

The finish is gorgeous, and I can leave it out anywhere to look at it, or pick it up at my leisure.

The case is a standard hardshell case very much like the Taylors. Too bad. My Rainsong WS1000 has a kind of plastic case that I bet lasts as long as the guitar. This (probably wood) case won't last 50 years, but I suppose it'll do for my purposes.

Gotta go experiment. I'm plugging it into the digital recorder next.

Congrats Don.

Now all we have to do is get your wife interested in Big Sur.

quote:

even Taylor says to keep the guitar in the case when not in use - or build a humidity-controlled room to leave it out in - but I prefer leaving all my guitars out and about so I can grab them and play them without all the latches and such.

I always have a few decent instruments out in the open to tempt me at any and all times as I'm wandering around. Except for extra straps (earthquake safety belts) and avoiding direct sunlight, I don't do a lot to manage the environment.

There are those who believe that acoustic instruments age better when played. Some think that exposure to music helps too. It would seem healthy for the instruments to be exposed to the good vibes in a live room where music happens.

Okay - now receding to a climate controlled room to await the sound clips.

Ok, if I use the thicker pick Rainsong provided with the guitar, it gets pretty loud.

Was initially disappointed when I plugged it into the PAS. Figured I would have to experiment with it, but then discovered I was running with Preset 00, which I use for the podXt Live. Switched to Preset 40 and presto - superb, balanced sound with all knobs in the 12 o'clock position.

Don,

Sweeeeet looking geetar. I'd really like to hear more about how the 12-string sounds in the L1.

Cool stuff,
Steve

The new Element Onboard system by JR Baggs does not use a condenser mike like the Fishman Blender in my WS1000, so there hasn't even been the hint of feedback. The dazzling clarity of this instrument through the PAS is exactly what I need to get through to the folks I play for in rest homes. So far I haven't even touched the controls of the Element system, but there are a few things I can adjust there as well if need be.

How it sounds? Sweet. Local music workhorse Mike O'Donnell was here yesterday afternoon helping me record through the PAS. He said enough nice things about the sound where who knows, maybe someday I'll be able to talk him into a PAS.

More as I play with it......