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Location: Flushing, MI | Has anyone tried one of these grapite wonders? I've been seeing them in the GC, or Elderly's catalog for years now, and I've only just tried one at Elderly's the other day. It was a major disappointment. No low end, very pinched sound, not much volume (or maybe I'm spoiled by Ovations abundant volume - I dunno). Anyhoo, I'd much rather pay that big price for an Adamas, or something like that.
Having said that, I still have never played an Adamas, but I'm sure it's WAYYY better than the RainSong. Has anyone been able to A/B compare the two? |
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Location: Toronto | I tried a rainsong @ Ed Romans and it was pure crap, no comparison, nothing to A/B it from since the rainsong couldn't come close to providing even a point of reference. It sounded tinny (worse than my old Martin backpacker), was uncomfortable, had no volume and looked rather unattractive. Now my adamas re-issue is just pure heaven! |
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Location: Warren,Pa. | I think of Rainsong's piece of the market pie much like I view Ovation's. Never gonna be mainstream because it's not all-wood. Having said that, I'll bet you that...just like Ovation...they have no trouble selling every guitar they can produce.
I AM absolutely in love with a certain Rainsong at my nearby mom 'n pop store. It's a 12 fret parlor-sized guitar (I forget if it's a slothead) with Graphite top and laminated Rosewood back and sides, Fishman preamp. This is the sweetest sounding small-bodied guitar I've ever heard. That's hard for me to say 'cause I have a '97 Collectors' that is very special to me.
The owner wanted one and when he called Rainsong they said they didn't make them any more, but they had 6 left in the warehouse...so he bought all 6. I have a dream that I'll squirrel away enough to buy the last one before it's gone. John <>{ |
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Location: Flushing, MI | Rosewood back and sides? Maybe that's why it sounds better than the one that I played.
I really do root for these alternative methods of guitar construction. I'm not a tree-hugger, but if someone can get close to that sound, and save a tree in the process - more power to ya.
The RainSong that I played was the more expensive - all graphite model and, being that it's much more expensive, I had huge expectations for this instrument, and was mightily disappointed.
I can't WAIT to wrap my mits around an Adamas! |
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Location: SE Michigan | Like every other manufacturer Rainsong has high-end and low-end models, and one would expect the performance of the guitars to follow this curve.
I've only played Rainsongs in the shops, but the higher-end ones sounded pretty good to me and I think the graphite tops are kind of cool looking. I also like the "shark" fret markers.
From reading on other forums the Rainsong jumbos are supposed to be the loudest unplugged guitar out there. Also I think Rainsong is aiming at a nitch market; the all-weather nearly-indestructable guitar. I think tone is a secondary consideration for them behind toughness. |
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Location: NW NJ | One of the guitar players in my worship band plays an all graphite Rainsong. Now this is a guy who has a lovely Taylor 514 and a vintage Martin (I think D-28). Plays the Rainsong in worship band consistently. Oh, the wood boxes have shown up on occasion, but he brings the Rainsong almost all the time. The odd thing is that I have never asked him why he prefers it. He bought it at Mandolin Brothers out on Staten Island. He went there and played a bunch of guitars and fell in love with the Rainsong. I have played the instrument and it frets easy and has sustain to die for. Full of harmonics, but not warm sounding acoustically. Plugged in it sounds fine. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | They Suck.
next? |
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Location: NJ | Well, that pretty much cinched it . . . . |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | What CWK2 said-- and they're way overpriced for what they are. The one I heard sounded like one of those old plastic toy Mattel "Mousegetars." |
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| I was wondering if anyone can remember the tuning for RAINSONG???? I havent played it in years but thought about it the other night.. Its a simple song if the guitar is tuned properly but what a amazing song!!!!..
Jimmy Page-- So primitive but yet so complex |
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Location: Hazlet, NJ | If I remember correctly, Rainsong is tuned to Open G. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Led for the Head
More Led
Here's a couple. It is a dropped tuning. I know a progression in standard tuning as well.
Maybe with one of those British Cappoes! |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | bauerhillboy,
How much were they asking for the parlor rainsong? |
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| AWESOME! THANKS!!!!!!!!! Cant beat the original tuning!!!
Hey Bill , didnt Jimmy have a Ovation early on??? But he complained about it sliding off his knee???? Just curious because i heard that plus i saw a picture in the oldest manuals of who I thought looked like jimmy.. |
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Location: Flushing, MI | "PUSH PUSH PUSH...."
Sorry. I was doing my Robert Plant impersonation. |
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| Rainsongs are a waste of graphite. You could make a lot of really nice pencils..... |
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Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Gee whizzy.....I've A-to-Bed Adamas and Rainsong at Elderly....there are not so hot Rainsongs, but there are also some that are quite good. I don't know the model, but the one I tried was an all-CF 000 cutaway, something like that....it was very much to my taste. I played it and a W597 at the same time, same room. I liked both. The W597 had more of a "natural" sound, I thought. But I liked the tone of the Rainsong. That particular model also had a very slim neck, very easy to play.
I played the Rainsong parlor at Elderly and it was one of the ones that I thought was not so hot. I remember the price as around $600-$700.
I remember someone on the OFC BB having a Rainsong a couple of years ago; the CF neck warped in the heat when he left it in his car on a hot summer day....it was NOT covered under warranty, and was NOT repairable.
Roger |
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Location: SE Michigan | The one I heard sounded like one of those old plastic toy Mattel "Mousegetars." Geeze, I can't believe what I'm hearing from the people on this board.
People who live in glass houses......... |
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Location: NJ | . . . use a lotta' Windex?? |
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| :D |
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Location: SE Michigan | I just thought, in light of the sensitivity that some folks have to all the "tupper-ware", "salad-bowl", and "plastic guitar" comments, that we would be the last ones to hurl insults at another synthetic guitar.
And I know I'm gonna catch it for saying this, but every single Celebrity I have ever heard or played sounded pretty weak and thin in comparison to the higher end stuff. We dont want the all-wood-box-crowd judging Ovations based on a couple minutes spent in GC with a Celebrity do we?
That's what I meant by the "glass houses" remark. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | And people in grass houses shouldn't stow thrones is the one I heard.
Brian's right, you should all be ashamed of yourselves. I wouldn't mind taking a factory tour to see how they assemble them.
I still reserve the right to be an Ovation snob though. |
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Location: Orange County, California | I haven't played one myself (yet), but I have it on good authority that These Don\'t Suck . From what I have heard myself, they're a "little too Taylor-like" for me. Wood box or not, that's not the sound I'm into. Jeff's Lowden on the other hand... :D |
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Location: NW NJ | I'm with Brian.
I think we can agree that Celebs, and certainly Applause don't stack up to the U.S. Ovations generally for sound and workmanship (although the Ute debacle might blur that distinction based on the number that were sent back to the mothership to be made "right"), but occasionally there may be a really fine one. All of us Adamas wanks certainly ought to be slow to toss around the "they suck" moniker for a kindred graphite axe.
Some Rainsongs sound fine, some don't - same as every other manufacturer including Ovation. What happened to "different flavors of ice cream is OK"? |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | Okay-- so Brian T.; you quoted me (not by name) and then made the "glass houses" comment. Not quite sure how to take that. Is the intimation that I have crappy guitars? Since I'm not fortunate enought to own an Adamas or an Elite but only a lowly Balladeer, Pacemaker and CS 257 that I should take my inferior toys and go home? Maybe I will. Maybe I should. For the record though, this guy was playing a RainSong JM 1000 through a Trace Elliott acoustic amp. The RainSong was a jumbo, I think it's toward the top of the line. The amp was a really good amp. He had plenty of volume and projection, but the tone was lousy. He fought it all night, put a processor on it, tried everything. No luck. The best he could do was this "plinky, plinky, plinky" sound-- which reminded me of nothing more than the sound those little toy Mattel guitars made when you strummed the little monofiliament strings. The way that RainSong sounded, I'd put up my lowly, crappy Balladeer and CS 257 against it any day. I didn't make the connection about the "plastic guitar" thing until somebody mentioned it in a later reply. I guess I can see how people might be touchy about that, but-- that's worse than saying "they suck?"
You know, we're commenting all the time about "wooden guitar snobs" and how they don't give Ovation owners a fair shake. And yet we make comments among ourselves like, "I think we can agree that Celebs, and certainly Applause don't stack up to the U.S. Ovations generally for sound and workmanship..." No snobbery there? I'm surprised you tolerate us peons who don't own top of the line "O's."
Then again, maybe you don't.
Talk about "glass houses!" |
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Location: Warren,Pa. | Oh...you guys are all so silly! |
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Location: SE Michigan | Okay-- so Brian T.; you quoted me (not by name) and then made the "glass houses" comment. Not quite sure how to take that. Is the intimation that I have crappy guitars? Since I'm not fortunate enought to own an Adamas or an Elite but only a lowly Balladeer, Pacemaker and CS 257 that I should take my inferior toys and go home? Dude, I didnt mean to pee in your pie. I did not even know what kind of guitars you personally owned. I'm just one of the trouble makers of this forum. Sometimes I like to point out the "other" points of view.
I am sure your balladeer is very sweet. But since we're pressing the point, I have to say I have yet to hear a Celebrity that did not make me "wince" a little bit. I participate in other forums and it's really narrow minded to hear the all-wood snobs totally dismiss the entire Ovation line after sampling a plywood top Asian model. Kind of seems like what's happening with RainSong on this thread. A lot of players swear by them. |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | "I have to say I have yet to hear a Celebrity that did not make me "wince" a little bit." quote: Brian T.
Then you'll have to hear mine sometime. Maybe I'm just lucky. |
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Location: SE Michigan | Then you'll have to hear mine sometime. Maybe I'm just lucky. Yes,
I'd like to hear it sometime. Maybe your Celeb is a really great example. If you're in Ohio maybe we can hook up sometime, I'm up in SE Michigan, we're having an OFC gathering in August. Maybe you want to come up and see us.
But remember that your pal with the rainsong may have been trying out some different strings, or didnt know how to set up his rig, was having an off-night or something similar. No reason to blame the guitar. |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | Touche. Point taken. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Random comments about the previous 8-10 posts on this topic:
1. I've only played one Rainsong in my life, I have no idea what model it was and I could care less what it is made of. It fucking sucked. Period. Until I play one that I like, my opinion will be that ALL Rainsongs suck. Sorry but I can be as closed minded as the wood box snobs, that's my right.
2. Re: the "Ute debacle". Even the most twisted neck, badly painted, poor QC U681 that somehow left the factory sounded head and shoulders better than ANY Ovation model ever produced except the FD14. All of them. Period.
3. Salad Bowl and Tupper Ware comments: No comment.
4. Snobbery about Celebs and Applause: Sorry, I disagree. Isn't a $1500. Ovation SUPPOSED to sound better than a $500. Celeb? I don't see the snobbery in it. Celeb is a great guitar and beats the pants off of almost anything else in it's price range.
Just my opinions,
Dave |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | "I'm up in SE Michigan, we're having an OFC gathering in August. Maybe you want to come up and see us." Brian T.
Whereabouts in SE Michigan? If you don't want to say, you can e-mail me. That might be do-able; doesn't sound too far away. It'd be nice to put faces to some of the names.
Interesting that we're all so passionate about guitars that we're getting into pissing matches over it!! |
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Location: SE Michigan | Brad (Slipkid) is hosting the party on August 19th. He is in Algonac, which is about 30 miles NE of Detroit. I'm a little closer in to Detroit which helps explain my bad attitude.
Drop Brad or me a private message and we'll get you a mapquest link. |
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Location: SoCal | 
Rainsong Jazz Guitar... Nikki not included. |
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Location: SoCal | Over the last couple of days, there's been a couple of comments on the U681T. The comments may not have been intended to be negative. However, I perceived them as "cheap shots".
A few of us got early models that had a couple of problems. Yet, the guitar itself was amazing.
In perspective - difficult guitar to make, look at the old Adamas. The factory bent over backwards to make the guitar perfect. Heck, as my problems were very minor, I wouldn't have sent mine back except that I was actively encouraged to let them work on it...came back perfect. Heck, they did more than they should have - they gave me a new top.
My hats off to the guys and gals that strive to give us outstanding instruments.
Personally, I see this as a proud moment for Ovation/Adamas. |
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Location: NW NJ | Originally posted by Tupperware:
2. Re: the "Ute debacle". Even the most twisted neck, badly painted, poor QC U681 that somehow left the factory sounded head and shoulders better than ANY Ovation model ever produced except the FD14. All of them. Period.
Originally posted by Tony Calman:
Over the last couple of days, there's been a couple of comments on the U681T. The comments may not have been intended to be negative. However, I perceived them as "cheap shots". Dave & Tony - since I involked the name of the U681T, let me apologize and clarify.
I didn't intend to deliver a "cheap shot" or imply that the U681T's that had to go back sounded bad, and if my writing earlier communicated that, forgive me. In fact, I never read a single post that said the guitar wasn't sonically outstanding. My comment was refering to the workmanship, and comparing US to non-US Ovations. We expect the workmanship of the premium line to be better than that of the considerably less expensive lines. For a limited edition, premium guitar, the U681T's that had cosmetic issues should have never shipped if they weren't right to begin with. Look at what we saw at the factory and what we see regularly on this board regarding FRG guitars. Most of us can never find the microscopic things, that highly skilled hands and eyes detect during the manufacturing process, that bump really fine guitars into FRG status.
Somewhere in the process with the early U681T's, QC messed up and the mothership and Al (absolutely through no fault of his own) worked really hard to make everything right - even better than right (witness Tony getting a new top in the process). THAT is the Ovation that we know, love and respect. And it was probably a good wake-up call because I haven't heard anyone else complain about any issues with the newer limited editions as they have come out. They appear to be coming out perfect, which is what we AND Ovation should expect from the flagship line in the first place.
So, getting back to my post, my point was supposed to be (at least in my head, obviously not in my words) that we don't expect Celebrities and Applause guitars to be "as perfect" or sound "as good" as US Ovations and Adamas' because they are priced and aimed at an entirely different market. Sometimes, the premuim line has a "bad day", and things leave the door that aren't up to anyone's expectations. Conversely, if you play enough of them, I'm sure you will probably find some really outstanding Celebrities.
Oh, back to the U681T for a second. There is another example of less than desirable workmanship still available for sale.
"B Stock" Ute
As I said about this exact same guitar in a post a couple of months ago because I bought it and sent it back: Originally posted by worshipleader:
The guitar was a mess in build quality with respect to the neck where it attaches to the body. I don't think it should have ever left the factory that way, and I can now really empathize with you guys who got one of the first ones from Al and had to send them back. The fretboard was way high off the top of the guitar and there was some sort of black filler under it to fill the gap. It was also way low on the bass side and normal height on the treble side at the body, and it had a bend in the fretboard where it met the body and then started a downward slope as it proceeded over the body in the direction of the bridge. Did not have an FRG sticker inside the guitar. It was just sloppy.
So I don't know how Ovation can sell a new, "B Stock" (not FRG) U681T to Music123 . I thought that Frank told us on the tour that they don't sell "B Stock". In my heart, I would have hoped that after I posted about this particular guitar in April, someone at the mothership would have said "Oh my gosh!", and recalled it from Music123, fixed it and let it go as an FRG.
But then again, what do I know - I just play cowboy chords anyway ... |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | About the Music123 guitar: I dug into this awhile back. They had a U681 that was returned and they resold it as used (but called it B-stock). They still list B-stock U681 on their site and if you call them they'll tell you it is temporarily out of stock but that can order one for you. THAT'S TOTAL BULLSHIT!
Dave |
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Location: south east Michigan | Saturday...August 19th. Algonac, Michigan
More details to follow. |
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Location: Flushing, MI | I received my invitation for the get-together, and I EXTREMELY regret the fact that I have a gig on that night. If I could get out of it, and come down there, I certainly would.
Y'know, I just may be able to find someone to take my place that weekend. I'll get back to you. |
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Location: south east Michigan | Boy.....you professional giggers. You need to get your priorities straight :D :D
It would be great to have you if it turns out you can make it. |
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Location: south east Michigan | Wait...strike that...
I'm really green with envy. It would be great to (at times) be able to say.."Can't make it...gotta gig". |
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Location: Knoxville, TN | NO repeat N O
comparison. I played one at Gruhn's Guitars in Nashville a couple of years back and I couldn't believe how crappy the sound was for the price; I think it was around $3000. My Adamas is hands down the finest sounding instrument I have EVER owned and that's even after owning a Martin HD-28. I loved the Martin sound but they are too high maintenance; too much polishing, too many humidity issues. They are awesome guitars but I'm just an Ovation man; sorry C.F. |
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Location: Flushing, MI | Originally posted by Slipkid:
Wait...strike that...
I'm really green with envy. It would be great to (at times) be able to say.."Can't make it...gotta gig". I guarantee that I'd have more fun with y'all than at the gig, although the gig ain't bad. I just need a vacation. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Saturday August 19 at gh1s in Portland. I hope to have AFG's Ute there. I just have to figure out how to haul the guitars over. They are cannons. I want to compare it to my Folklore, and all the rest, of course. |
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Location: Wooster, Ohio | Was in Nashville at Gruhn Guitars and played Rainsong and was not impressed. Played a CA and it blew me away.
Steve |
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Location: Orange County, California | :p TOLD YA SO!! :p |
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Location: Budd Lake, NJ | To roughly quote Leo Rosten,
"You can argue with what I think, you can argue with what I know, you can argue with what I believe--but you can't argue with what I feel."
Having said that, I feel that a liking for a particular guitar is really just a matter of taste. Isn't it? Take musical genres. Some people like opera, some like country, some like pop. As diverse as the people who perform them.
I have only played one Rainsong, the same one that Robbie has--and it is a beautiful guitar. (Inspite of what some of you have said.) No, it doesn't have the same type of sound or feel as our potbellies, that's true--but it gives variety to the overall sound of our worship band and, as painful a thought as this may be, keeps us from being musically monotonous.
If Ovations (and by inference, those of us who own them) don't get any respect, do we really deserve it if we don't treat other guitarists' preferences with at least some modicum of the same respect we think we deserve? Would I buy a Rainsong? No...but I wouldn't denigrate my guitar brother's choice, either.
Happily strumming my LX,
Karen
------
G-1111-4 "Gertrude"; CE868LX-4 "Jewel"; Viper 1271 Natural "Blanca"; Steinberger Spirit 5-string bass "Sugar"; Fender American Strat "Ivory"; Galiano mandolin "Plink"; Vega 5-string banjo "Twang"; fiddle of uncertain antecedents "Shriek". |
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Location: NW NJ | So I asked my guitar player in the worship band why he brings his Rainsong instead of his Taylor or Martin(s), and his answer was pretty much what I expected.
1. Impervious to temp & humidity so it plays and stays consistent and in tune.
2. Sustain to die for.
3. In worship band, we always play plugged in, and the Fishman electronics sound great.
4. If he was going to play acoustic, his choice would be different.
I think I'll tell him to add an Adamas to his collection and get the best of both worlds ... |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | OK.
I meant no disrespect to other's guitars.
Maybe this one is a real good one.
It's just that with my limited knowledge of guitars I've never seen a rainsong that was better than a fresh spoo pile on the new carpet. I guess I'm just getting opinionated in my old age. Maybe I need to get out to music stores more often. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Originally posted by cwk2:
It's just that with my limited knowledge of guitars I've never seen a rainsong that was better than a fresh spoo pile on the new carpet. Bill, I'll grant you your, "limited knowledge of guitars".....
...But, where'd you come by your expansive knowledge of "spoo?" |
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Location: NJ | Lotsa' dogs . . . Lotsa' carpet . . . |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Ahh... ugly women and rug burns. |
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Location: NJ | Now THERE'S a Song Title!! . . . |
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Location: NJ | . . . or . . a BAND:
Skanky and the RugBurns. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Funny, you should sat that.... |
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Location: Warren,Pa. | I smell what yer steppin' in. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | I actually played a rainsong today. Not sure what model. It had a blue top. And BOY did it live up to my every expectation.
I'll post pics later, but I soent most of today in the Ochanimizu section of Tokyo. This is a street where all the musical instrument shops are. It blows away anything I have ever seen anywhere else in the world by a factor of 10. store after store just packed with every chi-chi model you could imagine. You want Fender Custom Shop strats? I must have seen 200 of them. High end 40+ series Martins available by the dozen. N768 Elites, at least 8-10 of them. Adamas reissues I saw at least 8-10 of those as well, Including 1681 Adamas II non-cuyaway reissues in black with a special abalone inlay on the face of the headstock of some performers name, birth and death date. No 47RI's but just about every other high end model you could think of. Prices 30% highewr than in the US. My favorite guitar that I saw was a Fernandes with the build in amp and speaker - but this one was a 6/12 double neck in Zofo paint job.
Dave |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Can't wait to see the pics. That sounds like a really cool section of the city. |
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RainSong anyone???