Back in 2009 I met (via Myspace) a luthier in Maryland who I started chatting to about various guitar sounds and settings. I was on the verge of branching into electric guitars and had never really used them much. So it was nice to speak to someone with a knowledge of the instruments inside and out.
This luthier was Bill Lite of Xotech Guitars.
After a few emails back and forth, Bill offered to create an electric guitar that would have all of the attributes to compliment my style of playing, but retaining a uniqueness leaving me free to experiment.
He began asking a series of questions such as,
"Do you strum more than you pick?"
"What sort of amp will you be playing through?"
"What sort of sounds do you like the most?"
And that really got me thinking about what I expected out of incorporating electric guitar into my repertoire.
For the most part, I was starting to write more dark, heavy-esque songs that I thought would be suited to a crunchier sound, however being a rhythm (acoustic) guitarist, I didn't want the whole tracks to sound muddied by non-stop distortion....So all of this was worth analyzing.
After sending more emails back and forth I left Bill to his own devices and a few months later started receiving pictures in my inbox.
One of the first images of my guitar....
Bill would send photos as he drew, cut, clamped and built the guitar and after a few months, while Syren were based in Holland I received a rather large package at the door...
Presenting the Xotech EB II Dizeezd Series Guitar
Made out of Spalted Oak, Mahogany and Blood Wood with a semi hollow body this guitar has a great earthy (woody) sound and it's Fender Lace Sensor pickups combined with a Lace Humbucker give me all the versatility I need to get exactly the sound I'm searching for.
What's most brilliant about this guitar is that Bill chucked in some locking machine heads which keep me in tune!
There's no other guitar in the world like it, but if you want to see your dream realized, definitely get in touch with Bill at Xotech Guitars! :)
I love RainSong guitars...some of you know them and some of you don't. For those of you that do I'm sure you've fallen in love time and time again with 100s of the amazing characteristics of these instruments...and those of you that don't know them might wonder, 'Can an acoustic guitar made 100% out of Graphite be THAT good?'....Here's my two cents, for what it's worth.
My RainSong Graphite Guitars Family
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways......
1.The A-WS1000
This bright red beauty not only matches my favorite pair of Dr. Martens but is absolutely the most indestructible, reliable and trustworthy live guitar I have ever had the pleasure of playing.
Apart from the fact that I was bravely straying off the wooden guitar path and taking the slip road onto the carbon graphite freeway, the first thing that I fell in love with was the thin neck...(if you're a guitarist who hasn't been blessed with ultra-long fingers you'll know how important that is)...where I'd struggle to clearly form chords on some guitars, the RainSong A-WS1000 made everything possible for me and with this new found ease of playing, I was confident enough to branch out and experiment with my style of playing.
After receiving the guitar (which was my very first RainSong,) a very intense show schedule followed which allowed me to really experience it in every live situation imaginable. The sunny outside gig (the rainy outside gig...) and the guitar never once slipped out of tune or tone. Big stages with large monitoring systems couldn't make this baby feed back either, and if you found a particular frequency that was more resonant than others you could easily notch it through the fishman preamp built in.
I personally use a Boss Chromatic Tuner pedal on stage, but the fishman preamp also features a built in tuner which has a quick response and will get you tuned and playing before the audience notice a thing.
And as this instrument is amazingly versatile, you'll find it's perfect with or without an amp and whether you're playing heavy rhythms or picking it out finger-style, it's 100% consistent.
Now, this particular model was discontinued, for why I'm not sure. But if you have the pleasure of owning one of these or have seen one and considered buying it, I strongly recommend it for the gigging/touring musician. It's true to say that these would also be perfect for your general around the campfire, every-now-and-then player, but for that amount of playing, I suggest this next guitar.....
2. The OM1000 Hybrid Series
Perhaps the most lightweight, lovely, projective and resonant guitar I've ever touched the Hybrid Series are made out of both carbon and glass fiber. This particular model is the smallest of the Hybrid Series and is perfect for those campfire sing-alongs or those down-scale coffee shop gigs. As well it packs the punch needed to blow your mind on a big stage. With the perfect balance in dynamic range and the absoluteness of each individual note this guitar is suited to any style of playing.
Also equipped with a fishman prefix preamp, (complete with tuner) you can make those little tweaks to create your desired sound.
The most raved about feature of this guitar and quite possibly the pièce de résistance of the whole series is it's famed, 'N2' neck. This neck is the lovechild of the collaboration between Steve Miller and John Bolin (master luthier.) The N2 is so solid and has been designed to such a perfection that it has created an even balance of vibration from the strings to the soundboard which is part of the reason this model is so resonant and alive.
Being the only neck by RainSong to feature an adjustable truss rod, this guitar can be adjusted to suit guitarists of any level of experience.
I personally use my OM1000 in the studio and I find that when mic'd up with some Nuemann 184D's or Rhode NT5's this guitar really comes alive and recordings will be pristine. Although, I've also mic'd my OM1000 with a single Nuemann U87 about 7in. - 12in. away from where the fretboard and body meet and have been totally amazed by the clarity of every aspect of this guitars tones and resonance.
I cannot recommend this guitar enough to anyone interested in buying a RainSong. In my opinion, this guitar alone gives any ole' Martin or Taylor a run for their money.
When it comes to branching out with guitar playing and experimenting you really couldn't get a better guitar than.... 3. WS3000 12 String
If you are familiar with 12 Strings, you know that one of the biggest issues is the damage caused to the joint at the neck & body by tension added by the 6 extra strings. And of course with these extra strings, you'll find that you pull unconsciously harder at the neck when playing in order to form your chords and notes clearly. Since RainSong's 12 strings are created using all graphite, they have been able to make the neck thin, the action low and the guitar 100% immune to structural failure. (All the while, never losing it's tuning. Guitar making miracle, perhaps? Or just the power of RainSong Graphite Guitars?)
Out of all the various stringed instruments, 12 string guitars are my absolute favorite! The harmonics specific to them can really open your mind and boost your creativity. You'll find this particular model suited to both the strummer and picker with ample space between strings for your notes to be precise.
It's 5 inch deep body swallows the sound whole then bursts it out again making the listener wonder what you've plugged into. And if you find yourself on a stage with this guitar, you'll be impressed again by the fishman prefix +T preamp which allows you to sculpt your sound to perfection.
If you've been wondering what 12 string to invest in and have looked at the 100s of other wooden models, consider the long-term effects of extensive use and remember RainSong when you decide you want a lifetime of reliable quality for your money!
These three guitars have changed my musical life! I've tried loads of beautifully made guitars that have gorgeous tones and sustains, but each time I find myself coming back to RainSong and being blown away all over again. I strongly believe in the reliability of these instruments and urge those of you who haven't found your guitar soul mate yet to get to a dealer and try one. Or, failing that, come to one of my shows and you can have a go on mine. :)
Thanks for reading and I hope this might have answered any questions you might have had.
