Specifications

Manufacturer:
RainSong Graphite Guitars, rainsong.com

List Price:
$1,499.00

Originally published in Guitar World, October 2010

Whether you're an environmentally conscious soul, a tone perfectionist seeking perfectly balanced acoustic sound or a player on a budget who refuses to compromise, the RainSong H-DR1100N2 is an outstanding choice of dreadnought.

Carbon-fiber acoustic guitars are often discussed as alternatives to guitars made from traditional tone woods, but the instruments have progressed to such a level that they deserve to be discussed on their own merits just like any other guitar. While advantages like their resistance to problems caused by severe climate conditions make carbon-fiber acoustics very appealing, many of today’s composite guitars are simply great-sounding instruments that play exceptionally well.

Perhaps the only disadvantage is that carbon-fiber acoustics are usually rather expensive. RainSong’s new Hybrid Series guitars bring the cost of a composite acoustic down to earth, yet these models offer most, if not all, of the same advantages of higher priced instruments. As the name suggests, RainSong’s Hybrid Series acoustics are built from a combination of carbon- and glass-fiber construction, which brings down the cost of producing an instrument without sacrificing the best attributes of a composite instrument. The H-DR1100N2 is a traditional dreadnought model featuring RainSong’s acclaimed N2 neck—the Hybrid Series also offers a deep-body grand auditorium and a slim-body orchestra model.

FEATURES

RainSong has made carbon-fiber guitars for almost two decades, and that experience really shows in the H-DR1100N2. Every aspect of the guitar’s construction is flawless from the fretwork to the way the top and neck seamlessly blend into the body. The guitar may not have the fancy abalone rosette or mother-of-pearl “shark” fingerboard inlays like its Classic Series counterpart, or the eye-catching geometric design of the Black Ice’s soundboard, but its plain, understated looks are more likely to appeal to conservative-minded players who still struggle with the concept of a composite guitar. It’s also the only guitar in the RainSong lineup that does not feature built-in electronics.

Because carbon fiber and glass fiber are very strong and stiff, the soundboard does not need any bracing like wood does. RainSong’s proprietary Projection Tuned Layering construction results in a top that produces very even response across the guitar’s entire frequency range and impressive volume output. The neck is also exceptionally stable—the truss rod is necessary only for adjusting the action and neck relief.

Beyond the carbon- and glass-fiber construction, the H-DR1100N2 offers many of the same characteristics as a traditional dreadnought acoustic. The N2 neck, which was designed by Steve Miller (yes, that Steve Miller) and luthier John Bolin, consists of a single piece of composite material (including the fretboard surface). It has a somewhat hefty, deep U-shaped profile that feels like a vintage acoustic neck and provides excellent transfer of string vibration to the soundboard and bridge, which is also made of composite material.

PERFORMANCE

Playing a RainSong guitar may be the closest a guitarist can come to experiencing pure, unadulterated acoustic tone. Even the best bracing techniques affect the way the soundboard vibrates, causing certain frequencies to become exaggerated while others are reduced. We’ve all become accustomed to the dreadnought’s distinctive booming bass, mellow mids and piercing treble, but on the H-DR1100N2 those frequencies are better balanced, so treble notes sound as assertive and full as lines played on the low E string. As a result the guitar has more of a harmonious, bell-like chime with rich, reverberant resonance that’s maintained throughout the guitar’s entire range.

Although the N2 neck profile is somewhat more substantial than most modern acoustic guitar necks, it feels very comfortable and it still plays as fast as slimmer necks. Because the composite fretboard material does not expand and contract and the neck does not twist or bow, the guitar’s intonation is outstanding. The nickel-alloy frets are expertly crowned and polished to eliminate sharp edges and provide a silky smooth feel. Perhaps the most impressive feature is the neck’s solid feeling and stability. When I took the guitar from an air-conditioned 70-degree environment to outdoor conditions with 100-plus-degree temperatures and about 75 percent humidity, the guitar remained perfectly in tune the entire time.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Whether you're an environmentally conscious soul, a tone perfectionist seeking perfectly balanced acoustic sound or a player on a budget who refuses to compromise, the RainSong H-DR1100N2 is an outstanding choice of dreadnought.

Related