Oh my goodness...

The new Emerald X20 is an amazing guitar!  Emerald includes a flash card with professional images with each guitar; smart marketing: who wouldn't be excited to share photos of the new instrument.

The first views...

Opening the case...

Since I don't have a full studio set up in the motorhome, one of their images...

Even the professional images can't truly show how deep and rich this guitar looks.

Beyond the looks, I was hooked with the first strum!  The body of this one is bigger than the body of the X7; the sound hole on the X20 opens more upward - the sound really projects great to the player, as well as forward.

Stephanie put her hand over the sound hole and said, "You can feel the air and vibrations coming out!"  Yes, this guitar is a power-house.

It is rare that I get a guitar and don't feel the need to do something with the set-up, to make it play more to my liking... this one is perfect, right out of the case (nice Hiscox LiteFlight case, btw).  After making that trek from Ireland.

Definitely, my new favorite guitar!

I've been joking about the wait.  It was shipped from Ireland last Friday, so one week to get here.  Yes, the X7 made it in 4 days.  Timing.  Emerald says to expect 8 to 10 days.  One of the participants on a guitar forum (who also has an X20 said, "It will be worth the wait."  Oh, SO worth it!

In Emerald fashion, there were some other very nice "extras" along with the guitar.  I won't say what, so it doesn't spoil any surprise for other Emerald buyers.

I had been considering ordering a custom Emerald before this Select Series was announced.  I was thinking of a different wood instead of this gorgeous louro preto... because I had no idea this was a possibility.  The look of this guitar, with the exotic wood veneer on the front and headstock, and the black carbon fiber weave everywhere else is beautiful.  Alistair from Emerald is a true artist with his custom instruments.

This is a very special guitar!  As I played up and down the neck in the first few minutes, I felt my eyes get a little teary.  Yeah, that special.