Guitar Review: the Enya X3 Pro Acoustic Plus 2.0

Enya X3 Pro

Reviewed is the new Enya X3 Pro Acoustic Plus 2.0 4/4 carbon fiber guitar.  This guitar is made by the Chinese company Enya Music, and is sold directly from Enya Music USA located in Houston, Texas.  This guitar model was originally introduced in 2019, but upgraded for this present iteration.

Some physical specs are discussed in this paragraph.  The X2 Pro is constructed entirely of carbon fiber.  The body style would be akin to Taylor’s Grand Auditorium body.  It has a nut width of 1 11/16 inches.  The nut and saddle are of the Tusc material.  Bridge pins are plastic (I have replaced them with ebony pins).  The total length of the guitar is 41 inches (versus the travel sized model’s total length of 36 inches).  The width at the lower bout is 15.75 inches.  The body depth is 3 3/4 inches at the upper bout, and 4 inches at the lower bout.  At its price point, it is surprising to me that the guitar has a cantilevered neck which extends over the upper body without touching its surface (which is the definition of “cantilever / cantilevered”).  McPherson guitars also uses this structure on their guitars.  According to McPherson, the cantilever design is to increase sustained vibration of the guitar’s top — the sustain of the X3 Pro will be discussed later in this posting.  Also, contrary to its price, the frets are smooth as one would expect on a more upscale guitar.  The Enya web site states that the neck is to have a zero fret, which my guitar does NOT have (oops!).

Effects control dial

When you pick up the X3 Pro you immediately notice its weight:  6.2 lbs.  It is rather heavy for an acoustic guitar (for example, my Rainsong Black Ice jumbo weighs in a slim 4.6 lbs which includes its LR Baggs Stage Pro Element electronics).  The Enya’s added weight comes from the electronics — the SP1 Acoustic Plus 2.0 System — which brings with it onboard effects.  Each of four effects (reverb, delay, chorusing, and wah) are accessed by a control dial on the base side of the lower bout.  You press on the control knob sequentially, and each effect is visually noted by the color coming from the circumference of the knob.  The intensity of each effect is also controlled by turning the knob.  This feature works nicely and will add some fun for the player.

Does the cantilevered neck add sustain?  I now compare the sustain delivered by a total of three six string guitars:  The Enya X3 Pro, a Rainsong Black Ice Jumbo, and a Rainsong Nashville Series Jumbo.  The sustain of each guitar is measured from the initial play of an Asus2 chord until I no longer hear the sound (its decay).  Additionally, all three guitars have identical strings (D’Addario Nickel Bronze 12 – 53), and the Asus2 will be played with an identical pick (Dunlop Flow 0.73mm).  Further, care was taken to apply equal force to the chord.

Here are the results:

Enya X3 Pro:16.78 seconds

Black Ice Jumbo:16.43 seconds

Nashville Jumbo:13.9 seconds.

The Enya was the winner by a scant 0.35 seconds.  The shorter duration of sustain from the Nashville jumbo could be explained by its pick guard.  Does the cantilevered neck improve sustain?  Minimally.

Rainsong Black Ice Jumbo

The very subjective quality of tone is next discussed.  As I did my preliminary research of the Enya X3 Pro, I turned to two YouTube reviews.  I was more than a bit annoyed by both reviewers apparent ignorance of the existence of carbon fiber guitars.  Rainsong guitars have been produced since the 1980s (unfortunately, Rainsong has closed up shop), and Ovation’s Adamas line has been around for about the same amount of time.  I was equally annoyed by their skepticism of the tonal quality of a carbon fiber guitar when compared to the traditional wooden acoustic guitar.  I am an advocate of carbon fiber acoustics.  Their tone is every bit as good as that of any wooden acoustic, and, in fact, I prefer the tonal quality of my Rainsongs to all of my wooden acoustics.  With first impressions, to my ears, the Enya’s tone is inferior to that offered by the Rainsongs I have mentioned.  Again, the sustain is solid.  The volume produced by the guitar is substantial (generally a positive quality), but it seems to drown out any of any possible tonal subtleties (if they exist at all)— which all the Rainsongs possess in abundance.  Additionally, when compared to my two Rainsongs, the tone is nearly identical to the “woody” and “boxy” tones of some traditionally made guitars.  Granted, some players like such a sonic quality, but it doesn’t “make my bunny jump.”  Perhaps the tonal qualities, as I find them, come about by the price point of the Enya ($499.99), thus putting it in the “bottom-shelf” or “entry level” category of acoustic guitar.

Now, several months after this original posting, I offer an addendum:  after taking the Enya on a couple of road trips, and without the (unfair) comparisons to the Rainsongs, I have come to appreciate this guitar.  It is an adequate instrument and has proven itself to be satisfying to play.

I purchased the Enya X3 Pro for only one reason:  Travel.  I was not interested in the smaller travel versions of the Enya carbon fiber guitars — smaller guitar, smaller tone.  I can take it with me and not be overly concerned if it is lost, destroyed, or stolen during a flight, or any form of travel.  I can live with its subjectively lesser sonic qualities while on a vacation.

As noted above, Enya guitars are only sold directly by Enya Music USA.  But, note, on their Reverb store offers can be made that are readily accepted and bring the price down by as much as 15% (which I received).  This is a generous and nice touch by the manufacturer to gain market share.

Keep on playing,

Fr Irenaeus