Ca ox
 

Had a chance to play a Composite Acoustics OX today for the first time. I liked it. Anybody have any experience with this model? I have a Cargo I really like, and just sold a Seagull S6 because I felt the body was too big. Looking for a CF to replace the Seagull, with a body size between the S6 and the Cargo. Thanks

There are guys on here that are more familiar with Emerald and CA guitars, but something between a Cargo and Seagull S6? Hmm... I'm thinking Rainsong Shorty or Emerald X20

Just sold a 2015 CA ox. Nice guitar and a nice size in-between a Cargo and full size GX model.

I will say after discovering the Emerald x20 I sold off all my other carbon guitars as I find the Emerald way more to my liking in every category.

Nothing wrong with the other guitars I just really love the sound, size and playability of the X20.

Ox raw was my first full size CF guitar. Bought after falling in love with my cargo raw for travel. Great guitar with nice warm sound and ergonomics. Liked the neck also.... Ultimately wound of selling both and am a Rainsong guy these days ...

My local store (Boise) has a decent selection of CA guitars, with 4-5 on display and 20 or so in the warehouse.

I have a Rainsong WS-1000, a new Blackbird Lucky 13, and a two year old CA Cargo (painted). So I look but usually don't play on my visits to the store. When I have played them, they are nice. I like the RAW finish, but my wife prefers the painted / glossy ones.

I didn't get rid of my S6, but I got a RainSong Concert OM with a 12-fret neck, and now I almost never play the Seagull any more. I love this guitar. :D

You'll find a lot of happy RainSong customers here on the forum. Their WS body size is also smaller than a dread. And I believe either a 14-fret or 12-fret neck is available on all of their models except the Parlor, which only comes in a 12.

I keep my pre Peavy OX at work in my office and consider it a "keeper". Very even balanced tone across the fretboard, nice size, and I like the neck profile. I got an Ebay deal on a Peavy OX and figured it would be nice to have an identical guitar at home. In spite of the dimensions being the same, it played like a different model guitar. I sold it to a traveling musician who had a history of beating and destroying his guitars. He loves it.

Ox
 

My OX was my first CF guitar. Great warm "wood like " sound. Raw finish vibrates with great sustain. For the money, a great guitar that is easy to hold. This summer, I added an Emerald X20 to the family. This guitar is in a class by itself. The tone is rich and piano like that is tough to put down. The workmanship is flawless. Each has it's own sound, but because of the soundhole directed at the player, it gives a level of self awareness that helps you enhance your playing technique. I look at my OX as a strummer and my X20 as my finger style. I highly recommend each for different reasons.

The Cargo was my first CF guitar, the Ox was my second. I liked them both but sold them both in order to move into my preferred instruments, nylon string guitars.

The Ox is particularly nice. It is comfortable, it is a good all-around instrument, it plows the field of music nicely. I sold it to a friend of mine who gave up a martin in favor of the CA. He, in turn, passed the guitar along to his son who is a music prodigy. In short, the Ox has turned into a family heirloom.

I would take an X20 over an Ox but that's a matter of personal taste and an overt liking for Emerald instruments.

Ca ox
 

Thank you all for your responses and insights, very much appreciated. I know there are plenty of Rainsong and Emerald fans on the forum. I have been curious about the X7. The X20 I feel might have too large a body for my liking. The CA OX is a little smaller I believe. Played a few Rainsongs last week but would prefer an instrument without electronics and I don't think Rainsong makes any. So probably an Emerald X7 or a CA OX. Or, failing that, stick with my Cargo for a while.

I'm pretty sure that your dealer can order any Rainsong model without electronics. Most only stock the electrified version.

That is correct, my Shorty was special ordered without electronics from MacNichol G&M before they closed shop. RainSong will make them.

I would also suggest trying the CA GX---sooo comfortable with a big sound! Feels about the size of an OM. The contours make it really easy to hold and play. I also have a Cargo that I love but I wanted a bigger sound for playing live.

For the record, I haven't tried any of the other cf guitars.

X20 is very comfortable and a bit smaller than the S6
 

I can highly recommend the X20 from a comfort level. I have been playing an S6 for the last year and just purchased an X20. The S6 was pretty good, but not the most comfortable guitar to play unless I was standing. The X20 is really nice seated or standing. Unfortunately I do not care for the brassy tone of the X20 and am now looking for a different, hopefully CF guitar with a warmer tone.

Based on the comments from other posts I will definitely look at an OX. I played a cargo once and really liked the sound although the size was not what I was looking for. May have to revisit that since the X20 did not work out.

I seem to remember one of the contributors to the now defunct MacNichol Carbon Guitar Forum, I think it was jonfields45, who had a CA OX and found it kind of small and he bought a guitar-lift of some sort to bring it to his preferred playing position when seated. He posted a photo of himself with the CA OX being supported by the lift device which rested on his thigh. Jon posts to AGF and maybe he'll offer some thoughts on the size and playing comfort of the OX.

Ca ox
 

Ended up purchasing an OX Raw w/o electronics. Really like it thus far. Comfortable for me to play sitting, and sounds good to my ear.

Stevie;

Congratulations! I think the Ox is a remarkable guitar. I sold mine to pursue nylon strung instruments. The friend I sold it to played it for a number of years and then passed it on to his son, a musical prodigy, who has played the guitar through Africa and much of America. Have you tried slide? you might be surprised. The Ox can just about do everything--now it's up to you. Enjoy.

I would double ditto down on that. See if it fits if you get the chance. A one point I thought a smaller guitar would be nice for me, so I spent time with the Emerald X5, 7, I own an X10N, the CA GXi, and the Rainsong Parlor and Shorty.

The larger GX is the comfort winner for my body size (5'8") and that surprised me. The GX blends into your body standing up and is very "leanable" between songs when you're sitting down. And it doesn't stick in your ribs like the CFs that have a traditional "woodlike" body.

StevieMar - I have owned a CA OX - Raw since they were first released. I have always referred to it as the swiss army knife version of a guitar. A very nice general use guitar. Like most of the original CA's a nice warm almost woody tone. The sustain is amazing. I have toyed with the idea of selling it but have yet to part with it.

The pre-Peavy Raw versions were not always cosmetically perfect, but then they sold at the old Cargo like prices of about $900 new. All in all a good value guitar.

I also have an Emerald but it is the original X-5 travel guitar which is no longer in the Emerald lineup. Its a woody and I do love it, though not everyone cup of tea.

I still think the CA - OX is well worth considering for anyone looking at an all around carbon guitars. There just has not been as much CA love on the forums as there used to be. They used to have a stronger presence on the MacNichol forum but with its passing interests have changed.

Congrats.....I have two that I have had for years. Very much a swiss army knife of carbon guitars. Good for strumming, finger picking and the like and very full sound for its size.

The body size is very comfortable! The tone is balanced and quite warm to my ears either playing with a pic or fingerstyle...

The CA Legacy to me was too deep and sort of sharp edged. I did not care for it. The CA GX was a very comfortable body shape and I like what they did with the offset soundhole. The sound of that guitar had a bit more low range and mid range and more volume than the ox but both of them sound fantastic!

One thing I'd mention... I was not able to find a narrow neck model of any CA floating around and I really should have looked harder! The first position and first few frets feel perfect to me but when you get above the fifth fret, it becomes wide and flat and for me at least, while playing lead is no issue up there, bar chords are not comfortable for me. Personal preference though. Other people love this neck...

The device you're referring to is likely a "Neck-up" guitar support.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/ultracart/i...YCbg70YJmDw%3D

The ox as well as the gx I owned were both comfortable for me in terms of how the guitar sat in my lap. If someone is playing standing though, I'd pick the ox over the gx. Still, both are more comfortable than standing with a dreadnought in my experience.