Composite recommendations
 

I live in Montreal and the temperature and humidity swings are extreme to say the least. I keep my Huss & Dalton inside the house always and sometimes I don't take it out of the case, depending on the weather. I would like to have a good guitar that I can take with me and not worry about how long it sits in the car etc. I am considering a composite and I would really like some input as to how they sound and what is the best bang for the buck. I just sold my 410 and if another sale goes through, I should have around $1,400 to spend. I would appreciate any input because after reading these forums for a while, I realize I don't know jack about guitars.

Thanks guys....Cheers;););)

Hi. I'm in Chelsea, Quebec, just a few kms. north of Ottawa (I work in Ottawa). Composite Acoustics guitars are getting rave reviews here and on other forums. CA is an AGF sponsor, so you can check-out their full line-up by clicking their logo (top right of each page). Their travel guitar, the Cargo in particular, is very popular. I own one and it has great tone and playability for a 3/4 size guitar, so much so, owners report it plays like a full-size guitar. I agree. Part of the reason is the offset soundhole design and the integrated top bracing. I like this guitar so much, I'm soon to order its high-gloss full-size brother, the 7iM-CE. For your budget, the full-size 5iM-CE is a great choice and like the Cargo, has the "road tough" finish. The 5iM/7iM are reported to have great bass while maintaining balanced mids and highs. There's a virtually new 5iM-CE currently for sale in the AGF Classifieds. The seller started-out wanting to trade for a T5, but as you'll read in the latest post of the thread, he's now willing to sell. He's asking $1,400 shipped.
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=127897

Here's a pic of the Cargo. The 5iM-CE for sale looks exactly like this (charcoal), except full-size. If I didn't already have a charcoal Cargo and want the high-gloss version (at a fair bit more $$$), I'd buy it.
http://i28.tinypic.com/1jtbp2.jpg

Thanks for the info Tom, I do appreciate it. My brother lives on Kingsmere lake so I often am in the Chelsea area. Beautiful country and a great place to live.
Cheers... Peter

I bought a new CA 5iM-CE for under your price.

I'm not the seller, but that's good for splat to know. There was another 5iM for sale in the AGF Classifieds for $1,250, but he changed his mind about selling it so i didn't mention that one.

Regardless, please describe how you like your 5iM and if you can, how it compares to a Cargo and other CA models if you've played any. Thanks.

Hey, Splat - I'm in Ottawa so we share a similar climate with Acousticado.

I have a thinline Adamas guitar with a composite top which I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone. It sounds great and is completely impervious to changes in humidity and temperature.

I have left my Adamas in the trunk at +30 and -30. It's been left over weekends on the damp hold of the sailboat. It has stayed in tune and maintained its tone over the seven years I have owned it.

It also gets raves for its look and sounds great plugged in.

Although it's the least expensive guitar I own, and probably the one that's lowest on the "gotta have it" scale, it's the one guitar I would not sell or trade unless it was to get another.

You bet I will... as soon as it's delivered. So far it's been 4.5 weeks. :)

Splat..I have had my Cargo for about 3 weeks now and I can't say enough about it. It blows me away everytime I pick it up. The 5 is of course the same guitar only bigger. Is bigger better? I haven't had the chance to play one but check out the sound clips on CA's site. Not sure why exactly but I didn't like the 5 demo anywhere near as much as the Cargo's sound. The Cargo is so comfortable to play also. I weighed it the other day. 4 lbs. I'm also really digging the shorter scale. It's been performing great at gigs too with the Fishman electronics. So think about it. The 5 is approximately $700 more than the Cargo. Worth it? Not to me.

Jim b

Hey O, I keep my Catalina 22 at the Nepean Sailing Club. What's your boat and where are you, if you don't mind me asking?

I bike past the Nepean saling club twice a day.

I keep my boat in Midland since I go splits with my father and brother. I only get out about five times a year. It's a Beneteau 36.

If you want to remain a happy sailor, stay away from Georgian Bay. Sailing there will wreck you for any other sailing anywhere in the world. :)

The cargo sounds interesting but I had a bad experience with a Larrivee parlour, just never liked the way it sounded so Im a little gunshy of 3/4 sizes. On the other hand I have only heard good things about the cargo. Hmmm, decisions,decisions.

I've had the opposite experience. I owned a Larrivee hog parlor for a decade and tried the cargo but didn't like it in comparison (sounded thin).

Great, now I'm really confused.:):):):)

x marks the spot
 

I am here to confuse you a bit more

I seem to be on eo fhte few people who tried out Cargo and didn't really care for it. It played well and have big sound for its size, but just didn't do it for me. I didn't care for the off set hole and the overall balance in tone.

I returned the Cargo for a X (now known as the 8S) and it is love love love. This guitar is so thin and comfortable it is a dream. It has a truely balance sound and great dybanic responce...

I'm short on time, but will post more about it soon

peace,

david

I'm here to second some points on CA's S size guitars.
They are very thin, but with an impressively big sound...as thin as the Cargo, but it's a full scale guitar (so overall, it feels much bigger).

I think the Cargo is the ultimate travel guitar and one of the best short-scale (or 3/4 size) guitars. I say this based on both its durability and its tone.

But if you're looking for something that's full-scale, but fairly manageable/portable for a full scale guitar, the S body is worth looking into.