Picture of a Cargo and X7

[jdinco]

Not much of a thread starter here, just a picture of a Cargo and Emerald X7 sitting side by side. The Emerald is shorter with a deeper body. I don't want to comment on the tone differences until I get some new strings on them.

[IMG]emerald 002 by jdinco, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Acousticado]

Very nice. Owning an ‘08 Cargo myself and loving the look (my favorite of all travel size guitars...has a little Les Paul-ish thing going on, imo) and tone for what it is, I’m curious about and look forward to your comparitive views.

Jd;

What Acousticado said.....

[RandyOK]

So... whats the verdict on tone and differnces? A comparison video would be great!

[Kerbie]

I'm looking forward to your opinions too. My X-7 arrived in late May and it replaced my Cargo Raw as my CF guitar. Both of them are wonderful and each served a purpose for me.

The nut and string spacing of the X-7 are more comfortable... that's the main reason I ordered it. And my Cargo has found a wonderful new home where it is just adored. So, we all lived happily every after.

[jdinco]

I just got the strings changed a couple days ago, so I will post something later today or tomorrow.

[JasonA]

I've always liked the look of the Cargo too. The more classic body shape, the soundhole appearance, the headstock... all very nice. But the X7 scale length and ergonomics are better for me.

My Cargo has been gone so long I'm not sure I can rely on my memory for tone compared to my X7, so I'm curious to hear your thoughts as well.

[Song]

They look like a happy couple...

[RandyOK]

Originally Posted by jdinco

I just got the strings changed a couple days ago, so I will post something later today or tomorrow.

So.... how do they compare and contrast? Any chance of a comparison video or soundcloud comparison audio clips? They both look great.

[jdinco]

Well, after playing them side by side for about an hour to day, I think I can post a few observations. This was really hard, I like both of these guitars a lot, but they are different of course. I did a blind test with my wife to see which tone she preferred, 70% of the time it was the Cargo, 30% of the time it was the Emerald. Probably more song dependent than guitar! Both guitars have Elixir Nano lights, X7's were 1 week old, Cargos were 4 months old.
I am a strummer/picker that can't sing a lick. So I prefer a warmer full sounding guitar.

Emerald - Less bass than the Cargo, but the bass it has is tighter and cleaner sounding, very well balanced across the strings. Mids and highs are clear, tight and focused. The neck is a D shape (to me) and very comfortable. I could usually hit tougher chord shapes faster and cleaner on the X7. As has been said many times, this is a comfortable intimate guitar to play. I would guess that a fingerstyle player would prefer this guitar for the neck and tone.

Cargo - The tone of the Cargo is warmer and more resonant, the bass sounds deeper, but is not as tight or focused as the X7. The tone is tilted more towards the low end. I find it very pleasing and full sounding. The highs are less harsh than the X7. Even though the strings are 4 months old, I have played other Cargos and the tone was consistent. The neck shape is very close to the Emerald. The scale is shorter but I found it very easy to get used to and it was no problem for me switching from it to a larger guitar. The neck on the X7 is a bit more comfortable. To me, the Cargo sounds closer to an X20 than the X7 does. Which may be why I love it so much.

Cons - If I am nit picking, there are a couple things I noticed. Don't make too much of these, they are very very minor and others may not even notice them. The Cargo scale length could be an issue for some. On the Emerald I find the highs to sound a bit "plasticy" or toy like at times.

I enjoy playing both of these guitars and have no plans to part with either, construction and finish on both is top notch. Over the last month, I typically reach for the Cargo or the X20 when I want to play. Both of these guitars get a lot of positive comments here, and they deserve them. We've come a long way baby !

If you disagree with any of these comments, that's fine, please post. Like I said, comparing two guitars this good and this different was very difficult for me.

[RandyOK]

Thank you for that review!

Nice review Jd. You put your finger on it when you note how difficult it is to decide between two good musical instruments. There are so many variables and it's difficult to get all the good stuff in one guitar. Composite guitars are particularly difficult to chose from because of the variety of voicing, materials, shaping, and so forth. But, as Mr. K points out, it certainly is fun.

[pdawg]

Originally Posted by jdinco

To me, the Cargo sounds closer to an X20 than the X7 does.

That's a very interesting comment. I've never heard anyone say that before. I'm researching (more like over-researching) for my first CF guitar. I don't think I'd like the short scale of the Cargo, but if the sound is that good, I'll have to find one to try. Right now, I'm leaning toward an X20, but won't be buying for another year. Doing the research is half the fun!

[jdinco]

Yes Evan, A LOT of fun ! The CF guitars are a work of art to these eyes, I consider my self very lucky to own them. Thanks for the comments.

[Acousticado]

Thanks for your review, John. As a Cargo owner since ‘08, I agree with your assessment of it. Your comparison to the X7 is reassuring to me, confirming my feeling that I wouldn’t really be gaining anything worthwhile with an X7. I am also surprised by your view of the Cargo in relation to the X20.

I’ve always loved my Cargo despite its minor tonal shortcomings. When you say that the bass is not as tight or focussed, to me, this causes a bit of midrange muddiness that I’ve always accepted as a minor annoyance for an otherwise great guitar, perhaps the best for its small size which has always left me untempted for another in its small class.

That said, I’ve never done anything to try and improve mine to adjust for the minor tone deficiencies, but I’m soon going to try by ordering a different nut and saddle and trying different strings. Have you made any changes to yours, and if so, what?

When I say I’ve been untempted by another small guitar, this has recently changed for me since the Blackbird Savoy has come along. Any plans to get a Savoy?