First impressions of CA...(not good)

elementarymusic · #1 02-08-2016, 07:27 PM

Hey all.

I've mostly had/played Blackbirds and Rainsongs. Like them both. About a month ago I took a trip to a CA dealer. I played multiple models for over an hour.

I really liked the Cargo. A lot. It was well balanced, with surprising bass. A very pleasant sound.

Unfortunately, when I played the OX and the GX, I was incredibly disappointed. The only word I can come up with for the unappealing sound is "jangle-y". The trebles made the guitars sound a little toyish.

I hate to write this...and I'm hoping it was maybe the strings...but all of the bigger models I played had this same unappealing sound.

I even switched to a Martin and a Taylor to see if my ears were deceiving me. The jangle-y-ness went away immediately with the wood guitars. There was a richness that was totally lacking in the CAs.

Did all 5 of these guitars have bad strings...or the wrong string type on them?
Or are CAs just not for me?

I was shocked. I was really considering a GX for my next guitar.

(Just so you know...I never heard this sound in Blackbirds or Rainsongs. I love them both.)

Finger Stylish · #2 02-09-2016, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elementarymusic

Hey all.

I've mostly had/played Blackbirds and Rainsongs. Like them both. About a month ago I took a trip to a CA dealer. I played multiple models for over an hour.

I really liked the Cargo. A lot. It was well balanced, with surprising bass. A very pleasant sound.

Unfortunately, when I played the OX and the GX, I was incredibly disappointed. The only word I can come up with for the unappealing sound is "jangle-y". The trebles made the guitars sound a little toyish.

I hate to write this...and I'm hoping it was maybe the strings...but all of the bigger models I played had this same unappealing sound.

I even switched to a Martin and a Taylor to see if my ears were deceiving me. The jangle-y-ness went away immediately with the wood guitars. There was a richness that was totally lacking in the CAs.

Did all 5 of these guitars have bad strings...or the wrong string type on them?
Or are CAs just not for me?

I was shocked. I was really considering a GX for my next guitar.

(Just so you know...I never heard this sound in Blackbirds or Rainsongs. I love them both.)

Did you also play the Legacy (dred)? I've heard good things about the dred.

elementarymusic · #3 02-09-2016, 09:33 AM

Unfortunately, no. That's the one I most wanted to play, but they had everything but the Legacy.

Ted @ LA Guitar Sales · #4 02-09-2016, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elementarymusic

...Did all 5 of these guitars have bad strings...or the wrong string type on them?
Or are CAs just not for me?

Sounds like CA is not for you. It happens.

tommyld · #5 02-09-2016, 11:46 AM

I had a few (4) pre-Peavey Legacy models, and the earlier models had highs that could get pretty zingy. Overall, just okay tone...slightly unnatural, slightly imbalanced. Later models (with the slightly less-deep body, some material changes) were quieter, and a bit more balanced and muted to my recollection, but not a significant improvement in tone. The Rainsong Hybrid dread is a huge step above any of the Legacies I owned.

Earl49 · #6 02-09-2016, 03:04 PM

Although my local dealer has the larger CA guitars (we bought the Cargo from them) I have not spent much time playing them. I could try them but don't have much interest these days. Not a slight against CA, just a lack of interest. With two Rainsongs and a newer Cargo already in the house, the only thing tempting me any more is a Blackbird Lucky 13, for that small blues guitar form factor, ala Gibson L00.

Ted said it well: CA [brand] guitars are not for everyone. In fact, carbon fiber guitars are not for everyone -- they do sound different from wood instruments.

elementarymusic · #7 02-09-2016, 04:05 PM

Yeah, I guess just not for me. I was just kind of dumbfounded because I have not problems at all with Rainsong and Blackbird.

tdq · #8 02-09-2016, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elementarymusic

Unfortunately, when I played the OX and the GX, I was incredibly disappointed. The only word I can come up with for the unappealing sound is "jangle-y". The trebles made the guitars sound a little toyish.

I have a GX (pre-peavey) - and it's interesting you say this as for me, I find Rainsongs "jangle-y" and my GX was perhaps a little dull until I matched it with 80/20 strings. I've moved on to other guitars mostly but I was playing it last night, and with the right strings, it still sounds pretty full and rich. Still, as Ted says, CA is probably not for you.

mot · #9 02-09-2016, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl49

In fact, carbon fiber guitars are not for everyone -- they do sound different from wood instruments.

I agree that my CF guitars sound different from my wood guitars, but my wood guitars sound different from other wood guitars that I have played. I don't really think there is a wood sound and a non-wood sound. All are different. Some I like and some I don't.

mot · #10 02-09-2016, 10:55 PM

By the way, I like my L13 for its smallish Gibson sound. It's pretty close and loads of fun to play.

Finger Stylish · #11 02-10-2016, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mot

I agree that my CF guitars sound different from my wood guitars, but my wood guitars sound different from other wood guitars that I have played. I don't really think there is a wood sound and a non-wood sound. All are different. Some I like and some I don't.

Very well stated.

#12 02-10-2016, 12:46 PM

Mot;

Nice observation, I'm with you.

guitararmy · #13 02-10-2016, 02:42 PM

I have 2 pre-Peavey CA Legacy dreads, one with a bit more bling.
They sound similar but not the same. One has more high end and presence than the other, with the same strings. So even among CA's there is some variation...

buzzardwhiskey · #14 02-11-2016, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdq

I have a GX (pre-peavey) - and it's interesting you say this as for me, I find Rainsongs "jangle-y" and my GX was perhaps a little dull until I matched it with 80/20 strings. I've moved on to other guitars mostly but I was playing it last night, and with the right strings, it still sounds pretty full and rich. Still, as Ted says, CA is probably not for you.

This is my experience as well. Rainsongs are fairly jaggle-y to me. The only model whose tone I've connected with immediately is their 12 fret offset one.