First trip with my new Cargo

actaylor · #1 10-07-2009, 07:51 AM

I had been debating between a Cargo and a Voyage Air. I couldn't find a Voyage to try out locally (and I like to play a guitar before I buy it), so I bought a Cargo.

I just returned from a four day trip to Florida. The Cargo was ideal. It fit easily into overhead compartments on the plane, even on one flight where space in the overheads was at a minimum. No problems carrying on at all. I'm not sure the Voyage Air backpack would've fit on one of those flights.

That little guitar sounds great. I even sat outside one evening with some friends for a song circle and the guitar sounded great and had plenty of volume and tone, even when I fingerpicked.

I was very skeptical about the Cargo until I played one. Thanks to Cargo owners here for giving me their advice and opinions. I'm very happy with my purchase...

mrchambo · #2 10-07-2009, 09:47 AM

We knew you would love it!

Glad to hear it turned out so well...

So, which one did you get? RT, Raw or High Gloss? Color and w/ or w/o electronics?

Enlighten us!

Congrats!

JC

actaylor · #3 10-07-2009, 11:56 AM

I got the Raw without electronics. Perfect for my needs. I'm still amazed at the sound....

emandchris · #4 10-07-2009, 12:06 PM

Thats great, glad you are enjoying your Cargo! I tried one out for the first time yesterday in an Atlanta store, and was very happy with the volume, tone, and playability. If you don't mind me asking, where did you purchase your Cargo, and was it a good experience?

Thanks,
Chris

[COLOR="Blue"]Taylor 310ce[/COLOR]

actaylor · #5 10-08-2009, 05:51 AM

I bought mine at my local Sam Ash. Only place in town I could find that carries them. I could've bought it cheaper online, but I want to play a guitar before I buy it..

emandchris · #6 10-08-2009, 03:55 PM

Thanks, there is a Sam Ash locally as well, but will likly give the on-line ordering a go.

Chris

pdks · #7 10-08-2009, 03:59 PM

Congrats and happy (musical) trails!

rising1000 · #8 10-09-2009, 07:21 PM

I too was in the same boat .
voyage air songwriter vrs cargo raw electronic
decided the cargo raw was the best choice
1. easy to carry,
2 no worries
3 sounds as good

I was scared after use the hinge would go out of alignment or if moisture got to the guitar or heat the voyage air might be toast

now looking for a small intellitune guitar tuner that people put in the cargo hole

Bltprf502 · #9 10-10-2009, 05:59 PM

I want another traveler... I had one of the first Cargo's made. It irritated me that the pick made a clicking sound against the body (due to the sound hole being up high) and I sold it. I don't want to take the Larrivee Parlor anywhere. I was going to buy a Vayage Air and give it a whirl..... I am in Europe about 2 weeks out of the month and tired of leaving the herd at home.... What to do, what to do???

michael s · #10 10-11-2009, 07:52 AM

I bought my CA Cargo online. I purchased the raw with eclectronics from LA Guitars in Hollywood CA. Great price, great service, low shipping rate. I love it. Also if you want a black leather strap for it see Sully's Straps. He custom makes straps at a really good price. You will need to measure for the length that you want. I measured for standing and seating play and Sully made it perfect fit. He's the man for a strap for any guitar. michael s.

tbeltrans · #11 10-11-2009, 08:14 AM

Being the owner of two Cargos (and they have been my primary instrument for some time now), I use Moody straps. For me, they are perfect and you can get them at Guitar Center locally. To me, the "secret" to getting the most out of the Cargo is to use a strap, rather than trying to hold in a classical position on your knee or whatever. Steven King (the fingerstyle guitar player) talked about the use of a strap to get the guitar into a consistent classical style position to aid in playing his demanding style.

I saw him some years ago at a couple of Taylor clinics held at one of the local Guitar Centers and on one occasion The Podium sponsored him. Of the Taylor-sponsored clinics I saw at Guitar Center that involved fingerstyle players, Steven King was the ONLY player who stopped the whole store dead in its tracks. At these clinics, you would always hear the typical noises of a retail store full of customers. But when Steven King started playing, everybody just stopped what they were doing and lined the walls - customers, salespeople - the place was quiet. Amazing. I think it was in large part because he played, as fingerstyle solos, the songs everybody knew - and did them so they sounded like a complete band. People respond strongly to what they know, and Steven King really leveraged that in his repertoire.

But his style is quite demanding. It focuses on using the index finger of the fretting hand such that you are nearly always using it to barre while the other fingers are playing all manner of stuff. In that style, you could really cause injury if you don't adhere to the posture that he developed along with the style of playing. That posture is really classical centered, but done standing up with a strap. Until I got the Cargo, I really didn't pay much attention to his advice on this, largely because I am not really playing his style. But I am now finding that, in general, using a strap on a guitar does make playing a whole lot easier than sitting down and holding the guitar on my knee. This seems also true for "normal" sized instruments (at least for me).

Tony