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  #1  
Old 04-08-2008, 07:28 AM
JohnnyMcG JohnnyMcG is offline
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Default Another happy CA Cargo owner

Hello all! I'm writing in high spirits today because last night I got my CA Cargo!!! I had to drive about an hour and a half to get to the nearest dealer, but when I got there and played the cargo, it made it all worth it. The model they had was without electronics, and in the wine red RT finish. My first impression was that I didn't really like the color, but after looking a little longer, it really grew on me. I played it for a little while and loved it - great sound out of this little guitar. I totally agree with everyone's positive reviews of this guitar that have been made thus far. Here are the things I'd like to add:

Cargos ship with Elixer coated light gauge strings. I could tell when playing the guitar for two reasons: bends were very easy, and if you fret the strings too hard, you actually pull the note sharp, noticeably, especially in the GBe strings.
Neck profile: the neck on CA guitars is 1 3/4" at the nut, which is a change for me, but I'm really liking it - good balance for me between ease-of-strumming and ease-of-fingerpicking. The neck is pretty thin, though, which I am also enjoying, but I can imagine that it could bother some people.
Balance (weight, not sound): The cargo has strap attachments at either end of the body, which are nice, but as with most small bodied guitars, it is neck-heavy, and the neck tips down if you let go while wearing the strap. I'm going to try using the shoestring around the headstock method later.
Action: The action on this guitar is rather low, and that is one thing I may have adjusted - Thinking of getting a new nut made for medium gauge strings with a slightly higher action. I'd like opinions on this, though (good idea? bad idea?).

Also, I took some pictures of it this morning, but would someone mind hosting them for me?
Thanks - and sorry to all who have been GASsed by this
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  #2  
Old 04-08-2008, 07:31 AM
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mckejoel mckejoel is offline
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Thumbs up Congratulation on your new Cargo...

Hi John,

Thank you for sharing your review with us.
I think many of us are pretty excited about the CA Cargo guitar.
I am looking forward to getting my hands on the red one.
These are dynamite little guitars and they sound amazing.
Send us pictures when you get a chance.
Take care.
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  #3  
Old 04-08-2008, 07:31 AM
dandy505 dandy505 is offline
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send the pics to [email protected] and I'll put them up...
I have a charcoal Cargo with electronics on order but won't see it until June or July
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Old 04-08-2008, 08:43 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyMcG View Post
Hello all! I'm writing in high spirits today because last night I got my CA Cargo!!! I had to drive about an hour and a half to get to the nearest dealer, but when I got there and played the cargo, it made it all worth it. The model they had was without electronics, and in the wine red RT finish. My first impression was that I didn't really like the color, but after looking a little longer, it really grew on me. I played it for a little while and loved it - great sound out of this little guitar. I totally agree with everyone's positive reviews of this guitar that have been made thus far. Here are the things I'd like to add:

Cargos ship with Elixer coated light gauge strings. I could tell when playing the guitar for two reasons: bends were very easy, and if you fret the strings too hard, you actually pull the note sharp, noticeably, especially in the GBe strings.
Neck profile: the neck on CA guitars is 1 3/4" at the nut, which is a change for me, but I'm really liking it - good balance for me between ease-of-strumming and ease-of-fingerpicking. The neck is pretty thin, though, which I am also enjoying, but I can imagine that it could bother some people.
Balance (weight, not sound): The cargo has strap attachments at either end of the body, which are nice, but as with most small bodied guitars, it is neck-heavy, and the neck tips down if you let go while wearing the strap. I'm going to try using the shoestring around the headstock method later.
Action: The action on this guitar is rather low, and that is one thing I may have adjusted - Thinking of getting a new nut made for medium gauge strings with a slightly higher action. I'd like opinions on this, though (good idea? bad idea?).

Also, I took some pictures of it this morning, but would someone mind hosting them for me?
Thanks - and sorry to all who have been GASsed by this
Congrats on getting your new Cargo! As you probably know by now, I love mine!

Re the strings, CA confirmed to me by email that the Cargo does in fact ship with Elixir PB Lights.

Re the neck profile, to me it feels and plays very much like a Taylor neck, which I personally like. So, if players like the Taylor neck, they should like the Cargo.

Re the balance, hmmm, I don't find mine tips down. The Cargo is definitely not as neck heavy as my Baby Taylor was.

Re the action, mine's right where I like it.

Have fun with it!!!
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Old 04-08-2008, 08:44 AM
Ed422 Ed422 is offline
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Thanks for the review... I think. I won't be responsible for any nasty emails from my spouse. (grin)

Ed
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  #6  
Old 04-08-2008, 08:47 AM
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riorider riorider is offline
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Thanks to all for the comments and reviews on the Cargo... Au contraire to many of you, I really like my all mahogany Baby Taylor. But I have to say I'm looking hard at the cargo, and was actually negotiating a price in my dreams last night (weird, I know)...

I'm looking forward to hearing one... I have spaced it - has anyone posted any sound clips?

rr
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Old 04-08-2008, 08:52 AM
JohnnyMcG JohnnyMcG is offline
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Hi Riorider,

I have some sound clips directly from CA that I just emailed to you - to everyone else, I'll see what I can do about getting some recordings on mine.

Another note about my comments: 1) I'm new to short scale/ small bodied guitars, 2) I'm used to a humidity damaged, very high action, not very high quality guitar

...could be the reason that acousticado and I have some different opinions, but I know that I'll be playing the Cargo enough to get used to all of the nuances that I described above.
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  #8  
Old 04-08-2008, 08:59 AM
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Spieler Spieler is offline
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Golly Dog.

In the time I've been here on the AGF, I've learned about GAS, and seen extraordinary displays of the same, all from the vantage point of being filled full with my guitar (the "normal", full-sized, solid wood kind). I know that I will never want a different or additional "real" guitar. Laugh all you want, but ... it's true. You'll see!

However, I am evidently not as impervious to GAS as I had originally thought (and seemed to have rather thorough proven, even to my own self). I seem to actually be beginning to start having the inklings of a burgeoning hankering for one of these Cargos. I have a Baby Taylor that I take with me on various travels, and it has suited my/its limited purposes well.

I now have a less-than-sneaking suspicion that playing a Cargo would ruin me for less.

For this, I blame all of you.

At this point in time, it's probably a good thing that Cargos are not readily available for purchase; even with great press, I'd want to try one before buying one.

Even so, in the interests of full disclosure: if CA had a blue one in its current lineup, I'd already be sunk.

Hmmm... maybe the next step is renting a convertible, and taking my Baby along for a "ride"?

Cheers,
Sarah S.

(JohnnyMcG, congrats on your new acquisition, and thank you for taking the time to post such a detailed report. I think.)
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Old 04-08-2008, 09:02 AM
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mckejoel mckejoel is offline
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I am trying to encourage CA to consider a Sunburst "Black to Blue" as a color scheme. I will let you know how that progresses.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spieler View Post
Even so, if CA has a blue one in its current lineup, I'd already be sunk.

Cheers,
Sarah S.
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  #10  
Old 04-08-2008, 09:06 AM
dandy505 dandy505 is offline
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Default pics

here are pics from John...









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Old 04-08-2008, 09:09 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spieler View Post
Hmmm... maybe the next step is renting a convertible, and taking my Baby along for a "ride"?
Yesss, now yer talkin'!
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'21 Martin D-18 Standard | '02 Taylor 814c | '18 Taylor 214ceDLX | '18 Taylor 150e-12 | '78 Ibanez Dread (First acoustic) | '08 CA Cargo | '02 Fender Strat American '57 RI
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Old 04-08-2008, 09:09 AM
JohnnyMcG JohnnyMcG is offline
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Thanks dandy!

Oh, and please excuse the unmade bed
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Old 04-08-2008, 09:11 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dandy505 View Post
here are pics from John...

Ooooh, me likes. I ordered my charcoal Cargo sight-unseen, and the wine one was also available (which SongwriterFan drove to buy later the same day). I love the charcoal and am happy with my decision, but that wine is also a beauty! Congrats again!
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'21 Martin D-18 Standard | '02 Taylor 814c | '18 Taylor 214ceDLX | '18 Taylor 150e-12 | '78 Ibanez Dread (First acoustic) | '08 CA Cargo | '02 Fender Strat American '57 RI
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  #14  
Old 04-08-2008, 09:22 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mckejoel View Post
I am trying to encourage CA to consider a Sunburst "Black to Blue" as a color scheme. I will let you know how that progresses.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh. Excellent line of encouragement, that.

Yes, please let me know!
No, perhaps you shouldn't!

Gracious.

- Sarah S.
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  #15  
Old 02-06-2009, 10:28 PM
sowseng sowseng is offline
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If I am not mistaken, there is no truss rod in cargo CA guitar.

Will the tension of the strings cause the neck of the cargo bend in aging? If so how to adjust?

thanks
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