Video of the Cargo Travel Guitar

DoronD · #1 04-21-2008, 02:00 PM

Hey everyone,

I posted a video on youtube for anyone who was curious to see/hear the Cargo Travel guitar. I knew they were sold out everywhere for now, but I called Sylvan music in Santa Cruz completely on a whim, and they happened to have one! Now I'll have a guitar to play in New Zealand!

If anyone has any questions they want to ask, feel free. It's a cool guitar. I hope the sound is loud enough for you all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWEYXbl3T3Q

-Doron

flaggerphil · #2 04-21-2008, 02:05 PM

Thanks for the video! You've just pushed me over the edge to get one...if and when I can find it. Sounds much better than I would have anticipated.

Lefty Guy · #3 04-21-2008, 02:14 PM

Looks really nice & sounds pretty good too. Is that really a leftie?

ttchen · #4 04-21-2008, 02:18 PM

Thanks for the video. I am wondering if you can do some strumming demo (with and without a capo)for your next video? That is a nice sounding guitar. Thanks.

DoronD · #5 04-21-2008, 02:23 PM

Haha, no, it isn't a lefty. My camera just records that way. I don't have my capo with me here, but as soon as I get one I'll add some capoed movies. Any other requests?

I'll make another one with more strumming and fingerpicking to give a better taste of it. Hope this helps.

JohnnyMcG · #6 04-21-2008, 02:50 PM

I was thrown off by that too! It looked like a leftie, but then when you held up the gig bag and I saw the letters, I knew it was mirrored by the camera. If you hadn't shown the bag, I was going to have to google it to confirm that the Ireland flag on your shirt was backwards, haha.
Congrats on the new Cargo - I love mine

rustyAir · #7 04-21-2008, 03:29 PM

Nice! Thank you

Larry Pattis · #8 04-21-2008, 03:46 PM

These guys have one in the Wine color, and will ship with or without electronics:

Five Star Guitars
2303 NW 185th Ave.
Hillsboro, OR 97124
503-439-9500
www.fivestarguitars.com

I'm not associated in any way, I just decided to look around to find one for myself, and I don't care for the Wine color...but these guys have one.

Tell them that I sent you!

Edit: I got their contact info right off the CA site...

banpreso · #9 04-21-2008, 09:25 PM

thanks for the video!

i'm so glad that there are new products out competing with baby taylors and little martins!!! the big manufacturers better get there acts together in that sector

larrivee, you too!! lower them prices on the parlors!!!

mckejoel · #10 04-21-2008, 10:04 PM

Hi Doron,

Thank you very much for doing the video for us.
I really appreciated the personal demonstration and review.
It really is an amazing little guitar with a "large guitar" sound!

MichaelM · #11 04-21-2008, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banpreso

i'm so glad that there are new products out competing with baby taylors and little martins!!! the big manufacturers better get there acts together in that sector

larrivee, you too!! lower them prices on the parlors!!!

Looks very interesting, but I'm not sure I agree with your analysis. I did a quick search and the list price of the Cargo appears to be more than twice the price of the Baby Taylor or Little Martin. At that price I'm not sure it's even competing with those.

It probably won't give Larrivee many sleepless nights either (I suspect the Parlors appeal to a very difference buyer.)

We don't all have the same needs/desires/objectives when buying a travel guitar, but a lot of people want something small, but also something not too expensive so that - should the worst happen - you're not out too much money. For me, the Cargo is getting a little too expensive to satisfy the second criteria (but then I thought that the Baby Taylor was almost too much!)

MJH · #12 04-22-2008, 09:06 AM

I am really intriqued by these. I had an Emerald X5 that I loved, but sold it to a friend who really needed it for what she did. I also didn't really need two composite guitars and I had just gotten my Rainsong.

Does a person really need a travel guitar to sound that good at that price?

Here is my opinion, for what it is worth. When I travel with my guitar, I either take my Baby Taylor for noodling around with or, I bite the bullet, get out my SKB airline case and take a good guitar if I am actually going for a gig or really need a great sounding guitar.

Anxious to hear other opinions.

Acousticado · #13 04-22-2008, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJH

I am really intriqued by these. I had an Emerald X5 that I loved, but sold it to a friend who really needed it for what she did. I also didn't really need two composite guitars and I had just gotten my Rainsong.

Does a person really need a travel guitar to sound that good at that price?

Here is my opinion, for what it is worth. When I travel with my guitar, I either take my Baby Taylor for noodling around with or, I bite the bullet, get out my SKB airline case and take a good guitar if I am actually going for a gig or really need a great sounding guitar.

Anxious to hear other opinions.

A month ago, my Baby Taylor got crushed while I was vacationing. I was able to track down and buy a Cargo. IMO, by comparison the BT is a toy -- the Cargo is a serious enough guitar. The Cargo offers peace of mind (re environment issues), ease of lugging around and as plane carry-on. The Cargo is worth the extra $. All JMO.

DoronD · #14 04-22-2008, 10:45 AM

I'm glad the video has been a help to some of you. I bought a baby taylor years ago, with the intent of taking it everywhere with me to play (I was a student at Santa Cruz at the time...) But the main problems with it was the sound (which wasn't very good) and the fact that aside from it's size, I didn't feel totally comfortable taking it everywhere.

The main reason I got the cargo, aside from the sound, is because I can play it in the rain, freezing weather, and I just never have to worry about how the body will hold up. So it's more a practical thing than anything. To me, being able to play this is pouring rain, high on a mountain top in New Zealand, easily justifies the high price tag

riorider · #15 04-22-2008, 11:07 AM

Very good review and video - thanks much DoronD!

I just posted my first impressions of a CA, and I think you've nailed my conclusion with your last comments:

"The main reason I got the cargo, aside from the sound, is because I can play it in the rain, freezing weather, and I just never have to worry about how the body will hold up. So it's more a practical thing than anything. To me, being able to play this is pouring rain, high on a mountain top in New Zealand, easily justifies the high price tag."

The four things I'd evaluate in a travel guitar - size, tone, damage resistance, and replacement cost - would give the Cargo a thumbs up for all but cost.

My Baby Taylor got a big thumbs up for tone over the (previous) Backpacker (flying colors) but does sound a bit thin and I appreciate your (and others') comparison with the Cargo. But if size were not a limiting factor, I'd opt for a full sized all-wood for tone (haven't heard the Cargo vs a full size all-wood, but based on my Player series investigations I'd personally opt for the wood).

For the damage resistance - temp, humidity, and structural strength - it looks like the Cargo stands alone. And if it's significantly better on tone than the baby Taylor and little Martin, that would sway me where I needed those attributes.

I have played around campfires, and led small worship services while camping with the Baby Taylor and the tone hasn't been a limitation - but achieving better tone while retaining the size and adding the ability to withstand the environment is a great step forward. I'm still considering the Cargo - for those reasons.

Thanks again for posting!