[Tsckey]

I have a CA Vintage Performer that I like a lot; so much so that my beloved, old Martin D35 doesn't get much playing these days. The acoustic tone of the CA is similar, but it has a stronger and more balanced high end than the Martin, something I didn't expect on a guitar with such a powerful bass. The plugged in tone is not bad, but still a little too electric for my taste. Run through my Fishman Dread pedal and Ultrasound amp, though it is fine. I like the action on my Martin a bit better. Once new strings have settled in I seldom have to tune the CA, whether I play hard or soft. I haven't really tested the durability. Though I gig with it regularly, I've always been very careful with my guitars-after years on the road my 30 year old Martin still looks practically new. The finish on the CA is linear polyurethane, which is a very durable finish. I have some scratches where my fingernails brush the top in the place where a pick guard would be, but that's it. After a year of hard use, except for the small fingernail scratches the guitar still shines like a mirror. The CA has become my primary axe, not because it is durable, but because it is a fine instrument; the durability is a bonus.

TC