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  #1  
Old 03-12-2008, 05:36 AM
iDavid iDavid is offline
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Default Picking a Composite Acoustic

I just moved to Northern Japan were it snow 200 inches a year in the winter and has a 100 percent humidity in the Summer... etc

I think a guitar by CA is in order.

I was looking at the X and GX models. I read up on them and it seems the Performer X has a different neck than the GX or Player X. Is this a major difference in feel? I also like the idea of a thinner guitar, but wonder how much volume or low-end I could lose on the X.

I also see they have changed their models or at least the names. So have any of the specs change (i.e. the necks)

I am looking for the easiest playing guitar out there. I read one post saying that the X has top heavy. I play a Larrivee OM and it is a bit top heavy, but aren't most acoustic top heavy to sum degree?

I may end up going for the Cargo, but if I go for a full size I love would love to hear your thoughts. (and no I can't play one first)

thanks

david
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  #2  
Old 03-12-2008, 07:05 AM
oldmilk oldmilk is offline
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The GX is not wide at all. It's also sculpted on the back to fit comfortably against your body. I think of the GX as the Swiss Army Knife of guitars.

The X is really slim. You will lose some of the fullness of the GX. It's more in line with a concert body guitar. Both guitars sound great and are easy to play.
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  #3  
Old 03-12-2008, 08:01 AM
iDavid iDavid is offline
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What did you think of the balance of the two?
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  #4  
Old 03-12-2008, 09:33 AM
TommyK TommyK is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iDavid View Post
....I am looking for the easiest playing guitar out there. ...
The easiest? Airguit tar. Easy on the fingers, perfectly balanced, not suseptible to the vagaries of temp, humidity and rug rats. Easy to stow on an airplane and.. no fret- buzz!

Quote:
Originally Posted by iDavid View Post
..I read one post saying that the X has top heavy. I play a Larrivee OM and it is a bit top heavy, but aren't most acoustic top heavy to sum degree?...thanks

david
The only 'top heavy', aka, head stock heavy, 'coustic guit tars I've played are 12s and the Blues Master. 12s are so owing to their double compliment of machinery and concomitant lumber past the nut. The B.M. is light, light, light with a h/s just as heavy as a dread, therefore the 'imbalance'.
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  #5  
Old 03-12-2008, 10:51 AM
robkreole robkreole is offline
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Default CA guitars

I can really recommend the CA guitars. I have played a number of them over the last several years. CA is located in Lafayette, LA and I'm really interested in Cajun music. The company has provided a number of them to local artists and those guitar players seem to love their CA guitars. I've played the Legacy model, and really like the sound, especially plugged-in. Really a nice guitar. For someone living in an area w/ high humidity, one of these seems like the ticket.

Rob K.
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  #6  
Old 03-12-2008, 11:55 AM
Tsckey Tsckey is offline
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I’ve only played my own CA (Vintage Performer), another like it, and a GX Performer. Both are very comfortable to play, though because of the back sculpting the GX conforms to your body better. The GX has a very balanced tone, though not as bassy as the Vintage dreadnought. One other note, the CA dreads do not have deep bodies, like conventional guitars, they are thinner. which makes them a bit less cumbersome than a conventional dread, and slightly convex, though with no sacrifice in tone or projection. Head on they look just like any other dreadnought, but in profile you can see the difference immediately. Curiously, the earlier CA dreads were just as deep as conventional wood dreads. CAs are impervious to the elements and any of them would be suitable for your new climate.

TC
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  #7  
Old 03-12-2008, 12:34 PM
PTL PTL is offline
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Many at CA Guitars really like the tone of the X when amplified for some reason. I've not played it - just passing it on. Acoustically however, the Legacy and GX will have a bigger/fuller tone.

PTL
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Old 03-12-2008, 01:23 PM
Jeff D Jeff D is offline
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I have been thinking about getting a CA guitar and was thinking about the GX. How close to wood does it sound? Also how loud is it?
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Old 03-12-2008, 01:42 PM
Buzzer Buzzer is offline
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I just had a freind who was at West Wood music in L.A. today. He A-B'd their Martins and a Santa Cruz against CA's GX and said nothing came close to it. Plus, if you've got humidity and temperature issues, the CA is definately the way to go!
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  #10  
Old 03-12-2008, 02:14 PM
Jeff D Jeff D is offline
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Thanks a lot. I need to pay Gruhn guitars a visit soon to play one.
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  #11  
Old 03-12-2008, 02:19 PM
Tsckey Tsckey is offline
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Over the Christmas holiday I A/B'd a bunch of Santa Cruz and R. Taylor guitars against a GX and a Vintage Performer. None of them sounded more "woody" than the CAs and more than a couple sounded less, having pinched, tinny top ends and nothing on the bottom to speak of.

TC
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  #12  
Old 03-12-2008, 04:28 PM
Doubleneck Doubleneck is offline
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I have a CA X, they are wonderful guitars. They are correct about the X amplified. It really is superb. I made a CD for my sister for Christmas on my Apple computer and used many of my guitars. The best most acoustic sound was the X on the record. It is light and thin and is easy to play.
Steve
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  #13  
Old 03-12-2008, 06:21 PM
bigwaves_us bigwaves_us is offline
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Thumbs up I have the Performer GX

The GX feels smaller than most guitars because of the way its molded. I normally play a Santa Cruz OM and a Collings D1A and the CA does not have the warmth or power of either of these two. It is fun to play and has a differant sound than that of a wood guitar. I purchased mine for the same reason you are looking at one. I do not regret my purchase of this guitar and it would be replaced if lost. The guitar is still in tune after 2 1/2 weeks.
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  #14  
Old 03-12-2008, 07:02 PM
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mckejoel mckejoel is offline
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Smile My two-cents worth...

Hi David,

I currently play a CA Legacy Performer and it is an amazing guitar. The action and sound compare surprisingly well to many of the better wooden guitars I have played. I always thought that I was a purist and would never play anything other than an "all-wood" guitar". I had to eat my words on that belief, once I played the CA Legacy Performer.

For the very reasons you reference about the humidty and variations in temperation, the composite body guitars are well suited to those environments. I am not able to speak to the comparisions of the different models of CA guitars, but I know that a Performer-GX is next on my wish list.

Regarding the Larrivee OM's, I did own an OMV-03RE and it was a wonderful guitar. If Composite Acoustics made an OM body style, that would be a "killer guitar" suitable for all climates and environments, and would sound great as well! I wasn't quite sure what you mean by "top heavy" so I was not sure how to address that issue. I hope this helps.

Quote:
Originally Posted by iDavid View Post
I just moved to Northern Japan were it snow 200 inches a year in the winter and has a 100 percent humidity in the Summer... etc

I think a guitar by CA is in order.

I was looking at the X and GX models. I read up on them and it seems the Performer X has a different neck than the GX or Player X. Is this a major difference in feel? I also like the idea of a thinner guitar, but wonder how much volume or low-end I could lose on the X.

I also see they have changed their models or at least the names. So have any of the specs change (i.e. the necks)

I am looking for the easiest playing guitar out there. I read one post saying that the X has top heavy. I play a Larrivee OM and it is a bit top heavy, but aren't most acoustic top heavy to some degree?

david
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Last edited by mckejoel; 03-12-2008 at 08:07 PM.
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  #15  
Old 03-12-2008, 07:54 PM
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Compurocker Compurocker is offline
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I have played a CA GX Player and found it to be easy to play and I was impressed by how good it sounded. It surprised me!
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