Composite Acoustic Xi First Impressions

[jzucker]

Just to give some background, I've been playing for 30 years, was a jazz guitar major at University of Miami and am the author of Sheets of Sound for Guitar.

I am not an endorser for caguitars. The specs for the model I bought are here: http://www.caguitars.com/Files/Produ...289/Xi_117.asp

Mine is a charcoal color. (Wish it was the sunburst...Oh well...)

I just bought this and received it today. I am very pleasantly surprised. It's got a modest but very well balanced acoustic sound. Not as bright acoustically as something like a Taylor. Plays beautifully. It's setup with XL strings and there is just a teeny bit of buzzing when you really dig in on the treble string in the upper registers. The instrument is very comfortable to play due to the body size and the low action.

It really shines when you plug it in. Electrically, it's got the most beautiful sound I've ever gotten out of an electric or acoustic guitar. It doesn't have any of the typical piezo clackyness you get with anything else I've owned such as the Taylor expression system, whatever Larrivee is using, the Rick Turner system, etc. All those pickups sound good but can get clacky when you dig in, particularly on single notes. This guitar's pickup has an extremely good dynamic range and just seems to get louder as you dig in, up to the point of the string buzzing without piezo artifacts.

If you've heard Bernie Williams' "Take me out to the ballgame" this is pretty much what my Xi sounds like going into an acousticimg corus amplifier. (full range 20hz-20khz speaker system) I had wondered whether bernie's sound on that video was enhanced but that's the way this guitar sounds. VERY PLEASANTLY surprised. I'd do some videos and audio clips later on when I get a little more used to it.

A couple negatives:

1. Neck Heavy - Kind of a hassle to play standing up because it wants to balance perpendicularly to the floor whereas I prefer to have the guitar at a 30 or 40 degree angle. Moving the strap button to the neck heel or underneath the neck might fix this problem.
2. Textured Top - The top makes scratchy sounds if you have nails and play with a flatpick and your nails are in contact with the top. They should have put a stick-on pickguard on this. I'll probably add a pickguard of some type to this guitar.

Kind of surprising that these 2 issues are not addressed in something so well engineered otherwise.

Anyway...To be continued...

[D. Dubya]

That's some mighty fine pickin' for a ball player! I've always wanted to play one of these. I had a chance to check out a couple of CA dreadnoughts and was very impressed, but I tend to like smaller bodied guitars.

[Acousticado]

jz, by chance have you had a chance to try a GXi? I have one in tobacco burst. I haven't played plugged in with it's Baggs iMix, but the guitar is a dream ro play in every respect, and sounds GREAT!

[jzucker]

I have not tried the Gxi. Do they make a nylon string and/or mag pickup guitar?

[benplaut]

Originally Posted by jzucker

I have not tried the Gxi. Do they make a nylon string and/or mag pickup guitar?

No and no... but I'm hoping for both

[jzucker]

Went to a jam session yesterday and the guitar blew away a $6k handmade guitar. The neck-heavy thing is really a hassle though.

[gordee]

jzucker
Glad you're enjoying the new CA guitar. I've been intrigued by them and have considered getting one for travel, vacation etc. Having owned and currently own a few very nice guitars so I've put off getting a CA because I fear that it will sit in the case when compared to my Charis, Ryan or Goodall.
Your current comment makes me ask the question-in what ways did it blow away the $6000 handmade?

[Mr. Ed]

Originally Posted by jzucker

Went to a jam session yesterday and the guitar blew away a $6k handmade guitar. The neck-heavy thing is really a hassle though.

I'm not surprised at all. That Xi is a sweet playing & sounding guitar!

[SuperB23]

I just picked up a Used Legacy from 2001 or 2002. I'm excited it to get it. It has the vintage voicing. I guess CA says the vintage voicing is something with bracing they did to remove a lot of the midrange from the guitar.

About 6 years ago I had a Rainsong JM1000 which is their Jumbo guitar. I always liked it and I sold it to a friend who still has it and loves it!!! I've tried to buy it back from him a few times. The prices have come up a lot on the Carbon Fiber guitars!!! But I guess they have on all guitars for the most part.

When ever I go to my local GC and play the Rainsong they have which is the ws1000 I always miss my old Rainsong! I'm excited to get this CA! I have never played one but I figure it won't be too different than the Rainsongs I've played.

[jplee3]

Originally Posted by gordee

jzucker
Glad you're enjoying the new CA guitar. I've been intrigued by them and have considered getting one for travel, vacation etc. Having owned and currently own a few very nice guitars so I've put off getting a CA because I fear that it will sit in the case when compared to my Charis, Ryan or Goodall.
Your current comment makes me ask the question-in what ways did it blow away the $6000 handmade?

They are nice guitars but I don't know if they can compare to the likes of a Charis, Ryan or Goodall... actually, I can't speak for Charis guitars much as I've hardly played any. The guitar (GXi) has *incredible* sustain, more so than my Goodall RGCC even.... but I find myself playing the Goodall more than anything. I still prefer the sound of the Goodall over the GXi just because there's more balance across the spectrum and the sucker is a cannon too. The GXi lends itself to the bassy side and doesn't make for a very hearty fingerstylist's guitar (unless you're plugged in). Now, as far as the Xi goes, things might be different. But in either case, my preference still is with wood (expensive wood at that!)

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by gordee

jzucker
Glad you're enjoying the new CA guitar. I've been intrigued by them and have considered getting one for travel, vacation etc. Having owned and currently own a few very nice guitars so I've put off getting a CA because I fear that it will sit in the case when compared to my Charis, Ryan or Goodall.
Your current comment makes me ask the question-in what ways did it blow away the $6000 handmade?

To be fair, the $6k guitar was not a flat-top. It was an archtop but the clarity, openness/transparency was much better on the Xi. Complex chords on the Xi ring out with much better note definition than anything else I have heard.

Keep in mind that I'm talking about the amplified tone. Acoustically, the Xi is about on the level of a low end taylor IMO.

[jzucker]

Update to this. Had to take it in for repair due to loose frets. So much for them being indestructable!

[jplee3]

Originally Posted by jzucker

Update to this. Had to take it in for repair due to loose frets. So much for them being indestructable!

Yikes Did CA cover this under warranty? Do you know what caused the loose frets?

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by jplee3

Yikes Did CA cover this under warranty? Do you know what caused the loose frets?

I'm the 2nd owner. I offered CA a deal where I'd do promo vids of their guitar in exchange for them covering the issue under warranty but they weren't interested so I took it into my local luthier to fix. $100 to reglue and do a fret level. Kind of disappointed that they wouldn't cover it under warranty. I understand that they make no money if I don't buy a new guitar from them but their stated reasoning was lame. They claim that they have no idea if the guitar was tampered with or abused if i'm not the original owner. I asked them how being the original owner precluded any abuse or tampering but they just didn't answer.

My luthier said that it's not uncommon to see loose frets on a graphite guitar since the graphite doesn't bond as well to glue as wood does.