Opinions: pre- vs post-Peavey Composite Acoustics GXi

RB3 · #1 09-29-2022, 05:39 PM

Hello all.
Gathering some research data on the GXi guitar.
Have any of you owned and/or played both generations of the GXi? How does the playability and build quality compare and contrast?
If you've only owned/played 1 or the other, please share your experience too.
Also, what's your opinion about the different pickup systems installed in them over the years: LR Baggs iBeam and Element Stage Pro vs Fishman Prefix and Aura?
Also looking for input about the different finishes: raw, road tough, and high gloss.
Please share photos of your GXi, and especially cool prototypes or special order colors if you have them.
Thanks!

Acousticado · #2 09-29-2022, 09:52 PM

In March ‘08 I bought a CA Cargo RT (Road Tough finish)l not long after it was first introduced. I was so impressed with it, that that fall I bought it’s big brother, an ‘08 GXi (high gloss Tobacco Burst as per the photo) which I kept until 2012 when I sold it to fund an Emerald Chimaera 6/12 doubleneck. I no longer own the Chimaera, nor the X20 I bought later.

The GXi was a really nice guitar, in my opinion perhaps the closest to a wood guitar a CF has come (I’ve owned CAs, Emeralds, a Blackbird ekoa and have tried Rainsongs). I believe it had a Baggs Lyric pickup, but I wasn’t plugging in much back then to have an opinion on it. The only thing I didn’t care for about the GXi was the weight. It was on the heavy size, yet not excessively so and had no. Earring on selling it. I’ve never played a Peavey era CA of any model.

I still have my Cargo, will never sell it. It’s a small guitar, a great traveller and couch companion that punches way above its size. I’ll never sell it.

SpruceTop · #3 09-30-2022, 08:12 AM

I've played and owned (for a short time) Pre-Peavey and Peavey Composite Acoustic dreadnoughts and they had their flaws. Quality-wise, I can't say one era was better crafted than the other.

studioman001 · #4 10-01-2022, 07:03 AM

I owned a pre Peavey CA Legacy and a Peavey CA GXI. Here are my thoughts for what they're worth:

The Legacy sounded pretty good but I really did not like the road tough finish. It was too rough and scratchy for my liking. From what I can recall, the tone and playability were fine. the price was certainly right though! I think I paid $1650 for it new out the door with free shipping. I miss the days of sub $2k full size all gloss carbon fiber guitars! The prices now are crazy...

The Peavey CA GXI had a very nice high gloss finish, the fret job was fantastic on top of them being stainless steel, the body was very comfortable, and I did not find any QC issues. The hard case was also very nice. The offset sound hole was neat and I loved loved loved the aura system! Also, the body and neck etc were a single piece which I liked. the pre Peavey was not and you could feel the seem between the top and the body for example. That bugged me.

the only reason I sold the guitar was that for me, the fretboard was just too wide. If that hadn't been the case, I would still own it as it had everything else I wanted in a carbon fiber a/e guitar.

Here's a little audio demo I put up on my youtube channel if you want to check it out:

https://youtu.be/A2yVU27KR80