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  #16  
Old 11-19-2010, 07:27 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Larry,

I am very interested in hearing your comments and experience with the X7, especially after those threads on the issues you have with the Cargo, such as lack of truss rod. I don't know if the X7 has one, but either way, I will be interested in what you have to say. Are you signed up for the X7 "road trip"?

Tony
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  #17  
Old 11-19-2010, 08:44 PM
scooter74 scooter74 is offline
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I played the Cargo and X7 in a side by side comparison and the Cargo certainly does sound fuller, but considering what they were designed for, travel, the X7 is a better choice. It's lighter and smaller which is a huge plus, and the longer scale is much more natural. BTW, the Taylor GS Mini beats them both tonally and travels just as well and you can buy two for the price of one X7. However the undisputed champ of the small guitars priced below 1500 is the Larrivee parlor.
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  #18  
Old 11-20-2010, 01:03 AM
Samuelch Samuelch is offline
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I have played both and owned two different models of the Cargo for a short period of time...I preferred the RAW finish on the Cargo - seemed to have more projection and a brighter tone - cut through better than the RT in my opinion, although I prefer the RT finish on the bigger CAs.
I owned an Emerald X5 at one point and I enjoyed it while I had it - it wasn't very loud and was amazingly light. But I couldn't get used to the body and neck shape.

Anyways, I am now the proud owner of a GS Mini and have to say that it plays and sounds just as good if not better than these guitars...
I really can't say enough about the GS mini - can't...put...it......down....

Last edited by Samuelch; 11-20-2010 at 01:12 AM.
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  #19  
Old 11-20-2010, 06:32 AM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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One of the interesting aspects of reading a forum such as this is the diversity of what in a given guitar appeals to one person and not to another. I always come away with the sense that it is great that there is so much choice in this market.

Whenever the Cargo is discussed, the short scale length is more often than not viewed as a negative aspect of the guitar. However, for me, it is one of the big positive aspects of the instrument. It is one reason that the Cargo quickly became my primary instrument and has remained that way since.

If anybody influential from Peavey reads these forums, it would seem to me that any reincarnation of the Cargo would include a longer scale length. From the little I have read of second-hand comments from Peavey, it seems they intend to build these guitars as they were built when CA Guitars was its own company. With other choices in this market space now, it will be interesting to see how the Cargo fares.

Tony
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  #20  
Old 11-20-2010, 02:11 PM
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Enjoy reading these insights. I know there are at least a few others who own both a Cargo and an X7 and hope they will chime in with their thoughts also.
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  #21  
Old 11-21-2010, 09:04 AM
Kindness Kindness is offline
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Larry,

Thank you for your input on the size difference on the two guitars. My reviews tend to focus more on sound. The X7 is an excellent guitar, and I kind of wonder if he made the box slighter larger, if it would hit a sweet spot for me in sound.

Super great thread with some great feedback.
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  #22  
Old 11-21-2010, 11:24 AM
cke cke is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gitnoob View Post
I'm pretty sure Kramster is over the legal limit when it comes to Cargos. You should have taken one home to keep him in check.

BTW, I prefer the RT over the Raw. The Raw sounded a bit too unconstrained and muddy to me, but some people prefer it.
I agree with your preference for the RT finish. Really sounds better.
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  #23  
Old 11-21-2010, 01:40 PM
Ted @ LA Guitar Sales Ted @ LA Guitar Sales is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tbeltrans View Post
If anybody influential from Peavey reads these forums, it would seem to me that any reincarnation of the Cargo would include a longer scale length. From the little I have read of second-hand comments from Peavey, it seems they intend to build these guitars as they were built when CA Guitars was its own company. With other choices in this market space now, it will be interesting to see how the Cargo fares.

Tony
If anybody influential from Peavey is making decisions for the company based on Internet chatter they need to be replaced. Bob Taylor has been selling the heck out of Baby Taylors with the same short scale for 15-years now. The scale is fine. In fact the guitar is fine. I have handled and played close to a hundred Cargos and found that some were even exceptional, and all were more than adequate for their intended purpose. Considering the very low price of the RAW and RT models we have no reason to complain. Think about it, the Cargo takes just as much effort to build as the full size GXi but CA was selling them for half.

In my opinion Peavey will go one of two ways with the Cargo. a) build them here and try to sell them for 50-100% more than before, or b) farm them out to a Chinese factory maybe using less expensive materials and offer them for the same price. Either way they will be seriously vulnerable to competition so mark my words, we will see one or more 3/4 size carbon guitars in the very near future.
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  #24  
Old 11-21-2010, 02:03 PM
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You guys are so lucky, being able to compare these composite guitars side by side is a real bonus. We have nothing in that dept. over here so I took a punt after reading some of the info you guys provided and bought a Cargo RT from classifieds a couple of weeks ago. I can honestly say that I have never been as surprised by any guitar that I have bought until the Cargo arrived.
I am blown away with the versatility of it.
Today I plugged it in for the first time and WOW does this little guitar come alive, Incredible, I only wish I could compare it to others similar..thanx again for all the info guys,
All the best.. Neil
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  #25  
Old 11-21-2010, 02:15 PM
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Larry Pattis Larry Pattis is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarpman View Post
<snip>
The scale is fine. In fact the guitar is fine. I have handled and played close to a hundred Cargos and found that some were even exceptional, and all were more than adequate for their intended purpose. <snip>

That's one opinion.

The alternate opinion is that CA had many problems relating to structural stability/neck angles/set-up issues with the Cargo...and I know several dealers that were *not* perfectly happy with the product...but they lived with what they could get.

As a customer I was far from satisfied with the Cargo in this regard.

The three areas of problems are:

1) Initial neck set does not offer enough room to adjust saddle height down.

2) Neck relief changing with medium gauge strings.

3) Neck-body joint flexing with a change to medium gauge strings, exacerbating neck-relief and neck-angle issues.

I don't care, in fact, what anyone else's "opinion" is on this. I experienced first hand these structural issues with every Cargo I touched or saw, and the problems were very real.

If Peavey can make a few positive changes to the Cargo it will be an instrument that I can give my unqualified recommendation to.
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  #26  
Old 11-21-2010, 02:20 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarpman View Post
If anybody influential from Peavey is making decisions for the company based on Internet chatter they need to be replaced. Bob Taylor has been selling the heck out of Baby Taylors with the same short scale for 15-years now. The scale is fine. In fact the guitar is fine. I have handled and played close to a hundred Cargos and found that some were even exceptional, and all were more than adequate for their intended purpose. Considering the very low price of the RAW and RT models we have no reason to complain. Think about it, the Cargo takes just as much effort to build as the full size GXi but CA was selling them for half.

In my opinion Peavey will go one of two ways with the Cargo. a) build them here and try to sell them for 50-100% more than before, or b) farm them out to a Chinese factory maybe using less expensive materials and offer them for the same price. Either way they will be seriously vulnerable to competition so mark my words, we will see one or more 3/4 size carbon guitars in the very near future.
Well, I am not a dealer nor do I have any inside information. Mine was just an observation based on the most consistent comment made about what people would want changed on the Cargo. Personally, as I said in that post, I LIKE the short scale and it is one of the main reasons I bought that instrument. I have three of them and all are very good instruments.

Ultimately, we all will just have to wait and see what Peavey does.

Tony
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  #27  
Old 11-21-2010, 02:31 PM
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Thanks Larry, I always value your input..but maybe mine was the one that got away..
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  #28  
Old 11-21-2010, 02:40 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarpman View Post
If anybody influential from Peavey is making decisions for the company based on Internet chatter they need to be replaced.
After thinking about this, I do want to respectfully respond. There are forums that manufacturers do listen to because it is one means of getting feedback from real customers. I own a Motif XS8 keyboard. The Motif forums are inhabited by Yamaha representatives who actively solicit input from users of their products. I own a Kindle DXG ereader, and (at least on the Amazon-sponsored forum), Amazon representatives do participate and are interested in customer feedback. Those are but two of many examples I could use.

I am not saying that "internet chatter" is the ONLY or even the PRIMARY means of getting customer input, but more and more companies are recognizing the value of "listening" to what customers in forums are saying with regard to their use of products and the things they would like to see changed. Ultimately, a company needs to make its own decisions, but often companies do value customer input.

Tony
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  #29  
Old 11-21-2010, 03:02 PM
Kindness Kindness is offline
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I truly believe that if feedback is given tastefully to a company, that they will listen. The Emerald Guitars are in their infancy, and Alistair is a great guy. There is a niche market for CF travel guitars. The edge that Alistair has is that he is the designer, he supervises everything, so he has the ability to build a high quality product. So time will tell....
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  #30  
Old 11-21-2010, 03:05 PM
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Larry Pattis Larry Pattis is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tbeltrans View Post
After thinking about this, I do want to respectfully respond. There are forums that manufacturers do listen to because it is one means of getting feedback from real customers. I own a Motif XS8 keyboard. The Motif forums are inhabited by Yamaha representatives who actively solicit input from users of their products. I own a Kindle DXG ereader, and (at least on the Amazon-sponsored forum), Amazon representatives do participate and are interested in customer feedback. Those are but two of many examples I could use.

I am not saying that "internet chatter" is the ONLY or even the PRIMARY means of getting customer input, but more and more companies are recognizing the value of "listening" to what customers in forums are saying with regard to their use of products and the things they would like to see changed. Ultimately, a company needs to make its own decisions, but often companies do value customer input.

Tony


I agree with this 100%.

It's important for a company to be confident in their own decision making abilities. It's also important to develop a feel for why something works well, or perhaps not so well...and what changes might be worth considering for the betterment of the product, for even greater success in the marketplace. Customer and retailer feedback can be rather useful tools, when placed in the proper perspective.
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