CA Bluegrass Standard VS Tim Stafford

howband1948 · #1 08-15-2016, 11:23 AM

I saw Blue Highway the other day and Tim Stafford was playing his "CA Tim Stafford Signature" model. I noticed it had a sound port on the upper bout and a pickup (which he may have installed, I don't know). I have a CA Bluegrass Standard which I really like. I believe that both of these models are not made anymore. Anyone know the other differences beside the electronics and the sound port? Anyone actually A/B'ed them? I like mine a lot and it serves as a travel guitar for me - especially when I use my RV.

Curious about the Tim Stafford though...

How

Claytone · #2 08-16-2016, 05:39 AM

A Great Big Welcome to the AGF Howband1948!!! You are among friends Amigo...

There is quite a resurgence in interest in the CA brand, since Peavy picked up the line, and some of the members here will be knowledgeable about this I'm sure...

Darn...Now I have to look on youtube for both Blue Highway & Tim Stafford though...LOL...

guitararmy · #3 08-16-2016, 06:54 AM

Wow it looks like both your CA Bluegrass Standard and the Tim Stafford model are relatively rare birds.
I guess you saw the online description of the Tim Stafford, with an enlarged soundhole, the sound port and a "specially voiced preamp".

Earl49 · #4 08-16-2016, 09:32 AM

Both of those models were from the old CA company, which closed in 2010. The only dreadnought model on the current Peavey / CA website is the Legacy.
http://www.compositeacoustics.com/index.cfm/guitars

I recall seeing most of the original models back when they were in production. In fact, I was at the NAMM show in 2010 and spent a fair amount of time at the Composite Acoustics booth. Then three months later, they closed the doors.

A local store here in Boise has a good selection of CA's, with the largest stock in the northwest. I believe them, since I've been to both stores and saw 4-6 on each wall. Plus they have more in the warehouse. PM me and I can give you their contact info if interested. And welcome to the forum....

SpruceTop · #5 08-16-2016, 03:14 PM

Years ago, I commented on the following guitars on the now defunct MacNichol Carbon Guitar Forum. Neither guitar was bought from this dealer:

Back in 2007, I ordered a CA Bluegrass Performer with Onboard Aura, which I think was a Bluegrass Standard with added Onboard Aura. I never got to play it as, right out of the case, the rear of the bridge peeled away from the top as I was tuning it up for the first time! I sent it back to the dealer, who didn't want to refund my return shipping charges. I contacted CA and they made good on the shipping charges.

In 2009, I ordered a CA Tim Stafford Signature Model with Onboard Aura. The guitar sounded very nice acoustically and amplified but the flare of the neck width and sharp fingerboard edges, along with the excessive neck-relief (no truss rod) made it a bear for me to play. I wanted to like it but returned this guitar too. Maybe there are some CA Tim Stafford models out there that have a flatter neck-relief but if the guitar I received was typical and was designed per Tim's input, he must have very large and strong hands!

Acousticado · #6 08-16-2016, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Years ago, I commented on the following guitars on the now defunct MacNichol Carbon Guitar Forum. Neither guitar was bought from this dealer:

Back in 2007, I ordered a CA Bluegrass Performer with Onboard Aura, which I think was a Bluegrass Standard with added Onboard Aura. I never got to play it as, right out of the case, the rear of the bridge peeled away from the top as I was tuning it up for the first time! I sent it back to the dealer, who didn't want to refund my return shipping charges. I contacted CA and they made good on the shipping charges.

In 2009, I ordered a CA Tim Stafford Signature Model with Onboard Aura. The guitar sounded very nice acoustically and amplified but the flare of the neck width and sharp fingerboard edges, along with the excessive neck-relief (no truss rod) made it a bear for me to play. I wanted to like it but returned this guitar too. Maybe there are some CA Tim Stafford models out there that have a flatter neck-relief but if the guitar I received was typical and was designed per Tim's input, he must have very large and strong hands!

Spruce, I could be wrong, but I believe '09 was around the time that CA began to experience quality issues that they hadn't previously. I still own my '08 Cargo and sold my '08 GXi, neither of which had/have any issues whatsoever.

Ted @ LA Guitar Sales · #7 08-16-2016, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl49

Both of those models were from the old CA company, which closed in 2010...

Correct. In fact the Bluegrass model got a lot of bad press for having too much relief, which was of course built in to the guitars given it's intended purpose. We were actually their biggest dealer by a huge margin by 2010, so the news of them closing was quite a shock. Nice to see the brand survived, even if all the models didn't.

SpruceTop · #8 08-16-2016, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acousticado

Spruce, I could be wrong, but I believe '09 was around the time that CA began to experience quality issues that they hadn't previously. I still own my '08 Cargo and sold my '08 GXi, neither of which had/have any issues whatsoever.

Hi Tom,

Yeah, back in 2009/2010, there were neck-angle issues and we Carbon Guitar Forumites compelled CA to start including a final-inspection card with each guitar that noted its action height, neck-relief, and I think neck-angle too. During that time, the president of CA used to visit the forum and answer questions and leave comments. Sadly, the company didn't last much longer but at least they made an effort to listen to customers.

SpruceTop/RainDance

Acousticado · #9 08-16-2016, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Hi Tom,

Yeah, back in 2009/2010, there were neck-angle issues and we Carbon Guitar Forumites compelled CA to start including a final-inspection card with each guitar that noted its action height, neck-relief, and I think neck-angle too. During that time, the president of CA used to visit the forum and answer questions and leave comments. Sadly, the company didn't last much longer but at least they made an effort to listen to customers.

SpruceTop/RainDance

Right, I remember the card and Ellis' posts at MacNichol's back then.

Steve Christens · #10 08-16-2016, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howband1948

I saw Blue Highway the other day and Tim Stafford was playing his "CA Tim Stafford Signature" model. I noticed it had a sound port on the upper bout and a pickup (which he may have installed, I don't know). I have a CA Bluegrass Standard which I really like. I believe that both of these models are not made anymore. Anyone know the other differences beside the electronics and the sound port? Anyone actually A/B'ed them? I like mine a lot and it serves as a travel guitar for me - especially when I use my RV.

Curious about the Tim Stafford though...

How

Here's what I have in my files:

Specifications for the Tim Stafford model include:

light blue shell flame rosette
four leaf clover headstock inlay
enlarged 4.5" diameter soundhole
upper bout sound port
Gotoh 510 open back gears
CA Performance Tuned bracing
a specially voiced Fishman Aura pick-up system

I assume these are just the changes compared with the Legacy? As Ted mentioned, the bluegrass model was made to Tim's specs, with something (IIRC) like 0.016" of relief and close to 8/64" action at the twelfth fret, and set up with mediums too rather than lights.