Composite Acoustics GX H

GuitarLuva · #1 06-21-2019, 12:55 PM

Went to my local music store today to get some picks and this guitar caught my eye so I of course had to sit down and play it a bit. I was very impressed. It sounded very close to my Emerald X20, maybe a touch louder, but not quite as comfy, but still very much so. The craftsmanship was flawless. This particular guitar, Composite Acoustics GX H, had a pickup system similar to Taylor with the 3 knobs on the side. The salesman didn't know what it was and i can't find any info, which is surprising. Anyone know what it might be? He of course asked me did I want to plug it in to which I said "no" I had to get outta there before something bad happened! I apologize I should've taken some pics

#2 06-21-2019, 03:09 PM

CA made some great guitars. I had 3 and would have had more if the company had ever gotten to nylon string instruments.

Peavey did a nice job of improving the Cargo, but has done very little to promote its CA offerings and nothing to extend those offerings. Too bad.

GuitarLuva · #3 06-21-2019, 09:52 PM

Yes I would have to agree based on what I seen and heard. The guitar felt and played nicely and sounded really good. I found out that the pickup system is a Trace Elliot Transit AGP pickup system. First I heard of it. Here's a link to the pickup system:

jonfields45 · #4 06-22-2019, 05:16 AM

The Peavey websites for CA and Trace Elliot do not mention the Trace Elliot AGP. Of the two the Trace Elliot website seems to be still getting active maintenance with new product introductions. Nice to see a CA guitar at last winter's NAMM.

GuitarLuva · #5 07-14-2019, 02:55 PM

I have to admit this one has been haunting me. I went back to my local music store a few days ago on a mission. This guitar when I originally played it left such an impression on me that I had to take a couple guitars with me to A/B against it. The store was fine with it and I actually intrigued one of the salesman so much that he asked if he could come and have a listen. Luckily there was hardly anyone else in the store at the time and the acoustic room was completely vacant. I won't mention which guitars I brought with me (yet)but one of them would have to be traded in with a good return if I were to grab this fine acoustic.

Moral of the story, most of the carbon fiber section of the forum is dominated by Emerald posts, followed by Rainsong. Both of which I've owned/own and are of course makers of fine instruments. Well I can now certainly say that CA produce some fine instruments as well. They also had a cargo in stock which I had to test drive. A little too small for me but I couldn't believe the volume, projection and tone on that little guy. There's hardly ever any mention of CA guitars on here but I encourage you if you ever see one hanging on the wall of your local music store to give it a try. Or don't, it might end up costing you! I don't think I can resist this one much longer.

jdinco · #6 07-14-2019, 08:39 PM

Good info Luva....there's a lot of love here for the Cargo (and other CA's) and with all the positive comments I've read about the CA OX, I sure would like to try one. But like you, that can be dangerous to the wallet. Enjoy your new CA !!

GuitarLuva · #7 07-14-2019, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdinco

Good info Luva....there's a lot of love here for the Cargo (and other CA's) and with all the positive comments I've read about the CA OX, I sure would like to try one. But like you, that can be dangerous to the wallet. Enjoy your new CA !!

I never bought it yet! Or traded for it rather but it sure is a fine guitar. They never had an OX in stock or the legacy, both of which I would've loved to try as well.

#8 07-15-2019, 09:04 AM

I loved the Ox--it plowed the musical field from just about every perspective. Good for strumming, finger picking, travel, and looks. Unfortunately, there were no nylon strung versions.

kramster · #9 07-15-2019, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdinco

Good info Luva....there's a lot of love here for the Cargo (and other CA's) and with all the positive comments I've read about the CA OX, I sure would like to try one. But like you, that can be dangerous to the wallet. Enjoy your new CA !!

Maybe Ill bring an OX when I come back up there...like I just did on Sat...oops

jdinco · #10 07-15-2019, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramster

Maybe Ill bring an OX when I come back up there...like I just did on Sat...oops

Let me know !!

slewis · #11 07-15-2019, 04:06 PM

FWIW, I couldn't be happier with my CA GX, and I've even had sound men come up to me after a set and tell me they've never heard a better sound out of an A/E guitar. Mine has the Fishman Prefix.

GuitarLuva · #12 07-16-2019, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slewis

FWIW, I couldn't be happier with my CA GX, and I've even had sound men come up to me after a set and tell me they've never heard a better sound out of an A/E guitar. Mine has the Fishman Prefix.

Thanks for chiming in. The Fishman Prefix utilizes the Matrix UST so I'm assuming that you're using some form of tone shaping with it. I had that system in a Rainsong before and wasn't pleased with the plugged in sound. That was before I had a Tonedexter though. Using that system with Aura or Tonedexter produces great results.

The unplugged sound however is amazing. Carbon fiber guitars don't need bracing to reinforce the top like on a wooden guitar but that must be CA's trick to EQ the guitar. I think they done an amazing job in that regard. Not only did it sound like a wooden guitar but a high end wooden guitar, at least to my ears.

slewis · #13 07-16-2019, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuitarLuva

Thanks for chiming in. The Fishman Prefix utilizes the Matrix UST so I'm assuming that you're using some form of tone shaping with it. I had that system in a Rainsong before and wasn't pleased with the plugged in sound. That was before I had a Tonedexter though. Using that system with Aura or Tonedexter produces great results.

The unplugged sound however is amazing. Carbon fiber guitars don't need bracing to reinforce the top like on a wooden guitar but that must be CA's trick to EQ the guitar. I think they done an amazing job in that regard. Not only did it sound like a wooden guitar but a high end wooden guitar, at least to my ears.

It's the Prefix Plus T, if that sheds any more light on it, and no, I don't do anything else to it other than occasional effects from a Zoom G3 (and the EQ on my amp, which I wasn't using at this particular event. Of course, the sound guy may well have been tweaking some knobs! And of course his is just one opinion, but compliments on my guitar sound aren't uncommon, either.

SpruceTop · #14 07-16-2019, 03:51 PM

The nice thing about a Fishman Prefix Plus T/Matrix UST system is that in a RainSong, and I'm familiar only with its performance in all-carbon RainSongs, it behaves like a combination UST/SBT as the carbon fiber's efficient vibrational properties transmit top and body vibration to the Matrix pickup. All a player needs to do is regulate the amplified tone in a particular environment to get an excellent amplified tone. I've used my now long-gone RainSongs (I've had at least a dozen) with a Fishman Aura Spectrum Pedal with nice results, and although I now have a ToneDexter, I haven't routed a RainSong through it yet but that may soon change ...

GuitarLuva · #15 07-16-2019, 04:25 PM

I've used the Fishman Matrix through a Tonedexter and an onboard Ellipse Aura system and it sounded nice through both. And you're correct it does pick up some of the top. It's actually one of my preferred UST'S as I found it has little to no impact on the acoustic voice of a guitar. On it's on though it still sounds like a UST which I personally don't like.

I wonder what style of pickup the Trace Elliot AGP uses. Probably a UST but who knows. It looks like there's only one way to find out for sure.