Composite Acoustic - saddle and strings mods..

[PTL]

OK, given the surge of Composite Acoustics, I'm wondering if anyone has experimented with:

1. Saddle material. Does a really good bone or ivory improve the tone, or does the synthetics TUSQ stuff interface best with the graphite guitar?

2. Strings - do you use mediums? Brands/Types? I think it comes with coated strings which I am generally not a fan of.

Thanks,
PTL

[buzzardwhiskey]

I think I read they come with Elixer Medium-light PB Nanowebs.

[mhs]

My Cargo arrived with the carbon fiber saddle stuck in the bridge slot. It was about as poorly fitted as could be, almost as if someone tried to do a bad job.

I pried it out, and since I had a Colossi Taylor bone saddle laying around , which just happens to be ~1/8" longer, but otherwise is identical in shape and compensation to the Cargo saddle, I used that rather than sanding down the old one (which I did later on anyway). It was a perfect fit after removing 1/8" of length.

Bone saddle with a Cargo. Not much to get excited about. To my ear it sounds exactly the same as with the carbon-fiber one I sanded down and tried later on. Certainly not worth any time or money.

I disliked the Elixir strings that came with the Cargo, so I switched to the usual EJ16's I like (light D'Addario PB's) and to my ear that made a difference. The treble is so weak on the Cargo that it needs all the help it can get. I've also tried using high-E and B strings of .13 and .17 and I think that may have helped the balance slightly. The only thing the really helped balance was to use masking tape to tape off the upper-most inch of the offset-hole which takes the bass down a notch so you can actually hear what you're playing.

[bryankimsey]

Best saddle I've found for CA's is a carbon fiber one. I've tried Micarta and bone, and went back to CF. For strings, I use Elixirs. It's a travel/stage guitar and I want strings that last.

[jbryant]

Good to know about the bone saddle not making much difference. I was thinking about that but will have to be satisfied with the graphite one I guess. I didn't care for the Elixers either. I put GHS True Mediums PB on it. I want to see how it performs at my gig tomorrow night. The Elixers were like rubber bands last gig. It is a bit treble deficient, especially plugged in. I had to boost the treble way beyond what I usually do. May have to interject a parametric pre-amp to be truly happy with the sound. Otherwise I really like the guitar for gigging and living room picking.

Jim B

[PTL]

Interesting, I've not found the treble definicient although I've heard a few posts about that. Of course, I've only spent a couple of minutes on mine so I'll have to test it out.

PTL

[Doubleneck]

I think full bronze(that probably 80/20) are better on CA's it brightens them up as I do agree with the tone being a little darker than some of my wood guitars. I did bring the saddle way down from where they had it. I like my action low.
Steve

[leeasam]

myu CA GX performer came with Elixir nano phos/bron lights. I do know that string changes make a HUGE difference in tone as the Carbon fiber does not change the way it reacts depending on weather heat etc. after I got mine I tried the Elixir 80/20 nanos like on my Taylor 814CE and it was WAY different sounding. really BRIGHT. I switched back to the Phos/bron fast!!! the CA just seems to like these IMO. I played anothe GX at the store I bought mine from -- it was one of the employees guitars and she had martin strings on it. I did not know it at first and when playing hers was very underwhelmed by it. I was going WOW how could these two guitars sound so different of the same model?? Then I found out she had martin strings on it!

One thing I do like about my CA guitar is if the tone starts sounding dead or dull it IS the strings not the way the wood is reacting to the climate like a wood guitar does.

Lee

[jbryant]

Steve...good idea on putting straight bronze on the Cargo. I may try that. It sounds good with the PB's but I'd like just a tad more high end on it. Another string that I like and use on my Thompson are the new Martin Flexible core light/medium gage PB's. I found these at the NAMM show last year and they are hard to find but Elderly has them. I absolutely love them on the wood guitar so I'll be trying them on the Cargo also.

Jim B

[bryankimsey]

Originally Posted by jbryant

It sounds good with the PB's but I'd like just a tad more high end on it.

The B and e are, of course, going to be neither PB nor 80/20 but unwound.

When I'm complaining about "top end" what I'm really complaining about is the treble side of the guitar. I wanted to enlarge the soundhole on both my CA's but never did (CF dust is nasty!).