Update on the Peavey CA guitars

[scooter74]

Found this on another forum posted by one of the Peavey guys:


"Sorry I have been absent!

I wish I had more time to post and keep you guys up to date. As many of you have suggested we are getting ready for NAMM!

Regarding where we are with production:

You are all correct to assume that building a CF guitar is difficult. When we acquired CA we set out not only to continue to build and excellent instrument, but to make what we considered the ultimate acoustic guitar, perfect in every detail. As you can all guess it's that last few percent that separates a "good" guitar from an "excellent" one. Since taking on the line we have changed the way the guitars are assembled, the tools used to manufacture them, the molds for the parts and improved the materials in the fretboard, all in an effort to make a superior instrument. Those of you that have gotten them can attest to the fact we are building the finest CA guitars ever made. In fact we had Ellis to the factory just recently to show him our latest round of improvements and we was extremely happy and impressed.

Couple of comments I saw I would like to address. The lack of neck angle was an issue on ALL CA guitars. It was simply a symptom of the way the guitar was assembled. We have since corrected the issue by adding the angle into the fretboard, it is very slight, only 1 degree but it makes all the difference in the world when it comes to break angle over the saddle and playability.

We have made many other improvements as well - I think if I recall correctly I have chronicled most of them here in previous posts.

Now the big question: Why aren't we building more of them faster? Good question! We are ramping up slowly, if you move too fast the formula is lost and the new people can't be trained properly. Step one was basically figuring out how to build the guitar we wanted, we are past phase one on the GX, Cargo, and just recently OX. Phase two is training the supervisors, the people who are now building and are training their employees in various areas, phase two is now complete. Phase three is training and ramp up production slowly to avoid quality issues.

From last month we have cut the number of work hours required to build a guitar in half. That is good news it means we are getting more efficient and are able to produce more guitars. There are guitars going out the door every day, fortunately (or unfortunately for those trying to get one) our back orders are continuing to climb. Seems like when the guitars hit the stores they are sold almost immediately and generate new orders faster than we can fill them currently.

GOOD NEWS is we are on track to ramp up production in 2012, and it should be a great year for CA. Peavey is totally committed to CA and the Carbon fiber instruments, and we are extremely proud to be a part of this community.

Thanks for reading - keep the faith we are having a lot a fun building these instruments and can't wait to show the improved ones at NAMM (although some of you are seeing them now!).

Thanks again for your patience. You are all good people here and I appreciate the comments and suggestions. We at CA are committed to building each one of you the CF guitar of your dreams!

Thanks again,

Fred Poole
General Manager, Product Development
CA Guitars
Peavey Electronics"


So besides the corporate spin about why there are no guitars it looks like they are fixing the neck angle problem I was not aware of by shimming the fretboard. What do you guys make of this? Did anyone here have any problems with the neck angle on their CA? I have a GX and a Cargo and they both seem fine.

[ac]

Originally Posted by wilstev

Found this on another forum posted by one of the Peavey guys: . . . .There are guitars going out the door every day, fortunately (or unfortunately for those trying to get one) our back orders are continuing to climb. Seems like when the guitars hit the stores they are sold almost immediately and generate new orders faster than we can fill them currently. . . . .Fred Poole

Originally Posted by wilstev

So besides the corporate spin about why there are no guitars . . . . . . . .

My reading of the above is that they not only are producing right now, but everything they make is sold. They can't keep up with the growing orders. This does not exactly say to me "no guitars", but more like there's not enough quite yet.

As to the the neck angle and the complete story including past information from Fred Poole, there has been more added to the thread over at MacNichol.

[Raggamuffin]

If there's a neck angle problem on my CA GX, I am not aware of it. It seems fine to me.

[mc1]

the neck angle, or lack of a good break angle on the saddle for ca cargos has come up quite often.

however, i have a cargo with very low action and lots of saddle, so there must be some variation.

back to the hype, i cringed when i read, 'perfect in every detail'. why do they set themselves up like that?

[knuckle]

Well this is good news for me I guess, lol as I put my CAOX on craigslist this am.

[jhwalker]

I do not work for nor am I associated with Composite Acoustics, but I really do love these guitars. I have an X model that I bought used, and I plan to buy a new one when the money is right. They are not cheap, but what good thing is these days. I have tried several guitars looking for the one acoustic based guitar that will be a keeper. I think I found it with the X. It has a little over a three inch depth, and it comes with a nice contour in the belly and around the neck area along with a cutaway. I really bought this guitar for the acoustic aspect, and I am pretty happy with it on the acoustic front. I wish there was a way to make the guitar have a bigger acoustic sound, but I would not want to change the shape of this guitar to achieve this.
I seem to be in the minority, in that, I do not really like to amp acoustic guitars. For me, that is why I have an electric guitar, and this is also why I want an acoustic to be well, an acoustic guitar. At any rate, these are great guitars that are impervious to the elements, and they look and sound good to boot. I also love the fact that they are being made about 77 miles from where I live.

[AndyFrank]

I have a GX RT that I purchased back in 2009 that has given me no problems so I have a hard time believing the production delay has anything to do with product improvement. Other companies are improving their guitars all the time while production goes on. I would love to know the exact number of guitars built by Peavey in 2011. Mr Poole, is this a number you can share with us?

[Fran Guidry]

I lucked into an OX that works very well for me, but when I hoped to find a backup I went to a store that stocked a number of CA guitars and I could not find one that had what I considered a proper neck angle and resulting action and saddle height. When I've asked for closeup pictures and measurements of used instruments on the 'net I haven't found one that I would buy.

Clearly some of the Lafayette guitars made it out of the shop with a good enough neck angle. My experience tells me that some made it out otherwise.

Fran

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by Fran Guidry

I lucked into an OX that works very well for me, but when I hoped to find a backup I went to a store that stocked a number of CA guitars and I could not find one that had what I considered a proper neck angle and resulting action and saddle height. When I've asked for closeup pictures and measurements of used instruments on the 'net I haven't found one that I would buy.

Clearly some of the Lafayette guitars made it out of the shop with a good enough neck angle. My experience tells me that some made it out otherwise.

Fran

There has been much agreement that the problems reported on some instruments were not necessarily applicable to all instruments. However, there are some who maintain that, for example, ALL Cargos had neck angle issues. To add to the mix, there are some players who are pickier about these issues than others. I have three identical Cargos from three consecutive years (2008 - 2010, or is it 2007 - 2009?). Anyway, where I think they play very nicely, another player may may think otherwise.

What constitutes "good enough"? I have played some pre-war Martins that many consider the "Holy Grail" that I found difficult to play for some reason. Some would say there is a very strict spec for proper neck angle. I can't argue with that because I have not studied the subject, nor do I have the interest to do so. I have played instruments that just felt stiff to me even with a reasonably low action, but none of my Cargos are like that. To somebody else, they may well be, so we do need to take into account individual players when discussing these things.

Normally, with a spec such as this, there is an acceptable range. Maybe my Cargos fall within that range, I don't know. All I can say is that they work for me and others who have played them. Maybe the new Peavey version will be so good that by comparison, mine will feel stiff to play. But then again, maybe some among those made by CA are just fine as is.

The one consistent thing I have observed is that whenever there is a thread about CA Guitars, it attracts a lot of interest. If Peavey really does deliver as Fred Poole,s posts indicate, they will probably once again be the most visible player in this market, especially to those who don't yet have CF guitars. I would be concerned if I were another CF guitar builder, or at least be trying hard to get my instruments into as many shops as possible so people could at least do comparitive shopping.

Tony

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

I have three identical Cargos from three consecutive years (2008 - 2010, or is it 2007 - 2009?).

I have a very early Cargo that I purchased in March 2008, so I'd say yours are 2008-10, Tony. Besides my Cargo, I also have a GXi from November 2008. I don't have any neck angle problems, at least not as far as I can tell. They both play great.

[geetarman]

As a happy owner of a 09' OX I'm glad to see Peavey is going about the process the right way.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by Acousticado

I have a very early Cargo that I purchased in March 2008, so I'd say yours are 2008-10, Tony. Besides my Cargo, I also have a GXi from November 2008. I don't have any neck angle problems, at least not as far as I can tell. They both play great.

You are probably correct. The last one I bought when it was announced that CA Guitars was shutting down. I believe it was around March of 2010, which would put my first purchase at 2008. By then, the "honeymoon" period was long over, so I was confident these Cargos would be my main instruments for a very long time. I find the things others don't like about the Cargo are what I do like and find only in the Cargo. The very short scale is something I really, really appreciate. The size and shape are other aspects that make this the ideal instrument for me.

As for the short scale, I have always liked 12 fret guitars. So I treat the Cargo as a 12 fret with a cutaway. When you make your own arrangements, you decide the key and where you want to play on the fretboard. So where some might complain they run out of fretboard playing somebody else's arrangement, I just do it my own way. The Cargo is perfect for that approach. I have always preferred smaller guitars, and that is the Cargo.

As for sound, I won't argue that there are better sounding guitars, just not many at that size.

Tony

[phuufme]

Originally Posted by mc1

the neck angle, or lack of a good break angle on the saddle for ca cargos has come up quite often.

however, i have a cargo with very low action and lots of saddle, so there must be some variation.

time 2, exactly my comment.

My new Peavey cargo is serial # 00005. I only use it when I travel and it has served its purpose fantastically.

[BillBob]

Corporate spin. Trying to prevent folks from the attitude of "pre-Peavy CA guitars" are better.

I have no issues in any way with my Legacy Performer. None. Never have. He can say that Peavy CA fixed a major problem and that all prior Ca's are no good. But I don't believe it. My experience says otherwise.

Are Peavy CA guitars worse than the original? Only time will tell. I hope not. It does appear as if they are working to attain, at least, the same level of quality.

Bill

[leeasam]

at a local guitar shop I played a new Peavey CA GX gloss and a Rainsong HW-1000N2. I used to have an older Ca GX performer. While I did like the new CA tone a bit better than the rainsong the Rainsong played like butter compared to the CA. One reason I got rid of my CA GX is because of a none adjustable neck. I found the actual neck width( not nut but NECK) was a tad too wide making it harder to barre Chord. My Taylor 816CE plays way easier than the CA GX did and with heavier strings to boot! Some say they did not need a truss rod. I say BS!! I could not get the ation to where I like with out lower fret buzzing as the neck did not have the adjustabiltiy to get it. there was also not alot of saddle exposed. I tried heavier strings to allow for lower action at the saddle with out buzzing( the heavier gauge does not ocillate as much as light) but it then pulled the neck into too much relief. YES YES YES it DID pull the neck at which many claim it will not angain BS. I know I have played some higher end guitars that others own and they love them but have gawd awefull set ups on them-- and they are HAPPY! too bad many don`t know what a good set up feels like.

So yes there were issues. No not all guitars but the consistancy was not there and that is an issue that is being resolved. I do remember reading about needing to up grade some tooling and machining for that reason but the investors would not let the money loose so that is why CA shut down and looked for a buyer.