Composite Acoustic Guitars - Opinions?

Started by bill, March 02, 2011, 08:26:34 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

I'd like to know if any members have experience-positive or negative- with CA guitars, specifically the Legacy model.

Thanks,
Bill

Me none at all BUT see them in the Commerce Section of this Forum once in a while such as THIS ONE  that has sold. Many good things about the Cargo for travel.
Larrivee Electrics - My Dream then and Now!!!!!<br /><br />Forum IV     00-03MT       #4      (Treasured)

Though I didn't own one but when they first came out the store I use to work for got in a few dreads when they were first opened.They wre really nice guitars with a great tone.
A REPAIRPERSON,Barefoot Rob gone to a better place
OM03PA.98 L10 Koa
Favorite saying
 OB LA DE OB LA DA,LIFE GOES ON---BRA,It is what it is,You just gotta deal it,
One By One The Penguins Steal My Sanity, Keith and Barefoot Rob on youtube
Still unclrob
#19
12 people ignoring me,so cool
rpjguitarworks
Call PM me I may be able to help

I love my Cargo for its purpose, but find it too bass heavy - so I stuff a towel in the soundhole. I never played a legacy, but a GX was fine and deep sounding. The X is lighter, but sweet; the OX (and nearly bought) was both cheap and great balance. Never played a Legacy model. 

Personally I would always rely on solid wood gits, but there are so many times when an 'indestructible' and weather tolerant guitar is just what is needed. In those times especially, the sound in more than good enough.
Chris
Larrivee's '07  L-09 (40th Commemorative); '09 00-03 S.E; '08 P-09
Eastman '07 AC 650-12 Jumbo (NAMM)
Martin   '11 D Mahogany (FSC Golden Era type)
Voyage-Air '10 VAOM-06
-the nylon string-
Goya (Levin) '58 G-30
-dulcimer-
'11 McSpadden

I think they are terrific guitars...I have an OX and have had a GX and look to get another. I have considered a Legacy as there have been some great buys on used but not much of a dred guy.
Taylor 424ce SL
Breedlove Pro C25/CRH
Rainsong OM
Composite Acoustics OX Raw ( Peavey)
Rainsong OM
Voyage Air VAOM-1C (2)
Baden D style Mahogany
Journey Instruments Spruce/Mahogany
Prestige Eclipse

A local store which used to sell them told me they are no longer in business. He know carries Rain Song. I think Adamas pioneered the carbon fiber guitar. I have never seen or played one ( an Adamas ) although some fine guitarist do.
*Larrivee L03 Bubinga
*Kremona Sophia classical
*Taylor 562ce
* Makala Baritone Ukulele

Adamas is part of the Ovation line.I believe it started the small soundhole's in the upper bout craze.
A REPAIRPERSON,Barefoot Rob gone to a better place
OM03PA.98 L10 Koa
Favorite saying
 OB LA DE OB LA DA,LIFE GOES ON---BRA,It is what it is,You just gotta deal it,
One By One The Penguins Steal My Sanity, Keith and Barefoot Rob on youtube
Still unclrob
#19
12 people ignoring me,so cool
rpjguitarworks
Call PM me I may be able to help

Thanks folks, for the replies.

I am going to look to buy a used one to see what they're about.

Best regards,
Bill

I have a GX Performer and I love it. I bought it for the long Michigan winters, but I play it all year round now. this is year 4 I believe.
they did lock the doors for a while, but Peavey has revived them and they are producing them again.
Yes, I love my wooden guitars, but there is no sacrifice in composites. In fact you'll get harmonics you never dreamed of before on a CA.
2011 NAMM

Quote from: mas music on March 03, 2011, 07:18:05 PM
A local store which used to sell them told me they are no longer in business. He know carries Rain Song. I think Adamas pioneered the carbon fiber guitar. I have never seen or played one ( an Adamas ) although some fine guitarist do.

CA has been bought by Peavey and is just starting to get the guitars back in stores. They were reintroduced at the recent Namm show. Rainsong and Emerald would also be great choices in looking at carbon as they both have some terrific new guitars out. Emeral just came out with a new classic dred.....Blackbird also came out with a new short scale 00 called the Lucky 13 which sounds great.
Taylor 424ce SL
Breedlove Pro C25/CRH
Rainsong OM
Composite Acoustics OX Raw ( Peavey)
Rainsong OM
Voyage Air VAOM-1C (2)
Baden D style Mahogany
Journey Instruments Spruce/Mahogany
Prestige Eclipse

I have an OX and a Cargo, both in the raw finish which I purchased from LA Guitar Sales who had great pricing on CA. Both guitar have performed as expected for what I bought them for, travel/beater guitars. As noted Peavey bought CA last year and is planning to ship some of the models this year but not the Legacy for some reason. I played the legacy many time and found it to be an excellent guitar and if that's the model you are looking for you should be able to find them used and some stores even new old stock, but keep in mind that Peavey has made it clear they will not work on older guitars or honor the warranty so pay accordingly..

I had a Legacy COT (Crown of Thorns) for a short time. There was nothing definite that I didn't like about it, but decided that with so many nice wooden guitars around that I just like wood. I happen to live in California in a fairly mild climate as well, so some of the guitar's strengths didn't matter much to me.

Oavtion is not a carbon fiber guitar - they have molded plastic backsides.

I've played a number of carbon and graphite guitars. RainSong's just don;t sound like guitars to me - they are more like a synthesizer or electric piano. Something about them doesn't work for me,

There are also the BlackBird carbon guitars, and I like them better than the Rainsong's but they are awkward to hold.

The one I liked the most are the CA Cargo guitars. I have played a few of them, and for a less bass heavy, more balanced tone, the OX is very nice too. The Cargo has a phenominal bass response for such a small guitar, and some folks find it too bass heavy. I like them, myself. A lot. Except for... the high trebles, They are very metallic and have that synthesizer tone I don;t care for. So I ended up selling my two Cargo's because I play up the fretbopard quite a bit. I never got used to that tone...

The original Composite Acoustic company is out of business, but was bought by Peavey. I beleive the Peavey Composite Acoustics are in production now. I'd check out MacNichols.

Quote from: LoMa on April 27, 2011, 05:22:08 PM
Oavtion is not a carbon fiber guitar - they have molded plastic backsides.


Thought the Adamas line of Ovation were Carbon Graphite  :?
Larrivee Electrics - My Dream then and Now!!!!!<br /><br />Forum IV     00-03MT       #4      (Treasured)

I had an Adamas way back when. It was a wonderful guitar.

" Representing the ultimate craftsmanship from Ovation's flagship workshop in New Hartford, Connecticut, the Melissa Etheridge Signature 6-string signature features a woven carbon-graphite suspended soundboard with Adamas fan bracing and a classic Mid-Depth cutaway composite body."

Source - http://www.ovationguitars.com/guitars/product/adamas_w597_meii

More about that Carbon Graphite Suspended Soundboard
"Introduced in 1976, the Adamas was born of the same innovative spirit that developed the shape, design, and function of the Ovation roundback. Today, more than three decades after its introduction, the Adamas remains the most advanced acoustic guitar ever made.

Adamas is the Latin word for diamond in its native form—carbon. Kaman Aerospace used carbon fiber to make cutting-edge components for satellites and supersonic aircrafts. Realizing that carbon fiber had the potential to create a pure and balanced soundboard for his guitars, Charlie Kaman and his engineers began lab trials to create a carbon-fiber top for the Ovation. They discovered that when properly engineered, carbon fiber—or graphite—behaves very much like wood.

The Adamas soundboard is made from long fibers of aerospace-grade graphite designed to resonate and respond like spruce. At one-third the weight of a spruce top, the Adamas soundboard has a bold and clear voice, quicker response, and vibrates longer than a traditional spruce top. Adamas models feature Ovation's pioneering Mid-Depth or Deep Bowl composite bodies."
Source - http://www.ovationguitars.com/guitars/product/adamas_1687

Contour Bowl
"Made from glass-microsphere impregnated Lyrachord composite, Ovation's Contour Bowl is designed to provide maximum acoustic response with the feel of a small-body instrument. Sculpted to fit the contour of the player's anatomy, the lightweight Lyrachord GS body is a joy to hold, whether sitting or standing. A Contour Bowl body has the acoustic projection, midrange punch, and huge bottom end of a traditional jumbo-style instrument, yet offers the playing comfort of Ovation's Super-Shallow body. With its tough-as-nails construction, this body shape represents the latest evolution of Ovation's pioneering roundback design."

Source - http://www.ovationguitars.com/guitars/product/adamas_2081WT


Lyrachord
"Once our engineers had settled on the body design, they turned their attention to developing a substance that could be molded into this bowl-like shape. Using their knowledge of high-tech aerospace composites, they developed Lyrachord, a patented material comprising interwoven layers of glass filament and bonding resin. Our lab team also discovered how to tune Lyrachord at the molecular level so it would resonate musically.

The first Ovation guitar made its debut in November, 1966. Its Lyrachord body gave the instrument unprecedented projection and ringing sustain. Based on this initial success, we developed an entire line of roundback models to provide guitarists with the world's finest acoustic/electric instruments."

Source - http://www.ovationguitars.com/whyovation/the_history

Hi Bill,

I have often considered the Composite Acoustic Guitars. I saw and played them when they first came out. I liked what I heard and felt.

For me, the issue was that the neck could not be adjusted. I play with a really light touch most of the time and prefer a lower action than was standard on the Composite Acoustic Guitars.  I didn't want to buy it and then mess with the saddle or hve to experiment with different string gauges to get the action I prefer.

Ultimately, I realized that for the number of times that I would really need the seeming indestructibility of these guitars I could and would take my Ovation (beach guitar).  So there was no need to buy a Composite Acoustic.  Besides I never go to the beach and won't do an outdoor gig unless there is real protection from the elements and direct sunshine.

I really like my Cargo!  I've been considering a full size Rainsong.  Now that CA is back I may look at some of their other options.

I played a few and they require almost no humidity/temp control.  a little bass heavy tho

NEWB :donut :donut2

Powered by EzPortal