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Location: South of most, North of few | Anybody here ever try a Composite Acoustics guitar? I've heard a few good things about them, and now they have a bluegrass model dred. |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Tried a bunch at NAMM, they are outstanding instruments. If I needed another guitar I'd probaly buy a CA rather than a woodbox or another Ovation. Their dreds sound like a really good wooden dreadnought, which as good as they are is a sound that is of no use to me. I prefered the smaller bodied X model. I believe Johnny (Strummin12) is now a CA owner. |
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Location: NJ | Played one in Colorado.
Better than a RainSong (for what that's worth).
Gimme a Q. |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | If the Q was available then that's a whole other story. Right now CA are the only viable all-composite guitar on the market. Compared to Q10 that was living at Cliff's place for a while the CA's aren't as good, but they're pretty damn close, and they are out there to buy. |
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Location: NJ | Agreed. |
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Location: big island | http://www.takamineforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=73 |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Nice Forum. |
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Posts: 1225
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | I had a chance to play one last week for a few minutes and was very impressed with it. I didn't plug it in, but it had a nice, balanced acoustic tone and it was very comfortable to play. |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Better than a rainsong, not as good as the Q, or an Adamas for that matter. |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | It's not a Q, but I'm a little partial to THIS ONE
According to one source, the inspiration for building this display guitar was in fact the Q, updated with the modern style sound port and bowl shape. Unlike the Q, under all that black gloss, this one actually has a wooden neck.
 
Dave |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Mauvais Beal:
Better than a rainsong, not as good as the Q ... Reminds me of a girl I knew who was a "sports groupie". We spent the night together and the next morning I asked her "So, how was I"
She said "Well, you were better than Magic Johnson, but not as good as Arthur Ashe"
Dave |
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Location: NJ | considering they're both HIV-positive, that's QUITE a compliment . . .
THAT is a GREAT guitar, Dave!!! |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by cliff:
considering they're both HIV-positive, that's QUITE a compliment . . . DUH, Yeah Cliff - THAT's the whole friggin point of the joke !!! |
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Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Always wear a condom...... |
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Posts: 1817
Location: Minden, Nebraska | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
Always wear a condom...... Natural, or composite?
:rolleyes: |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | In Dave's girlfriend's case, a black one . . .
The CA that I played in CO was (I believe) the "X" (I didn't notice/remember the model#). It definitely wasn't the dreadnaught. It WAS pretty comfortable, and DID have a decent sound . . . |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Right now I'm looking (lurking) at a bluegrass model. (ain't it funny, every maker has a "bluegrass" model now) Might be working out a trade for a new one. It's a dred size with a 1 3/4 nut and, as all of their guitars do, looks beautiful with all that carbon fiber gloss finish. I'm meeting the guy tomorrow to take a lookie see. I'll let you guys know what happens. |
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March 2003
Posts: 555
Location: Wooster, Ohio | Have the X body and have tried the dreds as well. I think they are very good, extremely comfortable, light. Electrically, I think they are better than wood guitars, the graphite I think enhances the electric tone. I have been using my X out mainly but brought out my 87 collectors this week and love it was well. But it is so much heavier than the X. The X is just a breeze to take out and is just about indestructable. Hard to beat.
Steve |
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March 2003
Posts: 555
Location: Wooster, Ohio | I think comparing the Q to a CA is kind of sad. The reality is that Ovation never made it to market with it and it just underscores what could have been.
Steve |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Thanks for th input Steve. I think it's a done deal for me. I've heard a lot of good things about the CA's. I just want to get one and go out and play it in the rain. (IF it ever rains again). Steve, what electronics would you recommend to retrofit in one of these? |
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March 2003
Posts: 555
Location: Wooster, Ohio | I have been thinking of getting a CA dred and I thought about getting the bluegrass and putting in a pickup that doesn't have the controls in the side of the guitar. My X has a factory installed Baggs Imix with the small wheel controls mounted under the soundhole. I think this really is one of the better systems out there. But I find that I use the bridge pickup almost exclusively. The Ibeam is acoustic sounding but I am with Rainsong on graphite guitars. They only use the baggs understaddle. If I were doing it I would look at dtar's wave-length with the same wheel controls. I have heard good things about the 18 volt system but I have not tried it.
Steve |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Ive got the Dtar system on my Avalon and it sounds very nice. I am with you, I won't cut a hole in the side of the guitar for a preamp. The less conspicuous, the better. The Dtar I have has no volume or tone, just a direct out. I would hesitate to use their "load and lock" system, cause it requires something like a 7/8" hole in the base of the guitar to accept the battery holder. |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Cut a hole for the pre, don't cut a hole, use an external box, blah blah blah blah.... I think that as someone who has spent some 25-odd years attempting to get the best possible amplified acoustic sound, AT SERIOUS CONCERT VOLUME LEVELS (note the capitals. i.e not at your local open mike or coffeehouse or playing at home or whatever) then I think I may have some insight here.
If you think you can have a world-class great-sounding acoustic guitar, that will perform WITHOUT COMPROMISE when amplified at more than polite volume levels, then you are deluding yourselves, and you will continue to chase the "holy grail" and empty your bank balances at the next "lock and load" "18 Volt, high headroom, zero quack" "almost like a studio condenser microphone" "ES System" "acoustic imaging" "microphone modelling" or whatever system the manufacturers and magazines tell you you MUST buy.
I'm sure sometime in the future there may be a way to amplify a fine acoustic guitar at concert levels and still have it sound like an acoustic guitar without a worldclass $2000 a week engineer at the console, but right now there isn't.
So grab your Ovation, doesn't matter what preamp, just set it flat, plug it into a direct-box and into a REALLY GOOD, PROPERLY EQ'd PROFESSIONAL PA SYSTEM, hit a 1st-position G chord, nice and loud, and then tell me what's wrong with that sound.
Lecture over. |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Paul,
Not A Thing.
I have a SSB Celebrity CC059 with an OP 20,Close your eyes and tell if I'm playing that or my Country Artist with stacked tone/volume. Most people can't. |
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Posts: 555
Location: Wooster, Ohio | Paul, Probably some wisdom here. My 87C with old type still completes. I did some digital recording on my apple notebook and I had lots of options to tweak all my guitars to make them sound pretty good.
87C still sounded very good.
Steve |
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CA guitars
