Just saw in a post on the Larrivee forum that Composite Acoustics has gone out of business.
CA out of business?
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 BJ of Indiana |
CA out of business? |
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Posts: 318 (03/03/10 12:03 PM) |
Last Edited By: BJ of Indiana 03/03/10 12:08 PM.
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dmcowles |
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Posts: 3781 (03/03/10 12:11 PM) Admin |
There's a very long thread on this very thing currently running on the AGF. It's a shame they went belly-up, because I think they had a great product. Graphite composite (strike that -I mean carbon fiber) is not the easiest thing to work with, nor is it cheap, but I've played a few guitars ( and New MAD/Mix mandolins) made of graphite that were really great, almost bulletproof alternatives to wood instruments.
You forget it and I'll forget it, but I'll remember it, and don't you forget it!
Last Edited By: dmcowles
03/04/10 04:22 AM.
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mjga |
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Posts: 134 (03/03/10 12:40 PM) |
Yep, very sad. My Cargo is the best travel option out there IMO, and it's better sounding than the first Cargos (at least the first one I had) so I was looking forward to them continuing to improve their products as time went on.
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Waldener.softlybeforeisc... |
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Posts: 359 (03/03/10 01:31 PM) |
I honestly am not all the surprised, I mean, Martin makes a couple composite acoustics and now you've got rainsong and such and there's so much competition that one of them was bound to go at some point. Still, it's sad that this company is closing.
Check out my site http://maggieberrymusic.yolasite.com/
"What is the answer to all of my spiders?" -Augustana
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george kraushaar |
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Posts: 1120 (03/03/10 04:52 PM) |
Perhaps they are switching over to carbon fibre bicycle construction. Carbon fibre makes a wonderfully riding bicycle, even it it occasionally explodes.
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Pappy |
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Posts: 1073 (03/03/10 07:39 PM) |
And baseball bats, which also ocassionaly explode.
So many guitars....So little time.
So many taxes......So few guitars 
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dmcowles |
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Posts: 3784 (03/04/10 04:21 AM) Admin |
Humble apology: I misstated (geriatric brain fart) when I said CA guitars were graphite composite. They are indeed carbon fiber, and I have yet to hear of one of them exploding.
You forget it and I'll forget it, but I'll remember it, and don't you forget it!
Last Edited By: dmcowles
03/04/10 11:19 AM.
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BJ of Indiana |
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Posts: 319 (03/04/10 11:03 AM) |
I think it's Rainsong that builds the Graphite guitars.
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kydave |
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Posts: 1095 (03/04/10 11:47 AM) |
Does anybody really know what time it is???? ( I don't know the difference between a graphite composite guitar or carbon fiber. Do you?)
 Both graphite and carbon fiber are made up of carbon atoms but in different ways. See below from wikipedia, but it's not always reliable so see further below. 
Kentucky Dave's Martins (Intro p. 63, # 1257):
'67 D-28, my buddy Sean's, RIP. '71 D-28, been there all along. '99 0000-28H, hard to find, but worth it. '09 D-28 Tyminski, the new kid on the block.
Last Edited By: kydave
03/04/10 11:51 AM.
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grassrules |
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Posts: 725 (03/04/10 01:39 PM) |
Sad news of the closing!
You be the judge, of which sounds better!
Last Edited By: grassrules
03/04/10 01:52 PM.
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george kraushaar |
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Posts: 1121 (03/04/10 07:14 PM) |
They all sound really good. I think I like carbon fibre better in a guitar than on a bicycle.
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Pappy |
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Posts: 1074 (03/04/10 08:08 PM) |
I like the sound of the Rainsong; but they all are decent sounding guitars. And they were all fighting for a very thin slice of the guitar sales pie. Likely not enough sales to support 3 or 4 companies.
So many guitars....So little time.
So many taxes......So few guitars
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BJ of Indiana |
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Posts: 320 (03/04/10 08:57 PM) |
Rainsong. They should have lowered their prices to get more of them out in people's hands and being played, plus more word of mouth and make their money on sales volume.
Are there any videos of them going back to back with wood guitars? I'd like to see a video of that. |
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george kraushaar |
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Posts: 1124 (03/10/10 11:35 AM) |
How can one justify $2000 for a synthetic guitar when you can buy a perfectly great sounding Martin for that (or less) and an RK, Eastman or BR for less than $1000? How many of us actually need a guitar which we can play while sitting out in a rainstorm or which will serve double duty as a canoe paddle?
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Pappy |
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Posts: 1079 (03/10/10 03:12 PM) |
george kraushaar wrote:Admittedly George, These are niche guitars, and a very small niche at that. But if you've really got a use for their benefits then they fit the bill. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaay in the future when no more wood is available these will be the only guitars. But right now at their price point I don't see them cracking the main acoustic market except for those who really need the advatages of a carbon fiber guitar.
So many guitars....So little time.
So many taxes......So few guitars
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dmcowles |
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Posts: 3807 (03/10/10 03:40 PM) Admin |
If you wait and watch a while, you may well see the same thing happening to New MAD/Mix mandolins. They are carbon fiber, and the F models list for close to $6,000. I can't imagine any way they could possibly have enough buyers at those prices to keep them in business for very long. One can purchase an exceptional traditional wood F model from a boutique builder for around $3K. It will be subject to the vagaries of weather, but that's why they put tuning machine heads on them, IMO.
You forget it and I'll forget it, but I'll remember it, and don't you forget it!
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gitnoob |
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Posts: 110 (03/10/10 09:17 PM) |
george kraushaar wrote: The least expensive ones go for around $700. I bought one last year (a Cargo) to take sailing. Playing guitar on a sailboat is pretty cool, but I figured it'd be a novelty. I was wrong. The Cargo travels with me *everywhere*. I can leave it in the car without worrying about it. It fits in the overhead bin on a plane. Took it to the ski slopes. Took it to Hawaii. That was phase II of the "novelty." But then winter came, and the air got dry. I had to put all my wood guitars back in their cases. The Cargo was the only one left hanging on the wall, and I played it daily for a couple months. Everybody should have one.
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grassrules |
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Posts: 738 (03/11/10 09:54 AM) |
I've heard that Denny Zager and Esteban have teamed up and bought the CA factory. Between both of their hot air, they will replace the carbon fiber with RPSBSS&M (Recycled Plastic Sticky, Bull S#!t, Smoke and Mirrors). Roomer has it, they've tried reaching Greg Rich, but he's not answering the phone!
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Missouri Picker |
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Posts: 122 (03/23/10 07:21 AM) |
These guiitars take a little getting-use to. It's a different sound than a wood or even metal guitar. I had a Rainsong and it was really sweet, but there's something about a wood guitar that has it's own "mojo." It likely just me, but the Rainsong's had kind of cool tone when compared to mahogony, walnut, etc. There was a difference. The Rainsong was certainly loud and clear. No doubt about it. But, for me a composite guitar is an acquired tasted. I'm not saying they don't sound great (that of course depends on the ears of the listener). They just are not for me, expecially if it were to be my only guitar. Also, they are not indestructible as some people might suggest. Heat won't damage their strength, but it can change their color. They are stronger if you bump one against a sharp corner, but if you sit on it or it gets stepped-on, it's adios, like most guitars.
http://www.family-friendly-music.com/ |
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george kraushaar |
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Posts: 1135 (04/02/10 07:25 PM) |
I've played several Rainsongs and generally liked their tone and vibe. But I really don't see the need for them. My Eastmans and Recording King give me as much guitar as I need. Where I live, I've never had much problem with season changes. I can have three upper level Chinese guitars for the price of the Rainsong I test drove, and I find that situation more useful to me in my performance needs.
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intune66 |
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Posts: 4684 (04/02/10 07:55 PM) Moderator |
Gitnoob makes some good points in post 16 in that his Cargo was not horribly expensive and for someone who travels a fair amount or leaves his guitars in the car, it makes sense to own one perhaps. For a home body and only occasional "gigger" like me, not so much.
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