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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Several months ago, I found out from TJ about the CA Test Drive on new CA guitars...I wasn't interested in the electrics but the 12 string was right up my alley and for $35 (which included shipping both ways and a new set of D'Adarrio EXP 36's) I thought: why not? So, I signed up, paid my money and waited...
I received my delivery of the Test Drive CA 12 string yesterday. Got to hand it to the FedEx driver: I would not have driven in that blizzard to deliver anything...anyway, the guitar arrived in a destroyed original shipping carton w/what has become the obligatory forklift hole into the upper part of the carton: it impacted the thermoplastic case and did some damage...however, the guitar was undamaged. I had to clean it: it was gross but it cleaned right up..I put the new supplied set of D'Addario's on and got to play it...Hmmm, not bad but what about head to head w/my Adamas? So I got out my 1688-7 and gave it a go!
First and foremost: IMAO the CA is not as good overall as my Adamas 12's...The Fit and finish on the CA is nice; this one is the graphite color...but inside the bowl it is very uneven and could have been finished better...Sound wise, I like it: it is nice: very clear and precise: However, it does not have the volume of my Adamas or Ovation 12's...that said, the balance is good and the bass is pronounced but my Adamas is better...Yeah, I am spoiled.... :D
I do like the LR Baggs stage pro Preamp w/built in tuner...very nice system and works very nicely: excellent tuner. The guitar it does sound very nice plugged in (but so does my Adamas)...
So, overall, (IMHO), it is not as nice a guitar as my Adamas/Ovation guitars...not bad but not as nice...
I appreciate the Test Drive program...esp. for someone like me who lives away from everything and rarely gets to see the new stuff...
I am sure someone will like this...but I already have several world class Adamas 12 strings...So, I'm not in the market...A graphite 12 string has already been done...and better!
Here are several pic's...
CA Twelve |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Looks like a great guitar. |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | or not |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | That hole in the upper bout that the forklift put into the guitar probably affected the sound. |
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Joined:
September 2002
Posts: 806
Location: Seymour, Tennessee | My OX got here with a destroyed cardboard box and in a gig-bag.
Got lucky though and not a scratch.
These things do sound pretty decent but the O's do sound better.
It has held up really well over here and has gotten a lot of use.
Oh is that a USMC flag in the background? |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Yeppers... |
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Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | Mike,
I think you should change your screen name to "MusicMishkAdamas", or "MusicMishkAdamas12". ;) |
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Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Originally posted by stephent28:
That hole in the upper bout that the forklift put into the guitar probably affected the sound. Good one! ;) As much as I liked my GXi and still love my Cargo, that is one butt ugly guitar. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Mike,
I think you should change your screen name to "MusicMishkAdamas", or "MusicMishkAdamas12". Well, I do like 'em a lot...
Maybe "Adamas12Music"...lol
Food for thought Phil. Thanks! |
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Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | ;) :p :D :cool: |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 747
| Looks like something that would have been issued in the German army circa 1942. |
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Test Drive 12 String
