Yes, I have wondered that too.  when I first saw the post about Peavey acquiring CA guitars, I said in a post that I wondered what the impact would be on the other players in the CF market.  also, I remember commenting about "pre-Peavey", as analogous to the whole "pre-CBS" Fender amplifier thing where people were playing (in my opinion) highly inflated prices for these "pre-CBS" Fender amplifiers.  I said that those of us with fewer scruples (I didn't directly say it that way in earlier posts...) could cash in on a similar situation with our "pre-Peavey" CA Guitars.  Of course, if Peavey/CA Guitars actually improves on the product, then all that would be a moot point and those of us with "pre-Peavey" instruments might actually end up GASsing for the newer models.

Tony

I think they absolutely will dominate the carbon market as long as their products are comparable.  They already have a network of dealers almost certainly larger than any carbon company.

for example, in Spain we have no dealers of carbon guitar but peavey is sold everywhere. this means that Spain's carbon fiber market will be dominated by CA. this also hold true for most of the countries other that US.

anyway, LAguitarsales stated that at the end of this year they will sell all the models of CA on HG, similarily priced. this means that, for the moment, they are thinking about the high-end market. only time will say.

so, for the rest of the companies it is the moment to try to position themselves in the rest of the countries before peavey invasion, promoting their lower priced model before peavey design some low cost models (or RAW finish or something)

it will be an interesting moment anyway...

I think it is very encouraging that they are starting with the high end.   Makes a statement to me.  You know they will fill it in downward.

Steve

To fend off any GAS that might come from an IMPROVED CA product line, my mantra will necessarily be "There's is nothing like a pre-Peavey Cargo"...

Tony

They'll have deep pockets and wide distribution.    But ultimately it comes down to the product and the price.    If they price the Cargo low enough, making it the "carbon fiber gateway" guitar, then I think they'll dominate the market.

I really think for Peavey to be a significant player in the carbon community they will have to prove themselves. I suppose in terms of numbers they may be able to ramp up production capacity. Right now they have to contend with some very fine competitors. Those competitors have something Peavey will have to establish and that is strong customer support. The existing three companies have that aspect really nailed down, its going to take some doing before they become household names, with everyone knowing who Alistair, Ashvin and Jeff are. These guys are a real part of our community and we are loyal to them. Peavey has a lot of work to do if it will establish a similar relationship. Doable but they wont get a free ride it will be earned.

JW is right. Doable, but challenging. New production location, probably new employees doing the work and minimal experience in acoustic guitar manufacturing. Sounds like a long road ahead. Some good reviews of the initial product offering will certainly help, but I have a feeling that Alistair, Blackbird and Rainsong have picked up market share that won't be so easy to take back. For example, for me personally, I'm about ready for my next CF guitar purchase and I'm not worried about waiting to see what Peavey will come out with because after seeing and hearing the quality in the Emerald product line, I am convinced that they have some manufacturing secrets that CA never had and a new guy is not going to be able to replicate for awhile, maybe a long while.

Anyway, I know much of it comes down to sound preference, but after CA went down the whole "sounds most like wood" issue almost became a non-issue to me (and maybe others as well) because I realized that the most important issue was acoustic sound quality as opposed to which CF maker sounds most like wood. CF is for real, it is here to stay and it has its own sound signature. Both wood and CF have their own unique sonic advantages and I am now of the opinion that neither one is better than the other. With all that being said, maybe the former CA's advantage that "they sounded most like wood" may no longer be as big of an advantage as it once seemed to be which is yet another challenge Peavey may have to contend with as they reintroduce the line.

Interesting point Carbonaxe,  I was drawn to CA because it sounded like my wood guitars.  Cool in itself, but as you I have kind of come over to the CF world and am not as concerned about that.  The Rainsong JM1000 I played on the road trip last month is a perfect example.  I thought it was a wonderful guitar singing carbon in all its glory and I thought it sounded wonderful.  Was I as open to that sound a few years ago? don't know.  CA may have introduced me to another world and it has many different flavors as well.  To me the intro of Peavey's new models wil be fasinating because you are right, new factory, probably new employees.  Is the manufacture of these intruments totally transferrable.  You can bet when they start they will have a lot of us testing that proposition.  I hope they pull it off, I think they have the ability to get carbon into a lot more peoples hands and that will probably in the long run be good for the entire industry.  If you become a carbonite you will probably want to have other flavors of carbon.

Steve

very interesting points. i agree with you John. Peavey still has to steal our hearts. Alistair seems very hard to beat as he has been one of the most actives here. making good guitars is just not enought to convince us now. also Joe and recently Ashvin

anyway, the new workers at Peavey are for sure familiar with acoustic guitars! they are new to carbon anyway and the process to build them is almost completely different. i'm interested also in the new blade (if it will end up in production). with the experience of peavey in the electric world sure it'll be a nice product. remember that CA was planing to release a electric bass also...