Review of CA Guitars, Series 8M-CE February 13th, 2008 . by MacNichol Previously known as the GX Performer, the Series 8M-CE by CA Guitars (Composite Acoustics) is a booming guitar that sounds as great as it looks. Among the most comfortable of guitars, the 8M-CE takes guitar ergonomics to another level. With two bevels on the top of the back side, the guitar fits neatly against one’s body. Additionally, the 8M-CE has the ultimate cutaway. In addition to a sharp cutaway that allows easy access to the upper frets, there is also a cutaway on the back of the guitar because there is no heel block (a benefit of carbon fiber construction). So, one can easily reach the 19th fret, and the 20th fret is just a tiny reach away. Indeed, it almost feels like playing an electric guitar with such easy access to the upper fretboard. Carbon fiber guitars are renowned for their durability, being resistant to temperature and humidity. But the true wonder of these guitars is the sound. First, they have great volume; indeed, the first time you play a CA Guitars model you’ll have to ease up on your picking. However, you can easily control that volume and thus you can do some interesting things - hammers and slides come through crisp and clear with little effort. I also like doing a Luther Perkins style muted boom-chick-a bass lines on carbon fiber guitars, although this works better on CA Guitars’ dreadnought model than it does on a grand auditorium. The 8M-CE sounds especially good with a slide, as do all the carbon fiber guitars that I’ve played. Putting a slide to a carbon fiber guitar produces a sound that’s somewhere in between sliding on a regular acoustic and a resophonic guitar. You get just enough of the echo, metallic sound that emphasizes the slides, but retain the warmth of an acoustic. Features include Goth 503 tuners, LR Baggs Imix electronics, and a hardshell case. Posted in Acoustic Guitars, CA Guitars, Carbon Fiber Guitars | Comments are closed.