CV-2C...my review.

[West R Lee]

Well thank you sir, she is a beaut, and I thank Graham for that one. I just bought my second sunburst guitar, she'll be here this week, I'll post some shots for you. Pretty similar to what you've got there. A maple cutaway, but a thin body electric acoustic. Not sure why I bought it yet, other than it's a prototype "Classic" according to Mr. Moust. It's the prototype of the "Excellence". We'll see, I've never been an electric guy.

And yours is even more gorgeous now that you've posted detailed pictures....beautiful maple!

West

Is it the prototype with the F serial number that was discussed on this board?I wanted to take it, but it was a thinline, while I was looking for a full size acoustic guitar, yet, the maple neck was beautiful. To be honest, I thought to refinish the guitar in antique burst, but I don't know if it would be considered an improvement or a crime...anyway today I installed the optional pickguard, the instrument looks more guildish with this accessory, what I really don't like are the open tuners, I think that I'll swap them for the Imperials, most definitely.




Here there's the guitar with the pickguard, slightly different shape than the one on the traditional F-47.

Yes sir, that's the one. I'm not sure I'll care for the thinline myself, we'll see. If not, a very inique electric/acoustic may be for sale here. It was just a beautiful and fairly rare guitar, so I thought I'd give her a shot.

I think just about any refinish job would sort of be frowned upon by most of the membership here. I think the general concensus here is that it detracts from the value.

West

 

[chazmo]

Cuthbert, I think your guitar looks great. The tiger-stripe maple is gorgeous. And, the Florentine cutaway is very cool.

Gee, I'm not sure what I said earlier, but I like the looks of the Contemporary series, Cuthbert. I think my only (minor) objection is the pickguard shape. If I were you, I would not have installed it because I think the guitar looks better without one. But, it looks like you did a fine job, and I hope this CV-2C serves you well!

 

[cuthbert]

Cuthbert, I think your guitar looks great. The tiger-stripe maple is gorgeous. And, the Florentine cutaway is very cool.

Gee, I'm not sure what I said earlier, but I like the looks of the Contemporary series, Cuthbert. I think my only (minor) objection is the pickguard shape. If I were you, I would not have installed it because I think the guitar looks better without one. But, it looks like you did a fine job, and I hope this CV-2C serves you well!

I forgot to mention that the pickguard came with the guitar, it was in the case, I think it is a standard accessory for all the contemporary series. And yes, I noticed that the owners of these guitars usually don't install it.

 

[sitka_spruce]

I forgot to mention that the pickguard came with the guitar, it was in the case, I think it is a standard accessory for all the contemporary series. And yes, I noticed that the owners of these guitars usually don't install it.

Be sure about that. These Contempt-orary - oh-my-GAD pickguards I wish never would have seen the light of day. Should I find a pickguard necessary I'd try and locate some other F-40 style guard or otherwise a Martin pickguard.

The action for my WP is 3.5-ish millimeters open at the 12th, 1.85-ish at the 21st the 12th fret fingered. These readings are for the bass side and should be quite a bit less for the treble side.

 

[Ross]

I like your taste in beer :wink:

 

[cuthbert]

I forgot to mention that the pickguard came with the guitar, it was in the case, I think it is a standard accessory for all the contemporary series. And yes, I noticed that the owners of these guitars usually don't install it.

Be sure about that. These Contempt-orary - oh-my-GAD pickguards I wish never would have seen the light of day. Should I find a pickguard necessary I'd try and locate some other F-40 style guard or otherwise a Martin pickguard.

The action for my WP is 3.5-ish millimeters open at the 12th, 1.85-ish at the 21st the 12th fret fingered. These readings are for the bass side and should be quite a bit less for the treble side.

That's huge!

I lived in Sweden for one year, I miss that country, if I were there, I'll try to do something for your poor guitar, as far as I remember there's an expert luthier in Stockholm, out of gamla stan, although I think it could be expensive.

P.S.What's wrong with the GADdish pickguard?I see that it's smaller than the one of a F-47 CE, but not that different. Personally I like the guitar more with the pickguard on and I think the tortoise material is pretty good. Teardrop pickguard?Not on a Guild, please! :lol:

 

[cuthbert]

I like your taste in beer :wink:

There's nothing better than a fresh weissbier in summertime to celebrate the arrival of a new guitar!

 

[zplay]

I forgot to mention that the pickguard came with the guitar, it was in the case, I think it is a standard accessory for all the contemporary series. And yes, I noticed that the owners of these guitars usually don't install it.

Be sure about that. These Contempt-orary - oh-my-GAD pickguards I wish never would have seen the light of day. Should I find a pickguard necessary I'd try and locate some other F-40 style guard or otherwise a Martin pickguard.

The action for my WP is 3.5-ish millimeters open at the 12th, 1.85-ish at the 21st the 12th fret fingered. These readings are for the bass side and should be quite a bit less for the treble side.

That's huge!

I lived in Sweden for one year, I miss that country, if I were there, I'll try to do something for your poor guitar, as far as I remember there's an expert luthier in Stockholm, out of gamla stan, although I think it could be expensive.

P.S.What's wrong with the GADdish pickguard?I see that it's smaller than the one of a F-47 CE, but not that different. Personally I like the guitar more with the pickguard on and I think the tortoise material is pretty good. Teardrop pickguard?Not on a Guild, please! :lol:

Yeah, 3.5 mm is equal to just over 4/32", which seems like fairly high action unless you're doing heavy flatpicking.

Sorry Cuth, got to go with Sitka on the pickguard issue: that one they send with the contemps is a ratty little thing. I like the F-47 and particularly the F-47cutaway's pickguard much more.

 

[cuthbert]

Yeah, 3.5 mm is equal to just over 4/32", which seems like fairly high action unless you're doing heavy flatpicking.

Sorry Cuth, got to go with Sitka on the pickguard issue: that one they send with the contemps is a ratty little thing. I like the F-47 and particularly the F-47cutaway's pickguard much more.

I think that a guitar with that action is unplayable for my standards, to me, even 2.15 is pretty high, when you play, the strings is not your friend. Now my guitar is in the hands of another luthier, a good friend o'mine, who thinks he can improve the playability of the instrument. He's pretty good, hopefully he's going to make it sound butter like without a neck reset.

For the pickguard, I agree that it's skinny and the one of the F-47CE looks better, but I couldn't find one, and this one was in the case. Still, I'm of the opinion that the guitar looks better with the pickguard, a Guild and not one of the many pickguardless modern guitars we see around.

 

[sitka_spruce]

Yeah, 3.5 mm is equal to just over 4/32", which seems like fairly high action unless you're doing heavy flatpicking.

Sorry Cuth, got to go with Sitka on the pickguard issue: that one they send with the contemps is a ratty little thing. I like the F-47 and particularly the F-47cutaway's pickguard much more.

I think that a guitar with that action is unplayable for my standards, to me, even 2.15 is pretty high, when you play, the strings is not your friend. Now my guitar is in the hands of another luthier, a good friend o'mine, who thinks he can improve the playability of the instrument. He's pretty good, hopefully he's going to make it sound butter like without a neck reset.

For the pickguard, I agree that it's skinny and the one of the F-47CE looks better, but I couldn't find one, and this one was in the case. Still, I'm of the opinion that the guitar looks better with the pickguard, a Guild and not one of the many pickguardless modern guitars we see around.

Which I'm not doing. I'm more into multistyle fingerpicking although I do use the flatpick occasionally. The trussrod at its extreme, when leaving it to the luthier I will ask for a complete list of measures taken to achieve an acceptable string action.

OK, I agree with a Guild without a pickguard is not really a Guild. But the Guild/ Taylor crossbreed supplied with theese instruments is not a hit designwise, to me.

 

[bluegrass jubilee]

I've got a beaut of a CD-2 for sale over in the FS thread if anyone's interested. Rare guitar, and amazing balance.

That said, glad to hear you're enjoying your Contemporary.

Where the neck is concerned. Once you've taken 1-2 of these necks off, it should take less than 5 min, much faster than steaming out a set neck and regluing.

 

[capnjuan]

... Where the neck is concerned. Once you've taken 1-2 of these necks off, it should take less than 5 min, much faster than steaming out a set neck and regluing.

Hi bj; have you taken one of these necks off? Could you describe the process? Thank you. CJ

 

[cuthbert]

I've got a beaut of a CD-2 for sale over in the FS thread if anyone's interested. Rare guitar, and amazing balance.

That said, glad to hear you're enjoying your Contemporary.

Where the neck is concerned. Once you've taken 1-2 of these necks off, it should take less than 5 min, much faster than steaming out a set neck and regluing.

I also renew the request, did you take off one of these necks?It seems that other people do have serious problem.

About my guitar, my luthier finished to work the bridge and the saddle, now the action is seriously low on all the fingerboard until the 21st fret, he says that the neck doesn't have any issue, for now.

Anyway after some playing time I find that the guitar has a dark sound, very good for strumming but ideal for soloing, also the volume isn't exceptional, I expected more from a thick guitar.

Maybe she just needs time to mature...but I seriously hate the Gotoh 700 open back, anybody know any serious replacement option?

 

[sitka_spruce]

Maybe she just needs time to mature...but I seriously hate the Gotoh 700 open back, anybody know any serious replacement option?

What's your gripe about the 700 ob? I think they're smooth enough, but I hate the way they tend to grab hold of stuff, like textiles - but this I gather goes for all ob tuners.

 

[cuthbert]

Maybe she just needs time to mature...but I seriously hate the Gotoh 700 open back, anybody know any serious replacement option?

What's your gripe about the 700 ob? I think they're smooth enough, but I hate the way they tend to grab hold of stuff, like textiles - but this I gather goes for all ob tuners.

I noticed that they added a layer of rubber or any other low friction material on the key to make it smoother than traditional open back tuners (that we should remember, were considered cheap and outdated even in the 50s...) but they still don't work as good as a set of simple self lubricated sealed tuners like Schallers or Grovers.

Honestly, they're the worst part of the guitar, I see a set of Grover Imperial at the horizon...I also think that their head would be a good match for the contemporary logo.

P.S. My luthier finished to work the bridge of the guitar...now the action is very low and fast until the 21st fret. He said that the neck joist is perfect like it is...did you try to sand the saddle of your Porter? I think it would already be an improvement.

 

[cuthbert]

Sorry double post...my computer is having serious issues.

 

[Jeff]

The Gotoh tuners are Waverly copies. Couldn't say the Gotoh's are of the same quality, however, the Waverly tuners are not cheap.

http://elderly.com/accessories/items/W16.htm

Actually the Gotoh's aren't all that cheap either

http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/TK7809N.htm

 

[cuthbert]

The Gotoh tuners are Waverly copies. Couldn't say the Gotoh's are of the same quality, however, the Waverly tuners are not cheap.

http://elderly.com/accessories/items/W16.htm

Actually the Gotoh's aren't all that cheap either

http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/TK7809N.htm

Jeff, it's not a matter of final price for the customer, but the price to build the tuner: a open back tuner is technologically rudimental, just a gear, a worm, and a sheetmetal plate: not lubricant, no sealed case, no registration of the backlash. My extimation is that a open back tuner costs around 2 dollars to the producer. The Gotoh is more soophisticated, indeed, but still the drawbacks of this design were evident in the 50s, moreso today.

I'm pretty sure that any Schaller or Grover rotomatic style peg can be smoother, safer and more accurate in tune than the best tuner of this type, so in the end I think I'll upgrade with a set of Imperials that as far as I remember were meant to be direct replacement for the waverly, personally I use Grover Super Rotomatic on my BC Rich and I am satisfied of them.

I'll leave the opne back tuners to the "vintage spec" people who are more interested on how guitars look than how guitars are functional.

 

[bazooka47]

I have removed the neck on my CV-2C several times, using a 5/32 (if I recall correctly) ball-end allen wrench. It takes a little patience, especially if you have larger marfanoid hands like me.

With a small amount of careful neck heel sanding, I have gotten the action on mine within acceptable limits, but still not what I like. It may take some more extensive work to get this guitar playing correctly.

Otherwise, the CV-2c IS A GEM.

 

[capnjuan]

Hmmm .... marfinoid hands ... I didn't think they were still making those ... Well, that's good news. In another thread, a BBer reported that his luthier couldn't get the neck off his guitar raising the question of whether they'd come off at all. At least your experience says they do .... although maybe the people assembling his got nervous about it staying on and used some 2-minute epoxy .... only kidding .......... mostly. :wink: CJ