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Location: Phoenix AZ | I had the honor of visiting the Kaman booth yesterday. Well, it's really a Takamine booth. But that's another story ...
Ovation had some nice products on display and I think they are definately starting to head in the right direction. Let's hope they complete the job. Very nice display of Hamer guitars. Some personal observations:
30th Anniversary Custom Legend - Looked and played very nice. But I think the acoustic sound still does not match the original. Maybe will with age. Overall OK, but not as thrilling as I thought it would be.
Al DiMeola CL - Actually the first time I ever played one. Extremely nice guitar and sounded great unplugged. Better than the CL-30, so there goes the argument about cutaways not sounding as good as non cutaways?
Adamas Q - It was out there for all to play. Email me privately if you want my opinion.
Legend LX - THE STAR of the show from Ovation. The best sounding unplugged of the bunch. You should all be ordering one of these NOW. Would look stunning in black.
Elite LX, Elite T custom flames, MOB - No thanks. Nothing wrong with them, just not my thing.
NO mandolins on display (or maybe I missed it). Ovation should OWN the mando market.
Applause Uke - I MUST HAVE ONE OF THESE!
Takamine had the best sound proof booth of the whole show. They would let you play an Ovation in there if nobody was looking. Slothead adamas was in there. Matt Smith was demonstrating the new tube pre-amp which seemed very nice. Why is it available in Takamine and not Ovation guitars?
Overall very positive signs form Ovation. You can't change a leopards spots overnight, but it looks like the compass is starting to point in the right direction.
Dave |
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March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Dave & I, and Michael Wong and Paul Templeman wandered together yesterday at NAMM. I agree with his observations on all of Ovation's offerings (except black??? A natural face on my Legend LX, thank you). I got the chance to tell Rick Hall that Ovation had finally built a guitar that I was going to buy new and it put a smile on his face.
The LX guitars sounded and looked wonderful, and I hear that quite a few retailers put in their orders for them. Play them when you see them. I think everybody will be very happy with them. |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Why would the Anniversary Legend LX sound different that the standard Legend LX? I the the 30th was just dressed up a bit more.
Brad |
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Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | There is no "Anniversary Legend LX". It's an Anniversary Custom Legend. And it has the original "A" bracing pattern, as opposed to the new "scalloped X" bracing pattern on the LX series. Makes for a different sound. |
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Location: SoCal | Dave, did you have a chance to play the slothead Adamas? Was it as reviewed - an acoustic only?
As to the 30th CL, interesting...unplugged, I have put my new arrival up against the 1619 (only have one 1619 on hand, other one coming back) but the 30th CL is better than the 1982 #1619 - of course, OP-Pro more advanced than old stacked. Al was able to play it a little (maybe alot) before he sent it to me...interesting what his observation would be. As they used same bracing, same materials (except for minor difference for the top) - unplugged, sound should be close to same.
Variables - not sure if there is any sound difference to the "master bear claw spruce" v. "AAA spruce." I believe I saw someplace that the bear claw is cut a little thicker. Also deep bowl - bowl could be different than earlier bowl. |
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Location: south east Michigan | Thanks Paul.....I saw the picture of the one in the charity auction. It had a truss rod cover so I thought it would be a LX.
Brad
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Posts: 100
Location: Warren, OH | Dave, were there any changes to the Adamas line? I got the impression from Al that things were pending and he wasn't at liberty to say to the NAMM show - but I figured that by now everything would be common knowledge.
Glad you got a report here. I've been checking the site daily looking for a information from guys at the show.
Went out to the local Guitar Center tonight and tried a graphite CVT Adamas. Nice guitar, but I'm holding off pulling the trigger until I can hear the LX's. |
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Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Some thoughts:
I've personally decided that cutaway/non-cutaway hasn't much to do with the sound quality....it's simply a matter of whether you as a player feel you need that access to the upper frets and/or whether the asymetrical body upsets your personal sense of aesthetics(it does mine).....
Not sure yet about deep-bowl vs. mid-bowl, though....
That's great about the Legend LX sounding good. I also vote for natural on a Legend LX....but I'd rather see a nice 'burst.
Ovation can never own the mando market as they would have the same marketing concerns they currently have with guitars...tradition and looks...Gibson is too entrenched with serious players, especially in bluegrass, and the mandos are too "strange-looking". I didn't say they don't sound good...that won't enter into it.....
Yep, Applause ukes are cool....I look at them at Elderly Instruments and think some time I'll get one....
Could it be that a deep-bowl version of the LX bowl got put on the 30th Anniversary CL????
Roger
1976 Applause AA14-4 6-String
1981 Ovation 1118-1 Glen Campbell 12-string
2001 Adamas 1598-MERB Melissa Etheridge 12-String
2003 Celebrity CC01 Spruce Top 6-String |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Bob,
I don't know if there are changes in the adamas line or not. Maybe they get OP-Pro preamps now. The catalog doesn't mention any major changes Someone else can comment.
Tony,
I didn't play the slothead adamas at namm, but I played it at the factory last spring. Same as the one reviewed, acoustic only. Probably the best sounding unplugged guitar Ovation has made in the last 20 years. It was kind of hidden in the sound room which tells me that Ovation is still reluctant to bank on their acoustic sound (safer to hide behind colors and electronics). That's too bad. I hope to get my 14 fret slothead next week and will let you know how it stacks up.
Dave |
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Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | Thanks Dave...14 fret slothead? All along I thought you were getting a 12 fret...will have to go back and check posts - would assume special consideration to the neck...
As to the Adamas 12 fret slothead, now that my CL GAS is partially abetted, starting to get Adamas GAS. Course, might have to sell/trade one of my #1619's... |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Yes, 14 fret slot. All the originals were also 14 fret. In some ways I would have preferred 12 fret, but it was not possible on my body. Dave |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Well, finally got home. Air France have managed to loose my luggage which is full of samples & business contacts. Way to go, garlic-munchers. Fortunately I got my rebuilt '68 GC 12-string on-board as carry-on.
While it was quiet early on Thursday morning Al & myself had a chance to go through a bunch of the new guitars in the iso-booth, which was a welcome addition to the Kaman stand & actually meant you could hear the guitars above the din of the NAMM floor. The anniversary CL was beautifully put together though without an original for direct comparison it's difficult to say how close it sounds, but it had the classic Ovation tone and was very impressive. It struck me as a nice balance between the old & the new. Apart from the ME signatures Adamas models were thin on the ground except for a "Q" which was essentially a W597 with Q soundholes. Other than that It didn't seem to offer anything different to the current models. I was absolutely blown away by the Balladeer LX. Materials, electronics, construction, playability & sound, especially plugged-in, were incredible for a guitar at that price point. I'm having one. The 12-fret slot Adamas just killed them all, it was even better than I remembered it from March. The fact that it was at NAMM suggests it was there to solicit orders, so hopefully we'll see it in production, who knows? |
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Location: On the beach in Southwest Florida | Any idea when the 12 fret slot Adamas will be available? |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Paul T.
Coming from you, the Balladeer LX endorsement is a very strong reason to make it my next guitar. You played all the fancy Qs an Adami and it was the Balladeer LX that made an impact. I will never find a store where I can compare 3 or 4 high end Ovations at once.
Brad |
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Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | ....Elderly Instruments in Lansing, Brad......it's worth the drive at least once.....
Interesting....one endorsement for the Legend LX and now one for the Balladeer LX.....hope the shops bother to get a few in to play!!!!
Roger
1976 Applause AA14-4 6-String
1981 Ovation 1118-1 Glen Campbell 12-string
2001 Adamas 1598-MERB Melissa Etheridge 12-String
2003 Celebrity CC01 Spruce Top 6-String |
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Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Originally posted by Old Applause Owner:
[QB Interesting....one endorsement for the Legend LX and now one for the Balladeer LX.....
Roger
[/QB]
Is this a one-hole vs. multi-hole lean or is the Elite LX just not as "improved" as the Legend and Balladeer models? I realize it's early and in lieu of facts all I have is (valued) opinions.
I don't expect the Music Stores in my area to be updated for quite a while. Side by side comps are a long way off. I just sent back my CP2003 and asked Alex about an Elite LX, which has got to be wonderful.
What sayeth thou Merry Men? |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | The difference between any centre-hole & multi-hole guitar, is down to personal preference, rather than one being "better" than the other |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | I'm with you Paul. I'm just hungry for more input. I like the sigle hole look but I really like the multi-holes. The Inlaid epaulats on the LX are going to be so cool! I know each individual instrument will have it's own personality.
BTW - What time is it there and do you ever sleep? |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | it's about 3.00am, but i'm still livin' on SoCal Time. The inlaid eppalettes are very nice, but they miss the "veins" in the leaves |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | The CP2003 had one piece, the 2003 Colector had inlaid single piece and the pic from the O site had this:
Even more exciting. For me the eppalettes are like modern art-I don't understand it but some of it I like. |
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Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | the lx stuff is very nice
I purchased the 12 fret slothead they said I could so we will see when it gets delivered
I also bought the elite t with the flames
more later i am tired |
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NAMM Observations