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Joined:
October 2002
Posts: 33
Location: Pittsburgh PA | I bought my Celebrity CC057 a few months ago based mainly on its playability. The talk on this board has a big focus on the US models. So since I have had a few months of playing my CC057 I thought it would be a good time to try out some of the US models to see, hear and feel the difference.
I Played two Balladeers, the S771 mid-depth and the 1861 super shallow. I played a couple of Elites - super shallow and mid depth. I also played a couple of ones that I guess were Adamas -I'm not sure (they were over $1,600 guitars). And they had my model CC057 there as well.
The first thing I noticed was that the US models felt as if they were a bit more sturdy or solid than my Celebrity. The hardware - such as the strap knob also seemed better. As has been mentioned on this board however, the strings on these guitars were dead. Even so, I could tell the difference in the tone - especially on the mid-depth guitars. Every Ovation I tried was horribly out of tune - and usually in a place like Guitar Center you have two or three other guys playing guitars all at once so it's tough to tune up. I was glad these Ovations had the built in tuner - it was much easier to get them in tune. The action was not as good on these US models as my Celebrity, but that is a non issue as you can remove a shim or two.
The one and only area that I felt my Celebrity was better was the neck. I didn't notice much difference in the width of the neck, but I did in the thickness. My Celebrity seems to have a much thiner neck which again comes back to playability. How well my Celebrity will hold up over the years compared to a US model is yet to be determined.
I still may get a US model one day, but I may look for a used model - try to get a good buy.
--Mike |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15686
Location: SoCal | If you want a USA model at a used price then look at this
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2506005062&category=33029
I have one, and it's one of the best acoustics I've ever played. They go on ebay for $6-800 and are wonderfully underpriced for what you get. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | i hope the guy with the elite spends a few of the bucks he gets and buys some wire cutters. it looks like a bentley with the seatbelt hanging out the bottom of the door. has anybody ever gotten poked in the eye by a wild string on a tight stage? you will learn to steer clear quickly.
mike, i'm glad you are digging your celebrity. that is what it is about. try to play more of the usa models if you can. the guys in conn have built some fantastic guitars. i just went the other way and tried a celebrity special edition a sailor left with me till he returns next "season". a decent guitar, but when you've had dom perignon------------- |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | russ
I never trim the strings on my personal guitars even my d 'angelico.
When I was a kid watching hallabaloo the animals were on. The guitarist had the strings hanging from the headstock. I loved the look and never looked back. I do trim the strings on guitars that are for sale since no one really shares my enthusiam for the style. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 613
Location: Zion, Illinois | I have two 2nd what Paul said. I picked up an Elite 1537 like the one currently on E-Bay. One of the best guitars I've every owned. The pictures don't do it justice. The top looks beautiful with that wood binding around the bowl.
Bradley
p.s. Also about the loose strings dangling, I have given up for life trimming the ends of my strings with wire cutters. I have run the end of a B-string into my thumb twice already while changing strings. I vowed never again!!! :mad: |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1196
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | Bradley, have you ever seen Sam's wood top Adamas? What a beautiful guitar that is. The older elites are beutiful also with the wood binding....Paul Hebert |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15686
Location: SoCal | Al, anybody can look at you and realize that you never left the 60's. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | Paul
300 bucks a day plus expenses....need I say more? |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | al , bailey, please at least tell me that you coil them up. i got poked in the eyelid once by an animated wannabe on open mic night. i'd hate to think about what might have happened if my eyelids weren't in the tequila mode.
wish us luck amigos--------bubba and the bottom feeders is recording our second cd tonight. some of the song titles are "trailer park woman", "una mas cerveza", "pour me another tequila sheila", "bom bom badero" (this one makes em all blush), jesus' brother bob", "were you born an asshole", "drink and drive", "dumbest thing i ever done" and other songs to laugh with and to test the limits of what is socially acceptable. 100% of the proceeds go to feed the poor. |
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Joined:
December 2002
Posts: 939
Location: Fort Worth, Texas | Seems the folks I see who don't trim the strings are young ones in alternative type bands. I'll go along with musicamex on the tight stage deal (LOOK OUT :eek: ). Allthough I do that poking my fingers - somebody posted something on one of these threads about never having to worry about that with some new-fangled something.
Russ, what a bunch of great song titles - one of these months I'll take a trip to Mexico and check out your shows, after the Ovation tour trip and the Alaska cruise trip the wife wants to go on..... |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | I like those song titles also, I always trim my strings with a wire cutter, and in one of my posts I said if someone can solve the problem of sticking the fingers while changing strings, they would have a good invention. Someone, (I'm guessing Paul T.) referenced a tuner that gripped the string somehow. I'm struggling with a different injury tonight, my dog took off and jerked my left hand ring finger in the leash. I had to have my 45 year old wedding band cut off as the finger swelled like a hot hot dog. I played my guitar immediately and everything worked so I'm letting the swelling go down so I can repair the ring and restore my marital status, I hadn't been able to remove it for at least 40 years. Happy Valentine's day to all and I hope you improved your love lives.
Bailey |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | sorry bailey, i meant bradley re the wild strings. to each their own. i do poke my fingers too, and damn if doesn't draw blood when it happens. maybe bending those ends over with needle nose pliers would help, but is is almost always when i change them when i get needled. almost never later. speaking of fingers bailey, i hope it's ok buddy. kinda hard playing a skinny mando neck with a hot dog. we use a mando on a couple of bubba cuts. next time i am in n.m. we need to setup a few bluegrass dates. i miss playing that kind of music. by the way, that must not be a chihuahua you're walking.
hey tex, you'd be welcome to more than watching a show down here. this is one of the most open musical communities i've ever hung with. nothing we play is complicated. and this time of the year there are plenty of opportunities to play and jam. we got about half of the cd cut tonight, but the washboard player and his wife, the bass player, had eaten something they shouldn't have, and were going down hill fast. i'm having a hard time turning off the mental music, but it's another busy day tomorrow so i hope i get tired son.
it's hard to resist the street food here. kinda like around the river in san antonio. tough to pass up after a couple of cold pacificos. most of it is ok, but when it isn't you really pay. we'll finish the cd next friday most likely. |
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Observations - Korea vs US Made