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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | A few weeks ago I mentioned my dream about a longneck. That dream won't let me go, so I'm doing it. Al and I have been talking, and I've decided on some things, but not quite sure on others. It is going to be a textured top, natural color (dark grey). I want lighter grey pearlized epi's, done in seperate pieces the way the wood ones are. I'm going for the boost button of course. I'm not sure about the neck and fretboard though. Five piece neck, but should I paint the whole thing black? Black overlay on the headstock? And the fretboard - Al suggested ebony with MOP fretmarkers, but I don't like ebony so much because it tends to dry out, even when the guitar is humidified. And I don't like MOP. I like plain. I was thinking rosewood, or is it resin impregnated walnut?
I want to get the ball rolling SOON, so if you have suggestions, please chime in soon. Thanks! |
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Location: Tuscany, Italy | Alison, what a great chance to build up a dream guitar ..... to me is, as always, a matter of personal taste and preference. Black overlay on the headstock coupled with plain ebony fretboard would be a very nice arrangement. Better if you put a fretmarker at 12 fret only (the standard ovation for ex. would be ok). If you really like go for rosewood fretboard then leave the headstock natural or better ask for resewood overlay on the headstock as well as the bridge.
Hope to be of some help :)
Riccardo |
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Location: Jet City | I'm so jealous!
I'd basically build something close to the OFCII. Had I been gainfully employed when Al offered those up, I would have one for sure.
I'd hafta say, this is really a personal thing. Me, I like an ebony board and I like the glitter of the abalone inlays.
But that's me. |
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Location: Texas | "Alison" inlaid at the 12th fret would be nice… |
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Location: Germany, where delicious wine is growing (Rheinh) | Hi Alison,
I love most the the 5 piece neck of my 2010C. It's walnut with oak and cherry with also walnut fretboard, natural finished. I'm a great fan of wide necks, but this one plays like butter.
In your case I would take walnut with maple and the centre stripe ebony, fretboard walnut and fretmarkers maple, too. Peghead overlay in walnut, may be gloss. That would be MY dream guitar.
Bernie |
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Location: SoCal | Carbon fiber headstock overlay to match the top... just my OCD breaking through. |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Hiya Alison,
The walnut boards are the resin-impregnated ones, but Ovation has occasionally used some highly-grained rosewood that looks fantastic. Like so....
Maybe consider that and have a simple/elegant 12th fret inlay in a contrasting wood (koa, redwood, maple, etc.). I don't know why, but the figure they inlaid in the '01C necks (albeit in MOP) always struck me as JUST enough.
I can't wait to see this when it's done. Congrats on taking a flying leap off the deep end. ;) |
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Location: Colorado | Do the fretboard markers the same material as the epis and do the headstock in carbon fiber overlay like Noah said.
Have fun getting your dream to reality! |
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Posts: 3969
| Sounds great. If you go with the walnut resin-impregnated fretboard (the usual on Adamas), maybe consider a walnut burl headstock face. The burl on my 87C is killer, and makes it unique. The "A" in the same script used for the Adamas logo - but signifying Alison - would be a nice touch on the 12th fret. 5-piece neck with center carbon fiber stripe, and no paint to cover it up! |
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Location: south east Michigan | G8R said just what I would have.
Well, except for the "A" for Allison thing. I would not have thought of that.
Sage advise indeed.
Or should that be... Serge advice?
Please... don't paint over that fantastic 5 piece neck. |
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Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | I'm thinking I'll probably go with the resin/walnut neck. I'm wondering if they could make the maple(?) fretmarkers in the shape of swans. A little less flashy than having my name, or even the initial "A", and yet, that IS my name. G8r, do you have pictures you could post of that walnut burl headstock? |
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| Here ya go:
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Thanks G8r! |
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Location: Utah | Originally posted by bburg:
In your case I would take walnut with maple and the centre stripe ebony, fretboard walnut and fretmarkers maple, too. Peghead overlay in walnut, may be gloss. That would be MY dream guitar.
Exactly that! Impregnated walnut fretboard, gloss neck, glossed walnut overlay on the headstock.
Get a custom truss rod cover, too. |
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Location: SoCal | One thing G8r said that nobody else followed up on is, for the neck, a center strip of carbon graphite. It will give that neck tremendous strength and look every bit as cool as a stripe of ebony. Don't paint over the neck and headstock.... |
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Location: Germany, where delicious wine is growing (Rheinh) | Paul, that is a very fine idea. Do you think that it will also work out with a natural finished neck?
Bernie |
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Location: SoCal | Sure. Somebody post a pic of a Preacher or Deacon 12 and you'll see.... |
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Location: Jet City | Or a Magnum. You can see a couple pics of the back of the neck here...
http://web.mac.com/damon67/Guitars/Ovation_Magnum.html |
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Location: Germany, where delicious wine is growing (Rheinh) | Okay, that would make sense!!
Bernie |
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Location: SoCal |  |
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Location: Germany, where delicious wine is growing (Rheinh) | Anybody out there who can shoot me a PM with Kim's email address?
Maybe I'll place an order for my "dream"-neck.
Bernie |
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Location: Flahdaw | Alison, once it's finished, you should sent it to OMA for a one of a kind custom paint job. |
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Location: Tennessee | I'm late to the party, but here's my two cents ... and I'd want a better feel for the overall scheme you envision because there are a lot of great options. The first decision I'd make is - are you going black or brown? Personally, I think brown would be really unique and go quite well with the graphite top and I love the old brown color bowls. But if you're going black, then it's probably a different set of answers. Here's some things I would think about ...
Neck - I like the traditional Adamas walnut necks, and especially the style of the OFC slothead (and 47s) where it's walnut with the graphite stripe (similar to the deacon as above). The walnut board would be good with that combo same as the OFC. What about the headstock? Slot or peg? Couple of options if you go slothead, including broccoli. Personally, I like the paddle head. Either way, you might think natural walnut headstock face (or burl veneer) and compliment with various TRCs (walnut, black, carbon fiber, pearloid to match the epis, etc). Have only the Adamas "A" inlaid on the headstock (like they do the Takamine "T") ... your own personalization.
What bowl style are you going with? Hand laid fiberglass contour with a cutaway would be my choice, but a hand laid deep bowl non-cutaway might rumble the whole of South Dakota and be due serious consideration. I like brown paint on the bowls and think that would be very elegant with the natural graphite top and walnut neck. Don;t forget the heel cap and doing something there ... how about the same burl as the headstock? What about the ring/binding style? If you choose suspension ring ... multiple choices there, and you've got to consider color on those. Adding grey MOP purfling like the way they do the abalone on the Melissa Etheridge is also a choice if you go that style ... and how cool would walnut binding be with that purling and walnut neck? Oh, never mind ... you don't like MOP and I let my fantasy intrude on your reality. ;)
Are your epis going to be innies or outies? The pearloid pieces would be very cool ... love to see that. The word I've heard is to go custom and not go with the ones they put on the Melissa. I think they are one piece and kinda cheesy. I'm also out here on the fringe that thinks the outies are the cool style. I'm sure you can find the right pearloid, probably they supply the pickguard makers. Maybe they can also supply matching pearl to inlay in the fretboard if you want inlays ... I'd go with ones like in my 1537. Oops, there I go again with the pearl.
What about the bridge wood and style? In my world of brown, walnut is the choice. But Adamas 1 or Adamas 2 style ... or carved like the 87C? For me, that depends on the headstock and binding style you choose ... and the whole tuner choice is also in that same mix.
Are you going to get electronics? That's going to be your easiest decision, but then again I'd get stuck between an OP-Pro and the two-walnut-knobber stereo, depending on other choices and the style you want it to be ... and reflect.
On the other hand, if you go black the choices are probably different and you'd wind up with something that looks a lot different ... getting closer to the OFC2 than the OFC1.
It's all a personal choice in the end and there are no wrong answers. Decide what the overall feel and style you want it to express, and go with the right choices for that outcome.
But what fun you're going to have both deciding and then playing it, Alison. I truly regret selling my longneck. I've been thinking about getting one made lately and you've emerged as an enabler. |
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| Bob, why don't you give it a little more thought. You don't want to jump into anything too quickly. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Everybody should have an opportunity at least once in their lifetime to select options for their very own custom-made guitar. My tastes are relatively unique, so I don't have much to offer Alison. Nonetheless, I would suggest that for some desired option combinations, the factory may not be able to provide them. For instance, you can't have a glossed neck with the vintage carved headstock because they can't gloss the headstock and there is no way to make a good transition between the two. Also, you can't have a carved heel on an SSB. You can't have a boost button with an Op-Pro Studio preamp. You also can't have a 13-piece treble epaulet (as in the original slotheads, OFC-I and 47RI) in a cutaway configuration because they never offered one (unless you are willing to pay the design cost - I wasn't). Even with the limitations, there's so many options! Alison, you go, Girl, and let us se what you come up with. |
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Need help designing my new guitar!