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| I thought I'd throw this one out for the collected wisdom and experience here assembled...
I'm shopping for a new acoustic. I'm starting to do more playing out and I'm not comfortable having only one guitar with me, not to mention that if I need work done and the luthier takes a month like he is now...
I also figure that if I'm starting to play out it makes sense to invest in a better guitar than what I have now, a Tak EG320C. Don't get me wrong, I like the tone and playability I'm getting now but I know it could be better.
I'm a finger style player and I do mean finger, I don't even use finger picks. I've got a very light touch on top of that (Libba Cotten was/is a huge influence). I'm looking somewhere in the $1K-$1.5k USD range. So far I'm pretty well convinced that I'm looking for a cedar top for the warmer tone than spruce and I definitely need good quality onboard p/u and electronics. A neck that's a trifle on the wide side would not piss me off, although it's not a deal breaker. I'll be mostly running the guitar through a Genz Shenendoah series amp. The leading contender right now is the Tak EAN10C.
My local toy store has a pretty broad selection of Os and As hanging on the wall but I was hoping to narrow things down a bit to start with.
Any and all advice much appreciated.
Thanks,
Robin |
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Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Originally posted by QSECOFR:
... My local toy store has a pretty broad selection of Os and As hanging on the wall
Any and all advice much appreciated.
Thanks,
Robin "...large selection of O's and A's"
COOL!
For 1k to 1.5k, (USD?) You can get a VERY nice A! Not sure what you can get for that many $$$ (CAN). |
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Location: Vernon CT | Check with Alpep. He may have something for you at a great price! |
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Location: Flahdaw | You might consider putting a bit of that money towards something like this HERE to improve your live tone. Plugged in, you're probably not going to notice a cedar top. As a fingerpicker, you probably would want a 1 3/4" nut |
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Location: Utah | Adamas U681T or the nearly identical 1680 would suit the bill. Wide 1 3/4" nut, 12 frets to the body, and the amazing Adamas touch sensitive top.
Used ones should be in your price range.
If you want a wood topped Ovation, look for the 1537. No longer made, similar to the 1680 but with the wood top. Reputed to be the most woody sounding Ovation. They seem to go for $600 to $1k ish in price these days. |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I think Weaser has a UTE that falls into your range that he is considering selling.
Great guitar that many feel is one of the best new Adamas made in the last 10 years. |
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Location: Up North | FD-14 |
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Location: Hanau, Hessen, Germany | That's what it always ends up with, isn't it?
U681-T
FD-14
1537
Either one will be all you are asking for. |
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Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | Originally posted by Meuti:
That's what it always ends up with, isn't it?
U681-T
FD-14
1537
Either one will be all you are asking for. The 1537 is a narrow neck, more for flatpicking or stumming. Stick with the first two (if you can find one -- both were limited editions), or maybe a 1680 or a 2080. I don't know the neck widths of those.
The UT681 and FD14 are both out of production. The others may be special orders. If you keep your eyes open all can be found on the after market.
The guys are right in that you should talk to Al Pepiak, Lost Art. |
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Location: Cicero, NY | Robin - pm sent your way. |
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Location: SoCal | If Weas is selling a Ute, then you definitely need to give it serious consideration. It would be the cats ass for fingerpicking.... |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | A lot of good recommendations here so far, but I think you MAY want to check out that 2007 BCS(Bear Claw Spruce)Collector's series guitar in the For Sale section. It has many of the latest features Ovation offers i.e., VIP preamp (you should read up on it),deep contour bowl, and a nice ebony fretboard. I have had and still have the 1537 mentioned above(and it DOES sound and play awesome (Old electronics though) and I have 2 deep bowl Adamas (I've owned 4 of those), I HAD the Cedar-topped Elite which had a very nice, deep woody tone (There's one of those on Ebay right now)BUT with all that said (and I primarily enjoy fingerstyle also)- the 07 Collectors in MY opinion has a bit of the best of all those guitars combined. Even though it's not a cedar top, it has a very warm and LOUD sound when fingerpicked, almost as loud as my tone cannon Adamas 1581. It is well below your price range, but looks and plays superbly. It's too bad you don't have one close by to try out. Anyway ... I've said enough already, and thats my humble opinion. |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | For a finger picker, the 1 3/4" neck (manly) guitars are the way to go, unless you have thin fingers. I would recommend
Adamas 2008 Collectors (good luck finding one)
Adamas 1680
UTE
FD14 (Haven't tried one, but I hear they are good)
AlPep Koa |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Oh yeah ... I forgot about the Alpep KOA... That WOULD be a very nice choice also. ,,,and I'm NOT givin' up MY '08 Collector's either (: |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | 2008 would be an excellent choice but way out of the price range.
Having a light touch and the fact that an Adamas typically has better projection than a wood top makes the UTE (with it's wider neck) or a 1680 a better choice than the 2007.
just MHO but as an almost wise man once said....
Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
If Weas is selling a Ute....... It would be the cats ass for fingerpicking.... |
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Location: Jet City | nobody ever mentions the 2774LX (or 6774LX). It's new, it's 1 3/4 nut, it's got the contour bowl (or mid on the 6774).
Seems like the right one. If you can find a FD-14, then great. Other than that, this is the one.
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Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Originally posted by TAFKAR:
For a finger picker, the 1 3/4" neck (manly) guitars are the way to go, unless you have thin fingers. I would recommend
Adamas 2008 Collectors (good luck finding one)
Adamas 1680
UTE
FD14 (Haven't tried one, but I hear they are good)
AlPep Koa I really don't know why eveyone says the UTE is that much better a "fingerpicking guitar"? It really does not feel that much different than my legend other than the nut is wider. The width of the strings at the saddle seems the same to me. I have played guitars with wider string placement at the saddle end and it seems much better for picking. They are, like the UTE and 1680 wider at the nut also but it seems like the saddle end has more impact in actually "picking". I never noticed Al Di Meola or Matt Smith having trouble fitting their fingers on the frets?
Don't get me wrong, I love the UTE and think it would be a great choice. You can put some silk steels on it for a nice soft sound or 80/20s for a nice ringing bright tone. It responds to differnent strings far better than any guitar I have used.
I am sure Al can get you fixed up special ordering a UTE if you really want a new one. |
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Location: Cicero, NY | Unfortunately, most of us aren't Al DiMeola or Matt Smith. It's certainly a subjective thing but, personally, I think what makes it a great fingerstyle guitar is the neck, the string width, the fact that, as you note, you can get such a range of tones out of it with different strings and the outstanding response. I've just played very few with all of that in one guitar. The 1680 specifically comes to mind but I've not played every O or A either.
Robin also mentioned the Tak EAN10C which I owned as well and I thought that had an outstanding sound to it. I know exactly what the cedar top brings to the table and I like it as much as the spruce but for different uses obviously. I wanted the wider neck for fingerstyle so out the Tak went (it does have a pretty thin neck so I would hesitate to suggest it for fingerstyle but that's just me) but, for a lot of uses, that would be a great guitar to own. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Rich,
Weren't you just trying to buy a UTE for your friend?
Why not help him get one like your legend? |
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Location: Michigan | He went the woodbox way. |
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Location: SoCal | Originally posted by Damon67:
nobody ever mentions the 2774LX (or 6774LX). It's new, it's 1 3/4 nut, it's got the contour bowl (or mid on the 6774).
Seems like the right one. If you can find a FD-14, then great. Other than that, this is the one.
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by twistedlim:
He went the woodbox way. An "O" or one of those other "off" brands? |
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Location: Flahdaw | Weas just sent me info on the UTE. Damn!!!! If I had the money.... |
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Posts: 1008
Location: Tuscany, Italy | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
Originally posted by Damon67:
nobody ever mentions the 2774LX (or 6774LX). It's new, it's 1 3/4 nut, it's got the contour bowl (or mid on the 6774).
Seems like the right one. If you can find a FD-14, then great. Other than that, this is the one.
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Location: Cicero, NY | Yep. Lots of choices out there. Good ones too. I always found a lot of the fun was in the search itself. Good luck with whatever you choose, Robin. |
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Location: Colorado | Check out Gallerinski's FD-14 |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | ... FORMER FD-14 |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Here comes the Baskin Robbins metaphore again (:
By the way ... my Country Artist or the Custom Legend will be coming up for sale soon, to make way for the 87 Collector's that's at the factory. The CA has the wide neck, but that CL neck is as thin as they come. |
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Location: Cicero, NY | I believe Dave's is sold but those are stellar guitars. 12 fret wide neck and cedar topped too. Another one of my favorites. |
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Which O?