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Posts: 795
Location: Texas | And when was the first time you saw one live?
For me, probably on TV, Roy Clark on Hee-Haw, I saw that guitar and could not tell what it was, except for the roundback. So cool, and of course it was one of the original slotheads.
Live, it was at a New Grass Revival show in the late 70s, with Curtis Burch playing his, simply incredible!
Get the DVD "'Leon Russell and the New Grass Revival Live" and you can see and hear Curtis playing his Adamas I and kicking some great butt on one of my favorite ever concert DVDs.
I love of course the sound, best sounding Ovations made, 'tho I also love the wood top ones, so not best, but different. :)
The reversed burst of course, awesome, specially the beige -7 color, my favorite, right Tony?
The textured top is simply magical looking and sounding, I just finished a tour which I decided to take my Adamas II only, and it was simply spectacular at every venue, radio station and jam.
The top binding is like a leather saddle, sweet.
A very Cowboy guitar.
Adamas textured top guitars are in a league of their own in looks, sound, feel and vibe.
And I prefer the Adamas II look and features, I do not know why.
I love mine.
And you? |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | I saw my first one at the Weiser Idaho Fiddler Festival around 1980. We didn't own a TV from 1977 to 1987, so didn't see anything on TV during that decade. I thought it was somebody trying to rip off Ovation.
Played my first one at Dave's, I think, but never spent any time with one until I got the Ute. The OFC is probably the best playing and sounding guitar I have and I am proud to own it, but my Ovations are right up there, too. |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | I had never seen (except on TV) or played one until after I bought it on eBay...
However, with Kim, Al, and Bill's (and a few others) high recommendations...it was only a matter of time. Even ended up bidding against Al on one.
Now have seven 6-str's and two 12's (not counting the CVT Millennium)...not counting a few that just stayed a while and found good homes.
If you have a chance, go to an area get together, try one...immediate high volume GAS.
If you have a chance, get one now...in the last year, the prices of an '82-'90 Adamas have been the lowest I have seen in a couple of years.
An aside, the SMT and CVT Adamas are also great guitars...different than the textured top but outstanding guitars. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | First one I ever saw was in a picture from 1976 in People magazine, in an article on Glen Campbell. Didn't know what it was, but it looked like a roundback. I know I saw Roy Clark playing one in the Hee Haw Gospel Quartet. Can't remember where else I might have heard or seen one. I know I must have heard them on tv and seen them in magazine in the late 70's and early 80's.
I think the first time I ever played one was in 1995. A small store in Huntington Beach had a matched 6 and 12 string. Ultimately, I bought the 12 string.
I was never a huge fan of the 6 strings. They sounded to crystal clear to my ear. That was good in the 12 and not so good in the 6.
However, the OFC guitar (ding!)has brought me around. I've decided that they sound a lot like wood topped O's but on steroids. However, as much as I now like the sound, besides my Adamas I 12 string and the OFC reissue (ding!), I don't have a strong desire to own more.
In many ways, I'm a wood top kinda guy..... |
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August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | first one i played was cliff's slothead...fell in love with the sound,feel and looks....some day i hope to own a adamas I. love em......#2 or #7 finish |
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December 2004
Posts: 1116
Location: Keller, TX | I have been playing the Takamine quite a bit lately. (Actually, playing the Peavy bass mostly as I'm in a new band and I'm the only one with a bass.)
Anyway, took out the Cootie and it just sounded so much better than the Tak. Not that the Tak is bad. It's a great instrument. Just the Adamas is that much better. |
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November 2004
Posts: 4413
| Hello stranger! How ya doin Tom? |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 4413
| To get back on topic - I've still never seen anyone play one live outside of the OFC. I'd only ever seen pics until Jeff mailed me a ute to cheer me up. One strum and the scales fell from my eyes.
It's 99% the sound, but I really love the feel of the textured tops and of course they have Ovation necks......
I never had any interest in owning a 12 string til I played woz's Adamas - it was just fantatstic and unlike any other I ever heard or played. The ute 12 is in the same league, although I think it's a little harsher than woz's.
I've never played an O that I thought was less than very good, but I've never played an A that was less than fantastic. |
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Joined:
May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | The only place I've ever seen an Adamas played live was the OFC tour last spring. I've seen performers on TV and Youtube (search for "Roy Clark Malaguena"), though.
Within a couple of weeks of being back from the tour, I had bought a two-knob Adamas II from someone on this board. Even my wife thinks it sounds leagues better than the 1868, which, while being a fantastic guitar itself, has been demoted to the status of "beach/backyard guitar." It's not really fair to compare a deep bowl AII to an SSB Elite, but there you have it. |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | it's the ¡BOOM! & *Shimmer*
It was probably Roy Clark who I first saw play one but, it was Mark Knopfler who converted me. |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Mac Davis was the first I saw play one, and I freaking hated them. Powder-puff blue guitars with gay fig leaf soundholes and brocholli headstocks. YUK !!! Ovations had plastic backs, wooden tops and a round soundhole. PERIOD. I was the biggest Ovation homo you could find and HOW DARE these adamas things even be associated with the Ovation brand. Definately not for me.
That anti-adamas bias lasted right up until well AFTER I joined the OFC. Folks on the board were going on and one about Adamas this and Adamas that. GC in Phoenix had a few SMTs and I finally tried them. Sounded like absolute shit. I could not figure out why people were going gaga over what I thought was a terribel sounding guitar. Then I finally put 2 and 2 together and realized that there was two classes of Adamas and appearently I had not tapped in the good stuff yet. So without ever playing a textured top or even hearing one in person I bought one off eBay. The day it arrived I opened it up and played one strum. Jesus Freaking Christ it sounded nice. What the hell had I been thinking for all these years ???
What followed was 7 more Adamas II's, 2 Adamas II 12-strings, 6 Adamas I's, 2 Adamas I 12-strings, W681, U681, U681 12 string, 2080 NAMM, '08 Adamas Collector, #47 Reissue 1187, #8 OFC 1687, and original Slothead #42.
What this experience taught me was to open up my horizons and don't be such an ovation homo. Listen with my ears. If it plays well and sounds good to my ears, that's all that matters. In addition to Adamas, my horizons were opened to Martins, Collings, Takamine and others. But never Taylor.
Dave |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | 1979, Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Heart in Concert at the Stoffers Five Seasons Center. My duo was playing the lounge at the top of the 16 story Hotel and Heart was in the Civic center attached; we were invited to the show by the band and got to see a portion before our 9pm start. Nancy Wilson played one during the show: I knew it was an Adamas but at the time did not know it was the slothead. I do know that it sounded great: if memory serves me right it was the intro to "Crazy on You"...awesome. I played Ovation Pacemakers then and a Les Paul but I could not find one Adamas in a Music store.
I saw Roy Clark on TV and later the Bellamy Brothers play a pair of -9's (there is a video of them playing those same guitars on youtube).
I never played one in person until the tour last year: Woz's 12 string changed my life! The most awesome 12 I had ever played or heard. I now own five: the 47, 08, and 1687-7 six stringers as well as my awesome 12's: the 1688-5 and 1685-8. I am amazed overand over again at the sound and playability of these wonderful guitars: I just love them! |
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October 2005
Posts: 5332
Location: Bluffton, SC | My first exposure to the Adamas sound was at a friend of mine's place. He's a hi-fi fanatic and was playing some Melissa Etheridge and the sound of her 12 just blew me away. I knew she played an "Ovation" and I just had to find out what model and it was then I was introduced to the Adamas. Since then I was dying to find one and give it a run. That didn't happen until I hit my first Tour where I played a few 12's and several other absolutely insane Adamas', including the Ute. Don't own one yet but I will. If you haven't tried one - FIND ONE AND PLAY IT. You can thank everyone here later. |
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November 2004
Posts: 4413
| So that's 2 of us - be warned all you others and NEVER pick up woz's 12 even for a minute. It will cost you plenty. |
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March 2007
Posts: 665
Location: Tychy, Poland | Tupperware: few months ago you've opened to Taylors. I remember you even put a paper bag on headstock of that guitar because you didn't want to be photographed with taylor sign on the headstock.
It will haunt you for years. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 5332
Location: Bluffton, SC | "...be warned all you others and NEVER pick up woz's 12 even for a minute..."
And he's a sly one too. He'll hand it right to you with a smile. He's a baaaad man. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Can't really remember when I first saw an Adamas. I didn't buy one until I tried StephenT's 1581, then I bought the same model from another member within a few months. The first time I played it in the band, my bandmates thought the top was covered in leather. They still have no clue what they are. The most striking thing for me is tone clarity throughout their entire range. The looks of the carbon tops are unique, regardless of the color, although quite frankly, I prefer the looks of exotic hardwoods with a gloss finish. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | First one I ever saw/heard/played was #54 (in late 76 - early 77) at Ackerman's Music Midland Park, NJ. |
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November 2006
Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | First one I saw in person was at the Southern Jam last year. There was a 47 reissue and a UTE.
I currently own 3 Adamii. Play one only if you intend to buy one. :D |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | So that's 2 of us - be warned all you others and NEVER pick up woz's 12 even for a minute. It will cost you plenty.
"...be warned all you others and NEVER pick up woz's 12 even for a minute..."
And he's a sly one too. He'll hand it right to you with a smile. He's a baaaad man.
I know its just a tounge in cheek reference; Tom is so mild mannered and genuine...but you're both right: holding and playing that guitar will cost ya! ;) But, it's soooo gooood! :D
Thanks Tom!!!!! |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | Originally posted by schroeder:
So that's 2 of us - be warned all you others and NEVER pick up woz's 12 even for a minute. It will cost you plenty. You guys are a bunch of weak sissies. I picked up Woz's 12 at the second OFC gathering (when he got it) and I didn't have any desire whatsoever to go out and buy one. Jeez...... |
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Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | But it took more than three chords for me....lol
:D :p
Actually it only took one! |
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March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Mike,
1979 in CR at the 5 Seasons! Big time! I left the area in 1978, but have been back many times to visit the inlaws. I may have bought my Matrix from a music store in CR in 1977. I'll have to go check the receipt. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Mark,
It was my favorite venue: I was there 7 times over a two year period; saw and met: Foreigner, Heart, Fleetwood Mac, Kiss, Doobie Brothers; most were very nice to us: Foreigner treated us as part of the band!
It was a great time and a nice room! 360 degree windows and a nice sized stage...We loved it!
Meeting all the Celeb's was icing! |
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March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | I never went to a concert there. I just remember checking out the facility when it was fairly new. The city was very proud of it. Never liked the smell of oats and corn sweetener in that town, though. A friend who lived there called it the City of 5 Smells.
Now that our daughters have moved to other states, I realize how devastated the inlaws were when we left there. Life would have been much different. |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | My first Adamas sighting was Glen playing #27 on a TV special from Austrailia with Olivia Newton John called Down Home down Under. I was in my first apartment and only had a black & white tv at the time so the guitar looked a little wierd to me.
In 1988 I bought a used Adamas II wideneck in beige directly from the factory. I was told at the time it was used as a test instrument in the engineering dept. There is one identical to it pictured in "the book", possibly the soame one but who knows.
I had never heard or played one until I received that one but needless to say, I wasn't dissapointed. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Never liked the smell of oats and corn sweetener in that town, though. A friend who lived there called it the City of 5 Smells. Mark, you do bring back memories: Quaker Oats was just beyound the Hotel and General Mills was also...memories....I'll be smelling it for the rest of the day now...lol: after 30 years! :rolleyes: |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | What is it I love about textured tops? no fingerprints. |
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So what is it about Adamas textured tops that you love?