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Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Well, I have mixed emotions. The guitar arrived (W597) and is quite nice in and of itself. One small scratch of about 1/2 inch not noted, and some pick marks....a bit of fret wear not noted too. Since I bought this through instrument exchange, I may have some complaint resolution options here, but will give it some time.
The big thing is I made the error of assuming that the "hard shell case" was an Ovation case and it is not, so the guitar, while secure, is obviously out of place in this case.
My fault on that one, however.
I only played it a little bit while allowing it to warm up after it's trek from the East Coast. Sounds nice, but neither as loud or as warm as my 1537 (which you all predicted accurately). The action is satisfactory, but again, not big gain here. I like the lighter weight and the look, and hope that a new set of Elixars will help the action a bit as it has some fairly heavy gauge old strings on it.
I may appeal for a price adjustment as the fret wear was definately not noted, or may have them take it back. The wear is groves on the High E & B string at the 1st and 2nd frets. Actually doesn't appear much worse than on my well played 1537, but certainly not "mint". I have 48 hours to decide.
The case is a TKL hard case made in Canada. Well padded, and looks new, so I suspect they simply put it in a new case for shipping. None locking (although I have never locked a case I guess).
Anyway...all in all, not the disaster it could have been, but not as perfect as I hoped. I am hoping to sit down with both guitars for a bit tonight and see what the differences are, but right off the bat I can tell you....YOU GUYS ROCK...in shaming me into NOT selling my 1537.
Thanks....
Jeff |
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Location: East Wenatchee, WA | P.S. How does one go about polishing out the pick scratches. They are not deep, just give it a hazy appearance around the strings? |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Thanks, Jeff. You may have saved me some money, but only for awhile. I know I will eventually get an Adamas, but I'd like to play one first. There are a lot of Ovations that provide some variety that I don't have. Don't look at it as something better or worse or "instead of" the 1537. As Bill says, it's another flavor of ice cream. I'm thinking the 1537 is my pralines and cream. Big scoops and a sugar cone. Doesn't drip all over my hands, though. |
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Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Oh...no... I do look at it that way and it is a sweet guitar no doubt. I was looking for more of a worker bee since I am playing a couple nights a week now and want to not risk damage to the 1537 as it sits on a stand unattended.
What do you think about the case issue. I am would much rather have an Ovation case. Is that worth disputing with the seller about? |
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Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
I know I will eventually get an Adamas, but I'd like to play one first. Mark, come to CT in May. You'll get to play examples of just about everything made, plus a few that haven't been yet (possibly the 07 Collector proto!).
Not to mention you'll get the opportunity to hang out with some really cool people. If you can ditch your OFC brethern, that is... |
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Location: south east Michigan | To spend time in the ROOM OF HISTORICAL PROPORTIONS is worth the airfare all in itself. Between playing all of those plus all the ones other members bring you will have your credit card melting down in no time. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | The trip to the factory is just worth it, for any reason. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I will someday, but May is out. It looks like I'll be in a trial and finish that in time for my niece's wedding in Portland. Maybe I'll have to go when none of you guys will be there. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Oh, sorry Jeff for hijacking another thread. I don't think the cases are a big deal, but I have 4 or 5. It sounds like the condition of the guitar is something you may want to negotiate over. If you paid for a mint guitar, you should get a mint guitar. Don't keep it if you will think you didn't get what you paid for. There are other W597s out there. I would obsess about it, but I do about lots of stuff. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | What mark said. |
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Location: Carle Place, NY | Jeff:
The best way to get rid of pick scratches is Meguiar's Deep Crystal System. It's a 3 step process, but I got great results from using just steps 1 and 2. It's really amazing stuff. No abrasives. It takes all of the hazy picks marks away. Many here have recommended it and for good reason. |
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Location: USA | On geting an Adamas...
No regrets...
youll wonder why you didnt get one sooner...
it will become one of you favorites...if not "The Favorite"
Youll play for days...weeks...sometimes months at a time constantly having to remind yourself to sleep and eat :)
http://www.myspace.com/styllheartandsoul |
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Location: SoCal | If I was going to get an Adamas, I'd opt for either the OFC guitar (funds are the big variable there) or an Adamas I. The new ones leave me cold. They're good guitars, but I'm hard pressed to feel like they are that much more different than my 1537 or 87C. But an old style Adamas 1..... for years I avoided them. Then I played one of Tony's (see Tony, you've screwed me over again) and Clifford's slot. Pure magic. |
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Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Yeah....I think that since it will be a regular work horse, I am not as concerned with a couple of scratches that you can't see except when angled in the light, but...it isn't mint, and for that reason they should discount it or I guess I will ship it back and try again. Glad I opted for the cheaper shipping. If they will come off the price a bit, I might eat it.
Following prior posts on this board, I popped the bridge out and found two piece of "bone-like" shim. They were narrow, one beside the other, but rather thick I thought. When I take them out, the bridge is in nearly the same position as my 1537 and string height and action are the same...well..pretty much the same. No buzz and the pickups seem to work great. I was dissappointed with the gain, then got the great idea of checking the battery....yup...nearly dead, so replaced that.
Thanks all. |
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Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Well,
The final outcome went smoother than I expected. I used instrument exchange on this deal (on ebay) and emailed my complaint with an offer of a $200 discount fully prepared to return the guitar. They accepted within 15 minutes. So an $899 Adamas in non-standard case an some minor scratches probably isn't something to be upset about.
Now....can anyone point me to where I can order the shims. The action is about perfect with no shims in it, and the pickups seem to work fine, but I thought I remembered reading where there should be something there. Maybe Ovation will sell me both the tone marker and shims in the same order?
Thanks again for your advice and input and...oh.. Styll...your comment on only playing the Adamas? You obviously don't own a 1537 yet...I doubt that my "O" will spend too much time in the case. Matter of fact, I bored my wife to death last night while I had both guitars side by side, I would play one then the other, sometimes just one string at a time, and make her describe the sound to me....I think she was about ready to hit me with one of them.
They are both exquisite instruments, each so much alike, yet so different. If only I had four arms like I have four eyes. |
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Location: SoCal | Shims? Mothership. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Your wife is a saint, Jeff. Sounds like it worked out well. If it plays well without shims and doesn't have any string buzz, I'd leave it. I have a couple extras, but they are going with my daughter's guitar and there are at least 3 different sizes of pickups, so it would be best to order the right ones. Enjoy the new toy at Christmas. |
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Location: closely held secret | I've got some extras, Jeff. PM me your address and I'll send you a couple. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Shims?
Cut up your Credit Cards!!! |
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Location: closely held secret | But that's how I acquire more shims... |
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Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Thanks again. Actually, I thought I read on this board that they should have a shim, but perhaps I am mistaken. It is perfect without anything, has no string buzz and is nearly the exact same action height now as my 1537.
I will be working on the polishing out the pick scratches after I just play it for a while.
How do those get there anyway. I rarely touch the top of my guitar with the pick even when playing hard...go figure.
I discovered something last night that hopefully you can confirm here. The XLR requires phantom power to operate? I tried it without with no sound, punched in the phantom (crossing my fingers) and she sung like an angel. Way different sound to my old ears than going through the 1/4" and battery power. Of course, it may have been how my condenser mic was eq'd, but sure did sound powerful and sweet. Had to step in front of my speakers and really crank it up to induce feedback, and even then it was very hesitant, but a simple twist of the notch filter completely wiped it out.
We don't have phantom power on our board at church, but for my home set-up....this is going to be FUN. |
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Location: Keller, TX | Jeff,
The XLR doesn't require phantom power (but it is much easier). To use the XLR without the phantom power, just plug in a quarter inch cable. It can be just the plug without anything attached. This will power the preamp with the battery.
I woud definately use the XLR. Much better sound. If you can get phantom power to work (need a cable that has pin 1 grounded to the case), it doesn't eat up your battery. |
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Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Thanks, but I am curious....I punched in the power switch on my Mackie 1604 VLZ and got signal instantly...I didn't ground anything. Did I do something wrong there? I have read that some electronics can be damaged if you plug into a XLR not intended for phantom power and apply the power.
Without the phantom power on, I got little or no signal, and you are right....it sounded much better. |
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Location: closely held secret | No, you didn't do anything wrong... unless you count having the right cable at the right time as being wrong? Looks like you have the cable you need, when phantom power is available! |
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Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Just a standard Microphone XLR....I got a bunch of them. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I understand some mic cables are grounded and some aren't. I don't have anything with phantom power to check mine, so I have to go with the 1/4 dummy plug and use the battery. The XLR sounds much cleaner than the 1/4 cable. |
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Location: Keller, TX | If you have an ohm meter, you can check continuity from pin 1 to the metal casing. |
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Adamas Has Arrived