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Location: Orlando, Florida | OK, this must have been discussed somewhere, but for the sake of the new members (and me!), can anyone give us a history lesson on the elusive Adamas Slothead? Were they all prototypes? They seem to have been sent only to celebrities. Is this true? Did they pay for them, or were they free "perks"? To the members that own one: How did you get yours? Any interesting stories? Inquiring minds want to know...
Joe |
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Location: Colorado | Bought mine "used" right out from under Samova's nose at American Musical in Atlanta in 1985. We are not exactly sure which one it is...we should know in a week or so. Did't pay too much for it at the time..relatively speaking to its presum ed value now. Mine has played concerts and shows in every state, every Canadian Province, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Curacao, Aruba, Peru, Finland, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, England, France, Luxembourg, Italy, Spain, Morocco, Jordan, Japan, Korea, China, Australia, New Guinea, and Hong Kong....Broomfield, CO too! I'm not much of a home body. I'm guessing it's number 43...but CWK2 will have the final word. It is still an everyday player for me. I had it fitted with an OP-24 in the early 90s. |
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Location: NJ | My "publisher" prohibits me from recounting all the specific details as they are to be included in a forthcoming tome,
but the "gist" of it is:
Stumbled upon #54(believing it was #20) BRAND NEW at the very time/place I bought my '76CBalladeer.
PriceTag (in "1976 Dollars") : $2800.00
Sometime later, a red 1964 Corvette convertible was sacrificed, and guitar was purchased by a long-time childhood friend.
Sometime later, friend got divorced, needed to sell, was purchased (by my now-ex) for my 40th birthday (almost ten years ago).
Guitar (which is strictly acoustic) gets gigged when conditions are completely "optimal", and is entirely original (including frets). |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | There were 34.
They were not prototypes. They were supposed to be production guitars. Production proved to be so difficult and complicated that they stopped after the 34th and redesigned it so they would be easier and more cost effective to make. So this would mean they are semi-production or pre-production run some other type term. I use the term prototype for a first one, design testing unit. These were more than that in that the design was set when the trigger was pulled to start. It did get tweeked as they went along as in the color of the inlays and minor things like that.
Some artists got theirs and some bought theirs. At least half were sent to dealers, business as usual. There were about 5 that never left the factory (Charlie's #35, the 12 string, CHK's other one, (47 or 49?) and a Jim Hennessy guitar and maybe another one.
Today there are 5 at the factory used as reference.
The gathering later this month should be a very interesting gathering. |
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Location: NJ | did glen's mom have anything to do with the original production? |
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Location: NJ | . . . and if so, . . . is she gonna BE there?? |
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Location: SoCal | I'd be more interested in whether Nancy Wilson was going to be there..... |
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| Man I have said it before and I will say it again this is a really really cool event Al! I know I must not be the only guy in this Ovation Fan Club you have here that would like to attend this one just to see all these great old guitars together again. Interesting stuff to say the least.
Take lots of photo's!
Randy |
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Location: Colorado | Since a few of you asked... I paid $1250.00 for it used in 1985. More than I got in my cars! |
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Location: Colorado | Since a few of you asked... I paid $1250.00 for it used in 1985. More than I got in my cars! |
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Location: SoCal | Since you posted that last message twice, does that mean that you actually paid $2500 for it? |
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Location: NJ | . . it was the installment plan . . . |
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Location: Colorado | sorry - it was only $1250 once...a stuttering mouse and a lousy internet connection .... |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Glen's mom was not at the factory at the time. She heard about and tried to come back but missed the flight from Phonex and came into the wrong factory. After being there for a week in the finishing room it was didcovered that her time had long ago expired and she was given a bus ticket back to Arkansas and dropped off at Trailways. I think she's still pist about it but is waiting to air the grievence with the LlamaMaster. |
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Location: NJ | jyam;
In '76, I paid ThreeFiddy for a new CustomBalladeer (w/case) . .. |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | I have owned 3 of the 34 so far,i have played three others as well.I had #31 and #33 sold those two and kept #57 which i still own.I kept it because i liked the wide neck and sound better and it was and still is all original and near mint condition.The gold flake on the side of the binding usually is worn off on most i have seen and played.Mine is perfect.Im glad i kept it now knowing the connection to Paul McCartney and wings.Unfortunately i will not be able to attend the gathering on the 30th.I also do not want to risk having the guitar damaged or lost by UPS or other carrier ,so i will not ship it up to Ovation.I wanted to go up to the factory but for reasons i will not discuss here i regret that i will not attend.I wanted to also take the "adamas project" guitar along with my Luthier Brian Hendley to show and and let everyone play it but this will not happen now.I hope everyone has a great time at the gathering.Im sure it will be a lot of fun. |
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Location: NJ | Sam;
Sorry t'hear we won't be able to meet.
Hopefully, we can do it another time . . . |
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| ..just curious, have all the original slotheads been accounted for, or are there some 'mystery' guitars out there somewhere?
Steve |
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Location: NJ | there's a bunch out there . . . |
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| Cliff, I imagine a slothead owner could just about name his price then...with a 70's adamasII going for $1500 on ebay with 2 days left, an original slothead would double that, no doubt..
Steve |
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Location: NJ | It's like anything else . . . all depends on WHO wants it . . and "how bad" . . . |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Originally posted by cliff:
WHO wants it . . and "how bad" . . . that opens up some OTHER options
...lock yer doors |
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Location: SoCal | The current price range on a slothead (assuming you could find one for sale) based upon the last couple of years, is between $7500-$10,000. |
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Location: Texas | A few months ago, I won an original Adamas slothead on ebay for $5K from a chomp that would not honor my winning bid.
Oh well, he must be getting out of Houston by now.
I wonder what happened to "MY" slothead, somebody must have bought it, he had 2 of them. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | I heard that his slotheads left Houston long before the storm. Dave
PS - Maybe they'll be at the reunion ??? |
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Location: SoCal | Could be...for some people, the chance at a slothead justifies dealing with a crook.
Twice, Hector violated eBay...when the auction finally ended, he violated his contract with eBay and refused to sell.
Personally, this guitar will always be tainted. As well the buyer knowing that the guitar had been contractually sold. |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Does anyone know where this guitar(s) wound up going to? An OFC member? |
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Location: SoCal | Sam, actually two - the -7 in the eBay auction and the -8 that had binding damage.
Understand that both were sold. |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Do we know who wound up with them? |
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Location: Paris/France | Hi,
As you probably know, Marcel's original #37 Slothead is in France. It's surely the only one to be in France and maybe in Europe???
Here is a nice pic of the #37 from around 1978:
I know that all the Adamas custom made for Marcel were Slotheads.
Do you know if the factory had made other custom slotheads like this one???
Jérôme :) |
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Location: south east Michigan | Nice pic of Marcel and #37. You did not have to say it was from the 70's. Get a load of that leisure suit!!!! With a polka-dot shirt no less. |
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Location: NJ | I like the big Adamas "prop" in the background of the bottom pic . . . reminds me of the of the "pre-concert scene on the stage" from the movie "A Mighty Wind":
". . Now, are these the "actual" instruments here?? . . . why are they "flat" on the back?? . . . . "
Hector . . . . yeah, . . . . . . .
(it's hard t'type while biting your tongue) |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I like his red scarf. |
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Location: closely held secret | I bet you do, Indy. |
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How about a little Original Slothead history?