|
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Because of the virtual flood of information there is to pass on, I thought it might be a good idea to set up a couple specific topics right off from the start.
Among other things we were shown a couple examples of the possible 2006...that's right 2006, collectors model! Both have a fantastic Koa top. One had a slot head and a single, almost oval shaped hole in the upper bass bout. The other had a single, beautiful new style inlaid eppelet in the same location. We were the first civilians to see the guitars. Even the sales staff had not yet seen these guitars.
We were given lots of time to play them both and were then asked to give opinions on how they looked and played and suggestions on just what form the final guitar should look like. Lets just say that the group was very vocal and excited. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Geez,
You guys were Bond, in Q's lab. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Yes...a perfect analogy.
And....for our playing pleasure, they had a contour bowl Adamas with a single, new design teardrop sound hole.
And....Brand new shiney bowl re-issues.
And....The new 12 fretter.
And....(add reverb and chorus) THE WALL Of HISTORIC PROPORTIONS
And...and...and...and |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 640
Location: boulder | Jeff,
My heart was pounding when I first walked into the room full of guitars. On the left wall was about 10 prototypes with #6 being the closest going through adamas proto's, through some adamas I's and then #47.....on the right was a 12 fret slothead in natural with an inlaid rossette, shiny bowl, I was in awe. a josh white original in mint condition, but it had a modern serial number, I was now dumbstruck, couldn't figure it out, when the laughing stopped they told me it was a 40th anniversary reissue. It was way beyond cool. next to it were 1627 reissue and deluxe balladeer, with a mint and tasty black on white chainlink rossette, reissue. (able to make new rossettes, not sure about repairing older ones-trust me I asked).
Then beyond those were the Koa's. two-one a slothead with single soundhole, the other with elite soundholes. next to those were a folklore-lx. A few more steps and there was a rack/stand with custom legend-lx at one end on through U681t, 2005 collectors and boom, the adamas teardrop/cateye.
I was wide eyed and grinning ear to ear. AND then I realized we could play them. :)
The josh white reiisue sounds every bit as good as the two originals I have. The folklore lx sounds good and feels good. The Koa's were both awesome. They had really strong projection, nice string clarity, crisp tone and looked the bomb. Since the collectors edition is suppossed to be something new each year, I hope and strongly push for the 12 fret to body, slothead single soundhole model. It was a dream to play. Similar to U681t sound, just sweet and rich as could be. I am giddy just thinking about it.
The adamas proto teardrop/cateye whatever it's called, was another good memory. I am not sure how to describe it. It's subtle. (and remember while playing all these, there are 30 other maniacs all just as wide eyed as me playing simultaneously, sometimes hard to hear). Actually I can't think of how to describe it acurately, so I'll just say, I want one. It looks cool, sounds sweet, and felt great.
I'll also add that everyone at Ovation and Hamer were first class. Just to see for myself the deadication and excitement that these good people bring to their jobs was worth the trip alone. Next year, even though I might live in the state, I hope to get a hotel room also. Because of obligations, I had to leave after the tour, but I wished I could have talked more with fellow members. I highly recommend next years tour to all. Llamapoolaza 2006
peace mike |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan |  |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Lets get these two out and up for discussion.
There are more pics in my gallery 
That's me above and Paul Templeman below.
The guitars are "suggestions" for the 2006 collectors. Which one do you like? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Love the looks of the slothead Koa with the single hole. That one would tempt me! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | That oval hole sure is pretty. They both are real lookers.
Though the Koa is beautiful, I have never been a fan of Koa as an acoustic soundboard. As a sound board, Koa, by nature of its density, just can't perform or produce the range like spruce and cedar |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 4413
| The koa slothead is the purdiest geetar I've seen in a looooong while. Never heard a koa top that I'd ever want to buy, so I hope this one sounds as good as it looks. I like the oval hole better than the teardrop/catseye.
Did the shirt get arrested?
And I see the weight-watchers are hanging around in the background. Was it a double booking? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Moody...is this the one?  |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Nope. That one's 14 frets to the body. Maybe it was my mistake, but I coulda sworne that there was a 12 fret nylon string there. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | the 14 fret koa would look better without the maple epaulets and maybe NO epaulets outlined like the oval hole or an ebony epaulet. the current look does not do it for me. but both play and sound great |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 640
Location: boulder | the picture just above is the folklore LX. It played nice. really nice.
the koa's however both boomed sound out. I mean I actually hope to get a folklore LX, but I already lust for the single hole slothead koa model. They are solid tops by the way.
since this is the new guitar thread, did any one notice Kaki Kings black 1581 with the crown inlay, being worked on at the bench next to where the slide presentation was given? WOW. I mean WOW. I have seen her blue 1581 on Jeromes website, but the new black one is just sweet.
And for us regular blokes the 1581 adamas II reissues were seen by my eyes (well 5 of them), and they looked sweet, (I did not dare touch, they were out on the floor) .
of course the 1687 reissue was also way beyond cool, what a first class company to give away a guitar like that. ...i'm getting giddy all ovwer again thinking about them all. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1196
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | Wow, Folklore LX, that is to nice. I wish I could have been there to play that one. What a great looking guitar. Another winner from Ovation. :) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 651
Location: Australia | If there's a LX Folklore on the cards would it be reasonable to assume there's also an LX Country Artist looming ?
That Koa model with the oval soundhole is very tasty.
Also talk of original shiny bowl models is also pretty exciting.
One year I'll make the tour.
BTW, which preamp were these new models sporting ? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 271
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | Most of what I picked up had OP-50's in the can... But some of the reissues could be original style, can't remember tooo much to take in @ one time...
Definetly sensory OVERLOAD !!! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Most everything on the floor had either the OP50 or OPPro. But remember these were protos - the final pre's are still to be decided - possibly even designed! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by alpep:
the 14 fret koa would look better without the maple epaulets and maybe NO epaulets outlined like the oval hole or an ebony epaulet. the current look does not do it for me. but both play and sound great Woz and I spent some time trying to decide which would do it for us. I think we decided on the multi-hole body with an epaulet wood darker than the body wood (ebony would be great!) with the 12 fret neck. These guitars just reek of class. I was surprised at the sound coming out of a Koa guitar, the 12 fret seemed to be incredibly well balanced, boomy and crisp at the same time. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Please forgive my crass-ness (yeah, right),
but that 12-fret slot-head koa is just absolute "Tits"! (in both sound and appearance)
One guitar that I really fancied the "looks" of was the EliteT with the blue "bubble" look on the top.
Around mid-day, I had cornered Darren (who is an absolutely GREAT guy, btw) about how they'd achieved that bubble finish. He graciously told me that he wasn't "at liberty" to divulge . . .
When I told him how I "suspected" it was done (I'd done something similar once on a sign), despite Darren best attempt at a "poker face" . . . I think I'd pretty much "nailed" it.
Have no fear Darren, . . . yer secret's safe with me ;) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | On the 12 fret koa with the epaulets, it looked just, well, wrong, with the maple at a 90 degree angle to the grain of the top. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Here's a closup of the 'raindrops' finish. I was struck by its 3D qualities as well, not because I particularly liked this one, but because of the possibilities it suggests.
 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 4413
| IMHO it's horrible. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I just try to imagine what they could do with the technique. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Not sure if get a vote, because I was not there. But based on photos:
14 fret koa with multi holes (gag) and this blue bubble thing that looks like a badly delaminated paint job - I'll pass.
12 fret koa slothead and cateye adamas - these need to be hanging in the witko closet of shame asap.
Somebody mentioned Custom Legend and Custom Elite getting contour bowls soon. Please tell me more about this.
Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I asked about the future of the contoured bowls and the answer was "from the top down". Probably beginning on the Ovation side with the Custom Legend and Elite, I believe he said sometime in 2006.
Maybe someone who was in the first few rows can correct me if I'm wrong, it wasn't always easy to hear his whispers about future plans from way back there.
and I think you have to be there to get both a prize ticket and a vote... :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I've given the two koas some thought.
We can debate the sound qualitys of koa but I agree with Cliff. It looks great. And to me, it played and sounded good.
Slothead....yeah..gotta be a slothead.
It's the soundhole that seems to be in question. I have thought for a while that the old style, glue on epaulets needed a change. We got that about 18 months ago with the new inlaid epauletts which I am not tired of at all. So, I like the inlaid epaulet model. If they want to go with a darker wood thats fine.
When I look at the example single hole I think..."Tacoma". It looks like the idea is lifted from a Tacoma. And I'm not used to looking at an Ovation and thinking of another guitar. I know Ovation did it first a long time ago but to me it screams "copy". Now if it has to be a single hole, maybe a rosette or a different shape might be just fine. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Raindrop Elite: It looks like any other blue guitar without a case in the Seattle area!
Koa is a happening wood!
May I also add that if the MOB were not a laminate and had a natural or modified burst finish the soundholes would look pretty interesting! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 1614
Location: Converse, Texas | Hey Slipkid: For those of us who couldn't make it, hHow about putting some captions on your photos so we know what is being played and who is playing them. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Your right Hiz....I'll edit my posts soon. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2005
Posts: 274
Location: Maryland, USA | I wish I could have gone....maybe next year ;) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 253
Location: New Orleans | I'll try to make the tour next year too. I want to meet everybody, play all the new guitars, be overwhelmed, awe-struck and have my chance at the guitar give-away too! Oh, hell yes! :eek: :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Every time I go over this string I am absolutely rendered weak kneed and flattened out!
You need to put a warning on the label of this one. It causes extreme GAS. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Nobody in this thread mentioned the new LX Country Artist -- 12 fret to the body, cutaway, cedar top, new slothead design (as Cliff would say, the Tits!), LX bowl, 1 7/8" nut, and OP Pro. Was I the only person who fell in love with this guitar (and failed to get a pic of it)? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Nobody had a chance to get a picture because this guitar was quickly put in a box and shipped to Phoenix ... ooops ... pinch ... wake up from daydream.
This brings up two related thoughts - headstocks and soundboards.
Headstocks - I must admit at first I was not a big fan of the highly flueted slothead headstock (ala U681). Skinny on top and wide on the bottom. Reminded me of too many bad girlfriends. But I must admit it's startoing to grow on me. The U681 in gloss is beautiful and I'm also liking the new classics and other slot. probably too fragile for a 12-string, but I have a feeling we'll soon find out.
Soundboards - OK, spruce is the goose. I get that. But seems like some really outstanding cedar and koa tops are being seen. The FD14 is the most amazing cedar guitar I've ever heard and teh reports of the koa slot seem positive. So what's the real story? Are there down sides to koa and cedar?
Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I am not a luthier, but I do know a thing or two about wood. Because of it's strength to wieght, Koa makes a less desirable soundboard. It's dense. Precisely why it makes good side and back tone wood. Only VERY infrequently can one find a piece of koa that would make a suitable top...meaning that it produces a suitable range of tones at volume. As a top it tends to be very mellow and very quite. Fingerpickers are more apt to find Koa a suitable top than flatpickers or rhythm players.
cedar is more dense than spruce and tends to have a warmer sound and though it's strength to wieght is not as good as spruce it is still very good.
Koa is beautiful however, and as we all know that'll sale a guitar or two...
The benefits of koa would better be utilized plugged in. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 389
Location: RI. That small State out East | The Koa top, 12 fret, multi sound hole is the one for me next year.
I thought a Koa "inlay"... Koa on Koa would look good. The contrast isn't as bad as the grain fighting of the demo.
A question for the "Mother Ship"... If you built a 12 fret '06 out of cedar and did a side by side with the 12 fret '06 Koa... Would the cedar kick the Koa's ass?
Maybe that's a custom build for me in the future.
Woz |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Yes, Fingerpicking style prefered.
I would have to rethink the Koa for a 12 string (strummer).
If they can take the Adamas top sandwich and lay a Koa veneer over it that would be mega-cool.
Koa is limited and finding soundboard sized pieces would be a chore. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | So many choices. :) So little money. :( |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | "...So many choices. [Smile] So little money. [Frown]"
And in my case, even less talent! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Waskel
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by cliff:
- ESPECIALLY when it's just cut out of one piece of contrasting-coloured wood!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree - it should be complimentary colored wood used, something that goes with the body, not fights against it. Although no epaulette at all (like the elite-t's) might be striking as well with the Koa body.
I guess the thing with me about the single hole is, well, it just doesn't look Ovation. If it was something new, that might be different. But it's not, it's on fenders, tacomas, mcphersons... It makes O look like the stereotype, not the innovator. Such flawless logic and clarity of thought from Waskel just had to be copied onto this thread. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Paul, I can't play worth a crap either but I love to buy things! :D especially guitars....... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 4413
| In the classical world cedar is becoming more and more common on very high-end models (you think Adamas Is expensive?). I don't know if this is because the physics of vibration is better understood now meaning that bracing can be made more specific to the top wood (think about slipkid's report on Ovation's laser machine for measuring vibration) or that it's now possible to cut wood thinner with CNC machines. Whatever it is, cedar can deliver a most wonderful complexity of sounds in the hands of a good player - it particularly suits any kind of fingerstyle - and this totally compensates for the attack/brightness that spruce produces. It really is a case of you pays your money and you takes your choice.
And I can't believe nobody took a pic of the 12 fret Country Artist. You should all be ashamed. :( |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | I'm PARTICULARLY ashamed as Moody, Temp, cwk2 and I spent a good couple hours up there jawin' & pawin' in R&D, and I don't even think I even NOTICED that guitar there . . . let alone play it . . . you Moody??
(btw: I seem to remember them saying that it'll lose the "Country" prefix and just be called "Artist" . . . . or . . . "The Artist Formerly Known as Country Artist". . . . .) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | or just, { o}---::: |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | I played it and loved it! Never took a pic of it, but I've got Al asking about it. If I end up buying it, an almost mint 1983 1674 Country Artist will go on the market with Clifford having the first rights of refusal.
And it seems to me that they were going to call it just the "Artist". |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 4413
| Can we have a bidding war? On albay? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Fine with me. After Clifford's made a decision..... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | In the inimitable words of Winston Churchill:
". . nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyaaaaaaah-nyah . ." |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 4413
| There is no greater honour than being quoted by one's heroes.... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | c'mon! . . . the guy smoked cigars and drank like a fish! . . . . wot's not to LIKE??? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Slipkid:
Such flawless logic and clarity of thought from Waskel just had to be copied onto this thread. Hmmm. Brad, I hope that's a compliment. I can't tell. :confused: |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Waskel said: If it was something new, that might be different. But it's not, it's on fenders, tacomas, mcphersons... It makes O look like the stereotype, not the innovator. This bunch sure does set the bar high for the guys at the Mothership. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Hey Moody....Is this the pic you are looking for?
That's BrianT playing something with a shiney bowl.
 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Speaking of BrianT:
I know that he (and few others) had gotten a chance to play a bit on cwk2's Q10, and I'd like to hear some "opinions".
It came down to the hotel lounge LATE on Thursday as it was stashed away safely in my room until the lousy weather had subsided . . .
It's now hanging in the R&D room at the Factory.
Bill . . . the next time you talk to Darren . . tell him that if by chance he finds something "rattling" around inside of it . . . it's a piece o'my heart . . . :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Moody, I think I found a pic of your slothead.
Is this it? (sorry about the quality - took it from video)
 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Wasn't that the JoshWhite?? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Brian's playing the Balladeer shiny bowl and I'm holding the Josh White. Wonderful guitars (I've been saying that a lot about the guitars I saw on the tour). |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I'll keep looking for your nylon. That was a slothead, wasn't it? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | . . . somebody ELSE tell him . . . |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Yeah, I know he thinks he saw a 12 fret nylon slothead. Does anyone else remember seeing one? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Don't forget the cutaway and the use of the new angled headstock. It's model number 6773LX-4. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Sorry, Wask;
What I was GETTING at was:
. . all nylon string guitars are slotheads . . . |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | I just found out that what I thought was a 12 fret nylon string is actually a 14 fret. And it's got the same trim as the FD14. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by cliff:
. . all nylon string guitars are slotheads . . . Um... well of course they are. I knew that. I just forgot. :confused:
Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
I just found out that what I thought was a 12 fret nylon string is actually a 14 fret. And it's got the same trim as the FD14. I think we spent too much time in the paint room. |
|
| |
2005 OFC Tour----The New Guitars We Played