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March 2007
Posts: 843
Location: CA | Here are some photos and measurements. As received, the low E measured 6/32 off the fretboard at the last fret.
I also had three shims under my saddle, all the same color and thickness. Tried leaving all three out but got buzzing. So put one back in. Now the low E measures a tad over 4/32 at the same point on the fretboard. Doesn't sound like a lot but the action is very much improved.
Restrung with Elixir Nano lights (music shop out of mediums) and that helped a lot, too. Still not quite the jangle of the 1778T that it replaced, but am hoping it will 'wear in' to be at least as good. You may recall a post where I noted the 1778T started emitting a nice woody smell from the soundholes after 5-10 mins of playing. This new guitar just smells like paint. Plan to play it a lot to open up those wood pores a bit. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | If you measure from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string, you now have have alittle bit more that 2/32" (1/16") so you cut the distance in HALF!
Yeah, 2/32" don't sound like much, but it definitely is a difference.
According to the Ovation Manual (page 9) that is about right.
Now you got me sniffing my guitars! Yeah, the new one smells like paint! :eek:
The 12-String does too. Maybe I should leave the manhole-covers off? |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 843
Location: CA | Ha ha ha. I don't know. I honestly never noticed this on any other guitar previous to the 1778T — but then again, none of them had holes so close to my nose! But yes, it was a pronounced and pleasant smell. Kind of even got used to expecting it.
I think 'airing' out would probably help (we will serve no guitars before it's time . . . ), but I always kinda thought that the vibrations from just time playing it was probably the best way of loosening things up.
This situation makes me really appreciate (and miss) the 1778T, which really sounded terrific. It was used when I bought it, so everything was 'broken in' and it remains the best sounding guitar I ever owned. I just couldn't get use to the industrial look, so was hoping the Sweetwater would be a more or less equivalent sound and feel with a more attractive look. So far, I'm missing the 1778 even more. The Sweetwater guitar sounds okay, and looks very nice. But I'd forgotten how deep a deep bowl is. Even with the countour back, the top of this thing is DEEP, and therefore less comfortable for me than the perfect-size mid-bowl of the 1778T (and my beat-around shallow-bowl Legend). Oh well, I'll get used to it. |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 843
Location: CA | FWIW, I based how I set the guitar up on the Kip Bradford download which I got off eBay some months ago. This differs slightly from the Ovation Manual in that he measures string height at the last fret, where the O Manual takes their numbers at the 12th fret — and as you say, they measure from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string (rather from the fretboard to bottom of string). I did take before-after measurements and photos at the 12th, as well. The 'before' measurement (from the top of 12th fret) was just a hair over 4/32; 'after' was a hair under 3/32. So it's not quite 2/32 lower there. (We're getting into 64ths, which is too much math for me.) According to the Kip download, I should also probably take up a tiny bit of truss rod tension to straighten the neck, so maybe that might pull string height down a bit more. Right now, the guitar is pretty comfortable to play, though. |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | OMA, mine came two-tone as well, but it didn't dull where I touched the shiny stuff. I called Kim and he told me that the mothership would be glad to correct the two-tone sheen, OR I COULD DO IT! :o I asked him what I had to do and he told me that if I sent it in for a fix, they would rub down the top with 0000 steel wool to degloss the glossy stuff. Kim said "And you can do that too, Robbie. That way you don't have to ship it... and it is REAL easy... just be careful to only rub the black stuff, not the koa".
SO, since Kim Keller has NEVER lied to me, I took my trusty 0000 steel wool and started rubbing away on my new baby... yeah, it worked like a charm. Kim still has NEVER lied to me, and my Sweet T is just beautiful. :D |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Robbie ,
Thanx for the update! I'll give it a try tonight. |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | It IS real easy. Just buff the shiny part of the top to degloss it. You take no color off at all. Just rub it down with the steel wool - not too much pressure. Piece of cake :cool: |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Did ya use the 0000 dry? Or with just a little lubricant?
TIA |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Yo Robbie, that sounds like a real good (and simple) fix.
I have not done anything to mine since that little test with the damp rag.
Mine is alittle blotchy now, as some of the shine dissipates in random places.
I just looked at mine, and thought real hard...
Do I wanna buff this up and make it even? Or do I just wait?
No decision yet, but I ain't buffing it right now...
[If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice.] |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | Buff it dry - no lube. Have a soft cloth handy to wipe it off and inspect your progress. Use firm, but not heavy pressure and buff away just like you were polishing a gloss finished guitar and stay off of the Koa. I guess you could mask the Koa, but I didn't, I was just careful and it turned out fine. Literally takes less than 5 minutes to do and the guitar is spectacular afterward.
I just couldn't stand the two-tone...er finish look. Made me crazy. I've done two of them now. Friend of mine also snagged one and his was two-finish as well. Looks to me like they reshot that edge for some reason and it didn't dry the same. I dunno, but his buffed up the same way. In five minutes or less, he was grinning like a Cheshire cat :D |
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Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!
