Hello OFC! Adamas fans are already very well aware of the 1680 Premier, so this review is redundant; but it is a first for me, and I am so excited to be an Adamas owner, I hope you all don't mind if I share my initial thoughts on this remarkable instrument!

Have you ever taken possession of a guitar and thought, “This is the ONE. No more guitars necessary.” Of course, that may or may not affect the GAS that directs your life in the future; but like an encounter that marks the end to a really satisfying journey, this ONE fulfills that longing, that dream – this ONE closes the story with a kind of serenity and satisfaction that goes beyond, “That was worth the price.” or “That was worth the wait.” More like, “That was worth the pursuit.” This is my review of the Ovation Adamas 1680-NWT Premier.

Quite certain that the specs are known to OFCers, but no review is complete without them so here it goes:

Top: Woven Carbon Fiber Top Suspended with the Smooth Adamas Ring
Bracing: Scalloped Adamas Quintad
Bowl: Lyrachord GS Deep Bowl non-cutaway
Neck: Two-piece Walnut 12-Fretter
Bridge: Ebony
Fretboard: Ebony with EVO-Gold frets and 1.75” nut width
Headstock: Slotted
Epaulets: Walnut
Pick-up: OCP-1
Pre-amp: VIP-5
Color: NWT - Natural Woven Top

The 1680 has an understated look - not nearly as flashy as the 1678 50^th Anniversary, nor classic as the 1687-8 Adamas. But make no mistake, the 1680 is built to be played; and when I hold it, it feels bullet-proof. Her voice can be overwhelmingly powerful or delicately emotional. She is exceptionally well balanced and behaves with solemn dignity, but she can growl with nasty irreverence too.

The feature that catches my attention first is the woven carbon fiber top. It is ultra-thin, and masterfully consistent. As a matter of fact, the walnut epaulets glued to the top are thicker (≅1.2mm) than the CFR, birch, CFR sandwiched top (≅1mm). There is no kerfing underneath, instead the top is suspended on what is called the “Smooth Adamas Ring”. In contrast, the more traditional 1687 Adamas I features a molded Adamas Suspension Ring with that famous carved wood look.

The bracing looks to be spruce arranged in the traditional Quintad structure. They have been hand scalloped to produce a highly tuned and balanced top. Construction is immaculate with no excess glue visible anywhere. Even when examining the innards with a mirror, you can tell this instrument was constructed with the utmost care. There is only one strip of brass binding that decorates the seamless transition from the top to the suspension ring to the bowl – very clean…

The 1680 features the lighter molded Lyrachord GS bowl, and weighs-in at 2100 grams (including the pre-amp) while my hand-laid mid-depth bowl, 1678AV50, weighs in at 2300 grams (including the pre-amp). It would be a mistake to credit the entire weight difference to the bowl alone [the 1678AV50 has a bearclaw Spruce top which is clearly heavier than the Naturally Woven Top (NWT) of the 1680], but when you consider that woodbox dreadnoughts without preamps weigh-in between 2000 to 2500 grams, the 1680s power to weight ratio is absolutely astounding. Interestingly enough, the 1680 does not have the customary manhole cover featured on all Elite style offerings. However, the pre-amp cavity provides enough (barely) room for my hands to fit in for any maintenance work that might be needed.

The energetic voice of the 1680 is also a product of the 12^th fret neck-to-body construction. This construction places the bridge right in the sweet-spot of the soundboard; and when combined with the unhindered design of the Quintad bracing, the CFR top is free to pump with vigorous resonance. She’s currently wearing D'Addario EJ17s, and one firm strum of the open E-chord, and the whole instrument resonates, like – endlessly, and it keeps resonating just like my friend’s 1687-8 that I strummed way back when I was in high school. She would probably benefit from Adamas 1919Es, and I can’t help but wonder if 1818Es would make her sing even more.

The neck is a two-piece walnut construction with a soft V shape to it. It feels faster than the C-shaped two-piece maple neck that comes standard on the 1678AV50, but I get the feeling that finger-pickers would prefer the slightly beefier feel of the maple-neck. Still, the difference is minimal, and either neck is equally comfortable. The 1.75” nut-width is perfectly suited for me enabling my stubby fingers to get where they need to be without falling all over each other.

The classy ebony fretboard features MOP inlays that are set beautifully. Personally, I prefer the simpler look of a single 12^th fret inlay with side dot markers, but the cosmetic package is understated and works very well. Of course, I love the slotheaded headstock. IMHO it is the most beautiful headstock in the history of guitar building.

The VIP-5 pre-amp is something I’ve always wanted to try. It does not disappoint. Although it is not as versatile as the OP Pro Studio, the VIP-5 is easy to dial in. The 5 voice imaging options combined with the blending capability, and the XLR output make it one of the best pre-amps I’ve ever used. The pre-amp “canister” enables direct swapping with the OP Pro Studio or the iDea pre-amp. I tried swapping guitars and pre-amps for all possible combinations, but that will have to be for another thread.

The Adamas 1680-NWT Premier is an elegant and potent fusion of engineering and craftsmanship. The piano like clarity and precise note separation make this guitar the most articulate guitar I’ve ever played. No matter what you’re playing preference is, her acoustic voice is dazzling. Despite her rugged build, she is capable of delivering the most subtle nuances of sound with outrageous sustain. Ovations trademark punchy mid-range is enhanced by a depth only possible through the 12-Fretter/Deep Bowl combination, and the CFR top endows this Adamas with clear bell like highs. The 1680’s label is a bit puzzling indicating a “Contour Bowl” although the bowl is clearly not contoured.

I’ve dreamed of owning an Adamas for quite awhile; so, this review is obviously biased, but I gotta say, this is the ONE - everything I dreamed it would be and more. Of course, I’m really compelled to do a head-to-head comparison with my 1678 50^th Anniversary, but that will have to wait for now.

Again, I am deeply grateful to all the advice and kind direction that the OFC’ers provided while I waited for my Adamas to find me. I was not exactly lost, but I am definitely found!

Gosh, the 1680 is just as sexy...

I would guess your mode of speed is in the mach range more than mph, though, LOL!