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1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's

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stephent28
Posted 2008-02-27 4:27 PM (#306596)
Subject: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
I am probably insane to be offering this up because it is an absolutely stunning guitar and one of the best 12s I have ever heard or had the pleasure of owning.

This is a 1996 near mint/excellent ++ Adamas 1 blue burst 12 string....






This is the guitar that got me jonesing so bad for a baritone 12 string.

The original owner specifically ordered the Ovation factory to set it up to accommodate medium gauge strings tuned a whole step down. I kept it and played it that way for several years until I decided I had to have a baritone 12....at which point I tuned it back to pitch.

The set-up involved saddle height adjustment and fine fret leveling so when tuned all the way down, the guitar would not have any fret buzzing. Now that the frets are perfectly leveled, this guitar will easily handle any strings with any tunings (though Ovation would not recommend tuning up the medium gauge to a regular pitch). There was no truss rod adjustment applied when I returned it to regular gauge strings and tuning, so I can't imagine it would require any re-adjustment to go back to the heavier baritone strings.

Incredible full sound, plays like butter and is a beauty to look at.
Hate to part with it. $3000 shipped CONUS.
Freight extra for other parts of the world.
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MWoody
Posted 2008-02-27 5:38 PM (#306597 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996

Location: Upper Left USA
Insanity runs in my family. I caught it from my kids.

Very nice offering Stephen.
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stephent28
Posted 2008-02-27 5:53 PM (#306598 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
Thanks Woody...most would consider this dead mint but I always hesitate to call anything that....hence near mint.

Someone will be very happy with this one.
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cliff
Posted 2008-02-27 5:54 PM (#306599 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's


Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842

Location: NJ
Wish I Could Stephen, Wish I Could . . .

I'd LOVE a DeepBowl 12'er ('specially an A1).
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Northcountry
Posted 2008-02-27 6:32 PM (#306600 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's
Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 2487

I sold my 1688-7 12. I miss it.
A baritone 12?? had not considered this ! very interesting.
Go for it. It will take a while to get an answer from Ovation for the price quote, I got stories but I will save them for later. I know Ovation has just made a mistake and it is being looked into now. But we will see. Al has his hands full with the newer system they have in place for custom orders.

Randy
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-02-27 6:38 PM (#306601 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
Awesome! That headstock would be worthy to be King Tut's headdress...
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lanaki
Posted 2008-02-27 6:46 PM (#306602 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's


Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575

Location: big island
randy ~ where ya' been?

ummmm....you wanna tell him, stephen?
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stephent28
Posted 2008-02-27 7:55 PM (#306603 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
Randy, I have a twin set of 2080D baritones...a 6 and a 12....and imho the most awesome combo I have ever heard.....and verified independently by several OFC members who have been able to play them.

That's the main and biggest reason I am letting the A1 go....with the 2080D and the Baxendale my bases are truly covered.
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Beggin
Posted 2008-02-27 9:15 PM (#306604 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's


Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 2241

Location: Simpsonville, SC
yuuuuuuuuuummmmm.............tasty!

It would make a good match to....to....well, nothin that I own......yet.

Good Luck stephen, what a specimen!
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Northcountry
Posted 2008-02-27 9:54 PM (#306605 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's
Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 2487

Nice guy's.....
I am having a 1587 baritone done in the RED. Am also planning on haveing a 1587 done in the original #7 color with a standard neck for my main stage guitar but having a tough time sorting out the details and prices with Ovation right now. This will be sorted out soon I would expect, as Al is on it.
Then I intend to have the #8 Adamas 1, that I ended up keeping after all the Adamas sales and having the factory upgrade the electronics for me and put the treble side sound holes in for me as well to use as my third and final set of three Adamas 1 stage cannons.
I am not planning on replacing the 12 string, but this might prove to be a mistake!
That 12 string (just like your's) was and is the best sounding 12 I have ever heard or played. The Ovation design of ADAMAS was at its most brilliant through these 12 strings! Amazing voices.
If anyone is even thinking about owning a true Cannon, this is it. ! Not familiar with the 2080's? Got a photo of the pair?

Randy
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elginacres
Posted 2008-02-27 10:48 PM (#306606 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's


Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 1609

Location: Colorado
Stephen: so how is Baxendale's recent work - I got one of his old Mossman's with his initials in it - a very solid dread...I haven't been down to the Colfax shop in a while...
mark
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Trader Jim
Posted 2008-02-28 5:06 AM (#306607 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's


Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 7307

Location: South of most, North of few
For those who don't know Stephen, if he says "near mint", it's probably in better condition than when it left the factory.
Good luck on the sale! A little over my head though.
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Capo Guy
Posted 2008-02-28 8:46 AM (#306608 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394

Location: East Tennessee
Originally posted by Trader Jim:
For those who don't know Stephen, if he says "near mint", it's probably in better condition than when it left the factory.
Good luck on the sale! A little over my head though.
Jim,

You NEED a 12 string. :D
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Trader Jim
Posted 2008-02-28 11:46 AM (#306609 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's


Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 7307

Location: South of most, North of few
yeah maybe, but not a second mortgage.
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stephent28
Posted 2008-02-28 1:08 PM (#306610 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
Rates on 2nds are currently very low :rolleyes: and if things get bad, nothing beats a 12-string blues ;)
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Mark in Boise
Posted 2008-02-28 2:26 PM (#306611 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's


Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759

Location: Boise, Idaho
You don't already have a second mortgage, TJ? How unAmerican.
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Beal
Posted 2008-02-28 7:57 PM (#306612 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127

Location: 6 String Ranch
Interesting.
I know it's a nice pair(of 2080s) and all that but I'd rather have this 12 than a baritone 12.
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Northcountry
Posted 2008-02-28 8:10 PM (#306613 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's
Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 2487

Well Like I had hoped Al sorted out the custom order, hopefully there has been a trail that has, sort of, been blazed so future customs will be quoted in a realistic amount of time, and there won't be price changes while you wait............
Anyway I finally have customs as my bread and butter guitars now. Very excited about this! And now that the smoke has cleared somewhat my only regret is that 1688-7 12 string and the Hammer "Blades" 8 string bass I had made. I do miss those two guitars, your #8 is looking good to me. Someone buy this before I do something I should not!

Good luck Stephen!
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Beggin
Posted 2008-02-28 8:25 PM (#306614 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's


Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 2241

Location: Simpsonville, SC
this will be my next level of A's, beauty and historic...once I win tha lottery....ddrroooollll
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stephent28
Posted 2008-02-28 11:02 PM (#306615 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
Bill, with the Baxendale slothead cutaway 12 and the 2080D, my bases are really covered.

Do they sound better than the A1???? Subjective at best since the A1 is one of the finest 12s ever made.

The worst thing that will happen is that it won't sell which will in a way be the best thing to happen....if you know what I mean!
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Beal
Posted 2008-02-29 9:19 AM (#306616 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127

Location: 6 String Ranch
I know what you mean.
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stephent28
Posted 2008-03-01 11:19 AM (#306617 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
Hey Mark,
Scott Baxendale's work is terrific in my opinion. The 12 fret cutaway slothead 12 met every expectation that I was hoping for. Bright, crisp, articulate, and full (I know .....sounds like the description of a 1688 ;) ). Woodwork is beautiful and the side holes on the top of the bout are really tasteful. He modeled the neck shape and dimensions on the 1688 that I took in so that he could measure and match it. I believe I have pics in the gallery.

It is also nice because he now has a healthy respect for the upper end Ovation/Adamas guitars....probably in large part because before I started bring all of mine in to him for setups, he was only familiar with the lower end imports. He actually fell in love with the FD14.

His lifetime warranty and annual checkup/setup at no charge is a really nice feature also.

Now back to the main subject.

Somebody needs to grab the 1688 before a stranger on ebay from outside the OFC takes it off to Asia.
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stephent28
Posted 2008-03-02 4:17 PM (#306618 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
Gonna let it hang around the OFC for another week or so and then it will be off to ebay.

Hate to see this one leave the OFC :(
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stephent28
Posted 2008-03-06 10:23 PM (#306619 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
Geewhiz.....almost scrolled off the first page within a couple days.

Anyway....unca stevie does accept credit cards and has an easy layaway plan.

Had a few hard nibbles on the line but nobody hooked yet.

When's the last time you saw one of these on ebay or had a chance to buy one.

Times running out...........
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stephent28
Posted 2008-03-19 11:36 AM (#306620 - in reply to #306596)
Subject: Re: 1688 "Big Blue" The holy grail of 12's



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
OK...available to members until I get back from the island gig, then it will probably be listed on ebay first of April.

I would like to see it stay in the family but if it is not to be......
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