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Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!

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   Forums Archive -> The Vault: 2008Message format
 
Old Man Arthur
Posted 2008-06-11 10:18 PM (#35107)
Subject: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR
First... Here it is! :eek:


Also, The Koa Epi IS totally inlaid! :D


Now the Scare! First, the Sweetwater packing tape was undone, but that turned-out to not be a problem.
But what really scared me was that the finish was two-tone! It was shinier in some areas, and duller near the bass side...

But!... I took a damp cloth and wiped where it was dull, and nothing happened once I dried it...
So I wiped at the line where shiny and not so shiny meet... and it made the shinier area dull, like the other area. So I have decided that where it is dull, that is where the set-up person touched it.


Upon comparing to one of my other T's, the dull (matte) is what it eventually turns into. So far, I am satisfied!

And Thank You All for the opportunity to Gloat! :cool:
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stephent28
Posted 2008-06-11 10:22 PM (#35108 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
You are most welcomed!
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Tim in Tidewater
Posted 2008-06-11 10:36 PM (#35109 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!



Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 1234

Location: Tidal Mudflats of Virginia
Nice, need to get Woody to whip you up a matching Koa TRC
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-06-11 10:51 PM (#35110 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
OMA ,

Mine had the same 'wet' look in the same area.

When I read the thread title I thought it was going to be about the lo E volume... :eek:

What's your serial #?

Congrats a nice deal!
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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2008-06-11 11:03 PM (#35111 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR
Aw Man, Iffy.... I haven't even plugged-it-in... Now I gotta check!


Works fine... I'm Happy now!

Don't scare me like that! :eek: I'm old, y'know?
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-06-11 11:10 PM (#35112 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
Whoa, don't panic... Ya don't have to plug it in to have that E BOOM at ya.

BTW, I haven't plug mine in yet either...
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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2008-06-11 11:16 PM (#35113 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR
Oh! You mean acoustic... No Problem, it sounds just fine.
But I believe Randy/Lanakai expressed some dissatisfaction with the volume of his regular 2078T, but then he changed the strings.

I haven't side by side checked it with my 1778T, but since I have a contour 2058T, I have kinda gotten used to the difference...
Now I gotta side-by-side it with the other T, but not tonight. I'm just gonna enjoy it.
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-06-11 11:26 PM (#35114 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
My bad. I should have said the lo/'bass' E string acoustically. That string's acoustic volume surpasses any 'O' I have.

If there is another 'O' or 'A' with that acoustic E volume, I'd like to know which ones!
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lanaki
Posted 2008-06-11 11:33 PM (#35115 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!


Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575

Location: big island
iffy, every woven-topped adamas that i have played has that low E boom and so does my wood-topped 1537.
when i put medium strings (elixir phos/brnz nanos) on the 2078T it really came alive too.
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MusicMishka
Posted 2008-06-12 1:30 AM (#35116 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!


Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567

Location: Blue Ridge Mountains
elixir phos/brnz nanos
Daz de ticket!!!

Nice guitar Authur! Congrats!
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moody, p.i.
Posted 2008-06-12 1:33 AM (#35117 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!


Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15680

Location: SoCal
Originally posted by lanaki:
when i put medium strings (elixir phos/brnz nanos) on the 2078T it really came alive too.
My man! Try the medium lights. On the FD14 they are just perfect!

OMA, (naw, from here on out, you're Artie to me), That Elite T with the Koa epaulets didn't look quite right to me at first, but the more I look at your pics, the more I'm starting to think that it's the cat's ass! It looks great and probably has the sound to go with it. Great gitter!
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dweezil
Posted 2008-06-12 6:12 AM (#35118 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!


Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2336

Location: Brighty in Blighty
Did I read there were only 10 of these?
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bauerhillboy
Posted 2008-06-12 6:25 AM (#35119 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!


Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 1634

Location: Warren,Pa.
14. They got 4, then an additional 10 when the 4 got snatched up so fast.

Arthur...any temptation to have a pc of koa added to that 12 string?

John <>{
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dweezil
Posted 2008-06-12 6:26 AM (#35120 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!


Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2336

Location: Brighty in Blighty
I wonder if there are likely yo be any more?
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cliff
Posted 2008-06-12 9:08 AM (#35121 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!


Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842

Location: NJ
. . not until Al orders more koa guitars.
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Oddball
Posted 2008-06-12 9:19 PM (#35122 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!


Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 843

Location: CA
Got Sweetwater #10 (serial # 619372) yesterday and just tuned it up today. Unfortunately, can't do a direct comparo to 1778T as I had to sell that one to afford this one. Early impression is that it doesn't have the ring and jangle of the 1778, but as pointed out already, that may just be a string issue. The action is also higher out of the box — anyone checked whether these have shims or not? Hope so, as I'll be removing them. I did not notice the 'wet' look until reading this post, but in good light, yes, this one looks a tad shinier in the same areas, tho not as pronounced as OMArthur's. I'll just play it in dark places until that goes away. The contour bowl is a new one on me, literally and figuratively. Pretty comfy, and I can see that the deeper upper bout might indeed enforce those low-end notes. (1778 is a mid-bowl depth but excellent sound no matter what you're doing.) Craftsmanship seems A-1 as with all Ovations, although I was surprised by the plastic-y looking binding. Don't think the 1778 had any binding, at least that showed. Overall first impression is pretty positive, especially the 'look'. Never could get comfy with the industrial look of the 1778 (pewter finish). But the simple addition of the koa epaulet really makes the 2078 look right.
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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2008-06-12 9:42 PM (#35123 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR
Yes... The strings on mine are also pretty High!
On a side-by-side comparison, my Low E is higher on the Sweetwater T than on my 12-string 2058T.
I have not looked under the saddle, but comparing it to the 2058T's it don't look like there are too many shims under there. The 12-string's saddle actually looks like it sets Higher in the bridge...

BTW- My serial number is XXX356... so there are some stray guitars in between.
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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2008-06-12 11:47 PM (#35124 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR
Okay, my strings on this thing were a "bit" high...
I was gonna wait until I had to change the strings to see what I could do about it, but after reading Oddball's post, I got inspired... Realizing that I wasn't the only one, I took Action! :mad:

Yeah, There are shims underneath my Saddle... A bit TOO Much I think....


There were three Thick ones under mine! They are different colors, but as far as I can tell they are the same thickness... Each one is alittle more than 1/32 of an inch!
I removed two, left one in... Looks like this...


Sorry that I neglected to take "Before" photos...

ATTENTION- For those of you new to opening a Contour Bowl, put a piece of tape marking the manhole-cover's orientation before you remove it. [I did Not do that...] Unlike you old bowl, it only goes back one way, and trial and error ain't fun!

Here's the inside... Not much different from any other.
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Oddball
Posted 2008-06-13 12:26 AM (#35125 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!


Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 843

Location: CA
OMA — You're braver than me, but thanks for the exploratory surgery. I hate to open up an otherwise healthy patient, but after my frettin' fingers stop bleeding, I'm definitely going to do as you and remove at least two shims. On the plus side, my left arm now looks like Popeye's. More spinach, please!

I'll try to take a 'before' pic to post, if my camera lens will go that wide. ha ha ha.
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-06-13 9:34 AM (#35126 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
OMA ,

Thanx for diving in! Yours looks a lot better after the shims removal. You've talked me into removing at least one shim and restringing with some phosphor/bronze light nanos.

Is it common for the portal covers being 'one way only'? My MOB and another 'O' (can't 'member which one) didn't make any diff...

I've been playing roundbacks enough that when I settled in with the contour 'T' if felt a little weird. After a small adjustment, it really felt comfy. I like...
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Oddball
Posted 2008-06-13 3:42 PM (#35127 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!


Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 843

Location: CA
2ifbyC,
The manhole alignment is necessary on the Sweetwater Ts specifically because they are contour backs. So the cover is kinda concave, rather than convex (or is it the other way around?) as it is on the roundbacks, plus it's asymmetrical. In other words, as OMA found out, it only goes on one way — at least one way where it fits flush.
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-06-13 4:48 PM (#35128 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
Oddball,

DOH! Didn't even look that close... just been wearing it out...
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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2008-06-13 8:58 PM (#35129 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR
Yeah... I learned the hard way, and I am hoping I got it back in right. I think so. But the tape trick sounds like it oughta work next time.

So Iffy and OB, one of y'all please remember to get "Before" AND "After" pics, Like I shoulda!
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-06-13 9:06 PM (#35130 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
So Iffy and OB, one of y'all please remember to get "Before" AND "After" pics, Like I shoulda!
OMA, are you saying you need pics or we do?

I think I'll go with two dots of 'blond' typo correction ink in the seam.
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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2008-06-13 9:34 PM (#35131 - in reply to #35107)
Subject: Re: Sweetwater T arrived - and scared me!



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR
I would kinda like the before pics for my collection and for future reference, since I forgot to get mine and I ain't gonna put the shims back in just for a photo shoot.

Good idea with the dots, and almost permanent, sorta...
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