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Location: SoCal | Had a chance yesterday, with a friend, to test drive these two guitars and compare them. I had previously stated that the 2080 may have been the best sounding Adamas I had ever played.
I still think it sounds buttery smooth and is a great guitar. But the OFC slothead (ding!) blows it out of the water. It's louder, and has more tone. It's just "more" guitar.
Anybody who has a 2080 has a great guitar. It's just that those 12 of us who have OFC slotheads (ding!) have really special guitars.
Thanks again Al, for making it happen....
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Location: closely held secret | I'm shocked. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | why not have both and don't worry which is better.
2080 for some tunes and OFC1 for others.
the OFC2 in wideneck config is better than both.
just my 2 cents which is worth more than your 2 cents :p |
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Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | I had been really impressed with the 2080 (and still am). Just thought it was interesting to compare the two and was surprised at the result.
There's a reason I'm playing the OFC slothead (ding!) more and more.... |
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Location: Indiana | I'd happily contribute an opinion if someone would be kind enough to send me one of each for extensive testing... |
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Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Rake those leaves.
I haven't compared the OFC I and II, but, after a year's comparison, the #47 RI beats out the OFC I, as someone suggested years ago. I assume it's just the space taken up by the preamp. Of course, the #47 doesn't plug in. |
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Location: SoCal | The 47 RI is a real special guitar, no doubt. I was never a fan of the red, but as I posted another time, I was at Witko's a couple of years ago and with all the Ovations, Adamii, Martins, Collings, etc, that was the guitar I kept coming back to.... |
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Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I have both. I prefer my 1187 SSB custom, which likely doesn't sound as good acoustically as either because of the SSB/deep bowl differences, but contains the exact same electronics as the OFC-II (OP Pro with boost). I've had opportunities to show off these two guitars (OFC-I/II) to others and the responses have been consistent. Younger people gravitate toward the more technically advanced, space-age looking, and more electronic feature-laden OFC-II. Ovation purists go more for the OFC-I. I consider myself fortunate to be able to have the best of both worlds. |
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Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | There you go. I played your SSB custom Adamas and think it's a wonderful guitar.
Unplugged sound, Brad, which guitar do you prefer? Ultimately, that's what I was talking about... |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
which guitar do you prefer? original slothead |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
Unplugged sound, Brad, which guitar do you prefer? Ultimately, that's what I was talking about... I have no preference with respect to unplugged sound. To me, both sound the same. My hearing has lost its ability to pick up whatever slight differences there might be from behind the bowl. For other reasons, my preference would probably lean to the OFC-I. It doesn't show fingerprints, and I've removed the bridge shims so the action is lower. On the other hand, I do prefer the glossed neck of the OFC-II. This is a question that is really difficult, and one that I can't answer based only on sound. |
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Location: SoCal | Fair enough.... |
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Location: Tennessee | I prefer the OFC2 over the OFC1. But, both are spectacular guitars. And it depends on what and how one decides to play. |
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Posts: 1234
Location: Tidal Mudflats of Virginia | Funny, I found it the opposite Bobbo..maybe if I had insisted on the wideneck OFC II instead of accepting the standard neck from Al, I would have thought differently and not traded off the II.
TnT |
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Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | top 6-string Adamas that I have, in order:
1. slothead a/e #50
2. acoustic 47 RI
3. a/e OFC 1
4. any of my three early a/e Adamas 1 1687's
5. 1687-2 a/e reissue
Above are easy to compare...and I take into consideration that I don't have a 2080 and I don't care about the nut width from a 1688 to a Hurricane. Also, each guitar projects differently and the only way you can evaluate if someone else is playing it and you are listening to it - U681T is a good example where my wife describes it as surround sound.
below are depending on mood:
6. 1687-8 a/e reissue very close to the -2 but there seems to be a difference.
7. a/e U681T
8. a/e Millennium - non textured top, not in the same league as any of the above but refreshing, better than the other non-textured Adamas tops that I have had. |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I guess it sorta is a matter of taste. I loved my OFC I, but when I got the OFC II, it was just so much better sounding to me. Much smoother, for lack of a better term yet with definition. |
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Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | I think you're right, Tim about the wide neck. I'm a believer. Smoother is a great description, Miles. And the OFC2 is killer for playing out. |
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Posts: 2793
Location: Atlanta, GA. | Different opinions...
Good thing they make more than one model. |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Tony Calman:
top 6-string Adamas that I have, in order:
1. slothead a/e #50
2. acoustic 47 RI
3. a/e OFC 1
4. any of my three early a/e Adamas 1 1687's
5. 1687-2 a/e reissue
DING, DING, DING ... we have a winner. My thoughts exactly.
Moddy, did you compare the NAMM 2080 to an OFC II? NOT the same guitar. NAMM has a different bowl, slightly different sprezels and an epoxy dovetail neck attachment. I had them side by side and they do not sound identical. But they both sound good. |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | slot #35
C-Series 1984 #1
#220
2080D
then the '39twins
and all the 42s
and....
not always played in that order |
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Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | You know, the kicker for this is that there's no right or wrong answer except your own and that will change on a daily basis.
My original thought was that the NAMM 2080 was a damned good guitar. Then I ear tested it to the OFC slothead (ding!). My opinion of the NAMM 2080 still remains high but my opinion of the slothead went up.
And of course, today, what's on the stand in my office? The 87C...... |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Beal’s comment reminds me of my junior year in high school. A group of us were all standing around before class one day in the student parking lot, admiring our souped up 10 year old Fords, Chevys and Volkswagons, when the kid who lived in the big house pulls in with his brand new ‘67 427/435 Corvette. It sort of stuck an exclamation mark on relativity. |
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Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | "It sort of stuck an exclamation mark on relativity."
- Nice turn of phrase! |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Door #1:
Left to Right:
'83 1688-7; '81 1687-7; '78 1688-8 #543; '78 1687-8 #119; '09 OFC II 4/8...
Door #2:
1948 D-28
2007 OM-28 PBC
Door #3:
1998 Taylor 615 Custom Sitka/Presentation Brz
1998 Taylor W-65 Claro Walnut
2006 Taylor 810 FL Sitka/Madagascar
2004 Taylor 30th Anniv. Engelmann/Flamed KOA
Bottom line: I rotate what I play all the time...sure I have my favorites...and sure, there are always better/more expensive/different guitars out there...
These are just a part of the herd and does not include the electrics...
But, I really like what I have and appreciate what others own as well...
Just part of what makes this all so much fun... |
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Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Mike, I choose Door #1. When will they arrive? :) |
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OFC slothead vs. NAMM 2080
