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Joined:
November 2012
Posts: 4
| Hello, everyone:
It's my first time on this forum. I only discovered it little while ago and have been doing some reading over the last week. There is a lot of great information here.
I am looking to buy a new guitar, and since I don't see a lot of Ovations in my area I am hoping to get some advice.
I've been playing a 1777 LX for a number of years as my only acoustic. I love everything about this guitar and have been very happy with it. Plugged in it is perfect for me, and I plan to keep using it for that.
Recently, I have been starting to play more unplugged (it used to be about 80/20 plugged/unplugged, but now it's more like 60/40), and I am looking to get another guitar that has more acoustic volume. After doing some research online and reading in this forum I am now looking at the Adamas models in particular. I have played a couple in guitar stores in the past and they were pretty loud and sounded good to me. Unfortunately, I don't remember what models they were.
Basically, I love my 1777 LX and the only reason I am looking for a new guitar is unplugged volume, so I want to make sure I am getting a guitar that has good volume. My wish list of features is this:
(1) pretty loud unplugged (I don't need Bluegrass loud, but I need "acoustic duet" loud);
(2) plays as easily as the 1777 LX (I have an old left-hand injury; playability is a big issue for me and the LX 1777 is great for this);
(3) good sustain and note definition (I play mostly modern fingerstyle with some light flatpicking now and then; the 1777 LX is great for this); and
(4) sounds good plugged in (I really like the OP-Pro Studio on the 1777 LX).
From what I have read, there are a lot of different Adamas models, and I'm not sure which ones I should be looking at. I am looking to buy new (or maybe used in excellent condition). I am hoping to spend less than $3,000, but would be willing to go a little higher for the right guitar.
I am trying to narrow my search down to a few models I should be looking at. I am not really a guitar expert (I've been playing for a while but mostly on the same guitar) and I don't know a lot about Ovations. This will be my first (and probably only) really expensive guitar so I want to get it right.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions or information.
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | No one can really answer this question without knowing more. While this is a very good question, for everyone who answers this post, they will each have their own opinion. And they'll all be right but who knows if it actually applies to you. Posts like can degenerate when some sense troll-like behavior. My advice: you need to email alpepATaolDOTcom and have a conversation with him. He has literally written the book on Adamas guitars, knows the factory well and they know him very well, he plays professionally with Adamas guitars, and he sells more Adamas guitars than anyone in the world. Probably has played and/or sold every model Adamas ever made. He sells new and used guitars if you're interested. But at the least, arrange to talk to him on the phone and let him tell you what he thinks and buy what he recommends. if this seems like a shameless plug, it isn't. Based on your post and my experiences around here, it's the best thing you can do for yourself. Do let us know what you decide.
Edited by stonebobbo 2012-11-11 2:56 AM
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Joined:
November 2012
Posts: 4
| Thanks for the advice, stonebobbo. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7236
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I backup what bobbo wrote. It seems like you have a good idea of what you are looking for, but trust us. Getting a lot of opinions from people who all have different levels of experience with only their versions of different guitars is just asking for information overload. You need to talk to someone (Al) who has played most all of them, gigged with several and truly understands their differences that frankly most of us have not experienced.
Another factor that many forget and will just add to confusion is that guitars do open up over time. The two loudest guitars I've heard are Cliff's old slothead and an unfinished prototype that I played. Both were extra loud for reasons other than design. Cliff's because it was gigged for so many years, that if you just breath on it... it booms. The prototype didn't have any finish on it to restrict the sound and it too was played a lot. Lots of us have experiences like that, but they don't do you any good because you can't buy these and if you could, buy something similar, you'd have to play them for 20 years to get the same sound anyway.
Bottom line... email Al. |
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