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Location: Park CIty, UT | Looking at a 12-string Adamas, the holy grail I've been waiting for since I can't spend $5k...found this lovely blue number that looks great in all photos, but then the seller messaged me this:
"The thing is, I just realized now, there's a gap between the fretboard and the neck (where it meets the body). Usually the fretboard is glued on to the body of the guitar. However, I bought this guitar like that without noticing... The fretboard was lifted from the body by a spacer from the owner before. I really cant explain to myself why... I played the guitar without noticing and it's perfect playable up to the 12th fret. Thats why I dont feel right selling the guitar for this price. I would give you a discount of 300 dollars. You could repair this issue if it bothers you by a guitartech...Im telling you that because thats what I would've liked to know when I bought the guitar. Anyway, Ill send you some pictures."
Adding photos after posting. Wondering if this is some kind of scam - they've had paypal issues so I won't buy if they can't resolve that, but what are your thoughts on the above, and the photos?
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Location: When?? | It all depends... what was their original asking price before the $300 discount? |
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Location: moline,illinois | Adamas guitars use a floating fretboard design so there is/can be a gap between the fretboard and the top.
The question you need to ask is what is the action as the strings go over the top down to the bridge,if the action gets high as it crosses the body then it may require a neck reset-doable but you need to have somebody familiar with Adamas guitars work on it.
If it plays good all the way up to the 22nd fret then its the normal design.
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Location: Park CIty, UT | Love O Fair - 2020-12-18 7:32 PM
It all depends... what was their original asking price before the $300 discount?
$2500...too good to be true? |
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Location: Park CIty, UT |
Hmm. Good point, thanks! Is there a list of places familiar with Adamas where I could see if there is anyone near me? |
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Location: moline,illinois | yentna - 2020-12-18 9:49 PM
Hmm. Good point, thanks! Is there a list of places familiar with Adamas where I could see if there is anyone near me?
The only place guaranteed to know Adamas guitars is the Ovation repair shop in CT,you could ask Ovation for a list of authorized repair shops to see if there is one in your area.
You said it plays good up to the 12th fret does that mean its hard to play up higher,if so not a good sign.
Is it this guitar https://reverb.com/item/33728308-adamas-by-ovation-1685-8-12-string-...
If so its coming from overseas so if theres problems returning it could be a pain.
Price is always tough to call it used to be an Adamas II model 1685 was going for around $2000 but Adamas 12 strings are hard to find so what are you willing to pay for one.
If your dad has an Adamas 12 string go look at it and the fretboard extension and that will give you an idea of what its supposed to look like...hope this helps!!!
PS I love Adamas 12 strings and own a few they are the best 12 string you can get IMHO
Edited by 2wheeldrummer 2020-12-18 11:09 PM
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Location: Park CIty, UT | 2wheeldrummer - 2020-12-18 10:07 PM
The only place guaranteed to know Adamas guitars is the Ovation repair shop in CT,you could ask Ovation for a list of authorized repair shops to see if there is one in your area.
You said it plays good up to the 12th fret does that mean its hard to play up higher,if so not a good sign.
I’ll reach out, thanks. Not looking promising for Utah though, nor for playability. .
Yes and yes
Price is always tough to call it used to be an Adamas II model 1685 was going for around $2000 but Adamas 12 strings are hard to find so what are you willing to pay for one.
PS I love Adamas 12 strings and own a few they are the best 12 string you can get IMHO
I just haven’t seen any I or II for under $3500 in the last year either Reverb or eBay or other ongoing searches so this seemed too good to be true. There’s a I on eBay for $4k; maybe they’d take a lower offer. They are amazing and my dad’s plays so rich and smooth; unfortunately we’re thousands of miles apart right now so I can’t go look at it. Maybe my mom can send some pics.
Thinking I should hold out for a I as that’s what my dad has but somewhere in the forum I read the II isn’t much different so had my hopes up!
Thanks for the help! |
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Location: moline,illinois | The Adamas I and II are very similar they use the same top ,bowl and suspension ring the main difference is the Adamas II uses the traditional ovation neck and bridge and the Adamas I has the fancy neck and bridge,if you could get the 1685 for a good price it could be worth fixing I"d need more info to offer an opinion.If you want to chat about Adamas 12 strings I'm available PM sent |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | It's true about the floating fretboard, but I just checked my 3 Adamas 6 strings and they don't float that high off the body. A credit card gap at most. The pictures seem to show that the action seems high. It's a bit hard to tell. If the end of the fretboard was warped upward, I would think the action would be low above the 14th fret. It's just too hard to tell without detailed pictures and measurements or a hands on evaluation. |
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Location: Katmandu | If the top has a belly, then the wood under the fretboard extension is usually caved in somewhat. This is not too uncommon with Ovation guitars that are lightly braced (A-bracing and the like). It can become a problem in terms of playability (especially with a floating fretboard extension) and for the resale value of the instrument.
Edited by leonardmccoy 2020-12-19 5:21 PM
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Location: Denmark | My impression from the photos is that action looks high and bridge/pickup looks at its lowest. It also seems that the fretboard has separated from the neck near the neck/body joint. It seems to have serious structural issues. I would pass, no matter the price.
Edited by tpa 2020-12-20 10:02 AM
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Location: Rochester, New York USA | Regarding Adamas neck resets: Back in 2013, I took my 2008 Adamas 2080 NWT (bought used in 2011) to New Hartford as I felt it needed a neck reset, and it did per the staff. It cost me $200.00 USD and they also did a fret crowning/polish included for that price. The guitar played great when I got it back 10 days later. Great Service From The Mothership! |
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Location: Utah | Pass! There is a significant neck angle problem, and possible worse. It appears to have a gap between the back side of the fretboard and the front of the neck where it joins the body at the 14th fret. It also appears in the picture to make a definite bow through that area.
International, paypal, PC is far from the factory repair shop, etc all add up to a hard pass imho. |
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Location: Yokohama, Japan | +1 on tpa and Flysig's comments. Heart breaker!
When I was looking for my 12-Fretter dream Adamas - the 1680 Adamas Premiere - d'ovation gave me great advice, "You will have to be patient for one to find you." He was right. It did! Hang in there! |
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Location: Park CIty, UT | Thanks everyone! Super helpful. Yeah it's in rough shape, he sent even more pics and, well, let's just say definitely not "good condition" as listed. Sad to see it not taken care of. Likely passing unless he'll sell it for pennies on the dollar thus worth the project status.
Cheers and keep playing! |
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Location: Muenster/Germany | The fretboard extension of this guitar is not supposed to touch the top, it´s a floating neck type. But someone should try to tighten the neckscrews inside a bit, maybe that´s solving a lot of problems. If not, reset the neck, besides that a neck reset with these guitars is very easy to make, not more than 30 minutes required.
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Location: moline,illinois | DetlefMichel - 2021-01-05 11:58 AM
a neck reset with these guitars is very easy to make, not more than 30 minutes required.
Detlef I know the Adamas have bolt on necks that are easier to remove but if you could teach me how to do a reset in 30 minutes I'd pay good money $$$ for that skill I have a 1688 that has high action and could use a reset 
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Location: Muenster/Germany | Remove strings. If you remove the 2 screws inside the neck should easily come loose, if not carefully ! move a bit from side to side, normally the fretboard extension has no glued contact with the rest.
Make sure that all surfaces are clean.
If you will remove a liitle bit of material on the botoom side of the inner neck heel the angle of the neck will change. You would be surprised how little material must be removed, mostly less than 0.5 mm. Be sure that you make straight surfaces, no bows. First remove at the bottom of the heel a straight line of ca.0.2mm, not more. Then you have a step where you cann see how much materialk you must remove from the sides. A little tricky is to file so that you do only remove stuff at the bottom end and less to nothing on the top, you must file an angle. Take your time, work slowly. Then re-screw the neck (not too tight) and see what has happened (with the low and high string). If the neck is straight it´s ok, if not you will make slight corrections. That´s all, the only thing is that you must work very slow and precise and only remove very very little material. I wish I could show you this in person, the Ovation is the ONLY guitar where all this is so easy. |
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Help: is this a deal-killer? Adamas 1685-8
