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| I've scrapped my quest for a custom legend and decide on an Adamas 1680 or U681T-5 sight unseen. Has anyone played either one? |
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Location: Orange County, California | Yup. Both.
Very Similar in sound and feel. Both as you know, are 12 fret slotheads. The NWT and Textured tops I believe are the same base materials. the 1680 premier has the marketing dept's spin on "how to attach a Adamas to to a regular bowl without the suspension ring and rope binding of the Adamas", but the boys at the mothership had already worked it out on the U681T almost a year before. I like the neck on the 1680 (oiled finish walnut), and it comes with the VIP-5 Preamp. I'd contact your favorite Ovation dealer for a price. Unless you know someone who has more than one (like Tony Calman), I doubt you'll find a U681T that anyone is willing to part with. They're that good. I've got mine set up with "Gypsy steels" and it sounds and plays amazing (ask Noah or anyone who played it at the tour last year). It's low, fast, loud, and doesn't buzz unless you want it to :D |
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Location: South of most, North of few | Hey Fred, What are the "Gypsy steels" you are talking about? I'm sure when I get the UTE back, I'll be looking for the perfect string set for it. I've been using 1717's and 1818's on all my other guitars and really like them, but I am allways open to new things. (or strings) |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Personal opinion - I prefer the neck and the epaulets of the U681. I have played both and they sound identical. The U681 will cost you half as much as the 1680.
Dave
PS - The U681 comes with a matching 12-string for a small additional charge. |
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Location: Tidal Mudflats of Virginia | PS - The U681 comes with a matching 12-string for a small additional charge. One of these days, I wanta see one of these phantom ute-12's ;) |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Tim, The U681 12'er is no phantom at all. The factory is building a special batch of them for a certain dealer. A number of people (me included) have already placed our orders. Contact me off board and I'll send you the link to the dealers monthly newsletter. I think this is going to be one killer of a guitar. Dave |
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| I'm guessing a ute 12 will actually produce a sonic boom if you hit it hard enough.
Only Philip Marlow PI out in California has ever been less than delirious about the ute.
I've currently got Rotosound silk'n'steels on mine ( :o ) and they produce a similar sound to fred's gypsys. The light guage, low tension strings seem to really tame the monster and show the unbelievable sweetness of sound the ute is capable of.
There again I hate all bronze/phosphor bronze/elixir strings anyway, so I might not be a reliable witness here.
The only things wrong with the ute are that it's too deep in the body, too fat in the neck, it doesn't have a cutaway and the neck isn't an oil finish. Apart from that it sounds better than anything. There are people who think #47RI sounds better, but they just like the colour. |
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Posts: 241
Location: Le Havre (France) | Originally posted by Tupperware:
Personal opinion - I prefer the neck (...) of the U681. Hi Dave,
What are the differences between these two necks (despite material one) ?
I mean, in term of size, both are 1"3/4 but is there any difference on the profile ?
Thank you,
Edouard. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | I have not taken measurements, but to me the 1680 neck feels bigged in depth and the U681 feels flatter. |
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Location: Le Havre (France) | Merci beaucoup Dave !
:) |
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Location: Orange County, California | Edourd: Same general profile, different wood & finish. I think it "feels" different due to the texture. I keep scrubbing mine down with steel wool to make it "matte", but I keep playing it till it's "shiny" again...
About the strings. This guitar will scare the bejeezes out of you with mediums on it. Normal or Custom lights (12-53 or so) sound great and play easy enough. The Silk and steels, GHS Gypsies, Savarez MF1610's, and others like them will bring out the "sweetness" as indicated by Schroeder, that otherwise goes un-noticed behind the massive projection of this guitar. I couldn't get it at first, but my style has improved. Some people claim that the U681T is bass biased. I think it's just that you can't appreciate how loud the mids and highs are out front when playing it your self. You Feel the bass more than you hear it. I found that playing it very gently, yielded almost a "cancelation" effect, right above the guitar, with heavier strings, but I didn't hear anything of the sort listening from across the room.
Jim: Where's your's coming from? |
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Location: South of most, North of few | Fred, when I received it from an ebay sale, three of the braces were loose, presumably from shipping, so I sent it back to the mothership for a repair and complete setup, so it should be new when I get it back. Latest is, it should be done in about a week. I CAN'T WAIT!!! |
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Location: ranson,wva | im going back to lights on my w681..ive got meds on it now and its tuned a half step down and its still verry bass heavy.ive got half the holes plugged...jason |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | ?????....ya shoulda bought a woodbox, Jason. |
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Location: ranson,wva | its just hard to get used to the feel of lights again..j.w, i was almost gonna get the harmony al had instead of the adamas but..lol jason |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I miss my Harmony... |
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Location: Cicero, NY | C'mon, Jeff, you've got the Esteban already. Leave somethin' for us little guys. |
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Location: closely held secret | Esteban for the little people.
Cleanup on aisle 9, please.
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| Why are you reading the Orlando Sentinel?
Did you misgoogle Oregon? |
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Location: closely held secret | I was reading it to my new guitar. It was homesick.
How's your network doing? |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | This is too much fun... |
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Location: Cicero, NY | I'm going to be in Sarasota in February. Maybe we can get together... |
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Location: closely held secret | Sure, rent a car and drive on over. It's only 4 or 5 days max. Careful going over the Rockies. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | So, how is the new guitar, Waskel? It should be time for a full report with pictures. |
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Location: closely held secret | Excellent. I love it. Sweet yet bold woody tone, outrageous looks - to me it was a bargain. I'll have to tell you the story and try to get some decent pictures tomorrow.
Tonight I'm trying to play "Barracuda" on Jeff's Echotone. |
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Adamas 1680 or U681T-5
