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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | For those of you who have e-mailed me and asked about the progress of the all wood adamas slothead guitar.Its almost done,last week .Neck and body join together this weekend.Bridge will be installed,then tuners, strings and first test run.Here are some pics of the body after it was buffed out.You can go to my gallery and see all the pics from day one.Its under samova and then project..
carved heel close up
back and sides,flame koa binding
top and sides
headstock without trus cover
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Location: closely held secret | Sam, except for all those 90 degree angles, that is a thing of beauty!!! |
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Location: Ct./ USA | I think you have the wrong body, that not a round back. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | god, I hope that sounds as good as it looks. |
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Location: East Tennessee | Wow. What a beautiful guitar. :cool: |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Awesome inspiration, persperation and execution!
That is a milestone .
What are the strings of choice going to be? |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Mike, im thinking about using the new martin SP fingerstyle strings but am open to suggestions.I will probably go thru 5-10 different strings brands the first month until i find the ones that sound the best on this guitar. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | For something that big and georgeous I'd start with some Phosphor Bronze bright. The ones that only last a few days.
Then the EXPs for longevity. |
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Location: boulder | i'll admit, i am jealous. it had me at the wood binding...mike |
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Location: Atlanta, GA. | A beautiful instrument indeed!
Acoustic only? or, do you have some electronics stashed away for it? |
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Location: Bluffton, SC | Wow - stunning job, Sam. Can't wait to hear just how incredible it sounds ('cause you just know it's gonna be incredible). |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | I cant wait to hear it as well.This had better be good after one and a half years.It is acoustic only....for now! |
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Location: Budd Lake, NJ | Absolutely breathtaking. Is there any way you could give us a closeup of the epaulets? Angled the way the shot is, I don't think I'm fully appreciating the craftsmanship involved. (I have a mental image of a maitre d' in a tux and white gloves presenting it on a velvet-lined silver trolley every time someone is going to play it...it's got that much class.)
Congratulations,
Karen |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Amazing project. To say I'm jealous would be an understatement. Glad Sam is putting some of my money to good use. Dave |
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| Are the back and sides Walnut or Rosewood? Whatever the wood it's got quite a deep finish, like multiple coats of lacquer... |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | The sides and back are solid indian rosewood hand selected by me.I picked what looked the best while he tapped the woods for sound or whatever it is these luthiers do that is so magical by tapping wood?The top on this guitar is an actuall spruce top from ovation factory.It was about 15 years old when i got it and it was at my home another 5 years along with about 15-20 other tops.The luthier selected the best top from the bunch by checking how streight the grain was cut and by doing his magical little tap test.I just knodded my head and pretended to hear what he heard.. I will have better pics from every angle when i pick it up next week.. |
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Location: Ct./ USA | I would rather hear a shallow bowl LX with a carbon TOP than any wooden flat back guitar. Sorry, but to me wood is not what The Adamas sound is all about. But I must say.......hey want a real tip, use a black heal cap, and more walnut, I seem to detect some mahogany with walnut veeneer and the head stock scroll really looks like the real thing, nice job. However the heal scroll is close to the real thing, not as much detail. I study this stuff all day. The eppaletts are really cool, exllent job, will you be applying for a job at Ovation? Please post a sound sample WITH YOU SINGING.....detailz man |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | ...so... that was kinda funny. |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | The adamas sound is not what i was after.If i was i would have bought an "ADAMAS".If this guitar has the "Adamas Sound" then this project is a failure.Dont get me wrong i love my adamas guitars especially my slothead # 57 but this was an experiment to find out how a traditional wood body guitar with the adamas multi soundhole eppalettes will sound.I have always been curious about this and invested the time and money to have one built..Next week i will find out the sound results.Although this guitar has many features close to the slothead adamas,it is very different in many ways and we changed many things on the guitar that makes it clearly not an adamas.The bracing is the most evident.And no i do not plan to apply for a job at Ovation.I could not afford the paycut.. |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Here is a pic early on during construction showing the bracing.Very different from the quanted bracing on elites and adamas
And here is a pic of the floating brace on the upper bouts.It gives stability to the top and allows more vibration.Its unusuall but my luthier swears it works.
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| Interesting project Sam. I can say I have always been curious to know what that great Ovation Adamas image would sound and "look like" if surrounded by a more traditional body style.
I have to say I am blown away buy the fact that you would take this kind of time and effort to finally solve this question for yourself. I applaud your effort! Amazing work. And you have taken the time to do it right with a fully carved slothead and wonderful body binding and wood selections.
Nicely done.
Acoustic guitar construction is something I have yet to try.
I wish you all the best with the sound quality. I'd love to play this one myself someday.
Randy |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I think this worth an Acoustic Guitar magazine feature...
Have you thought about it?
(I guess you'd run the risk of folks saying, "with a sound this good it's a wonder why Ovation hasn't been making guitars like this all along") |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Jeff,we are thinking alike. i actually have already sent an e-mail to acoustic guitar magazine this weekend.I will send them some pics as soon as i get the guitar in my hands and can take some quality pics. |
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Location: GA USA | Will he take a job at the factory? I doubt he could take the pay cut, plus they don't have a baseball team! I guess Coach Sam could start one... :)
Maybe if the wooden roundback ever gets here I can see this beauty when I bring it over. And try to have the doubleneck Deacon. I missed it the other time I was there.
Great work, Sam! |
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Location: USA | absolutely beautiful...
When do they start production ;)Sign me up...
http://www.myspace.com/styllheartandsoul |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | STYLL!!!!!!!!!!!!
What ever happened on the opening act for Dave Matthews Band that we all voted on? |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Almost there.One more day!!
Koa binding and headstock overlay.The trus cover and carving are walnut..
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Location: USA | not sure who won... but i know i didnt ... on to the next :)
this guitar is coming along great...cant wait for the finished product. |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | a few more..
The brains and brawn behind this project.Brian Hendley.
close up of apeletes and bridge
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Location: NJ | sam
this has a wood top?
hmmmmmm. I bet you I can tell you how it will sound. |
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Location: SoCal | Al, are you thinking about the dreadnaught Elite you have? |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Al, it is a wood top from Ovation about 15-20 years old.Seasoned and aged just like me..So Al, tell me how it will sound? |
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Location: Hiram, Georgia | nice tight grain pattern on the sound board!
can't wait to hear it, sam! TOTALLY ASTOUNDING!!! |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Phil, your welcome to play it during the SE gathering...
Heres a better view of the heel..
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Location: Nîmes, south of France | Thx for the update Sam, i found it very interesting. And thanks for the photographs as well ;) Hope you will enjoy this nice instrument ! |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Well, it is finished and in my hands!! Say hello to "ADAM"...
Along side the guitar that inspired this project
more pics
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Sure it's beautiful....
but you know what we really want to know. Out with it, Sam. |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Jeff, i know.You want to know how it sounds.Well i dont quite know yet.It was delivered to my home at 2:15 am by Brian Hendley..I could not really play it loud because everyone wa asleep in the house exept for me..Now its morning here and some are still asleep and i still cant play it loud yet.
this is killing me!! Sound report to follow later this morning.. |
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Location: Orange County, California | Sam??
SAAaaam...
:mad: SAM!!! :mad:
Put down the F%&!king Guitar for second and tell us how it sounds before Jeff loses it!!
:p :D :p :D |
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| Ohh that's just mean man........... |
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Location: south east Michigan | Sam...I sure hope you can make to the next tour. I'd really like to meet your guitar...oh... I mean you. ;)
And because it's my job, I gotta ask of you can get a selection of some hi-res pics to me. This just might merit an entire page in the next calendar. |
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Location: Snellville, GA | Brad, it's gonna be at the next tour...I mean the S.E. gathering...I hope... |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Well, here are my first thought about the guitar .As many of you may have noticed the size of the body is not quite as large as a full size adamas or any other regular ovation.In fact its probably about the size of a 97 collectors or maybe just slightly larger.Its more of a gibson blues king model in size and in sound.
The guitar sounds great already and seems very bright.The notes are very clear,crisp and woody sounding..It does not have overly powerful bass but when i use the ovation soundhole plugs on the lower bout it completely changes the sound of the guitar.It takes away some of the brightness and makes it more bassy.Overall it is a great sounding guitar far different from an ovation.I think it needs to vibrate and open up.It feels a bit stiff on day one.A couple of other things it may be i used the wrong strings .I used the new Martin SP fingerstyle strings and i will experiment many other strings this week to see how they sound.Overall this is a great guitar and i am very grateful to Brian Hendley for making this guitar for me.I will post more about the sound as i use different string to see how this guitar sounds..Anyone in the Atlanta area is welcome to come check it out and test drive it...Brad, i will send you some pics to your e-mail address for the calander..Thanks for asking |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Thanks, Sam. It will be interesting to see how it opens up over time. I know folks who place their new guitars in front of speakers with classical music at moderate volume for a few hours a day to speed the process.
Enjoy it. |
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Location: Hiram, Georgia | Sam, I am totally humbled and speechless,
I am more than honored by your generous offer.
:D Bless you Man!!! :D I can't wait!!! :D |
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Location: NJ | sam
what bracing pattern does the top have? traditional Adamas? |
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Location: NJ | Originally posted by alpep:
sam
this has a wood top?
hmmmmmm. I bet you I can tell you how it will sound. never mind I found the picture and answered my own question and now have different questions. |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Al,questions??
here is another look at the bracing.Nothing like adamas
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Location: SoCal | I think this is a very cool guitar, but it shouldn't sound like an Ovation. It probably sounds more like a MacPherson or a Tacoma. Guitars with the soundport in the shoulder, but with a traditional X bracing pattern. Really, the only things that say "Ovation" are the headstock overlay, the bridge, and the soundholes.
With the woodtop, it more resembles an Elite than an Adamas. To really see what an Elite top would sound like on a wooden body, it would need the Quintad bracing pattern.
But I'd be willing to bet it sounds as good as it looks. The builder really knows his stuff. |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Moody i originally asked the luthier about going with a quanted bracing pattern on this guitar but he did not think it was a good bracing pattern at all.We went with his design instead and im glad we did.The voicing on this guitar is very good and has alot of sustain.I cant wait for it open up.Im sure in 6 months it will sound very different.I had ordered a custom martin last year and after a month it really opened up and sounded great.
Heres a bit more about Brian Hendley.He has his own models that he builds and is a very good luthier.He has only built a handful of guitars but they are quite good.I own one of his prototypes and the wood adamas that he was kind enough to build for me.I dont know many luthiers who would have even considered this project and at a reasonable price.
http://www.gtrs4u.com/BrianHendley.htm |
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Adamas project progress