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November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Unit 2/12 just arrived. Yippee!
First impressions: Perfect. Love it. Sound is wonderful! Can't wait to crank up the VIP pre-amp!
UPS just about managed to screw it up, but all's well in the end.
Its been a long time coming. Glad its finally here! |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Congrats, Omaha. I think we now have about half of them accounted for in their new homes. Just wait until you start playing it in front of people (presuming that you do). I had one guy last Friday come up real close and I could tell he was trying to determine what it was. When the song finished, he said he has owned several Ovations for many years but has never seen one of these before. I told him that it was not likely he ever would again and explained its origin. Maybe he will be one of the new OFC members in the near future. |
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November 2004
Posts: 308
| Great! congrats! |
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March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | Post Pics!!! |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by mtnbikerfred:
Post Pics!!! +1! |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | I'll try to get some pics up in the next few days, but honestly they won't look as good (photographically speaking) as the ones posted here before.
Some second impressions after an evening spent noodling, in no particular order and off the top of my head:
- It likes a firm touch. Just like an Ovation. It sounds ok played lightly, but comes alive when you give it more of a workout.
- I pulled a shim from under the saddle and the action is perfect.
- The overall fit and finish I'd rate a 9.5/10.
- Love the neck...the width, the shape, the fact that its a 12 fret. Plays very easy.
- The contour bowl makes it easy to play up the neck, beyond the 12th fret.
- I don't know if it was my imagination, but I could swear I could hear it opening up over the first few hours. I did some stuff in drop-D tuning, and the bass just filled the room.
We've got a rehersal on saturday. That will be my first opportunity to set up my PA and plug it in. I'm very interested to hear the VIP.
There is a chance that I will be able to pull a recording off the mixer. If I can, I'll try to post some audio files, and maybe even A/B a few songs on the KOALA vs my Taylor 714. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Glad you love it, should be a real nice gitter. Looking forweard to your posts about it "over there". |
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January 2005
Posts: 640
Location: boulder | congrats-- :cool: |
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March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | Originally posted by Omaha:
I'll try to get some pics up in the next few days, but honestly they won't look as good (photographically speaking) as the ones posted here before. Your Photos are fine.
- It likes a firm touch. Just like an Ovation. It sounds ok played lightly, but comes alive when you give it more of a workout. Yup, this guitar is forcing me to improve my technique :D
- I don't know if it was my imagination, but I could swear I could hear it opening up over the first few hours. ABSOLUTELY!! Many OFC friends played mine at the tour I have them to thank for helping "break it in". For the first week it was like picking up a different guitar everyday.
We've got a rehersal on saturday. That will be my first opportunity to set up my PA and plug it in. I'm very interested to hear the VIP. Remember, that this is still an OP-Pro when the image slider is all the way down. Make your baseline EQ settings there first, THEN add image to taste. They did a great job capturing the response of a real mic'd guitar, including ridiculous sensitivity to finger noise and feedback. I would very rarely suggest more than 50-60% image. Once you get it dialed, you'll love it!!
There is a chance that I will be able to pull a recording off the mixer. If I can, I'll try to post some audio files, and maybe even A/B a few songs on the KOALA vs my Taylor 714. Hope you can. I can't wait to hear it!! |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by mtnbikerfred:
Remember, that this is still an OP-Pro when the image slider is all the way down. Make your baseline EQ settings there first, THEN add image to taste. They did a great job capturing the response of a real mic'd guitar, including ridiculous sensitivity to finger noise and feedback. I would very rarely suggest more than 50-60% image. Once you get it dialed, you'll love it!!
[/QB] MBF, I totally agree with your observation. After fiddling with the balance slide between the imaging and the pickup, I tend to prefer the sound from pickup, with certainly no more than maybe 40-50% from the imaging. |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | I am seriously falling in love with this guitar.
Its taken a few passes to get the electronics sorted out, and I spent quite a bit of time fiddling with the setup to get it just where I wanted it. This past weekend was the first one where its really all come together.
Wow.
It is just so sweet in every way. The tone, the playability, everything. Ever find yourself just thumping a string over and over because you like the tone so much? That was me last night.
I really think I've got the VIP dialed in too. I was doing some rehearsing with my daughters yesterday afternoon, and the Koala amplified through our full PA just filled the studio with "goodness". I suspect the acoustic purists of the world would scoff at the piezo tone, but I like it. Particularly when softened just the right amount by the VIP. That ever so slight edginess really sounds right to me.
I'm sitting here at my desk, and I'm having trouble getting anything done because I'm spending all my time thinking about a guitar. How cool is that? |
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October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | Originally posted by Omaha:
I am seriously falling in love with this guitar...
...I'm sitting here at my desk, and I'm having trouble getting anything done because I'm spending all my time thinking about a guitar. How cool is that? sheesh, if my wife ever heard me say things like this, i wouldn't have one any longer.
i'm gonna miss her. |
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November 2006
Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | I must restraaaaaiinnnn myself Randy. Send her to the Carolinas, maybe she can train our wives as to what a GOOD wife is for a guitar player. Maybe TRboy's wife could give lessons?! |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | I'm still waiting for Fred to ship that curly koa beauty to me for safe keeping. :p Wonder if there are any more available...nah, better if I don't know. ;) |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | Hey John,
I really hope there are other with this much quilt.
I think you should Just call and ask about the 14 fret version :D :p :D :p |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Finally got around to taking some shots. Ok, you're right...at this point I'm just rubbing it in. Sorry.
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Nice, you gotta love it. |
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October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | and i do...
amazin'! |
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April 2003
Posts: 183
Location: Denver, PA USA | WOW! |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Nice pictures, Omaha. I especially like the looks of the volute on that...is that typical of O slotheads, or is it special on that model? |
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December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | These guitars are just stunning! Congrats for giving us all GAS - again! |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Absolutely Gorgeous! Beautiful grain and color! Congrats! You have every right to be proud!
Blessings... |
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March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | Gorgeous!! |
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The KOALA has landed
