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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 398
Location: So. Cal. | With all the fuss about "plastic" Ovation, I am happy to report something otherwise. A guitar luthier friend of mine (classical guitar builder for 20+ years) was visiting yesterday. I showed him all the O's, vibronic top of the Adamas etc. He was impressed by the 12-fret slothead but he thought the bass was too boomy and overpowering. He suggested putting extra light 4-5-6 and light 1-2-3 instead. I took his advice this afternoon and replace just the 4-5-6 with Adamas 1717 (.030,.038,.047) and wow! I played a whole bunch of first position stuff (including the infamous Bourree in Em) and what a difference. I am very pleased to report that the 12-fret slothead is now a bona fide first class acoustic guitar - head to head with my D-45 and M-42 (Al and Witco know what a big deal that would be). Woz, care to comment about yours? Anybody knows where the third one is now? |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | strings make all the difference sometimes, especially for fingerstyle. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | I just find it ironic that after all the naysers claiming that Ovations sound "thin" there are complaints that now they have too much bass. Screw'em. Sorry, that was too profane. Suggest that he may be mistaken and he has been "hoist by his own petard".
Michael, the 12-fret slot-head protos were world class guitars long before any endorsment from your friend. It's nothing to do with string guage, it's down to the player, and to my ears & in my hands those guitars were among the best I've played in 30 years. Anyway he builds nylon-string guitars & everyone knows that they're for gays and women so what the hell does he know. And you should be shot for playing a classical piece on a steel string and expecting it to have any relevance.
PS just for those of you with a delicate disposition, some of the above was intended as humour.
PPS the bit about gays and women was supposed to be the humorous part, everything else was in total seriousness. |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Paul T
You just crossed over the line, now you have to join a bunch of bluegrass playing s------ds in drinking vintage Merlot from a failed banjo sheepskin whatever!
Bailey |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | I guess it is true, that Ovations suck. Either they are too thin or too bassy or have too much midrange OR don't have enough of any of these. Of course they slide off your leg and won't stand up in a corner (unless you put it face in, a better way to do it, but never mind). They're not really acoustic guitars because they plug in, and they have to be amplified because they aren't very loud. And they are inert plastic which won't dry out and crack or break or swell with humidity like wood, what good is that? They were designed by some flyboy engineers who didn't understand the "passion of brazilian rosewood" thing. They were doomed from the start!
Maybe they should have used metal instead? |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 389
Location: RI. That small State out East | As a "true" amateur I happen to own this gem.
The bass does boom. I like that...But I can see how others would squint.
Our first visit to the Mother Ship is when I had a chance to play (my 3 chords) on this guitar.
I remember the "wow" feeling. I looked around to see / find someone else to validate my "smile".
I expected it to be a $3,000+ price tag. Lunch that day with Al and Rick I must have shown my love for that guitar. One thing led to another and it now lives in my home.
I did get the special enjoyment passing it around at the last tour (night before) and letting Paul T play it until he got tired. He would then offer it up to the next player to "taste" it... I remember the smiles.
I will try the string set-up mentioned.
For the "team" that put this one together... You did meet the challenge.
From Guitar Player (December 2003)
Issue 403-Vol. 37 NO.12
" The Slot's low end is dramatically extended-strumming an open E chord yields such a deep-bodied tone,it's as if a bass-boost button were activated. The Slot Head represents the pinnacle of Ovation's acoustic guitar-making technology, and its deep-bowl body, "quintad"-style spruce bracing, and uncommon soundholes project tones with impressive volume and girth. "Jimmy Leslie"
I plan to bring it to the next tour stop.
Woz |
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Joined:
April 2003
Posts: 2503
Location: Fayetteville, NC | Gotta Love W-2's wild sense of humor. :D |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | Originally posted by cwk2:
Maybe they should have used metal instead?
Good idea W2, instead of only being able to use them for salad bowls we could also cook stew & such in 'em!
/\/\/ |
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Update on the 12-fret Slothead Adamas
