|
|
Joined:
April 2007
Posts: 143
Location: Colorado Springs, CO | I have a 20 year old Adamas 1. I have never changed the battery ever in 20 years and it works fine. The light is bright as can be. What kind of battery is in that?
Also is there any point in trying to upgrade the electronics in the guitar since I would expect things have improved alot over the last 20 years. If so, what upgrade would be recomended? I realize that would take away from it's origional condition, but I can always save the origional parts. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Sac,
Open it up and look there's no we could know for sure what battery is in there. Let me know what battery it is, 'cause I'd like to buy one.
As for upgrades, I wouldn't trade my FET pre-amp in my CA for anything, it's a warm nice sound. I say that only because what sounds good, depends on the listener. Your best bet is it to compare guitars ... that's the only way you'll know. Why bother? Why fix something that's not broken? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2004
Posts: 709
Location: Germany | If you have the OP-24 preamp you can upgrade to Optima preamp with built-in tuner. I've done that on my Adamas I 12-string, you can find some pics in the gallery.
Karl |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | karl,
did you do the optima upgrade yourself, or have it done? does it require its own under saddle pickup or does the op-24 one work with it?
lastly, did you get the optima new from the mothership or perhaps buy it used?
i would like to upgrade the op-24 on my 1581. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2007
Posts: 143
Location: Colorado Springs, CO | What is the deal with the battery in this guitar? I opened the back and it doesn't look very easy to access the battery. It still works fine but I don't see how a battery can last for more than 20 years and I'm worried about corision. There is a box inside that looks like it could hold a 9 volt but dosen't look easy to replace. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 308
| hit it with a hammer! :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2007
Posts: 143
Location: Colorado Springs, CO | Heyyyyyyyyyyy !!! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 430
Location: Lebanon, TN | Randy I bought a new Optima I got from John Budny on my recent trip to the factory. It will be going in the 1681 I bought when I get some spare time. It requires a little DIY capabilty to drill out the four holes in the plastic frame to make them a little larger for bigger screws required for the Optima.
If you want to fit the XLR/1/4 inch combo you will need to drill a hole in the bowl for the XLR in alignment with the i/4 inch hole that is existing. Not sure I want to contemplate that though I may be brave.
Contact me by email for any further info. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Stuart - I have a template for the XLR/1/4" combo if you need it. I just did it for Glenn's guitar.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 430
Location: Lebanon, TN | Mike, you are totally on. Let's do it in the next 3-4 weeks :-) Check out my gallery for the newbies that are now in the collection. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | ive got a few 1/4 & xlr output boards if anyone needs em i can throw them in my box thursday...jason |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2004
Posts: 709
Location: Germany | Yes, it was a do it yourself upgrade, but drilling the XLR hole is critical, at least without a drilling template. If you don't need the XLR socket you can de-solder it from the combined output port and just use the 1/4" socket for fixing the board on the bowl. Then there is no need for drilling the XLR hole.
My Optima is an ebay purchase ($200), no idea what it costs new. But you can use the old pickup for the Optima, no problem.
Karl |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | any chance the template can be scanned and emailed?
i'm sure i can handle this DIY'er. now i just gotta locate an optima...
thanks, karl and others for the info. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | i just heard from kim keller that there are a few optima preamps left at the mothership. they are nearly $300 shipped. is there a chance anyone here has one available that i won't have to spend so much money on? if not, i'll get one from CT eventually and hopefully before they are all sold out. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 1138
Location: CT | Here's my opinion (which isn't worth much here or anywhere else, so take it with a grain of salt). Keep the old pre-amp. They really do sound good. I like the new ones, but it's all just fluff. An on board tuner is nice, but a guitar only has to stay in tune for the length of a set, and your not doin' anny screaming bends with the acoustic. EQ's and notch filters? convenient for a solo set with an acoustic amp, but if you're playing thru a P.A., or house setup, the sound guy has more buttons and knobs than you do, and all that tweeking you do to get that right sound on stage, he will undo to get a good sound in the mains. The pre amp in my Legend LX 12 string eats up batteries like there's no tomorrow. Really annoying. The FET pre amps in my old guitars need changing MAYBE every 2 or 3 years - with regular use. If I had my way, I'd swap out the OP-Pro and put the old two knobber in - honestly. Also, 9v. batteries don't tend to seep like the 1.5v. ones do, so it's maybe not unusual that your battery still works. After such a long time, if it still holds even a small charge, it should power the pre-amp(change it out now, though). Nice guitar btw. Adamas is still on my "one of these days" list. Adamas I ... 12 string... deep bowl... no cutaway.. 2 knobber... mmm... uurghhh ..drool.... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2002
Posts: 1900
| Z, if it aint broke, don't fix it... :) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2007
Posts: 143
Location: Colorado Springs, CO | Originally posted by brainslag:
Here's my opinion (which isn't worth much here or anywhere else, so take it with a grain of salt). Keep the old pre-amp. They really do sound good. I like the new ones, but it's all just fluff. An on board tuner is nice, but a guitar only has to stay in tune for the length of a set, and your not doin' anny screaming bends with the acoustic. EQ's and notch filters? convenient for a solo set with an acoustic amp, but if you're playing thru a P.A., or house setup, the sound guy has more buttons and knobs than you do, and all that tweeking you do to get that right sound on stage, he will undo to get a good sound in the mains. The pre amp in my Legend LX 12 string eats up batteries like there's no tomorrow. Really annoying. The FET pre amps in my old guitars need changing MAYBE every 2 or 3 years - with regular use. If I had my way, I'd swap out the OP-Pro and put the old two knobber in - honestly. Also, 9v. batteries don't tend to seep like the 1.5v. ones do, so it's maybe not unusual that your battery still works. After such a long time, if it still holds even a small charge, it should power the pre-amp(change it out now, though). Nice guitar btw. Adamas is still on my "one of these days" list. Adamas I ... 12 string... deep bowl... no cutaway.. 2 knobber... mmm... uurghhh ..drool.... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2007
Posts: 143
Location: Colorado Springs, CO | Well SWMBO is smarter than me. She found the 9 volt battery inside my adamas 1. I must have changed it in the last 10 years since the battery expired only 4 years ago. Still had plenty of juice when I touched it to my tongue. Changed it anyway. Now I'm good for another 10 years. After hearing how the new preamps eat batteries I will forget the idea of changing it. It does sound great after all. |
|
| |
Question about Adamas 1 1687-8
