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November 2004
Posts: 3
Location: Ontario, Canada | Hello all,
After having many guitars throughout my life, and a currently small collection of both vintage and newer solidbodies and acoustics (67 Martin D35S, 74 Larivee L-09, 83 Martin D35 Shenandoah), Ive developed a sudden facination with an Adamas after listening to Adrian Legg and Preston Reed -thinking like Homer "Adamas - carbon fiber top, eh?..." :cool:
After looking at their website, and being a fingerstyle player, it would seem that the SMT 1597 would fit the bill to check out (I haven't had a chance to get to see one yet). The neck sounds like it's nice and fast with low action, but I'm more concerned with getting good sensitivity and dynamics and good bottom end using dropped tunings.
Does this apply to the SMT, or would the CVT be more to my tastes?
Thanks
Allen |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | IMHO the textured top beats them all |
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Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | I agree with Al. Instead of the SMT or CVT, take a look at Al's website. There were textured tops built for the overseas market (model number W.. something) that I truly magnificent instruments -- much better that the SMT/CVT's sold today, IMHO). |
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November 2004
Posts: 3
Location: Ontario, Canada | Thanks guys, sorry for the late response, I was out of town.
Al: those textured tops on your website look amazing (particularly the creamish reverse burst -similar to Legg's). A couple of questions about those, aren't the textured tops the same thing as the woven tops of the CVT? How do they differ?
Strangely, according to the Adamas website, although they say the CVT has a thinner top (which you'd think would be a lot more responsive to dynamics)and a more cutting midrange, they claim the SMT is more suited to fingerstyle. What's with that?
Also, would it be correct to assume that the full-bodied models would have better bottom-end than the cutaway models? I know this can often be the case with all-wood guitars, but with this material I haven't a clue. And whats the last # in the model code signify?
I would love to see one of these older textured tops, but up here near Toronto finding a new SMT or CVT is tough enough, let alone used ones.
Sorry for all the questions, but I think one of these may be far more suited for me than my other guitars, and I like to be very enlightened before plunking down cash on any axe. Thanks again-
Allen |
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Posts: 648
Location: Florida | The one thing about the SMT, is that it has very even response from string to string, up and down the neck.
That is, anyplace you play on the neck, the volume and response is very much the same... very even.
The textured tops have their own charm and colorization. The CVT is not the same as the textured top. |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | The key is thin finish. The textured is very thin. the smt is also thin but not as much, the woven top has some thickness to cover the weave.
Go thin to win. |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | allen
what cwk said. The textured top is a very think finish. I have a theory that it also adds more surface area to the top to add in the sound but what the hell do I know I am just an idiot the sells gear for a living. |
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Posts: 648
Location: Florida | "one idiot to another"
Al, you may be an idiot, but you're our idiot, and we love ya bro. |
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May 2003
Posts: 79
Location: Toronto, Canada | Hi Allen:
Hello from TO.
I love Guitars and Other Cathedrals.
I was looking for an Adamas as you are now, but in my case I had wanted one for a long long time.
You are right, you won't see too many of the old textured tops around Toronto. The last one I saw was a brown one in 1986 and fool I was I did not buy it.
I played the SMTs and CVTs as well. Very nice guitars, but did not have THE Adamas sound and feel that I wanted (not knocking them at all, just my own preference).
My opinion, hold out for a textured top Adamas. Talk to Alpep. I finally went ahead and got one from him and never looked again....well, ok. shortly after that I got another one.
wemedge |
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Posts: 295
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | Huh? cwk2 says the textured top is very thin, alpep says very thick. cwk2 implies the CVT is thicker than the SMT top, but, according to the Adamas website, the SMT is .040", whereas the CVT measures .032". What is the thickness of the textured top? |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | 0.BuckThreeEighty" +/- an RCH. |
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June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | Dear Cliff, I believe the correct grammer is "A" RCH, not "AN" RCH. Of course that depends if one were enunciating the letters of the accronym or actually stating the phrase itself. Sincerely, Roget |
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Location: NJ | Actually, I WAS going for the actual phrase rather than the acronym . . . . I stand corrected, and I Thank You . . . . as does Julianne Moore. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Al,
I noticed quite a few of the textured tops that you have say they have a slight finish flaw.
Are they noticable or is that just a way to legally sale overseas items in the US....similiar to some of the Ebay sellers that sell "new" items as "used" to get around the MSP that some companies have in place? |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | when I say something has a finish flaw it is because it has a finish flaw.
when I say something is new it is new with warranty.
when I say something is a demo it was a demo.
I am not trying to hide anything but disclose everything.
maybe I should be selling used cars.... |
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Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | It's the shirts Al. Hard to concentrate on what you're saying with those shirts. |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | sorry but hawaiian is not my thing |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | So what is considered a "finish flaw".
I can't see anything that jumps out in the pics. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Having seen a number of these guitars, I can attest that a goodly amount of these "flaws" are pretty much indiscernible (if not impossible) to detect. . . . .
Of course, each one IS an individual case . . |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | it varies on each individual guitar sometimes you can't detect it in a picture sometimes it stares you in the eye. |
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March 2002
Posts: 389
Location: RI. That small State out East | I did pick up a great guitar from Al last year.
In fact a couple of them... My "finish" flaw was in the color of the tectured top. It reminds me of an old milk stain. The 3 or 4 "drips" or spots must be from the finish seperating... Hard to notice 3 feet away.
Now for a sound.... WOW. The best. I bought it for a present for my son on the spot.
For those that made the tour last year... The blue cut away that was being passed around.
Woz
If you want to email me... |
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Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | As to disclosure, Al is one of the few out there that can be trusted. He would never make it as a car salesman...too honest.
As to the SMT and CVT v. a textured top.
In fact, was amazed at the acoustic sound of a shallow bowl textured top 12-str.
I agree the textured top is outstanding. However I also have an SMT and a CVT (Millennium that I got from Woz). Both are excellent guitars. |
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November 2004
Posts: 81
Location: Poplar Bluff Mo | Al,
Sorry if this is off topic but could you send me a price list for your Adamas guitars?
Buddy |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Any finish flaw on a grafite top is nothing to worry about, maybe they just look a little bit funny, just a beauty mark. Think of them as bear claw marks. |
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New facination with Adamas
