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Contour Bowl vs Deep Bowl help
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Forums Archive -> The Vault: 2008 | Message format |
RDA08 |
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Joined: September 2008 Posts: 55 Location: Columbus, Ohio | Okay I need a little help on this subject. Is there a difference between a contour and deep bowl besids the contour part? Is there a difference in the total depth of the guitar? I'm currently playing an Adamas 1597 that I love but I've been doing A LOT more playing unplugged and would like to have a guitar that shines when not plugged in. The 1597 does a good job but I would imagine that a deep or contour would be better. I was looking into the Adamas 2080 or the Ovation ADII. I would like to stick with the Adamas line but would consider Ovation, must be a 14th fret cutaway. Any ideas? I may be up for trades/partial trades...so let me know what you guys think. thanks, Adam | ||
Mark in Boise |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12758 Location: Boise, Idaho | I think the deep and contour bowls are supposed to have the same volume. I don't mean that in terms of sound, but in terms of space under the soundboard. I wouldn't know how to measure it, since the contour is irregular. Lots of options in the Adamas and Ovation lines. You could also keep your 1597 and go for something different with a great sound, like an 05 Collector. | ||
Jeff W. |
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Joined: November 2003 Posts: 11039 Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | 2080 or 1581 | ||
RDA08 |
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Joined: September 2008 Posts: 55 Location: Columbus, Ohio | I'd like to find a 1581, I'll also look into the 05 Collector. I think GC has the Adamas II reissue for a decent price, however, I'd like to find one used. | ||
FlySig |
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Joined: October 2005 Posts: 4046 Location: Utah | Mark, you could fill one with water, then pour the water into the other to see if it held the same amount. Let us know how it turns out. | ||
Slipkid |
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Joined: September 2003 Posts: 9301 Location: south east Michigan | From what I understand, compared to the deep bowl there are slighly fewer "cubic inches" in the contour bowl but more than a mid-bowl. I have not played enough contour bowls to have a thought out opinion but I'm thinking that the various top designs will have more of an impact in the overall sound of a particular model. | ||
RDA08 |
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Joined: September 2008 Posts: 55 Location: Columbus, Ohio | I really like the sound of a textured top but it seems like used 1581's are hard to come by. I would also like to hear/play an Ovation ADII, although it may be a little to "flashy" for me. ......I do like the water idea | ||
Oddball |
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Joined: March 2007 Posts: 841 Location: CA | I haven't played that many contours either, so soundwise I can't comment. But there's another consideration: comfort. One rumor for the creation of the contour was to fit players with, uh, 'deep bowls' of their own. This it apparently does well. However, for skinny guys like me, I found the contour bowl so uncomfortable that I eventually sold the guitar and went back to a normal bowl. | ||
Jeff W. |
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Joined: November 2003 Posts: 11039 Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | you could fill one with water, then pour the water into the other to see if it held the same amount. I've seen archaeologists use white pearl barley to measure the volume of the brain case in skulls. And there is, at least, one documented case of a member on this board who attempted to measure the volume of a deep bowl using cashews.... | ||
Gallerinski |
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Joined: May 2008 Posts: 4996 Location: Phoenix AZ | Contour bowl has slightly less metric volume than a deep bowl. | ||
Mr. Ovation |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 7222 Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Originally posted by Slipkid: This is my thinking as well. Contour and Deep are so close, and there are so many variables. .... I'm thinking that the various top designs will have more of an impact in the overall sound of a particular model. Would a mid-bowl that the top has completely opened up be louder than a brand new deep bowl? What about the types of bracing? I guess the question turns into... after 2 years of gigging and playing each guitar every day, will the opened up deep bowl version of the same model with countour bowl and same top and same bracing (if that's even an option) be louder. ??? | ||
stephent28 |
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Joined: April 2004 Posts: 13303 Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Not sure of your budget but if you want a KILLER adamas cutaway w/ADII features.............. The Guitar End of discussion. | ||
moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15664 Location: SoCal | When comparing deep and contour bowls, the other variable is in the top bracing. All contours have scalloped X bracing. Deep bowls probably have A or VT bracing. Makes for very different sounds..... | ||
Mark in Boise |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12758 Location: Boise, Idaho | Originally posted by FlySig: I thought about this when I got the LAVKoa, but I couldn't get the back access hatch to quit leaking on the OFC, so I gave up. Mark, you could fill one with water, then pour the water into the other to see if it held the same amount. Let us know how it turns out. Actually, there's an 05 Collector just posted on ebay with a low BIN or OBO. | ||
RDA08 |
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Joined: September 2008 Posts: 55 Location: Columbus, Ohio | stephent28....yeah a little out of my price range, sounds good and can't wait to see some pics. I've played the 2080 and thought it wasn't quite "bright" enough (for me) as the standard Adamas soundhole configuration. The guitar had awsome bottom end and maybe my opinion would be different if I spent more time with it. Never played an Adamas 1581 and would love to someday. | ||
Damon67 |
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Joined: December 2006 Posts: 6994 Location: Jet City | 2080 works for me. | ||
RDA08 |
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Joined: September 2008 Posts: 55 Location: Columbus, Ohio | I'd definitely give the 2080 and go, my current top choices would be the 1581, 2080. Maybe I should post a WTB/T for either of those and see if there are any bites. | ||
FlySig |
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Joined: October 2005 Posts: 4046 Location: Utah | Originally posted by RDA08: Al has some export market Adamas with the textured top. Non-cutaway deep bowl. No factory warrantee but a screaming price for an Adamas. Seriously screaming good deals.I really like the sound of a textured top but it seems like used 1581's are hard to come by. I would also like to hear/play an Ovation ADII, although it may be a little to "flashy" for me. ......I do like the water idea | ||
Mark in Boise |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12758 Location: Boise, Idaho | If you can try a 2080 again, have someone else play it and sit across from it. Sometimes they sound bassey to you because your ears are one the bass side. | ||
TAFKAR |
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Joined: April 2008 Posts: 2985 Location: Sydney, Australia | I moved from a W597 (very similar to a 1597) to an 08 Collectors. i.e. I went from a mid bowl shiny top to a contour textured top. I'm not sure whether it's more the bowl or the top, but the overall change is fantastic. | ||
RDA08 |
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Joined: September 2008 Posts: 55 Location: Columbus, Ohio | That's quite a change...the 08 Collectors are nice guitars. Think maybe I'll sell my 1597, Monitor PA, and Boss GT-8 and see where that lands me. | ||
PEZ |
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Joined: July 2003 Posts: 3111 Location: Nashville TN. | My only adivice is make sure you like the contour bowl against you body. I bought one and found I could not get comfy with it. | ||
RDA08 |
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Joined: September 2008 Posts: 55 Location: Columbus, Ohio | I know that they had an Ovation contour bowl at Sam Ash a while back, maybe I'll stop buy and play it for a bit and see if I like the C-bowl | ||
JeffreyD |
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Joined: September 2004 Posts: 777 Location: East Wenatchee, WA | I have now had (have?) a 1537 (Deep Bowl Ovation, aka the "tone monster" by some), a W597 (mid-depth), a 2080 and now the 2008C (both Contours). The 2080 was the loudest, deepest of the lot. The 1537 is second in loudness, and has a nice woody tone to it. Very mellow compared to the Adamas with a good deep bass, but not as bright as the Carbon guitars. The 2008C is quieter than the 2080 and 1537, but has a much more defined/articulate sound that some have said is more complex...like a piano...which I would agree with. The W597 was fully an Adamas, with a good/crisp bass, but not boomy. It was loud, but quieter than all the above. The W597 had the best action of all my guitars, with the 1537 and 2008C being second and 2080 last (still very good). I suspect the difference is just individual guitar set-ups since I am a novice at that game. All in all, you could not loose with either the 2080, 1581 (which I have not had for comparison) or the 2008C if you bump your budget by a grand. | ||
Losov |
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Joined: October 2008 Posts: 489 | I did not like the contour bowl at all when I first got the guitar, but have gotten used to it. Plus, if you're the type who tapes set lists etc to the side of the guitar, well, there's plenty of room for that. | ||
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