Adamas is Back!

[MrErikJ]

I know there aren’t too many Ovation/Ovation-Adamas fans on here but I think it’s worth noting that Ovation is finally producing the Adamas again.

http://www.ovationguitars.com/adamas

The Adamas is, generally, regarded as their masterpiece and the best example of Ovation design ethos. As with all things, they’re not for everyone, but there are many who love them. Glad to see Ovation producing more out of the USA plant.

[David Eastwood]

Great to see them back in business, and I wish them every success.

I wish they'd recorded the samples with microphones, though.

[slooky]

Hmmm carbon fibre top,,, something new?

[Steve DeRosa]

Nope - they've had them since the '70s TMK, albeit as a CF/wood/CF sandwich-style construction (an idea Charlie Kaman borrowed from his helicopter-construction business)...

[Wade Hampton]

Right. So far as I’m aware, Ovation Adamas guitars with carbon fiber tops were the very first production guitars made with carbon fiber. Back in the mid-1970’s sometime I remember reading an interview in GuitarPlayer Magazine with Jim Messina from Loggins & Messina. He and Kenny Loggins been using Ovations onstage for a long time, but the company had sent him a prototype of a carbon fiber-topped Adamas a few months before, and he had been hugely impressed by it.


whm

[Jeremy]

I'm glad to see that Ovation is still surviving. They were the first guitar I ever experienced GAS with back in high school, so even though I don't have any interest in playing one these days, I do have a soft spot for them.

[AZLiberty]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Right. So far as I’m aware, Ovation Adamas guitars with carbon fiber tops were the very first production guitars made with carbon fiber. Back in the mid-1970’s sometime...

whm

Wade's memory is pretty good.

The Adamas (from the Latin Admantium) had a 3-ply top with a thin layer of spruce sandwiched between two layers of carbon fiber. I want to say 1971, but might have been 72.

[Sonics]

Is this current? I was under the impression DW closed the Connecticut plant and moved the entire Ovation operation to California where they now make, among other things, all-wood flat-back Ovation guitars...imagine that (sic).

Well if true this is good news if you have an ear for tone and extra deep pockets!

[srick]

From what I have read, as of September, DW has established a small shop just down the road from the old factory and they are producing the Adamas in that location. There are still a lot of official references to the old factory address on the internet. Who knows what that’s about? I’m tempted to take a quick drive to New Hartford!

[bob531]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYt2ASdw_WQ

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Nope - they've had them since the '70s TMK, albeit as a CF/wood/CF sandwich-style construction (an idea Charlie Kaman borrowed from his helicopter-construction business)...

From what I understand Kaman originally used crushed peach stones for the 'non-slip' coating over the Lyrachord bowls. Of course this is purely anecdotal and I have no way to prove it either way.

[Guitarplayer_PR]

That's great news!

[AndrewG]

I always like the look of the original Balladeer but in all my 67 years I have yet to play one! The 'affordable' Celebrity models sound great to me-even the super shallow bowl variant; here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onle5gKlaeI

[srick]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

From what I understand Kaman originally used crushed peach stones for the 'non-slip' coating over the Lyrachord bowls. Of course this is purely anecdotal and I have no way to prove it either way.

You really don’t want to know how the sausage is made. You might want to check out what shellac is made of LOL!

[whvick]

I almost bought one or two over the years, but the bowl never fit my knee comfortably. Yet I thought it a unique concept.
Question: why not go ahead with a carbon fiber neck? And what is the composite back composed of? Why not carbon fiber there also?