Ovation acoustics

[Lord Summerisle]

Not really an Epi question, but here goes...

 

I am in the market for an electro-acoustic. At the moment I have a nice but ordinary Yamaha 6-string acoustic of unknown vintage (probably early '90s, I'm guessing). I use an acoustic for some recordings here and there, and when I play out supporting a friend at his coffee-shop type gigs. I'm using one of those Dean Markley pick-ups that fits into the sound-hole and looks like a wooden soap-bar. It's useless - either deathly quiet or muffled, and it doesn't reflect the tone of the guitar at all. Rather than converting the Yamaha properly, I'll just keep it as my "lying around the house" guitar, and will use this as an excuse to fulfill my (now chronic) GAS for an electro-acoustic.

 

Obviously I will head down to a couple of stores and play a fair few guitars before I make a selection. However, I was wondering...Many years ago I played a friend's Ovation and rather liked it. I guess my interest has been renewed.

 

Just browsing on-line, I guess I'm probably looking at either a...

 

 

Standard Elite:

 

 

 

 

or a Standard Balladeer:

 

 

 

...as both of these models are in my price-range.

 

Does anyone have any recent experience of these (good or bad), or any thoughts or opinions on Ovations in general these days?

 

Either way, I'll "try before I buy," - probably a lot(!)

 

Thanks for your advice / opinions.

[Dennis G]

I've had a Balladeer for about 10 years now. At the time, I was looking for a reasonably priced guitar, didn't own one, and wanted an acoustic/elec. Got the Balladeer. Great for what I was looking for (my own entertainment). Recently bought a 1778 Elite LX. Love it. If you get any Ovation, get a deeper "bowl" (i.e. body, like the Elite LX). The Balladeer doesn't have the depth of sound because it's a shallower "bowl"

[Sjael]

I myself own the cheap (Applause) version of the elite, and the super shallow bowl version at that. Even being so shallow, it's quite loud indeed, easily as loud as my Ibanez dreadnought, although it doesn't have the bass, I actually quite prefer it's tone for what I typically play and it was the key factor in my buying it. Of course plugging it in gets you the missing bass, and it actually sounds passable with distortion.

 

Oh and it looks bloody awesome.

[taxman]

I have had the Elite for close to twenty years. It is the deep bowl, but I wish I had a shallow bowl because the deep is too full and bassy for me. Obviously that may be a sound that you like from an acoustic, but my ears prefer a rather thin, tinny sound (which is why I also have an Epiphone EJ-160E strung with electric guitar strings).

 

The Bad:

- many many years ago, the bridge lifted. Had to be re-glued, no problem.

- deep bowl is tough to play while seated or standing. Not good. I have heard they re-designed the deep bowl (now they are contoured), or you can just buy a shallow bowl.

 

The Good:

- in fifteen years I have adjusted the neck just once. The thing stays true. Remarkable how the action stays where you want it.

- it is the easiest guitar to play. The neck is so thin and shaped just right your hands simply fly all over it. And with the cutaway I play chords down there on that thin neck that I never thought I would on an acoustic.

- it records amazingly. Plug this guitar direct, amp it, mic it and your sound is amazing

- unplugged it sounds full and bassy with great volume

- the electrics are perfect. The onboard EQ allows you so much choice. When amplified, I can easily dial out the bassy sound whenever I want.

- my Elite has an incredible tone when I fingerpick. Very deep, loud tone which is hard to achieve when one delicately fingerpicks

- the Elite is absolutely a stunning guitar in the looks department. Very unique and eye-catching to say the least. The guitar looks as perfect today as when I bought it twenty years ago. Shine is as bright, gold tuners are still gold (unlike most gold guitar hardware). Just a gorgeous guitar

 

In my family we have four Ovations ranging from a top line 12 string to a bottom of the barrel $200 beginner guitar. All the Ovations are a great buy. That cheap $200 is actually the guitar we all love to play the most - what a fun guitar. Bottom line - with an Ovation you get a very unique acoustic/electric that delivers in both departments. Plus they are well made.

[Dennis G]

Kind of funny how personal likes/dislikes show up huh? FWIW, I like my Balladeer shallow bowl for a lot of the same reasons mentioned, but if I (again, personally) could have just one...well...you know.

 

And a big +1 on Beatlenut's "good" comments on Ovations. Plug these baby's in and you can get some sweet sounds over several ranges. And if I'm not mistaken, they were the first to actually do an a/e guitar (I think), for what that's worth.

 

Test drive one at your local store because as he also mentioned, because of the contour of the bowl, they have a tendency to "slip" to about an 85 degree angle to your body. Not a biggy, but takes a little getting used to depending on how often you play it. Overall, I give Ovations a big thumbs up.

[taxman]

Kind of funny how personal likes/dislikes show up huh?

Yeah, I laughed when I saw you wrote buy a deep bowl and I wrote do not buy a deep bowl.

What's a buyer to do?

Well, get a bit of advice from actual owners and then go to a store and use one's ears as you try both styles out.

To deep bowl or not to deep bowl, that is the question. Obviously music is very subjective....even when it comes to bowl shape.

[midiman56]

I have no "recent" experience with an Ovetion guitar other than playing one in a guitar store once in a while. I will say this, however: my Legend will be 35 years old this summer! That's right ... I bought it for myself as a High School graduation present in 1974. It is the only guitar that has been with me almost the entire time I have been playing, and it still sounds as good as it did the day I brought it home.

 

No electrics ... a DEEP bowl ... and amazing sound! Its gotten a little more "golden" in color over the years, and the plating on the tuners looks like hell, but I'll keep that guitar forever!

 

Jim

[YerDugliness]

Kind of funny how personal likes/dislikes show up huh? FWIW' date=' I like my Balladeer shallow bowl for a lot of the same reasons mentioned, but if I (again, personally) could have just one...well...you know.

 

And a big +1 on Beatlenut's "good" comments on Ovations. [/quote']

 

Did Ovation make a "Troubador" model? If not, then I think I had a Balladeer--I'm not sure, as I think the Balladeer might be a slot-headed 12-fret model. My Ovation was a shallow-bowl Ovation with an exquisite spruce soundboard and the most miserably narrow neck it's ever been my displeasure to play. I had been playing a classical guitar for 2 years and had a chance to pick up that used Ovation w/OHSC (I recall very clearly it was a peg-headed 14-fret body) for $75 in 1972. The guitar immediately developed a buzz, and I couldn't take it to the only music store in town (after I bought it, I found out from the music store that the previous owner had not fully paid for it when he sold it to me), so I sent it to the Ovation repair facility in Chicago the cheapest way I could, by Greyhound. Well, Greyhound lost the guitar and only got serious about finding it when I finally filed an insurance claim. Ovation fixed the problem, which was just a truss-rod adjustment, and sent it back to me. It played for a month and then needed another neck adjustment. I sent it back to Ovation, got it back again and it was playable for about another month before the problem developed again. I quit playing it, didn't even want to be guilty of passing my problems off on somebody else, and used it for decoration only (sure was purty!!) until it was stolen when my apartment was burglarized in 1984. I didn't really even mind.....sure do miss the classical guitar, though (the perps stole both of them).

 

Surprisingly, I played an Applause a few years later and actually liked it better b/c the neck was wider, but it didn't have the tone that Ovation did. I had issues with holding both the Ovation and the Applause, too--both would constantly slide down or "rotate" even when I used a strap, I hated that.

 

Sure do like the looks of that Elite, though......if it were me, that would be the one I'd buy, at least I'd enjoy looking at it after I decided that it was unplayable and it became music-gear art like the last one. I've heard others on A/E Ovations at the open-mic venue I frequent, where everyone plugs into the PA, they sound nice. Good electronics, I've heard.....I like the electronics in my 2005 Tak LTD just fine, though.

 

My best advice would be to play one for longer than a few minutes at a time, get one strapped on and play it standing up for half an hour or so, see if that tendency they had to "slip" on me bothers you or not. My standard construction Tak never slips or slides.

 

Dugly

[lpfan]

I have the Applause version of the balladeer and for the money I have in it, its been a great guitar. I have had some buzzing issues with it recently but we got hit by an ice storm and lost power for about 3 days. I'm sure that this is what has caused my problem. Before this happened the guitar played and sounded great. It actually played better that some electrics that I have played. The action is really low on it. I'm sure thats also part of my recent buzz problem. I'll get it fixed and be back in action with it.

[Lord Summerisle]

Thanks for all the input guys.

 

I tried a Balladeer at a local store yesterday evening. Have to say, I am definitely very interested. Perhaps when the tax refund comes back... (provided that the Federal Govt and the State of North Carolina have the cash reserves to pay refunds of course (!) :P )

 

Mind you, I was researching Ovations over at the Harmony-Central forums. I might be fast becoming a fan, but it seems that other people do not share my enthusiasm - (still, to each his own - even if this is mildly amusing...!).

 

 

Some dude at Harmony-Central wrote:

Here's a a list of useful things you can do with an Ovation guitar:

 

1) Shoot buckshot at the back, then use it to strain spaghetti.

2) Best personal flotation device since Dolly Parton.

3) Win a gold medal at the next winter Olympics-use it in the bobsled event!

4) The shell is great for DEEP dish pizza-and if the guitar melts, who cares?

5) use the back for a bicycle racing helmet

6) there'e enough wood in the top for some matchsticks...

7) my favorite...AN OAR!

8) a cereal bowl?

9) Put it on your back -- Teenage Mutant Ninja Ovations!!!

10) water skis?

11) Use it as a riot shield - you're gonna need it when they hear the sound of the thing

12) use it as a large cereal bowl

13) cheap medieval shield

14) BoogieBoard

15) nail it to a stump and use it as a birdbath

16) El Kabong

17) hammer small tacks

18) drive someone crazy - tell them to get a good tone from it

19) Nose cone for a jet?

20) Shoot the rapids - Ovation Kayak co.

21) Mount skinny wheels on the headstock, big wheels in the back, and go soapbox derby racing.

22) Use it as a decorative Tossed Salad Centerpiece at your next Contemporary Dinner..

23) Catch-basin for at-home oil changes.

24) Baby's bathtub (lift the top and prop it up with the neck as a sunshade)

25) Tie above to a skateboard, doubles as a stroller.

26) Bobsled for that snowstorm that caught you unprepared.

27) Dressmaker's form for flat-chested women.

28) My 1st Ovation came from a tupperware party'

29) Find something to plug up the sound hole and use it to store food.

30) Hang it next to a Hondo acoustic... Or anything you want to overcharge for... it'll make it look better...

31) Rip off the top and use the bowl to receive Planet Connect

32) My lettuce has never been crisper

33) Place it under the car when changing oil.

34) Leave the top on and nail it to a tree for a lovely birdhouse

35) Avoid speeding tickets: break off neck and stick it under wife's top - she's on the way to delivery, officer!

[taxman]

Yes, Ovation guitars are definitely a line drawn in the sand. On one side are the haters, the other are the happy users. No guitar really creates such divisiveness amongst players. Hopefully you will become a fan.

[Dennis G]

Yes' date=' Ovation guitars are definitely a line drawn in the sand. On one side are the haters, the other are the happy users. No guitar really creates such divisiveness amongst players. Hopefully you will become a fan.[/quote']

Yeah, I don't think I've ever heard anybody say "Ovations's are okay". Seems like it's either "love it" or "HATE IT".

[RSDx]

A friend of mine's son has an Elite ("shallow bowl", am guessing - it's much much thinner than my Epi AJ, anyway). Plays fantastic, sounds great, really nice guitar - but, fwiw, I've judged this acoustically....have never heard it plugged in, but .... damn fine and attractive guitar, plays really nice unplugged.