Ovation Guitars

Subject: I have a guitar that no one knows what it is
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2005 18:51:28 -0600

I found an old guitar(guessing about thirty to fourty years old)it has Ovation painted on the head stock,with the same type neck. The bowl is made of wood,I had to have some repairs done to it, the repairman told me he worked for Ovation for thirty years and this is an Ovation however he had never seen anything like it. One group at Ovation states they never built a guitar with a wooden back. Another states it could be a model they used before production. The front don`t look anything like any guitar I have seen before, I've been playing for over fourty years. My question sis how can I find out just what it is I have. The ones that have helt it in their hands say it's the real deal,but the ones that have seen the pictures say it's not.I really don't care because is has a better sound than any Ovation I have played,better than most Martins, but I still wonder. Thank you for your time. Dave

Wow! Dave....this is a unique specimen...in all the thousands of Ovations I've ever seen, I haven't seen one with a wooden bowl. The only company that can probably give you an answer on this one would be Kaman Industries....I don't even believe a vintage guitar expert would have an answer on this one. You do have a rarity...and, if it is an authentic Ovation, then I'd have to say you couldn't put a price tag on it.

Mickey

Subject: Ovation Guitars
Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 14:14:07 +0500

Hi Mickey,
Hope ur doing good...thanks for the advice...it really helped me...I have another problem too...As i told u i have just started learning guitar...To learn i should have bought a normal guitar but i bought an Ovation electro-acoustic...I have a gig bag but hard cases are very expensive here and i have to take my guitar to a centre where my friend teaches me so it is too much hassle...Im thinking of buying another simple acoustic(steel strings) guitar which is just the same price of a hard case so i think it is better to buy a guitar than a hard case for tht much money and use it with no tension at all and i'l use my ovation at home...Iv got an amplifier connected to my pc for lissening music and for movies and i connect my ovation to my sound card(computer) and sound card gives output to the amplifier...Why is ovation different than other guitars?

The Ovations were the first to introduce a bowl-back design with a synthetic material...which set them apart in the industry in both design and tonal range. There have been some major endorsees of the Ovation guitar all the way back to the '70s when Glen Campbell and Marcel Dadi were using them exclusively...Ovations were first introduced in 1966 and really gained in popularity during the '70s.

They are great guitars unto themselves...be sure to check out their fan club also a great reference for Ovation Serial Numbers:
http://www.ovationfanclub.com/default.asp

i have never used other but people say...Are there other brands that sound better than ovation?

There are no other brands that sound like an Ovation...so it would be impossible to say one would sound better than another since this comparison would be based on two entirely different tonal qualities....an Ovation has a more trebly tonal quality...and doesn't have the bass end response of a standard acoustic, silid wood guitar. The Ovation shines when it comes to plugging in and performances in a loud band setting....it is not designed to play traditional styles such as bluegrass.

And is it okay to like if E,B,G strings r from a packet of extra light strings n D,A,E from lights...I mean is it okay if different string guages r used...What do u think what kind and which brand of strings are better for a biggener like me...Lights?extra lights?

I would only recommend using consistent gauges...otherwise, the intonation may go off...which is the true-to-pitch fretting up the neck...I would recommend a light gauge set of strings in the bronze wound....

and how are they different from each other

The light gauge strings are easier to play for a beginner than medium gauge...they feel lighter to the touch and are easier on the tips of the fingers...I still use light gauge strings today after 30 years of playing...

Hope this helps...Mickey

...My friend tunes my guitar for me cuz i have just started learning and i dont know how to tune a guitar and my friend says dont buy a tuner, he'l make me practice tuning from the mind...Im sorry i have written a long ...Waiting for ur reply...

Take care
Ismail

Date: Mon, 08 Dec 2003 08:42:34 -0500
Subject: Ovation Guitars

Mickey,
Just wanted to get your opinions regarding Ovation Guitars. They're certainly different and the one display (yes, 1) I've found locally wasn't set up well so it's difficult for me to say how playable they are and what kind of acoustic sound they really have. In particular, I was checking out the coustic/electric shallow bodied cutaways on your used instrument list and wonder how they compare to other acoustics in the 300-600 dollar range. While nice to have, the electronics would largely be a bonus for me. Thanks for your input.

Chuck
Charleston, SC

Greetings Chuck,

I'm glad to assist:

Ovation guitars do have their place...some of my favorite players were and are endorsees of Ovation including Glen Campbell and the late great fingerstylist: Marcel Dadi.

They're truly unique in tone unto themselves...they seem to have a more trebly tonal range with banjoistic overtones. Again, Ovation has its own unique voicing that no other acoustic guitar can come close to in comparison. Electronically, they're less prone to feedback than the average acoustic guitar...this has been Ovation's forte for many years.

They all can be set up for ease of playability...and, whomever you do decide to purchase from, should include this set-up with the price.

If you're looking for a strictly acoustic setting, I wouldn't recommend an Ovation...unless, again, you're looking for the unique voicing Ovation does offer...

Wishing you the best in your research efforts, Mickey