What do you think of Ovation and RainSong guitars?

MajorChords · #1 08-09-2011, 09:18 PM

I'm becoming intrigued by RainSong and Ovation guitars. Both seem to be non-traditional guitars. RainSongs I believe are made of graphite and Ovations have proprietary composite Lyrachord back and sides.

What do you think of their sound/tone? How does it compare to wood-based acoustic guitars?

Any input would be much appreciated.

DenverSteve · #2 08-09-2011, 09:27 PM

You would have to be more specific regarding the Ovations. Ovations come in a HUGE range of guitars. There are low-cost lower-quality imports and some phenomenal USA made guitars. Do you have a specific series or model?

MajorChords · #3 08-09-2011, 09:56 PM

Thanks PastorSteve for the very prompt response.

At this point I have no specific Ovation or RainSong model in mind. I shied away from them before since they seemed too non-traditional for me (with the composite Lyrachord or graphite). I feared they will lack the warmth of wood guitars and sound a bit "artificial" (apologies - can't think of a better word to describe it).

But if I have to pick albeit based solely on specs, looks, and price then it would have to be the Ovation Celebrity Mid Depth Flame Maple or the Ovation Standard Balladeer 1771 AX. For the RainSong, it will be the Studio series.

Thanks again.

patticake · #4 08-09-2011, 10:00 PM

medium and deep bowl ovations have lots of bass - most of the rainsongs i've played are very bright. and then there's the blackbird rider - sounds much bigger than it is.

DenverSteve · #5 08-09-2011, 10:08 PM

I would point you towards the Balladeer models. They may have been non-traditional guitars when they came out but after 30+ years, they've made their mark and many, many pros have used them both on stage and in the studio. I have owned several and enjoyed all.

Kerbie · #6 08-10-2011, 03:51 AM

I love Ovations, but I tend to like the old ones that were all made here. The high-end ones are still nice, but I would limit the foreign-made Ovations to starter guitars. They are still very easy guitars to play and learn on.

Ilovetaylors · #7 08-10-2011, 03:54 AM

I never like the slippery feel on the back of the ovation and the weird circle backs.

is the rainsongs like this also?

ruger9 · #8 08-10-2011, 04:29 AM

The expensive Ovation, like the Custom Legend, ane great. Every Rainsong I've played is also great, and sounded more like a wood guitar than the Ovation did (not necessarily a good or bad thing), I haven't played any of the "cheaper" hybrid Rainsongs yet.

I love my Ovation Custom Legend deep bowl, and only a Taylor GS (that I've played) sounds as much like a grand piano as the Ovation does. But if I had the cash, I also would have bought a Rainsong already as my travel/vacation guitar, due to their extreme durability.

billv · #9 08-10-2011, 04:31 AM

I used to have a '70s vintage custom Legend, and the build quality was excellent. Sound was decent, but not overwhelming. Neck was beautifully straight, frets great, played great. It blended in well with the band that I was playing in at the time. But playing it by itself was never as satisfying as a wooden guitar.

alan814 · #10 08-10-2011, 05:33 AM

I would also vote for the Ovation. I have had several over the years and do still have one. I just recently acquired one of their 40th Anniversary models (from 2006) and must say it is a good as any guitar I have ever played. Period. Never played a Rainsong, but the reviews seem to be good. If you do go Ovation, try to get one the the USA made one - just better than the other ones. Good luck in your search.

PorkPieGuy · #11 08-10-2011, 06:00 AM

Because I don't weigh 99 lbs, everytime I play my applause I look like I'm playing a dobro.

Doubleneck · #12 08-10-2011, 06:10 AM

I grew up on Ovation guitars and have some of their better US made ones. I have over the last five year got into carbon guitars. First Ovation makes very good guitars but I find myself only playing my Carbon Guitars now. If I would recommend one brand it would be Rainsong. For one compared to the Ovations they are extremely light. I really think Ovations fiberglass backs are old technology compared to carbon. Rainsong has added so many variations you need to play them. Pure carbon classic is bright but I like it. The newer hybrids are cheaper and are maybe more woodlike. The unidirectional top I think adds a bit to the sound. Quality is topflight. If you definite want a wood imitator CA guitars may be worth a look. I go back and forth between my CA Legacy and my Rainsong OM1000

mchalebk · #13 08-10-2011, 06:31 AM

With Ovations, unless you only care about plugged in tone, stay away from the shallow bowl designs. And I agree that the lower end ones tend to sound pretty bad.

If you're interested in composite gutiars, I would recommend checking out the carbon fiber guitar forum at MacNichol.com:

http://macnichol.com/forums/carbon-f...itars-acoustic

This forum is run by an online dealer (a very good one, by the way), but there is no pressure to support his business. There have even been other retailers posting there. The best thing about it (other than one of the friendliest and most helpful online communities you'll ever meet) is that people from all the major CF guitar manufacturers post there (CA/Peavey, RainSong, Emerald, Blackbird).

I would highly recommend spending some time over at MacNichol.com and learning about the different manufacturers. They all have their own unique take on CF guitars and all are worthy of your consideration.

And you won't have to worry about things like humidity ever again.

eribo · #14 08-10-2011, 06:56 AM

I have an Ovation Thunderbolt TB-01. From the 80s and has Lightning Bolts for soundholes. (Think Bon Jovi playing a power ballad!).

It has a shallow back, and as a result I think it has a thin sound unplugged. Plugged in, it sounds awesome, and in addition it has a very fast neck. A great acoustic guitar for a rock/metal band...

But, to me, I think the unplugged sound is the only thing that I could ever say was 'bad' about an Ovation. But if you will mostly play plugged in, they are great.

BTW... since I am getting older, the Rock and Roll Thunderbolt is for sale... not because of sound, but because of the look!

patchmcg · #15 08-10-2011, 07:53 AM

Any brand of guitar has variations in tone. After 30 years, I still love Ovations, but I have learned my personal preferences for the sounds I like. The import Ovations are good beginner-to-intermediate instruments. The USA-made Ovations are professional-level instruments more than capable of meeting a musician's needs.

Just be aware, as a previous poster noted, that Ovation has produced a bewildering variety of instruments over the years. The easy and obvious characteristic to take note for is the bowl depth; just like wooden instruments, less cubic footage in the soundbox usually leads to less volume as well as alterations in tone. (This can be good or bad depending on need and personal taste. Think of the comparisons between 000s, OMs, Dreadnaughts, and Jumbos.)

Ovation, like many manufacturers, takes advantage of different topwoods as well, including some surprisingly effective double-veneer tops. (A type of laminated top.)

You can find 12- or 14-fret necks which also affect tone and playability.

And the one factor that people miss the most, they have numerous bracing patterns that have a large impact on the tone of the instrument. This is why similar threads in the past talk about how "bassy" they can be while another response two clicks down extols the incredible balance across all the strings.

FWIW, if you want an "O" that has a woody sound to it, get either an older Balladeer, Custom Balladeer, Legend, or Custom Legend with A-bracing and a deep bowl or get an older Elite with fan bracing and a deep bowl. (If you can scrounge up a 1537 Elite, you may never buy another guitar! They are hard to find for a reason.)

If you want a guitar with amazing balance from string to string, get either a mid-bowl, deep bowl, or contour bowl with LX bracing.

If you need a guitar purely for plugging in and gigging, get a super-shallow-bowl or buy the EA-68 Viper I have for sale. They play like an electric but sound like an acoustic.

I can't tell you much about CF instruments other than I've played a couple of Rainsongs over the years, but they didn't really click my gears at all. I have nothing against them, others love'em, they just don't get my juices flowing for some reason.

Good luck with your search. There are several good instruments for sale on the Ovation Fan Club right now. It might be worth your while to check them out.