Ovation Celebrity

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Chickee

Try as I might to pin down a year of first production, Campbell played many EA-86 Vipers in multiple colors over the years. SuperShallow design and a neck that was electric guitar fast was what endeared him to this model.
It became one of his mainstay stage guitars. I’m sure his weren’t built like mine.

Attachment 87855

The EA-86 Viper was a totally different animal, Frank - think Ovation's version of the Gibson Chet Atkins CEC, which in spite of its Adamas-derived looks had a chambered solid body rather than Lyrachord like the true super-shallows (and yours) - and they unfortunately proved to be another dead end for the company...

[GoPappy]

Congrats on the new Ovation, Frank. That top is completely gorgeous! Wow!

To be honest, I haven't played an Ovation since the 1970's, but your new acquisition makes me want to go try one out. Looking forward to your thoughts after you've settled in with it.

[ghostnote]

That’s a beauty. I haven’t had an Ovation for 30 years, and I miss the one I had. That makes no sense, since the guitars I have now are better anyway - but since when does logic and good sense have any relation to guitar lust? I’m just gonna ban myself from this thread to preserve what little willpower I still have.
Enjoy that pretty thing!

[SpruceTop]

Chickee, you've inspired me to break out my Adamas as the first guitar to open my Saturday afternoon pickin' session and it's sounding big, bold, and beautiful through my LR Baggs Synapse. I've loved Ovations since 1978 when I bought my first Ovation, a Custom Legend. A dozen Ovation and Adamas axes later, I'm still lovin' the brand. I've even played one of my Adamas guitars inside The Mothership in New Hartford. Play On!

[Chickee]

Originally Posted by GoPappy

Congrats on the new Ovation, Frank. That top is completely gorgeous! Wow!
To be honest, I haven't played an Ovation since the 1970's, but your new acquisition makes me want to go try one out. Looking forward to your thoughts after you've settled in with it.

Thank you Pappy! A terrific veneer top on there, I agree totally.
Thank you again.
fd

Originally Posted by ghostnote

That’s a beauty. I haven’t had an Ovation for 30 years, and I miss the one I had. That makes no sense, since the guitars I have now are better anyway - but since when does logic and good sense have any relation to guitar lust? I’m just gonna ban myself from this thread to preserve what little willpower I still have.
Enjoy that pretty thing!

Hey GhostNote
Under the new ownership, DrumWorks in Germany, they are offering pacific rim guitars from $400 to $1200, and the select line of Ovation and Adamas guitars at five and six thousand dollars for the made in Connecticut models.
There is something for everyone.
Thank you for checking in.
fd

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Chickee, you've inspired me to break out my Adamas as the first guitar to open my Saturday afternoon pickin' session and it's sounding big, bold, and beautiful through my LR Baggs Synapse. I've loved Ovations since 1978 when I bought my first Ovation, a Custom Legend. A dozen Ovation and Adamas axes later, I'm still lovin' the brand. I've even played one of my Adamas guitars inside The Mothership in New Hartford. Play On!

I want to see pictures of a good Adamas and Ovation SpruceTop!!! I’m sure you have some around.
fd


For you CoolCats with good memories and good taste in vintage guitars, here are to oldies but goodies from a local guitar swap meet in Lakewood, NJ today.
One was a Balladeer and the other was a Glenn Campbell signature. Both in really good player condition.

11876F0A-69C6-4277-A8EF-997260DFBEAE.jpg

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[jricc]

Frank, I didn't realize your Ovation had a solid spruce top UNDER the quilted maple. That's pretty cool. Enjoy!
Great to see you today!

[Chickee]

Originally Posted by jricc

Frank, I didn't realize your Ovation had a solid spruce top UNDER the quilted maple. That's pretty cool. Enjoy!
Great to see you today!

Yes thats right Joseph. And for forty or fifty bucks less you can get this model48 with a stained spruce top without the veneer. Now that's an incredible deal on a killer stage ready guitar!And yes, it was great meeting you face to face today, Joseph!
frank

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Chickee

I want to see pictures of a good Adamas and Ovation SpruceTop!!! I’m sure you have some around.

Here Ya Go, Frank! I also have a photo of me back in late 1978 with my new 1978 Ovation Legend which I'll have to find and scan for the web. I don't have any other Ovation photos from back in the late-1970s or early 1980s.

2020 Adamas I 2087GT-8 with Op Pro Studio Preamp:



2007 Adamas 2080 NWT with VIP-5 Aura Imaging Preamp (left-front row):



2018 Ovation Elite Exotic Woods with Op Pro Studio Preamp (right-front row):

[Chickee]

Holy moley and geez Louise! That reverse blue burst guitar is stunning, SpruceTop. The black is absolutely sinister. And the exotic wood is jut that, exotic! Thank you so much for taking the time to show me your beautiful Ovation guitars, ST. Find the shot from the 70’s, I would love to see it!

frank d.

[Chickee]

Because I can’t leave anything alone, here is a rendering(done with my iPad pen) for an idea to personalize the Ovation hard shell case I just got to go along with the new Celebrity Elite.

I ordered TESTOR’S plastic car model paint in gold metallic, red metallic and pearl white.

A gold foundation under the red metallic will yield a candy apple red finish. Yes, that’s how the old time hot rod cats came up with those gorgeous custom paint jobs! If they wanted it brighter, they would use silver metallic as the base coat.

I will fill the embossed areas with the red theme and use the pearl white for accents.

These are the silly things I get to do now. All these pent up artistic, quirky urges I suppressed when a young man, I get to explore full steam ahead now in my retired golden years! Bahahaha, god help me!


40BECAE6-2EC1-4CD3-8BE6-B7B326FBF5A7.jpg

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Questions, Comments, Ideas? Tell me your thoughts.

frank d

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Chickee

...Questions, Comments, Ideas? Tell me your thoughts...

Great idea , but I would've gone with candy blue - something out of the Stone-Woods-Cook camp circa 1967 rather than "Mazmanian Devil" candy-apple-red - to complement the blue guitar inside the case :

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Chickee

Because I can’t leave anything alone, here is a rendering(done with my iPad pen) for an idea to personalize the Ovation hard shell case I just got to go along with the new Celebrity Elite.

I ordered TESTOR’S plastic car model paint in gold metallic, red metallic and pearl white.

A gold foundation under the red metallic will yield a candy apple red finish. Yes, that’s how the old time hot rod cats came up with those gorgeous custom paint jobs! If they wanted it brighter, they would use silver metallic as the base coat.

I will fill the embossed areas with the red theme and use the pearl white for accents.

These are the silly things I get to do now. All these pent up artistic, quirky urges I suppressed when a young man, I get to explore full steam ahead now in my retired golden years! Bahahaha, god help me!


Attachment 87972

Attachment 87973

Questions, Comments, Ideas? Tell me your thoughts.

frank d

I'm with Steve I think silver under blue would be cool to go with your guitar. And Frankie Boy, I love that you're going with the quirky artistic urges! Let 'em flow my man!

On another note, I saw above how you removed one of the shims under your saddle. I did the same with my Ovation.

[Chickee]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Great idea , but I would've gone with candy blue - something out of the Stone-Woods-Cook camp circa 1967 rather than "Mazmanian Devil" candy-apple-red - to complement the blue guitar inside the case :

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

I'm with Steve I think silver under blue would be cool to go with your guitar. And Frankie Boy, I love that you're going with the quirky artistic urges! Let 'em flow my man!

On another note, I saw above how you removed one of the shims under your saddle. I did the same with my Ovation.

OK, YOU TWO TROUBLE MAKERS, LISTEN UP-
Both of you CoolCats have enough of your own guitar cases to fill a tractor trailer, don’t you? But nooooo, let’s tell FrankieBoy how to paint his guitar case!! Bahahaha😹
You two are a riot!

Seriously, nothing is carved in stone. I haven’t even had the paint delivered yet. And yes, I agree, a Candy Blue with some pearl white accents may just be the ticket? It would make a nice connection to the guitar. And like the majority of my junk, very personalize!😎

Thanks boys.

frank d.

[Chickee]

Hey Steve,
I’m sure you remember when these gassers were everywhere in the sixties! Man, I miss those days.
Here is a shot of Big John’s Candy Apple Red gasser

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[ssstewart]

congrats on the new guitar, absolutely beautiful Ovation. LOVE Ovations, back when i first began playing in 80, the Ovations were the guitar that we all longed for, ICONIC. (no doubt Mr Campbell had something to do with that ) To this day i still have my 1982 Ovation and haul it out every now and then for that experience that you can only get from an Ovation.