Try to improve an old OVATION

[Pippin]

Hi Forum members,

I manage to get hold of an old (> 20 year) Ovation Custom Legend in good condition (electronics still working). Even with new strings the sound is quite subdued and lacks "sparkle". Volume is also quite low.

The original saddle with the integrated factory piezo pickup looks "plastic" to me. Would it help the sound if i manage to replace the saddle with a decend bridge plate of bone or tusq? It will require some work as the original saddle is kind of thick (may be the thickenss of three or four normal bridge plates together).

Thanks!

Pip

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Pippin

Hi Forum members,

I manage to get hold of an old (> 20 year) Ovation Custom Legend in good condition (electronics still working). Even with new strings the sound is quite subdued and lacks "sparkle". Volume is also quite low.

The original saddle with the integrated factory piezo pickup looks "plastic" to me. Would it help the sound if i manage to replace the saddle with a decend bridge plate of bone or tusq? It will require some work as the original saddle is kind of thick (may be the thickenss of three or four normal bridge plates together).

Thanks!

Pip

Hi Pip...

I sent a note to the moderator suggesting it be moved to the Build & Repair section of the Forum. I bet there are some people there who would be better suited to answer your query.


Hope you find your answers...


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[Pippin]

Thank you, Larry, have always treasure your input!

[JohnW63]

Don't replace the bridge, it's SUPPOSED to be plastic. Under normal circumstances, it works just fine. Hopefully, no one has messed with it in the past.

The Custom Legend should be a nice bright, decently loud, guitar. Is your problem with it plugged in only or unplugged as well ? Is it a shallow body or a deep bowl body ? if it is one of the made for stage shallow bodies, it is not going to be very loud or have much low end, acoustically. Once you plug it in, it should come into it's element. Have you installed a new battery in it ? Have you checked the volume control to make sure it works without crackles ?

[Steve DeRosa]

Before you do anything take off the strings, remove the bridge saddle (CAREFULLY!), making sure that the original (brown phenolic, as in circuit board) shims (if any) are properly seated, and reseat the bridge saddle, making sure that the shims are correctly placed under the black aluminum U-channel into which the saddle is cemented. I've got a volume-only '82 Custom Balladeer that's an absolute cannon with the original bridge saddle (BTW, you don't want to disassemble this under any circumstances as the piezo elements are built in, encased in a rubber-like material, and seated directly under the individual strings) and I've played many other older Ovations before and since, so I'm a bit surprised that you have this problem; absent that, you might want to have a tech make sure that the bridge assembly is still tightly glued to the top...

Hope this helps...

[Ruppster]

I have a 1984 shallow bowl Ovation Collector's guitar that I bought new. About 15 years ago I sent it back to the factory and had the primitive electronics replaced with a more modern system which included a built in tuner. Really made a difference though probably killed the resale value. You might try that if it's still an option.

[patchmcg]

Hi Pippin,

You've gotten some good suggestions already, but it may help if you can provide a few details. What's the model # and serial #? What type of pre-amp is it? What is the overall condition of the guitar, including the braces? Is the saddle worn at all? Is the bridge lifting at all? (Try to slip a piece of paper under the front edge.) Any noticeable rippling in the top or bridge bubble? Anything else out of the ordinary that may provide a clue?

A few pictures might help as well.

I love the older Custom Legends and have never picked one up that sounded the way you described unless it had the super shallow bowl. But then, the SSB was never designed to be killer acoustically. Plugged in on the other hand.....

Good luck!

[Pippin]

Thanks everyone for the inputs and suggestions. Just a little more details:

I am concerned about the acoustic sound of the guitar when playing finger style.

The Custom Legend is of the Deep Bowl type
The circuit is OP-24 (seems working well plugged in)
The bridge and saddle condition appears mint to me with no evidence of previous work, separation, crack, etc.
The saddle with the "plastic" part sitting tight in the metal "U" brace, and one piece of shim underneath all fit very well in the bridge.

I have since make sure that the saddle is sitting well, and installed a set of DAddario PB Medium in hope of more volume...

I shall work on posting photos...

Thanks again...I am glad to tell you that your informative replies had culled my probably foolish enthusiasm to mess with the saddle.

[DanSavage]

Originally Posted by Pippin

I have since make sure that the saddle is sitting well, and installed a set of DAddario PB Medium in hope of more volume...

Try medium 80/20s like Elixir Nanoweb.

I've found the deep body Ovations sound better with the brighter strings.

[Ned Milburn]

A couple posts in here are using incorrect nomenclature.

Bridge = the usually wooden piece glued onto the soundboard that holds the strings and saddle.

Saddle - the plastic or bone piece that slides into the saddle slot on the bridge and which acts as the pivot for the vibrating strings.

Bridge plate - the usually (but not always) present 2 to 3 mm thick plate of wood that is glued on the underside of the soundboard below the bridge.

From Pippin's post:

"Would it help the sound if i manage to replace the saddle with a decend bridge plate of bone or tusq? It will require some work as the original saddle is kind of thick (may be the thickenss of three or four normal bridge plates together)."

You are talking about the saddle here, it seems. NOT the bridge plate.

From JohnW63: "Don't replace the bridge, it's SUPPOSED to be plastic."

Only in rare circumstances have plastic bridges been used, and usually they fail over time. Again, I think you likely meant "saddle" instead of "bridge"


Ovation used many deviations in their guitar design and construction, and many of them did not work well for sound and longevity of the instrument. They are what they are, and I would recommend not to expect to much from one.

[redir]

I think it's best to just think of Ovations as electric guitars, or maybe call them stage acoustic guitars.

[Pippin]

Originally Posted by patchmcg

Hi Pippin,

You've gotten some good suggestions already, but it may help if you can provide a few details. What's the model # and serial #? What type of pre-amp is it? What is the overall condition of the guitar, including the braces? Is the saddle worn at all? Is the bridge lifting at all? (Try to slip a piece of paper under the front edge.) Any noticeable rippling in the top or bridge bubble? Anything else out of the ordinary that may provide a clue?

A few pictures might help as well.

I love the older Custom Legends and have never picked one up that sounded the way you described unless it had the super shallow bowl. But then, the SSB was never designed to be killer acoustically. Plugged in on the other hand.....

Good luck!

Thanks a lot everyone for taking the time to reply...two pictures to show the current bridge and saddle. Hope they work (my first attempt to post pictures

Thanks Ned for correcting my not so accurate nomenclature!

[Pippin]

Sorry guys only one of the two pictures is showing??

[Pippin]

[IMG][/IMG]

Originally Posted by Pippin

Sorry guys only one of the two pictures is showing??

http://s795.photobucket.com/user/Pip...tml?sort=3&o=1