ovations

[sc morris]

i only have 2 acoustic guitars... one being my old Takamine
G-330 beater that i've had for about 10 years. it's all laminate and i've never heard a Martin D28 that could touch it....seriously, it's just one of those freaks of nature. Apparently the right plastic met the right crappy laminated wood and they made love on my old $200 Tak. But this is about Ovations, which brings me to.................

i bought an Ovation CS257 about 2 years ago. i bought it because i needed something for church and my old Tak doesn't plug in. i paid $650 for the total sale....that's to get the ultra fancy Ovation case.. you can buy the guitar itself for $499 all day long on the internet. This is the one with the super-shallow bowl and the off-set sound holes. It's got a beautiful finish in a dark cherry burst. i love it. i blows away ANYTHING plugged directly into the house for under a $1000. i just have the guy add some reverb on the board for me and i'm set. no amp to carry around or pedals. i has a nice, rich bass tone and the treble is clearer than my old Tak. dreadnought. this guitar is perfect for what i bought it for. it does feel more like an electric guitar.....but isn't that their slogan.....it's the "electric player's acoustic". Ovations are by NO MEANS crap. it just depends on the taste of the player. on this board i do not expect to find much support for ovation...since this is the Taylor board....and Taylor's are for purists who seek the solid wood difference...and that's ok. It's just a matter of taste and what yer gonna do with the thing. it's not a Taylor...but that's the whole point. they're trying to go after a different kind of guitar player. so, Ovation has my vote, but so does Taylor....and Larrivee.....and Martin....and..............

[gfuguitaraddict]

I have heard lots of people say that ther best use is a boat oar.

I am slightly more open-minded than this. I think they sound alright when you plug them in, but kinda fake. They sound OK when they are downtuned AND plugged in.....kinda. I have played countless Ovations. None of them fit my fancy. If you have one that you think sounds good, hold onto it because odds are you wont find too many more.

If you want a fairly inexpensive guitar, buy a low end Martin or a Larrivee D-03. Both sound far superior to an Ovation in any situation, and they look a whole lot better too.

[whistlecat]

I have an OVATION and!!!oops I forgot;my grandfather always told me if you cant something good dont say anything at all.

[ScottyMac]

I've owned two Ovations in my life. The first was a 1973 Glen Campbell 12 string, and the second a 1980 Balledeer. There was a time I thought they were good guitars...until I discovered Taylor.

About 4 years ago, my son, who now owns an 810 and a 314, bought his first new guitar...an American made Ovation. After about 18 months, he opened the case to find that the bridge had completed lifted off the soundboard, ripping it in the process.

He cherished this guitar...always cased and never abused. Evidently, Ovation only has a one year warranty. They would not make good on the repair, and it cost us $220 to get it fixed. We sent it back to the Ovation factory...it took over 2 months to get it back. He sold it and bought his first Taylor.

Never again will I buy or recommend an Ovation to anyone...sorry. But that is terrible customer service. I even wrote them and never heard back. They lost us for good.

[kkrauss]

I have a Celebrity CC057RR thin body that is fun to play, has a very high "cool factor", and plugged in, sounds pretty decent. I played a couple holiday shows at my kids' old elementary school with a local radio personality who makes a living playing parody songs with his Yamaha on air. He made a habit of asking me about it, because he really seemed to like it -- of course, we were both plugged in. Not bad for under $400.

Probably the shallow body or laminate top, but while I enjoy playing it unplugged, the tone doesn't come anywhere near the tone of any of my solid wood acoustics.

-Kent

[kcollins]

I own an Ovation too. I don't play it much any more. For me, over many years, it was THE guitar. It does have an outstanding neck and I think the top is very pretty.

I think some things have to be placed in context. When I bought my Ovation in 1978, there was one choice in solid wood guitars - Martin standard series. They were boomers and they didn't plug in unless they were customized after purchase. This is the market Ovation entered and for a reasonable price you got a solid spruce top, superior electonics (for the time), and great plugged-in sound, and a case that weighed as much as my 14 year old son.

I bought my Ovation for the on-board electronics and for the balance of tone - it did everything - strum, fingerpick, acoustic lead - sort of middle of the road, and it served me well. It doesn't compare to the solid wood choices we have today, in tone or appearance or price. It is a dog who's had it's day - but I had a lot of fun playing mine for a long time.

[Steve314]

If you take the top off 'em, they make great bowls for chips and salsa...



Steve

[Chips and Dust]

Come on folks, there is room for more than one make of guitar in this world.
I played a balladeer for 25 years. It was the first half way decent guitar I could afford and I loved it. I have to agree that the tone took some getting used to but as it aged it improved quite a bit. It was also a guitar that I had no fear taking with me where ever I went. I can't bring myself to take my Taylor camping to play around the campfire. The Ovation had no problem with it.
I played the heck out of that guitar and had only one fret dressing on it. That was after I had owned it for 15 years and I was the second owner. After the dressing I was playing 2 or 3 hours a day on it and when I finally lost the guitar in a house fire the frets showed NO signs of wear yet. I've owned my k20ce for a little over a year and the frets are already wearing.
I hung out with a very talented luthier for quite awhile (up until his death). His guitars were very nice. He was one of those who made fun of my oar. Just before his death he finally confided in me that my ovation was much more stable than any guitar he had ever made and that one of his long time friends had just sold his entire stable of guitars and kept only his ovation.
Don't get my wrong I love my Taylor. The playability and tone are perfect for me. I am however in the market for another deep bowl ovation that I can carry around with me without fear.
Those boat oars can really take it.

[RScott]

dear chips and dust - been a guitar player 39 years. I love my Taylor 710 CE, but it is best used for flat pickin. I have an Ovation #6718, which i also love. i find it much better for fingerpickin. the neck on the Ovation is much more accomodating to movement up and down the fret board. Though the Taylor has the best acoustical sound of any guitar i've ever played, sometimes it can be challenging to play. What i would like is a Taylor body with an Ovation neck. Ever heard of such a thing?
..............RScott

[kkrauss]

Originally posted by RScott
What i would like is a Taylor body with an Ovation neck. Ever heard of such a thing?
..............RScott

2002 Taylor 510 LTD. Very cool guitar. "V" profile neck (like my Ovation). Though I think Ovation has tried different neck profiles over the years, like everyone else.

I do still like my Ovation though.

-Kent

[RScott]

been playing 39 years. And i have guitars like being discussed here. an Ovation 6719 Standard Elite model (pretty guitar !), and a Taylor710CE. The Taylor has the better acoustics, of course, by far. The Taylor is a great instrument to flat pick, and it gives off a lot of great harmonic sounds. The fret board, however takes a little extra work. The Ovation is much easier and fun to play and does well on a PA. I like the Ovation for finger picking, because it is easy up and down the neck. The Ovation neck is superior to that of the Taylor, I think.

My dream guitar would be one that had a Taylor body and an Ovation neck.

[stringslowe]

I've played a few - the Adamas sound good, but they always slide off my lap.....

[JohnZ]

Well with 46 years playing experience and 5 Ovations maybe I should chime in. First, here's what I have now:
'71 Balladeer 1111 (dot inlay) - one of my best recording guitars
'81 ? Custom Legend 12 (first black one made)
'99 Mandocello
'97 Country Artist Nylon 6773 (black)
'97 Country Artist Nylon 6773 (natural - a backup)

The balladeer and mandocello sound very good acoustically, the others don't. The black country artist has the best playability and amplified sound of a nylon string guitar I've ever heard, and most who have heard it agree. Even the natural finish one that should technically should be identical doesn't come very close. The Taylor NS62CE I got this last summer because it felt and sounded so good at GC turned out to be an embarassment in head to head live playing and was returned.

For me it comes down to the individual instrument and how it works for your needs.

[utah]

Never owned one, but I have many friends who do.

Here are my observations.

Quite a few have cracked tops. That might simply be due to the fact that we get real extremes in temps up here in Ontario Canada. I think because only the top is wood...it flexes while the fibre body doesnt....and so...crackola!

I find them awkward to play...because of how they slide off your lap.

When played un-plugged....they don't really have the kind of tone that other high end guitars display. But...they can be loud.

They are very good for playing plugged in live...especially loud. They certainly resist feedback very well...and can crank out the bass.

And...they are maybe a bit more durable (cracked tops, notwisthstanding)

But..I would never consider owning one. They simply don't do it for me. However, I have no qualms about someone either owning one...or raving about it. Afterall...we only express our opinions. And one opinion is not more right than another, when it comes to guitars.

[dave hiwatt]

I have a U.S.A. made ultra for almost19 years. Played a lot of gigs, outdoor parties, camping trips etc. It has certainly taken more than it’s share of abuse. And it looks as good as the day I bought it new. The neck feel, (slight “V”) action, and playability of this guitar are superb. Certainly one of the most stable instruments I have ever owned. Amplified, it sounded as good as any other acoustic of that vintage ran straight to the board. And feedback was never much of a problem.

Acoustically it has way too much middle and high end, and the bass is nearly nonexistent. It sounds like a big noisy duck.

I don’t even play it anymore since I have acquired my Taylor’s

But I will say that it has served me well over the years.