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June 2002
Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | I know nothing about the GP and little about solidbody electrics at all. This is not a slam against the GP (I've never even played one), it just seems to me that for the price these used GPs are selling for, there are a lot of really nice US made Gibson, Fender and Hamers. What exactly is it that makes the GP so valuable compared to other brands. I assume people pay big money for them for good reason. Can someone please bring me up to speed on the GP? Thanks. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | exposure by josh homme of the queens of the stone age.
it is a cool functional guitar, that is not something everyone can have. Other than that buy a hamer. |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | And..
They don't make them any more. I'm with Al.
Bailey |
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December 2001
Posts: 7222
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | "What exactly is it that makes the GP so valuable compared to other brands."
"Exactly" I don't think anyone knows, but Al pretty much nailed a good few "whys."
It has some of the "it factor" because it is a standard looking guitar, with an Ovation headstock. In itself, this might not be much, but that headstock looks very natural on this guitar. The Hard Body GS guitars of the same era, did not have a traditional Ovation headstock, but rather a more "strat-esque" headstock, and although unique, was a variation on a theme. Of the other Ovation solidbodies, none had such a traditional body style and hardware configuration as the GP.
So it comes down to a simple matter of "does it speak to you" enough to want one. If you desire a GP, then there were only so many made, and they command a price. If you just want a decent guitar, than the world is your shopping mart.
What kinda throws me, is that after you hit and pass the 1000 mark, you start getting into the area of just having someone build you a brand new one. The only thing you need is a Preacher neck and a willing custom guitar shop. Of course I guess you would have to get someone to supply some detailed pictures and measurements to work with also. I just don't get spending 2K on any non-handcrafted or non-handmade guitar. |
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June 2002
Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | So how much of this do you think is fan craze? I mean if the Queen of the stone age stopped using Ovations do you think the prices would drop like rocks? |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | I don't have an answer for that. I'm still trying to get my head around '...a lot of really nice' and 'US made Gibson, Fender...' used in the same sentence.
;) |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | IMHO
Yes, it is a fan craze.
The price will drop, but the issue is when and by how much. That's like trying to predict real estate prices, it'll increase but when it drops, no one knows. |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by cruster:
I'm still trying to get my head around '...a lot of really nice' and 'US made Gibson, Fender...' used in the same sentence.
;)
OK, you may not personally CARE for them, but are you really saying that you don't think Fender and Gibson make some nice solidbody electrics? I'm no expert and barely even a player, but when I lay my hands on a nice custom shop Les Paul or a 50th anniversary Strat, I've got some serious drool factor to deal with. From what I see, Hamer is the sleeper in terms of bang for the buck. But I doubt many of us would have trouble using "really nice" and "Fender, Gibson" in the same sentence, as long as we were talking solidbodies. I respect your opinion. |
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December 2004
Posts: 9
| I'm one of those idiots who paid a lot of money to become a GP owner, so perhaps I can add a little bit. :)
I'll admit that QOTSA was a trigger for me. I saw them play live in the late 90s, and I was taken by the GP because of its tone. I'd been trying to figure out what that guitar was since then. With their exposure growing, it suddenly became easy to find out what make/model that guitar was.
I'd guess that most people who buy this guitar for the amount of money its going for are primarily interested in its sound and look. Couple that with the fact that there aren't many in existence, and the price somebody is willing to pay skyrockets.
I think the key issue is its tone, as far as the price goes. Many people who own a GP say it sounds better than a Les Paul or a PRS. If this is true, then a GP would be worth at least the price of a Les Paul or PRS to somebody that wants one.
I've played high-end strats and Les Pauls. Strats don't have the sound I'm going for, and there's something unsatisfying about a Les Paul to me every time I play one. Either the physical balance of the guitar feels off, or it just sounds thin.
The price of the GP might be fan factor, but I think for the kind of money its going for, it's more an issue of its tone and look, as well as the fact that it is a rare guitar.
If you get a chance, try comparing the GP unplugged to other electric guitars. The GP resonates, especially for the notes E, A, and C. Try playing those notes at any octave and you'll hear a resonance throughout the body of the guitar at other harmonics. I think this might be one reason the GP sounds so good. This kind of resonance in the body translates back into the strings, creating a very rich sound.
I did the same test with a mahogany/maple-cap electric guitar I own. It sounds dead when unplugged. I have a good set of pickups in it (Seymour Duncan 59 and JB), but I think the resonance in the body of the GP gives it a large advantage. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | HEY BG,
Welcome to the club and a very nice and informative 1st post.
You are gonna like it here...very lively and fun.
Stephen |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | The Hamer radius is probably 12* |
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December 2001
Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | Let's remember that Josh altered his guitars to having strings through the body. this changes the tone and the length of the strings there fore the way the guitars plays. |
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Joined:
October 2003
Posts: 148
Location: Munich | I'm collecting rare guitars now for a couple of years and use the GP as my main axe.
I think BG is totally right, the special thing about the gp is the mixture between it's shape and it's sound. this is the only guitar I know which has a 6 layer binding and complete dimarzio electronics. CWK2 one time wrote that is just a Les Paul with a bass horn but I don't think so. There were many double cutaway guitars made in 1984, for example the Fender Flame, Ibanez Artist and so on but only the GP has this really attractive shape. Surely, this is matter of personal taste and you can discuss about one hundred sides if the design is the best one in history of solidbody guitars or not. In my case I just fell in love with it as I saw it the first time. Also the kind how the neck is glued-in seems to me kind of special. the main things that sets it apart of a Les Paul is it's well balance and the dimarzio dp104 super2's in combination with the schaller 455 bridge. I always hated this 3-way toggle switch at the upper side of the Les Paul. Every time you wanted to have some fun and starting to play like wild you are changing the pu selection and this is one thing I really love at the GP. Every time I played with my Tele or my UKII the volume knob was doing what he wanted to do in fact I touched it by bashing the strings this doesn't happen with the GP in fact the bridge is so high that you can't touch the knobs accidentaly.
One great disadvantage is it's weight. You really can feel that 5 kilogramms after playing a few hours, same as the Les Paul. And one reason to prefer a UKII. Another one is the price, surely this guitar is rare and it's really good but 2000 bucks are too many. I have a totally handmade Maton PM1 with the serial # 001 and there were just 200 made and it was assessed about the same price. But like in every buisness the demand is setting the price, if it's fair or not.
I don't agree with the unplugged theory. The UKII, some Hamers and Hofner solidbody guitars are louder and better sounding than the GP. Also plugged the UKII is a little bit more aggressive than the GP but unfortunately it is not so well balanced. It always tends to roll over the headstock and you only can fix this problem by wearing a rough leather strap.
It's famous in fact Joshua Homme is using it and when you've got one you have to deal with other guitarists or music fans that say you're copying QOTSA also if you're playing country or indie music. But who cares? Women love this guitar ;)
The one who knows this guitar best I think is Ickygoo, haven't heard anything from him for a long time
But after all I must say it's a shame that ovation stopped building solidbodies. I don't want to offend the hamer fans, this are really good guitars but the flair of ovation solidbodies is another.
c ya |
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GP 1431e - Please educate me