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Joined:
December 2002
Posts: 4
Location: Chicago Suburbs | In mid September of this year I purchased a very used 1974 Legend 1117-4 from a local guitar dealer. I wanted to try playing again as there had been a 25 year period of non playing. Plus back then I played a nylon string guitar. I didn't want to invest much money in a guitar as I really was not sure if I would be interested again.
The guitar was cosmetically nice. The neck was finished beautifully and the body was good. There were a half dozen stress cracks in the thick top finish. The old Legend needed some setup work and the store recommended a local repair facility. They got it to play better but the action was higher than I would like and I still thought it could play and sound better. I compared it to new Ovations at the store and this confirmed my feelings.
So, I contacted Ovation customer service and they said send it to us for the work, which I did. I wasn't concerned about the cosmetics so I declied the new top. Just make it play like new was all I wanted. That consisted of neck and fret work plus filing the bridge to get the action lower. They also filled the cracks to stablize them and to keep them from getting worse. Ovation did the work in less than 10 days and at a very modest price.
Well, 5:30PM on Christmas Eve the UPS truck delivered my old Ovation. I immediately unpacked it and let it thaw out (it was below freezing here in the Chicago area) for an hour or so in the living room. Then I tuned it up and began to play.
It is wonderful. The action is low and easy to fret. It plays like a new one. It sounds great and I ended up playing it for two hours. It was a very nice Christmas present bringing this old classic Ovation back to life for it's new proud owner. Merry Christmas to all. |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Don't you love it when that happens? |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 613
Location: Zion, Illinois | Nice Christmas present.
What local repair shop did you take it to the first time?
The top on my Custom Legend cracked so I took my Ovation to Guitar Works in Evanston. When I told the repair man that I had a problem with my guitar, then put my Ovation on the counter, he said that he saw my problem, "You own an Ovation". He said that he was just kidding, but did less than a stellar job fixing my Ovation. I had to take it back because they didn't completely seal the crack. I should have taken it back a second time because they left little drops of glue on the top. I still haven't gotten them off. |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Repair the finish cracks? I just bought a 1992 Legend on Ebay and it arrived with 2 cracks in the finish. One from the bridge all the way to the jack. My local repair shop said there is nothing that can be done about the cracks since they are only in the finish and to bring it back if they ever continue into the wood. What kind of filling can they do?
By the way, I got a similar response from him concerning the Ovation. When he picked it up, he said "Well, there really isn't much I can do about the sound, It's an Ovation". I personally think it sounds great. It sounds just as good as my Custom Legend. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | F**k people who make comments about Ovations' sound. I've played a S771 Balladeer next to a 5 series T**lor and the Ovation had a bigger, fuller sound. People like the repair guy (whom I wouldn't deal with for fear that his shoddy attitude would carry over to his work) listen with their prejudices, not their ears.
I shouldn't get this worked up on Christmas. But you know, there are so many dorks and so little time to step on them all. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 613
Location: Zion, Illinois | I won't be going back there, I think his attitude did carry over to his work. The repair shop at Guitar Works has a reputation for doing good work, that's why I took it there. I should have taken it back a third time and complained, but its a 2 hour trip and I thought I could remove the glue myself (I haven't tried yet). There is a spot on the top where it looks like he tried to buff out one of the glue drops. You can see ripples in the finish if you hold it up to the light just right.
I use to have an authorized Ovation repair shop just 15 minutes away from my house, but they moved closer to Chicago so now its 3 hours away. If I need work again I'll probably have to make the journey because I won't trust Guitar Works again.
bradley |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Mdunn
Great Christmas story, I am going to sit here and enjoy it, too many repair stories have a sad ending and it's great that this one involves all of us in that you did what is often recommended on the board and it came out right. You also have started a relationship with your guitar that will last many pleasant years.
Good story
Bailey |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1196
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | Hey guys, I remember this guy at a local music store who would put down Ovation guitars. What really ticked me off was this idiot didn't even play guitar. OH HOW SWEET REVENGE CAN BE!!! When I got my model 1687 Adamas I quickly took it to that music store and let every GUITARIST there play it. They like me where blown away but it's sound. Needless to say the old anti-Ovation idiot was shut up. But the story goes on. After that I took it to every music store in town. AWWWW the comments that guitar has had. That was 20 years ago, and I must say I still take it places to show it off. What a truly great guitar it is! OH HOW SWEET REVENGE CAN BE....Paul Hebert |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 11
Location: California | It's nice to hear another confirmation of excellent work by the factory service guys.
Three months ago I bought a well used, 1977 1117-4 deep bowl lefty for $400. I always wanted an older deep bowl and figured that a factory left hand one would be hard to find so I grabbed it. It had been owned by a session musician in LA. He included a bunch of CDs that he had sat in on using the Ovation. I thought that was nice of him.
It had a two surface cracks on the top in the usual place from the bridge to the bottom. The frets and finger board were worn. Otherwise it was in good shape.
I sent it to Ovation's service dept in early November. For about $800 they are going to refurbish the entire guitar (fret board, frets, neck, finish, etc.) and install modern electronics. They are confident that the cracks in the finish can be sanded completely out without losing any of the patina the wood has aquired over the years. Basically they plan to remove only the finish but not any of the wood underneath. It has a slight bulge below the bridge but they tell me that is "normal" given the age of the guitar and should be left alone.
I can't wait to get it back. But they told me they are so busy it won't be done till the end of January or early February. Although the instrument isn't worth enough to justify the expense I'm still happy to restore
and enjoy an older classic deep bowl.
I will let you all know how the restoration comes out when I get it back. |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 11
Location: California | Imagine if you could send your 65 Mustang back to Ford and pay them say $10,000 and then six months later get it back perfectly restored. If only the rest of life worked that way! |
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Ovation factory repair on my 1117-4