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Location: SoCal | Let's talk about guitars again (we seem to have been off the subject for a while).
The question is, if you could have any Ovation, real or fantasy, what would it be? Let's exclude slot head Adamas', because we all want one of those.
For myself, it would be an Elite, either an '87 Collectors, or I'd pry one of the prototypes out of cwk2's hands. I love the Elite's sound unplugged, and plugged in, well, they're wonderful.
Anybody else? |
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Location: Shelton, Washington, USA | g'mornin' Paul,
I must be one of the lucky ones, I have my dream guitar... For years I dreamed of owning an Adamas. On May 5th, I became the ecstatic owner of a 1597 SMT. Can't think of anything else I would rather have....
anybody else? |
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Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas | Hmmm.... I would like a natural spruce top Elite with some abalone inlay for the fret markers and maybe around the soundhole, all for $500. Also, I'd like a GC Artist Balladeer in mint condition with the GC inlays on the 12th fret. But I'll not be greedy and would settle for a GC model in simple mint condition for $350. My life would then be complete... for a while...
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Morse
Hot Springs |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Isn't this hard to come up with that one perfect configuration? Now pretend you have to configure a guitar that will sell about 1000 units. That's what it was like doing the collectors series. Each year gets harder. |
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Location: SoCal | Yeah, but the difference is, in fantasy, there's no cost or price limit. When you did the collectors, you always had to price it in a range that would sell, and be able to make it to show a profit. At least I assume that you would show a profit on the collectors. Wasn't that why you never did a collectors with a fibronic (amazing that I remember that term) top? |
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Location: NJ | Mine would be a 12-string Adamas!
I've had my eye on a black Legend12 at Guitar Center that I would consider, but I've also seen a dark (graphite) grey woven top Adamas that I would LOVE to have in a 12-string. |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Paul;
I have to say that my "wish list" grew pretty short with the aquisition of what is undeniably one of the most historically important Ovations anywhere...one of the first, if not the first, Glen Campbell Artist Balladeer guitars made for Glen with the shiney deep bowl and "GC" inlays and original hardshell case. Glen gave it to a good freind and fellow musician who he worked with on the "Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour". Not only is it cool but it is the best sounding wood top Ovation I have ever heard! It has had a LR Baggs pickup/preamp installed at one time but that's no big deal...I haven't decided whether to remove it or not. Here is a pic.
1968 GC Artist Balladeer
Also, here is an old Ovation/Glen Campbell ad that appeared in many music trade magazines in the late '60's, early '70's.
Old Ovation Ad
If you compare the distinctive spruce top grain pattern of the two pics you can see beyond any doubt they are the same guitar. It also appeared (undoubtedly a pic from the same photo session as the ad) on the cover of the April 1969 "Guitar Player" magazine...anybody got one of those by any chance?
Anyway, as you can tell, I'm a happy camper and hope you enjoy the pictures!
Wayne
[ June 06, 2002: Message edited by: Weiner ]
[ June 06, 2002: Message edited by: Weiner ] |
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Location: SoCal | Hey Wayne: Now that is a cool guitar to own. I trust it gets played a lot. |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Paul;
Yes, it is definately getting played...although it is getting spread a mite thin with six guitars on the 'active duty' roster :p
Now you know why I wanted that old guitar brochure on Ebay so bad...seventy-seven bucks??...whew!
Wayne |
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Location: SoCal | Wayne, I didn't realize that I was bidding against you. I'm glad tho', that it was you who got the catalog. I once paid close to a hundred bucks for one of the first Ovation catalogs. |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Actually Paul, if you check the bidding history on the auction you'll see there was another bidder between us so I would still have had to pay the 'big bucks' to get it!
Wayne |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | One question about this GC Artist guitar; it appears that the top is actually 'bookmatched'...is that normal for a spruce top acoustic? I've seen it on many two piece flame top electrics and such but never on a guitar like this.
Anybody know??
Wayne |
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Location: SoCal | My impression was that bookmatching was standard. On my 1537 Elite, it is very obvious. |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Thanks for the info, Paul. My only other wood-top is a classical with a cedar top which are so even grained that any bookmatching is hard to notice.
Wayne |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | This topic has been visited a couple of times, maybe Ovation will one day "make" one of our fantasy guitars. Personally as most of you know, my fanatasy guitar would not be an acoustic. It would be a solid body, foundation like a UKII (neck and bridge attached to an aluminum frame surounded in foam) with hi-output pickups, and a bridge type (fishman) pickup with a Kahler trem system. I was initially thinking setneck, but I think bolting the neck directly to the alumnum would serve the same purpose. The body design (shape) should be like the PF-22. As it looks now, I may be building one very similar to this. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Spruce tops are always book matched. Everyone does it this way. All solid 2 piece tops are done this way. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Hmmm... A fantasy Ovation. How about a drop dead Josh White with OP24+ electronics???
Dave
PS = Hey Paul, Wayne, that was ME who bid between you for the GC brochure. |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Hi Dave, I thought that handle was familiar!
I just got the brochure (pink) today in the mail and noticed the GC six-string was refered to as just that...not GC Artist Balladeer as commonly thought. That term must have come later which makes sense as the Artist bowl was the shallower version. Then still later, it became known as simply the GC Artist.
Wayne |
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Location: SoCal | Wayne:
Regarding the picture you posted of your guitar, a couple of points.
First, I've got two framed ads of Glen with that guitar from, I believe, 1969, on my wall. They are ad that were in trade publications and geared to music dealers. They've got the same grain pattern.
Second: It appears that on the upper shoulder of your guitar there is a volume knob. However, the bridge is a standard bridge. Was a pickup installed later? Or was this one of the original Barcus Berry pickups?
Paul |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Hi Paul, are both of the ads you have different from the one I posted and do you have scans of them?
The pre-amp system is a LR Baggs system and non-original. There is a ribbon type pickup under the bridge saddle which I am assuming is LR Baggs hardware as well. I believe I am going to remove the knob and preamp to restore the original look, but leave the pickup under the bridge and wire it directly to the output jack so I may still use it amplified. I have a LR Baggs Para direct box that sounds fantastic. I did the same to my GC Adamas, leaving all the electrics installed but bypassed.
Wayne |
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Location: SoCal | I'll have to see if I have scans. If not, I'll pull them down and scan them this weekend. However you know my track record on things like that. I'll try to do better.
Why did you bypass the controls on the GC Adamas? |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Paul;
Basically, I wanted to have the upgraded sound and control (using the LR baggs Para DI)without compromising the originality of this rare guitar.
If you scan the ads I would be great to put them on here for all to see!
Wayne |
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Have any Ovation....