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December 2006
Posts: 36
Location: Palacios, Texas | Howdy Everyone, Looking for some opions and advice. I play a 1112 Custom Balladeer and a 4861 Balladeer, but the round backs have now started become a problem. Let me bring you up to speed, I am in a wheelchair and now that I am getting older my middle seems to be getting rounder, as my wife says, I am getting fluffy. So its getting alot harder to get the guitar to stay in place. I have tried to adjust my strap different ways, but the same thing always happens. Guitar starts sliding out. But if I play my buddies standard dread with a flat back, the problem seems to go away. So I guess what I am asking is... do I trade my Ovations off for standard dreads, or ooo size, or do I just keep trying to find a way to keep the Ovations in my lap. OR do I just need to LOOOOOSSSEEE :D weight :rolleyes:
Any opions or advice will be welcome.
Thanks
Bill |
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September 2006
Posts: 713
Location: Alberta, Canada | wildbill, I wonder if a strap like Willie Nelson uses would work for you. I've always wanted to try one but have not been able to locate a source. With the strap coming around the back and latching onto the bottom of the sound hole, the guitar would be held stable. Just a thought.
Dave
Edit. Try this before getting rid of your "O's".
That 1112 is such a nice guitar. :) |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Check out any photo of Freddie & the Fishsticks and you'll see I'm no Slim Whitman. I have three deep bowl Ovations and no problems with lap-slip. I think most folk here would say that correcting your posture or how you hold the guitar will solve the "problem".
That being said, if you are sitting in a way that your knee is pointing down to the floor, I can see how that might be a problem. In that case a bowl might slip while the acousticly inhibiting & old fashion sharp edge of the wood box design might dig into your leg enough to make up for poor posture. Come to think of it, that might be the only thing the wood box has going for it.
You can put a strip of grip-tape where the bowl rides but you'd be better off getting your knee up higher. Or....use a strap.
The advantages that an Ovation offers make it worthwhile to make that minor adjustment. |
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Posts: 425
Location: SE Michigan | I play both a dread and a roundback Ovation. To me the Ovation is more comfortable and ergonomic. I know it's not always easy but especially in your circumstances you need to try out some different shapes and styles and see what works for you. |
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Posts: 36
Location: Palacios, Texas | Thanks for the input guys. I will see if I can find out what type of strap Willie uses. heck it might just work. I am going to go down and try a few other style guitars out at the local guitar center and see what I come up with. Will let ya know what I come up with.
Thanks Again
Bill |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by colt357:
wildbill, I wonder if a strap like Willie Nelson uses would work for you. YES, try this type of strap. It looks like a saxophone strap and goes all the way around the bottom of the guitar and hooks to the soundhole. A lot of ukulele players use them. Glen Campbell himself has used this kind of strap on a roundback ovation. I can imagine that seated in a wheelchair it should work very well.
Dave |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | I believe they make'em t'use w/certain Spanish/Mexican guitaroid instruments. Might be a good place t'look.
(and you ARE in Texas . . .) |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Random Thought-- I guess you are playing while seated... Could you arrange a strap around your leg with a foam rubber (or some other material) "stop"? Y'know something to keep the front of the guitar from slipping forward. Just a thought. Playing pseudo-Strat, then Ovation, I don't enjoy playing my cheapie dreadnaught. My arm gets tired from reaching over, and I can't see what I'm doing. If you've been playing Ovations for years, I'm guessing you prefer them. I hope you can work-out something creative. |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Here's a link to a classical type guitar strap.
Levy\'s Classical Guitar Strap
Here are some more.
Classical Guitar Strap
Classical Guitar Strap |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Yes, Levy is a good source for them. I use one of his on my Nationals and it works great. They are better than what Willie uses since they catch the end pin and the sound hole. Willie's is just the sound hole. Sitting in a chair I'd think that a 2 point hookup would be best.
Good Luck with it. |
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June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | I'd certainly check out the different strap options that have been presented and see if any of those work... IF they don't, and you have to consider other guitars, I can tell you from personal experience that a triple 0 sized guitar might be the way to go; again, IF the straps don't work out for you. I'm not trying to build a case for you to ditch your Ovations, I'm just offering a perspective as one who owns a triple aught guitar. It is, without question, the most comfortable of all my guitars to hold and play. In fact, it's the only guitar I can comfortabally play for any legnth of time when I just want to sit on the couch and noodle around.
Good luck. Hopefully, you'll be able to come up with something that will allow you to keep picking your beloved Ovations. |
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Posts: 848
Location: Munich, Germany | 
Hi Bill,
I am sitting in a wheelchair,too, and I am also not the smallest. I lay my right leg over my left leg and play like this. The most of my guitars are deep or mid bowls and, with this way of playing, they never slip.
Maybe that feels comfortable for you as well. If not, you should try one of the contour bowls. |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 36
Location: Palacios, Texas | Howdy Everyone, Thanks again for all of the great input, I just returned from the guitar center and ordered one of the straps that hook on the endpin and soundhole, will see how that works when it comes in. Thanks Koenig Kurt for the advice, but right leg is gone, so that option is out. I am going to try the strap with the foam rubber like old man arthur advised. Might help. I did try out a 000 size dread and it did seem better. Willing to try everything before thinking about giving up the O,s
Thanks again everyone, your great!!
Bill |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | wildbill,
Special Forces?? |
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December 2006
Posts: 36
Location: Palacios, Texas | Affirmative Gospel Guitar Guy. 1st Grp, the Rock (Okinawa)& 5th Grp (Bragg). You??
Bill |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | No. I just knew a couple of SF while I was in the Army.
My hat goes off to all of you guys.
And, if no one said this to you lately.
THANKS. |
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Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Thanks from all of us.... |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | ditto that. |
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December 2006
Posts: 36
Location: Palacios, Texas | Thanks for the words guys! It means alot!
Bill |
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October 2005
Posts: 4043
Location: Utah | Bill, have you tried a new Contour bowl Ovation? It rides a lot more like a traditional guitar.
Oh, and thanks for your service! |
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Posts: 4827
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Heck, it ain't even my army and I'll say thank you. (same goes to JTF2, you know who you are)....s++t happens and I ain't wipin' it up!
Just picked up a 'Classical Guitar' strap (grabs the soundhole from underneath) for my Uke and so far I think i'ts the answer. May even have the same answer in the morning..... |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 36
Location: Palacios, Texas | Hey Guys, I picked up the strap today. It works well with my thin body balladeer, but still a problem with the 1112. Thinking that I might be better off just going to all medium and thin bodies. So I will doing alittle thinking about offering up the 1112 for trade.
I want to say thanks again for all of the advice and words of wisdom. You guys really make this a great place.
Thanks
Bill |
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Opions Please