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Location: SoCal | This last weekend, MtnbkrFred (or however it's spelled) took possession of an acoustic only 1537. It appears to be factory made that way. I just found out that the proper model number for that should be 1337.
This is the first one I've ever seen....... |
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Location: SoCal | Thank you Paul.
Sorry about the mix-up Fred.
Moody says the guitar is a mislabeled 1337.
Just give it back and we'll have to find you a 1537.
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Location: SoCal | well, mistakes do happen...I have a 1688-8 Reissue with only six strings.
Guess it is easier and cheaper to restring that way, should I have gotten another six tuners?? |
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Location: Orange County, California | The "thing" is freakishly loud. |
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| That collection is growing at quite a pace young man. :eek: |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | That means Fred can't be in the 1537 club. Too bad. |
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Location: Orange County, California | Oh, I don't know about that. Tony is still the king of aqusition. I merely accepted a couple of gracious and timely offers. I also "made room" as soon as new ones arrived. The BWL replaced the resurected Ibanez which I gave back to my friend Layne. The C2078LX is staying with my brother in law. I'm not sure he's been home to see it yet. He's a young college teacher, and has to work as a painter over the summers and holidays to make ends meet. The guy teaches Sunday-school and leads youth worship. There is no way they can afford toget him a really nice guitar, So I told his wife I ran out of guitar stands, and asked if I could keep it at his house for awhile :D I wont have GAS for awhile. |
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Location: SoCal | Who me?? I'm trying GAS-Ex. Hopefully, I'll be able to stay in the trade/sell mode for a few months. |
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Location: Orange County, California | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
That means Fred can't be in the 1537 club. Too bad. Thats OK.
I'd rather be the *other club* with the 1547's and that cool slot-headed nylon strung one the WDfoto has anyway :D :p
You guys with *mere* 1537's* have fun now ya hear? :p :D |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Fred, if you want to be in the "other club" with the 1547, etc., you should change your tagline to reflect the 1337! |
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Location: SoCal | and, may your fingernails crack and knuckles swell if you consider modifying it to an a/e.
you must resist those evil voices... |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I should start loaning a few out so that I have room for more. There are lots of clever people on this board. The 1537s do seem to be awfully common since I got one. |
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Location: Orange County, California | Stephan: The label says 1537. Nothing else makes sense. It's not an Ultra, or a Matrix. Strange & Wonderful things came out of Moosup...
Witco: Fix your website. It's chock full'o'mistakes (The other on is a Breadwinner LIMITED) :p :D :D :p |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Fred knows better. Guitars aren't meant to be filled with wires, batteries and black boxes. It's no coincidence that pretty much the best sounding guitars I have ever played are acoustic only - Cliffs 1187, my U681 and W681 adamas, and my 28VS and 28NB Martins, just to name a few.
Dave |
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Location: Orange County, California | Originally posted by Tony Calman:
and, may your fingernails crack and knuckles swell if you consider modifying it to an a/e.
you must resist those evil voices... I was thinking about installing a Taylor Xpression Sytem in it and using the little epaulet holes to mount the control knobs.... LMAO :D :p :D :p
I've already had an experience playing next to my friend Eddie with his 6778LX, He's strummin' away, and I'm wondering to my self "how can I turn this thing down"? I dropped my pick and I still had to play the barre chords, or I just couldn't hear him at all. I'm not kidding. I was 2 feet from him, strumming with my thumb, and I couldn't hear him!! |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I had a similar experience playing the Ute across from an OOO Martin. If I hit a string with my fingernail it would drown out the Martin with a pick. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Better give the Martin your finger... |
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Location: Orange County, California | The only woodbox I've heard that could keep up with U681T is Jeff W's Lowden. My friend Scott just picked up an R.Taylor (10-2006). I'm going to give him a run for his money ($4160!! :eek: ). I hope he's not disappointed :D :p :D :p |
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Location: SoCal | Guys, it ain't a contest. The 1537 has a great voice. Sometimes it's the loudest and sometimes it's not. The goal is to make music with others, not drown them out.... |
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Location: Orange County, California | That's the problem. I'm afraid everyone will clearly hear just how bad I suck... The one time I played at church I sat in the back corner usually occupied by the bass player since we were doing a "mini-acoustic set" the weekend after Easter. Snyder the sound guy asks if I want to plug in and I say "No", only to find out later I could be heard clearly in the drummer's overhead mics anyway, and since Kurt the drummer was out front playing his cajon, djembe, congos etc, Snyder just turned that mic up to bring me into the mix. Sneaky, sneaky sound guys. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | In the early days, before I could spell PA it was just me an my 1112 singing Wedding Song.
I may never own a 1537. It's too much fun finding great O's for under $500 and checking them out. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | My friend bought his 1537 for $515. Getting pretty close.
I wasn't trying to drown out the Martin, I was trying to play nice, but it's hard when you're the loudest voice in the choir. The Martin owner loved the Ute, by the way. She had a Taylor before and got rid of it for the Martin. |
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Location: Orange County, California | 1537/1337...
What a bizzarre model. I poured over the archives, Jerome's site, and the refrence section. I found only a handful of refrences to the 1337, and very little documentation, and 1 post from an inactive member who failed to produce photographic documentation of his. The list price spreadsheet actually has the most compelling evidence of it's existance. It lists the year as 1982 only, the model 1337, the description: Elite, and the list price $1015. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Bizarre and fascinating are closely related. You have quite a special guitar, there. |
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Location: SoCal | Bizarre and fascinating are closely related that works...Fred has probably also been described as such :p |
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Location: Houston, Texas | So what's the story on this 1337 labeled as a 1537? Where did it pop up from? |
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Location: Orange County, California | I'd like to see a correctly labeled 1337. I guessing there as rare as hen's teeth, and may have all been labeled 1537. I don't buy the "they all started out as 1337's and THEN had electronics added" story. My top IS drilled for a stereo pickup, but there is goo in the holes. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by mtnbikerfred:
My top IS drilled for a stereo pickup, but there is goo in the holes. That sounds like a Tupperware special. Are you sure it didn't start life as a 1537 and someone changed it to straight acoustic? |
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Location: SoCal | Had to be built that way.
The bowl has no evidence that there ever was electronics. |
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Location: Orange County, California | Originally posted by stephent28:
That sounds like a Tupperware special. Are you sure it didn't start life as a 1537 and someone changed it to straight acoustic? The bowl is undrilled.
I belive they drilled all the tops this way.
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Location: Houston, Texas | It also does not appear to be drilled for a stereo pickup. Here's my 1537.
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Location: Orange County, California | Duh. I forgot about the locating pin on the other side of the saddle. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Looking at Fred's photos where are the bridge bolts ??? Were only the A/E bridges bolted on or was that something that only started on the later 1537's. Both of mine have bolts. Dave |
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Location: Houston, Texas | Are you talking about the plastic pins that hold the saddle in place? I don't see these on Fred's.
Or bolts that hold the wooden bridge down. My 1537 is an early one and doesn't have them, but I don't recall seeing them on any 1537. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | No, I'm taking about the actual bolt on bridges that have the two wooden plugs covering the bolts on the outside. Both of mine 301975 and 302987 had these. Anyone else check theirs? Maybe it was just the sunburst ones that got the bolted on brides and that's why they sound so much better. Dave |
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Location: Houston, Texas | Mine is 301353 and a natural. I don't think your sunbursts could sound better than this one. I think I found a gem. Now, maybe the Krylon hatch paint on yours have helped, or the string tubes, but after modifying mine with the through the top hatch cover bolt, mine is awesome. :eek: :D |
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Location: Orange County, California | :mad: F!@*K YOU DAVE!! Noah Came over today and tried to drill holes in mine!! It's ok though. I kicked his A$$ and kept nearly half of the cool guitars he owns, and an amp. La cueva de guitarra looks pretty good with all these slothead in it :D :p :D :p
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Location: Houston, Texas | Actually, I thought the modification came out great, Dave. I did have to enlarge the hole in the hatch plate though. I think I may have tightened the nut too much at first. It kind of made the top a little concave, but I loosened it some and it seems ok now. Do you have a torque spec for this?
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Rick, I'm trying to determine the torque spec right now. Do you have a torque wrench? Do me a favor. Start tightening the nut and make a not of the torque just before the soundboard explodes. That'll be the spec. Dave
PS - Nice photo, can I use it in my new accessories brochure? |
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Location: Houston, Texas | If you pay for the replacement of my top! |
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Location: Houston, Texas | Damn Dave! It pulled the hatch cover through the hole at about 35 ft.lb.s! How do I get it out?
You know, I'm not so sure you really know what you're talking about. |
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Location: Tennessee | No bridge bolts on mine. But then again, mine's a natural. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Rick, Are you serious - you pulled the hatch cover right through the whole? Holy Crap. Sorry about that man. I honestly don't know how to get it out other than by taking a sawsall to the top binding. Did you want a new top anyway?
I think on production versions of this upgrade I better use a bolt that is only threaded on the last 1/4 inch or so. That way nobody can do the same stupid thing you did.
Sorry again about the top.
Dave |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | No bridge bolts on any of the 1537's I've owned. |
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Location: Upper Left USA |  |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | No Joke. No bridge bolts. Ask the current owners. |
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Location: Houston, Texas | Where's Mark in Boise when you need him? :rolleyes: :p |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | D'zilla and StellarJim can testfy. |
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Location: Orlando, FL | Nope, no bridge bolts. |
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Location: Houston, Texas | I was seeking his professional services! :( |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Originally posted by Joyful Noise:
Where's Mark in Boise when you need him? :rolleyes: :p Just watching! I sure can't see any bridge bolts on my 1537, but I didn't take the hatch cover off and look inside.
Since I just do defense work, I'll have to take Dave's side on this one. It has nothing to do with the attorney fee lien I may file against him or the fact that his guitar collection far exceeds the musical instrument exemption under the Arizona collection laws. |
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Location: Houston, Texas | Hey Mark, maybe we can still work something out! ;) |
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Location: SoCal | Mark's 1537:
Also note that the underside of the top is coated. Fred's has a light coat. Mine has none. Marks was more pronounced. |
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Location: Houston, Texas | Hmm, is that like a spray coating of glue, or does it look like some other material? It appears as if it is on the braces as well, so it must have been applied after the top was all glued together. |
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Location: Tennessee | Looks like some sort of Witko modification ... maybe some sort of highly engineered polymer resin designed to capture and re-reflect certain frequencies in order to play in an open tuning when the strings are actually tuned to standard. |
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Location: Houston, Texas | I don't think I'm going to try any more of his modifications! Even if its the latest in stealth technology. :rolleyes: |
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Location: SoCal | The inside of mine is bare wood like Rick's.
I thought the stuff on the inside of Mark's top was a rough spraying of Finish.
Maybe the guys at the Factory remember what the coating was and why some of the tops had it on the inside and others did not.
Could the coating on the inside of the tops render them less susceptible to finish cracks? |
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Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by noah:
Could the coating on the inside of the tops render them less susceptible to finish cracks? Could be. Maybe they were experimenting with wood sealants to prevent moisture absorption. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Mine's a pretty late serial number. It would be interesting to see if the other late ones had the same thing. |
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Location: Carle Place, NY | I have an early serial number 1537 with no battery holder screw. It does have the "finished" inside surface of the top but does not have bridge bolts. |
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Location: SoCal | "finished" inside surface... does it have any finish cracks? |
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| Wouldn't a finish on the underside of a guitar top limit acoustic vibration? Or, maybe Ovation has developed a topical preservative that bonds with the wood and doesn't interfere with acoustic/tonal qualities. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | A number of high end classical guitars are finished on the inside. Dave |
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Location: NJ | I was just gonna say that.
It may possibly help with "reflectivity" . . . |
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Fred's 1537