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| This was on ebay but the fees are horrible. So, thought I'd post it here. Hope that's ok.
As far as the electronics, I'm not really sure but people on here had posted what they were. Whether or not it's correct, I don't know so let me know if I can provide any more info or photos to help. Some of you may remember me as I hunted for this guitar which was owned by uncle before he passed. I have since found a guitar of his that has more meaning to me and it’s a 6-string so I can see that being passed down for generations much more than a 12 string. I hope whoever gets this love it.
$1550+shipping…I will accept Paypal, Check or Money Orders.
Thanks!
This is an absolutely stunning guitar. I wanted to keep it in my family but I don’t anticipate anyone playing a 12 string and I simply think it needs to be in the hands of someone who will actually use it. I will try to be as helpful as possible with questions however, I don’t play so I’m not familiar with a lot of the equipment but I’ll try to help. Sorry for so many photos but that was one of the reasons. In addition, please help me by doing some research also to make sure you know what you’re getting because I want you to be happy.
The only thing I see wrong at all with this is:
Small scuff on the top of the headstock
The outside of the case has a small tear and the inside has some staining
Missing one of the twelve strings
Small stain on the label inside the guitar
(see photos on all and just let me know if more are needed)
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Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by sj022698:
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | This photo also peaked my interest. I don't know if these came with multiple 1/4" output jacks. It might suggest a stereo output or possibly some other type of user modification. |
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Location: Tennessee | Looks like a Hex-FX preamp to me and thus would have a stereo and a mono output jack. |
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| Is that this? If so, I can get some better photos of it when I get home. Sorry
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| Also, there were 2 people here stating this was optima preamp and since I didn't know for sure, I left it out of my ebay posting which I'm sure didn't help.
http://www.ovationfanclub.com/cgi-bin/ubb/non-cgi/ultimatebb.php?ub... |
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Location: closely held secret | Yeah, it's a Hex-FX (NOT an Optima).
But I'm much more curious about the MIDI jack. The Hex-FX are rare enough, but THAT is not stock. |
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| What part can I take a photo of to help? I wonder if it was a custom adamas becuase if you notice, the serial number is 792 which is obviously not normal.
Would that help the price or hurt it? |
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Location: closely held secret | Thanks for the blow-up of the preamp. I don't think better pictures of that will tell us anything more.
But if you had the inclination to open the back hatch and tell us where the lead from that MIDI jack goes that would be swell... |
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| I hope these help. I guess I can say HEX-FX since it says it right on there. Duh.
Is that good? Does it help it's value? If so, how big of an upgrade is it? I honestly don't even know what a MIDI is but is that good or does it hurt? If it helps, what does that mean?
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Location: Colorado | I'm guessing (just a shot in the dark) it'll work as a midi trigger...out only ....got a sequencer or keyboard to plug it into? I'd need to see more of the homemade circuit card...curious...it is placed on the lyracord....then a cable to a floating spring set...what do you think John...Bill....Al....Miles....Temp or Bobbo...I've never seen this...nice guitar....midi though...I'd say it does not increase the value of the guitar....but it does pique interest. |
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Location: Colorado | For the record...MIDI = Musical Instrument Digital Interface....a communication and connection protocol ...mainly for keyboards and sequencers to speak with one another....a few midi guitars were made...but it never really got a lot of traction. I am curious if there is another battery to drive this...or if it is passive...I do not recall Ovation ever producing this...even as an option or for custom orders...someone who communicates with Witko ought to show it to him or maybe even Keller....Anyone know who owned the guitar?...I also wonder if it works...and if it does how well? I never liked how the few production midi guitars tracked...and I suspect that is why they never caught on much....guitar playing is so subtle and expressive....tough for midi to capture very well. |
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| I'm pretty familiar with who owned the guitar. I believe my uncle uncle purchased it new. It was then owned by a guy here in St. Louis and then a person in something like south dakota and then me. |
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| In addition to opening it up, it looks like the label could be cleaned pretty easily. |
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Location: closely held secret | Well, it certainly makes it unique. Whether or not it would have a positive effect on the value would depend on how well (or if) it works.
As Mark said, MIDI is a standard protocol for electronic instruments and such to describe music. Ovation did toy with it back in the day, but Roland is the company that really made it work (such as it does) for guitars.
The thing is, for guitars it requires a separate pickup, which I don't see here. Unless it;s somehow incorporated into the piezo.
Who knows... maybe it was a proto. |
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| Well, if anyone needs me to answer anything or more photos, I'll do what I can |
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| Bump |
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Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | Looks like the ultimate gigging guitar to me. But does the midi connection work? |
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| If you can give me an idea how to test it, I'm happy to video tape it and send the results. |
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Location: closely held secret | It would be hard to say how to test it without knowing what their intent was.
From the looks of the wiring, it's most likely not MIDI. It looks like it might be an attempt to route the individual string outputs to a DIN plug for some reason.
Still, a very nice guitar. I wish I had the cash for it. Maybe in a year things will be looking more optimistic. |
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Location: SoCal | The elusive Ovation GTM-6 Midi system...
Here\'s a sale on Craigslist for two GTM-6 Converters @ $50 each. |
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Location: closely held secret | Maybe. If so, it's too bad it wasn't a more successful product. |
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Location: SoCal | ...but I read that an onboard circuit multiplexed the signals from each of the 6 strings and sent it to the GTM-6 converter via a 1/4" TRS. Search on Shadow, as it was their system. Now I'm really curious about that MIDI jack. Send me the guitar so I can dissect it... or post some good photos of the wire routing and connections... |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Miles probably has two or three of those GTM6 units stashed in the corner of his boathouse. If he denies it, don't believe him. Nobody could keep track of all the vintage Ovation gear stored there. |
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Location: Tennessee | The advert shows a normal midi cable so that makes me assume they would have put a midi jack as standard You can also see in the pictures of the 1885 that there are buttons on the butt end bass side that are probably up/down switches for controlling/changing sounds, and they appear to be part of the unusual circuit board.
I wonder if my Roland unit would work with this guitar. But, I have to believe that midi on a 12 string would be a hard one to get right. Especially in the early days. |
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Location: Indiana | That's a standard midi jack. The Roland protocol is based on a 13 pin jack.
As far as I know, neither Roland or RMC (pup manufacturer for Godin) has ever released a 12 string capable synth controller. |
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| You should all chip in and buy it to cure your curiosity :D |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by sj022698:
You should all chip in and buy it to cure your curiosity :D snicker.....you obviously haven't been around here very long :p
(yes yes I know...2007....but still......) |
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Location: SoCal | I think you hit it bobbo. I didn't notice those buttons. You could even phantom power the guitar via that MIDI jack (my Midi Mouse is phantom powered via pins 1 & 3). |
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Location: closely held secret | I didn't notice the buttons either.
It would be interesting to plug it into a synth and see if it actually outputs MIDI data. |
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| Sold |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | congrats on the sale! |
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| Thanks. I will miss it but hopefully someone will use it |
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FS- Ovation Adamas II 1885-5 1885 SSB 12 String Cutaway Super Shallow Bowl SSB