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August 2009
Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | Hello,
My name is Kathy and I plan on selling my husbands 1972 Ovation Ballader Model #1111-4 Serial #001993 and the case. He died 7 years ago at age 53 and I promised him I'd sell his guitars. I haven't wanted to and it's taken me all this time to get around to doing it and I'm starting with the Ovation.
My first steps have been to check Ebay for prices and to look at a few on line appraisal sites. I submitted pictures to a site for a 'free appraisal'(still pending) and was wondering if the community here has ever used any of the online appraisal sites and if so, if you would be willing to provide me with any feedback about your experiece with them (without endorcing them of course,don't want to violate any TOS).
Thank you. Kathy (PS: To clarify, I am not asking that anyone here provide me with an estimate of value for my guitar as I know you cannot do that, I am merely asking if you have had any experience with any of the online appraisals and if so, what was your experience) |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Kathy,
Welcome to the Ovation Family. I sorry to hear of your dear loss!
I've never used an on line appraisal site. Doubt I ever will.
Recent eBay sales will give you the best idea of what the market is bearing.
Post some pics here, describe its condition and post an optimistic, but realistic, price. The family here will aid you in determining what you have and it's most probable worth.
Good luck and best wishes! |
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December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | Welcome Kathy!
If you are comfortable with Ebay you can run a seven day auction that concludes at about 5-7pm on a Sunday, start bidding at $1 but set your Reserve at an amount you are comfortable with.
Good pictures, no exageration and identify any damage.
This way the "market" sets the value.
If you aren't comfortable with Ebay or packaging and shipping instruments maybe you can locate a friend or someone nearby that can assist you.
I have done this for others before and it isn't very hard, just intimidating if you haven't done it before.
But good pictures are the way to start!
Let me know if I can help. |
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | By the Way - that serial number sounds like it was made between Summer of 1968 to early 1969 and should have some of the total-Ovation-Geek members here having to wipe the drewl off of their faces...
:rolleyes: |
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Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | Thank you both for your replies. I will post some photos. Unfortunately it has some knicks on it, not sure how they happened. And I thought the serial # made it 1972 but if you think it's 68-69, it'd sure make a difference when I post it for sale. I looked around and found this:
three digit series (number range) year made comment
006-319 1966 Three digits in red ink
320-999 1967 (Feb-Nov) New Hartford; three digits in red ink
1000- 1967 (Nov)-1968 (July) Four digits in black ink, no letter prefix
10000- 1970 (Feb)-1972 (May) Five digits, no letter prefix
A+3 Digits 1968 (July-Nov)
B+3 Digits 1968 (Nov)-1969 (Feb)
B+5 Digits 1974-1979 Magnum solid body basses
C+3 Digits 1969 (Feb-Sept)
D+3 Digits 1969 (Sept)-1970 (Feb)
E+4 Digits 1973 (Jan)-1975 (Feb) Solidbodies
E+5 Digits 1975 (Feb)-1980 Solidbodies
E+6 Digits 1980 (late)-1981 Some UK IIs (does not reflect production)
F,G prefix 1968 (July)-1970 (Feb)
H,I,J,L prefix 1970-1973 Electric Storm Series
Then on a website I entered in the serial # and it said 1972 so I'm a bit confused.
I'll post some pictures in another reply.
Thanks for your help and suggestions!! |
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Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | Oh horror of horrors! I just posted a bunch of photos on the MEDIA page instead of my personal page ! Help how do I get them off????
Oh geeze!! |
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | go to your 1111-4 Album, hit edit album and drag them to your album.
The main or "media" page shows latest activity for any public images.
not a big deal. |
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | 
My bad
I read that as "1993" and missed the Six Digit from 1972 onward. |
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Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | Ohhhhhh ok....whew.
When I get back from running some errands I'll try and post some of those photo's here then right?
Thanks for your help! |
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | We usually post them over there and then right click, copy the link in Properties then post the link/image here. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Or we do this:
Kathy\'s 1111-4 Album
:D |
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Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | Oh you're so clever!!! Thank you MWoody!! |
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Location: Bellflower CA | It's not been cleaned as you can see. Are their any other recommended pic's that you think I should take or re-take? Should I have it cleaned up first? Re=strung etc?
Thanks again! |
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Location: South of most, North of few | Kathy, best of luck with the sale. As I'm sure you know now, Ovations in general don't get much respect except for here, and right now is not a good time to sell anything. That said, I think that is a beautiful guitar, and wish you the best. If you could afford to hold on to it for a while, you might do better down the road. |
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Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | I wasn't aware of that My Guitars. There is a rather active Ebay 'reserve' bidding going on for an Ovation now. I'm watching it closely. I really don't want to go that way as I have no experience. In a perfect world it'd be someone local that could hold her and touch her and appreciate her as my husband did. He wants me to sell all the guitars not because of the money but because he wants them to be played. His biggest fear is that they would sit around and collect dust. "They must be played Kathy" he would tell me. "Sell them". So I must sell. I know the economy is bad, but I also know the artists heart. I used to call the guitars his Mistresses. But hey, at least I knew where he was at night! LOL. |
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Location: South of most, North of few | I think that's why my wife puts up with my addiction. ;) |
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Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | Good grief man are all of those Ovations???? (I clicked on your name and saw all those gee-tars) |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by Kathy:
Good grief man  TJ has probably owned most of those at one time or another, some twice!
They're not all Ovations. But he sure has provided many quality gits for the rest of us. His guitar 'room' has a revolving door! Ergo, our infamous 'Trader Jim'... |
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Location: East Tennessee | Originally posted by Kathy:
Oh you're so clever!!! Thank you MWoody!! Now he'll get a swelled head. :D |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Hey!
Quit harshing my mellow man!
I always get better every time I tell the story anyways. |
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Location: Bellflower CA | Oh you're just jealous Capo Guy! |
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Posts: 416
Location: On the Coast - Halfway between SF & OR | Originally posted by Kathy:
In a perfect world it'd be someone local that could hold her and touch her and appreciate her as my husband did. He wants me to sell all the guitars not because of the money but because he wants them to be played. His biggest fear is that they would sit around and collect dust. "They must be played Kathy" he would tell me. "Sell them". So I must sell. Kathy,
That's just beautiful.
Makes me wonder what will happen to my guitars once I'm gone. |
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | I've already asked Moody about coming up here to sell off my guitars, take my shirts and console my wife once I'm gone.
The thing is he HAS to wait until I'm gone!
Kathy, consider sending them to me to clean up and sell for you. There are several OFCers close enough to me to rough me up if I need it!
(imagining a line forming already)
I noticed the tuners aren't original on the Balladeer and I'm a little curious about the other guitars you may have.
I'm not in it for the money as others will attest I usually buy high and sell low.
I like the idea of keeping them played and not locked in a museum. |
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Posts: 1133
Location: Parrish, FL | Kathy,
Mike is a good guy (MWoody)and he will do you right with no worries on your part. I know that is a leap of faith on your part, dealing with a bunch of internet zanies you have never met, but that is what makes this group great.
If you want to get the fairest and best price for your guitars, let Mike handle it if you are unsure about dealing with Ebay on your own. Check out some of his auctions on Ebay. He knows how to present your guitar in the best possible light and max the return.
Brad
(Previous owner of 2 MWoody fine guitars)
BluesSailor - Someone else you don't really know but met on the internet) |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Ditto what Brad said! |
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Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | Mike, thank you for your very generous offer. I would like to take some time to think about it and perhaps talk more about with you privately.
As for the tuners, wow, I'm at a loss on that one. I can't imagine that Bob (my husband) would change them out. He never did anything to change anything on any of his guitars that I know of so I have NO explaination for that whatsoever. I'm sure that would lower the value. Darn.
Re the "other" 3 women. 1972 six string Taylor Model #745 Serial #10130 with some kind of label inside that is signed and a McCabes label (where he bought it) a 12 string Guild, probably the same year, but no lable or other identifying items on it, a six string guild (old)late 60's with a broken neck being repaired so I don't know about any lables in it right now either. I also have his 1965 Delux Reverb Amp that I figured out might be worth something. It went with the 1965 red fender electric guitar he SOLD (I told him not to ) in 1972 to get the Taylor. I loved that fender electric guitar. It was his first electric guitar. Can you imagine if he kept it like I told him too! Yikes! But anyway, that's what I have left. The other 'women' I'm going to hold onto for awhile, so no need to worry about those Mike.
So let me ponder your offer, which sounds pretty good, and I'll get back to you!
Thank you Mike and every one here for all your support and generous and fun replies! |
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | It sounds like he had excellent taste in guitars and his women!
As I see it the goals are to:
A) Put the tools in places where they are being used and appreciated.
B) Put something back into your Nest Egg, Crazy Grandma Fund.
C) Honor Bob's life and passion!
We here at the OFC try our best to improve the reputation of strange men you meet in an internet chat room. I think we're doing ok! |
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Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | Hi, Kathy;
We have a lot in common; I lost my blue-eyed carpenter to cancer back in 2001, and I have his 1111-4; the twin to yours, only about 3000 numbers higher. I have played her since 1979, the year we wed, and she's the one I won't ever let go of.
The folks here on the board are great; I am glad to know that our "Woodrow" is going to help you. Please keep on dropping in; if I were closer, I'd have you over for tea, too.
--Karen |
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Posts: 9
Location: Illinois | Kathy, I'm interested in an early model 1111 series. Can show pictures of the guitar? Thanks. |
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Posts: 9
Location: Illinois | Sorry about that, I see you have already loaded pictures. Nice guitar. Kathy, you may be better off finding a buyer on this site. I just bid on a 1111 model 1972 model...it sold for $331 plus $24 shipping. Plus, it had the original tuners. Unfortunately, they just aren't carrying a lot of money on ebay. I own a Taylor 512 and a Martin 00016SGT...I still miss my old ovation that I sold several years back. ...always said that was the best neck I ever played on. |
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Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | From MWoody: "I'm not in it for the money as others will attest I usually buy high and sell low."
Just my humble opinion, but you shouldn't be high when you buy guitars...distorts the judgment. |
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | It does kinda sound like a Bi-Polar Luthier. A Schizophrenic would likely charge twice as much.
At least thats what we think... |
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Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Originally posted by MWoody:
It does kinda sound like a Bi-Polar Luthier. A Schizophrenic would likely charge twice as much.
At least thats what we think... :D
Too funny! |
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Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | Mike did you get my PM? |
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Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | Karen, just saw your post. Thank you for your kind words and offer for tea! Yea, it's hard letting these 'women' go, but it's what he wanted. The Taylor and the Guilds are next. Whew, it's gonna be hard. One step at a time. I called the Taylor company to get info because I couldn't find anything on line cause she's too old and they were quick to offer info if I sent them pictures. Within the hour I had an email with all the specs. They even told me the lable was hand signed by Bob Taylor. Go figure! I played some with my "Bob" and am just now getting back into it. Glad you're keeping your blue eye carpenters gals kickin'. Thanks again for your post Karen. |
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Location: Bellflower CA | Abstowe,
I just saw your post too. I was watching that auction as well. That Ovation was a 1978, per the serial #. Mine is a 1972. Much older.
It is still available and I am willing to discuss selling to you . Again, not here to make money. Here to sell it for what it's worth to someone that want's to play her as much as Bob loved playing her.
Don't want to cheat anyone and don't want to be cheated.
So if you want to talk to me, please contact me and see if we can make a deal that makes us both want to sing a song! |
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Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | By the by....re the heads not being original to the guitar, I have placed a call to Ovation to see if that is true. It does not make any sense to me that Bob would have replaced them so I'm double checking.
I'll let you know when Ovation get's back to me. |
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | They are out for Summer recess!
Let me rephrase my observation. There are extra holes in the back of the peghead. Those Grovers are correct for that era but they may have been swapped or come later.
It looks like they had some Kluson's on at one time.
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | And yes, I got the PM.
I wish I lived closer so I could check out the instruments easier.
I have a friend that is looking for an interesting 12 string within his budget.
I've also dealt with a few broken necks :rolleyes: and it would be good to see how comes back together.
Be careful talking to Karen - one minute your swapping recipes and next thing you know your buying more guitars!!!
Bless her heart... |
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Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | Oh what an eye you have!
But this Ovation doesn't have a broken neck, the 6 string guild had a broken neck.
The other guild is a 12 string.
I'll call you. |
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Posts: 9
Location: Illinois | Hi Kathy,
The seller on the ovation I referenced incorrectly listed the guitar as 1978...the serial number displayed was #5622, which places it in 1972. Actually, further in the listing the guitar was listed as a 1972 Ovation 1111 series. Just an fyi...good luck with everything. |
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Posts: 16
Location: Bellflower CA | I might have a buyer in San Diego. Friend of a friend. Negoitating last night. I'll post more later this afternoon. Wish me luck! |
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Selling Ovation Ballader 1111-4