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Location: Jet City | I bought this back in January. It's finally in my possession. It wasn't in very good shape at all. I've spent the last 6 hours or so taking it completely apart (except electronics).
flat end on the fretboard. no writing in the pickguard. She's a '68 alright.
Every thing's working great, but here what I did to it tonight. Those with a faint heart should stop reading now.
WHen I first pulled it out of it's case, I noticed a rough surface on the finish. It seemed like someone had coated it with sand, then put a clear coat over that. At first I thought it might be just an old uncared for finish, but then I realized the metal had the same issue, so I knew it wasn't in the finish. The guy who owned it before was a painter, so it was probably some overspray from a project or something. He told me he had planned to strip it dow and paint it. I'm so glad he didn't get around to it.
I tried everything. Damp cloth, elbow grease, Dunlop cleaner, Smith Cleaner. Nothing was talking this stuff off. Then I noticed I could scrape it with my fingernail and eventually it would come off. That would have taken forever, so I grabbed a no-scratch (the blue ones) scouring pad tried a small inconspicuous area first, it seemed to work so I started to go to town. 2 hours later, it was all off, and it didn't damage the finish underneath.
I took it all apart, neck was removed, the angle was re-set. As you can see, it was stamped with a "2", and I think it's because some inlays were off center (see pic). The neck has an "OK" under the finish. I'm not sure what the numbers and initials are under the neck plate.
Aside from the finish cracks, she's a beaut!
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Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | 
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Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | 
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Posts: 125
Location: UK | Great guitar, great clean up, worth all the effort. |
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Posts: 125
Location: UK | Missed......... Great pictures. |
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Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | Thanks Paul. After all that, then taking pics and posting, it's sleep time.
Looking at your signature, it seems you need a Deacon! |
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December 2003
Posts: 1889
Location: Central Massachusetts | Damon, looks great. Good get!
Looks like it may be missing a small wooden "spacer" under the pick guard comparing it to the one on my Eclipse.. keeps the PG parallel to the top.
Woody has my pick guard at the moment, perhaps he could snap a photo or 2 of what I'm referring to and you can work up a replacement. |
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Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | I'd like to see that. It didn't seem to be missing anything. I wonder if they always had the spacer? |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | I'll do that tonight. I intend to replicate it as well. The "spacer" is Ebony - of which I just received a generous amount of in leftover shapes.
I'll try to attach to this post too. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by Damon67:
I wonder if they always had the spacer? Just a suggestion: remove the pick guard and check the body for an imprint around the screw hole. Also check the PG underside. If it had a spacer, chances are that you see some evidence.
Just my  ... |
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December 2006
Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | I had it off and didn't notice anything, but I wasn't looking either. It probably did have one.
Woody, put me down for one of those if you could.
Thanks |
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Posts: 1889
Location: Central Massachusetts | Originally posted by Damon67:
I'm not sure what the numbers and initials are under the neck plate. The number stamped into the body under the neck plate is the serial number. On mine, it matches the paper label inside the bass-side f-hole. The scratched initials are probably just a previous owner marking it to prove ownership in case of theft or something.
Cool that it still has the bridge cover!
So, how do you like the sound? |
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December 2006
Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | I found in an unplayable state when I got it, but I did check it out to make sure it was working.
I got to work on it right away when I got home from work, and finished about 11PM, so no more pluggin' in. I'll tell you this weekend.
As for that serial number, that's very good news indeed. I've found some conflicting info on these, some say they started in '67, some say '68. One thing I have figured out is that the flat end on the fretboard makes in a very early one. All the '68s I've seen have the "mustache" shape at the end of the fretboard, so I figured this HAD to be a '67 mfg. date. That said, there is no paper label in the soundhole.
A serial number of 565 would put it smack dab in the middle of '67.
That was a VERY good year for production ( I was produced the same year) - Damon67 :D |
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Location: Jet City | Doesn't it make it one of the first 1000 Ovations made period? |
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Location: big island | all i know is: you could make a living photographing guitars, damon. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | Originally posted by lanaki:
all i know is: you could make a living photographing guitars, damon. Don't know how much of a market there is for guitar photographers.
My Dad and uncle are both photographers for a living. I think it's hereditary.
And thanks. :) |
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Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | try pure nickle strings on it |
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Location: Upper Left USA | As promised:
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Location: Jet City | Mike, PM (or email) me a price and address, I'll send a check.
Or I sposed it could wait till the 4th. Think you could have it done by then?
And thanks. I didn't even realize it should have them. |
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Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Great guitar, nice early number. All of the storms I have ever seen have the serial # under the neck bold cover to match what was on the paper label.
Nuff about the guitar...how do you get those great pics, Damon67? What camera do you use? |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by MWoody:
As promised: Woody,
You just earned another "ta dah  "!
Gawd, I love this place. The knowledge, talents and willingness to assist are truly amazing!  |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | How about if Damon gives us a photography class at the NW Gathering? |
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December 2006
Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
How about if Damon gives us a photography class at the NW Gathering? There's a force in the Universe that makes things happen. And all you have to do is get in touch with it, stop thinking, let things happen and be the camera. Just be the camera, be the camera, be the camera. You're not being the camera Mark! |
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Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | I played this baby for a long time tonight. We played clean, we played dirty, we played slow, we played fast. It was a good night of hot monkey guitar lovin'!
She likes to squeal a bit, but that's OK. Girls with a body like that often squeal. Her pickups have a nice growl, very different than anything else I have.
Still trying to dial in her dirty tones, clean she was amazing. I was wishing I had one of Al's recorders tonight. It was a good time.
Gonna plug her into the '65 Standel tomorrow. See how she sounds with someone her own age. |
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Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Damon67;
What do you think is causing the squeal? The hollow body or are the pickups somewhat microphonic?
My Jerry Reed Thunderhead pickups are are a bit microphonic and I have been toying with the idea of wax potting them with a mixture of parifin and beeswax (I forget the exact ratio).
I did this once with some mid-sixties Tele pups and it worked great. This is a standard part of the manufacturing process for many electric guitar pickups but not all.
The construction of these Storm pups with the foam backing makes things more complicated and all, but it still should be doable. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | I'm pretty sure it was the hollow body that was causing the squealing. As soon as I muted my strings, all the feedback would subside.
I was also plugged into the Carvin X100B stack, which is a pretty high gain rig.
As for electronics, I've always let people more qualified handle that stuff on my guitars. My Mosrite pickups have a similar potting substance though.
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Posts: 1889
Location: Central Massachusetts | I think when I picked up the Eclipse, Temp said the storm pups were somewhat microphonic and he recommended potting them. I bought an extra set of pups to do that with but never got around to it. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | I've been having a blast with this Tornado today. I highly recommend the trem model.
Stop thinking about it, just get one! It doesn't make a difference if you like to play clean, or if you like to get down and dirty, it's a hot, steamy, vibrato filled, guitar lovin experience for sure. |
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1968 Tornado - The Storm is here finally!