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Location: Phoenix AZ | I was/am a huge fan of the original balladeers. I've owned 4 of them. The deluxe balladeer and the glen campbell deluxe balladeer were a bit fancier looking, but I wouldn't say they sounded any better than the original. So in 2006 I doubt anyone was any more excited than I was that the original balladeer would be reissued. And the reissue was STUNNING, I got s/n 2. Like it had 40 years of mojo already built in it. The only thing I was critical about was that they didn't finish the face of the headstock in the dark stain like the original. It was so obvious and so UN-original.
A is one of my original balladeers
B is the balladeer reissue
So I had the face of the reissue refinished to better match the original. The result is C.
B and C are the same guitar, before and after. Now not only does the reissue sound every bit as good as the original, but it also LOOKS every bit was good. At least to me. |
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Location: Indiana | Good call. |
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Location: Atlanta, GA. | TRC is different also.
Not that it would matter to me. |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Dave,
I do like that classic black!
Your post reminded me of a question I've been meaning to ask here.
I've seen a DB headstock with what appears like a black to wood blending finish on the back. Is this normal? How do yours look? Pics? |
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Posts: 686
Location: Route 66, just east of the Cadillac Ranch | I agree, the darker finish looks much better. With all the attention to detail that went into the reissue, you gotta wonder why they chose not to match the color of the headstock. I suspect the length of the truss rod cover was dictated by the longer pocket for the truss rod brought on by the reduced the angle of the headstock. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Wow! That is a great improvement. Good Move! |
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Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by 2ifbyC:
I've seen a DB headstock with what appears like a black to wood blending finish on the back. Is this normal? Yes, I know what you mean. I think it's overspray from the front. Some of the faces were black paint, and some were just very very dark stain. And you do see some on the back.
Originally posted by Nick B.:
I suspect the length of the truss rod cover was dictated by the longer pocket for the truss rod brought on by the reduced the angle of the headstock. That is correct. A little fact that not many people know. Although around 1968 they settled on a standard size for all acoustics, and a little shorter one for the storms. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | This is the production version of the peghead. The real early ones had a slightly different shape and the cove on top flattened out near the edge.
I don't believe any of the originals were black, just a dark stain that was rubbed all over the neck. In time the walnut faces got lighter and the backs got darker. Funny how time changes things. |
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| The original headstocks were laminated with Brazilian rosewood, which explains the darker color.
After 1969, as a result of the CITES treaty that dealt with the export of endangered species, it became cost-prohibitive to use Brazilian rosewood in the United States, and when reissuing the Balladeer the factory obviously did not want to go the extra expense to duplicate this distinctive.
However, as they did with the stained bridge, in order to better replicate the original Balladeer, the headstocks should have been stained to match the originals. |
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Posts: 153
| Incidentally, some of the early Balladeers and Storm models did have a walnut overlay on the peghead, but the standard issue was Brazilian. |
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Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Beal:
This is the production version of the peghead. The real early ones had a slightly different shape and the cove on top flattened out near the edge. Yeah, the real early ones had a "long flat lip", is what I call it. Most of the production ones had the flattened top. Then later it got thinner.
A is an old '67 model.
B is the 2006 reissue, they copied the old lip pretty well.
C is a modern version.
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Posts: 709
Location: Germany | Wow, that looks great! How did they refinish it? Is it sprayed black or stained? Now the only thing left to perfectly match the original is to change the neck angle.
Karl |
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Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | It's a very dark stain. Face of the peghead was resanded, stained, logo applied and glossed.
Changing the headstock angle might better be left for photoshop. |
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Location: Paris/France | Great job Dave !!!
J :) |
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Location: south east Michigan | Love those old headstocks.
'specially the wide skunk stripes.
Well done Dave. |
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May 2002
Posts: 651
Location: Australia | I have one of these K1111 Reissues. It's a great sounding acoustic. It helps you understand the original Ovation principle of trying to build a better acoustic guitar.
I think alot of people probably passed on this guitar because it looked so plain and had that funny shiny bowl.
Personally, I couldn't care less about the headstock colour, how it came is fine by me. The refinish does look very well done though. |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | Hey Richard,
You should come and join the other Aussies on the dark side:
http://ovationfanclub.ning.com/group/downunder |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | I thought richardd was who you based your initial highly original screen name after - richardp.
For a while way back when, I thought you were the same person. |
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Location: Australia | ....No, I'm definately me and I can vouch for that... |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | I'm pretty much sure he's not me either. Better check: Where do you live Richard? |
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Posts: 651
Location: Australia | ....the river city - Brisbane |
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Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Ah, so Brisbane snatches back the title of most OFC members. |
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Early Balladeer Headstocks