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December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | What was your first guitar?
During the holidays I was at Mom's going through some old stuff of mine and ran across 2 polaroids of my first guitar, yes an Ovation.
Unlike most here, my first O was a solid body. I was a mere 15 years old when I bought this Preacher with money from mowing lawns and also by laboring for the music store helping to unload trucks and such.
It was less than 8 weeks before I traded up for my UKII. Still the same case though.
Obviously my picture taking has improved along with my collection. FWIW, I only had 2 O's when I joined OFC, now I have somewhere around 20, not to mention all that have passed through the doors in the last few years.
1982... (dig our gold velour couch?)
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Joined:
September 2002
Posts: 806
Location: Seymour, Tennessee | Everybody here has heard my story over and over but my 1st "Real" guitar was my Dad's 68 Deluxe Balladeer that he gave me a year before he was killed.
It is my most prized possession and will be on it's way to the MS for a checkup upon my return to the States. |
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Joined:
October 2007
Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | As I had NO idea what I was buying, I relied on a guy who had been playing for 25 yrs. He bought me a Johnson for $100.00 off the internet. Had it for 2 month, then moved on to my first Fender,then Ibanez,then Martin, then Taylor, then Ovation, then another Ovation, and another Ovation........................................ (a few oddball guitars mixed in,but, never kept),
and still another Ovation, and, well, you've all lived the same story! |
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Joined:
June 2005
Posts: 1320
Location: Round Rock, TX | My first "real" guitar was a MIJ Washburn dread that I got for my birthday 37 years ago. Many guitars have come and gone since, but that one has stayed. My son still prefers it to any of my O's or Larrivee's. It's hard to get 37 year old top tone out of anything but a 37 year old top. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | #6 |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | WOW |
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October 2005
Posts: 4073
Location: Utah | My first guitar was quite cheap at age 8. At around ten my parents bought me a halfway decent beginner Yamaha. That served me until high school when I bought myself a Univox electric, then shortly afterward traded that for an Ibanez strat copy. At 16 I purchased a nice Alvarez-Yairi 12 string but what I really wanted was the Ovation Balladeer 12. Rondo music on Rt 22 in Union NJ wouldn't budge on their price on the Ovation.
Until about 3 years ago I didn't get any other guitars, then it was the used 6778LX. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by Beal:
#6 Heck of a way to start things off. |
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May 2009
Posts: 325
Location: Utica, NY | My first acoustic was an acoustic back in '78 or '79. I believe it was some Balladeer model. It developed a finish crack. Ironically I had not owned another acoustic until last year when I bought a used 1778LX that arrived with a surface crack which led me here. So after a few more in and out because of being here the only acoustic brand I have ever owned has been Ovation. Maybe I gotta get out more... |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | My first acoustic was actually a Fender Concord. Bought it new from South Shore Music in Alameda, CA somewhere around 1986 or so. Had it until my son got it stolen from school (let him use it for guitar class). That was just 2005. I bought a new 1778LX after going into the store expecting to buy a $1000 Taylor or Martin. I then tried the O just for kicks and decided that was the one for me.
Then I ran into this site and well... kinda went a little nuts. |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | I bought my first Ovation, a 1311 Ultra (USA) from South Shore music in 1983. Do you think we ran into each other without knowing it, Damon? Maybe there, or maybe Thin Man String Company? I bought my Strat there. I still have both of those guitars. |
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Joined:
September 2008
Posts: 1281
Location: Ohio | My 1st was actually my sisters guitar. SHe got one of those black and red K-Mart specials back in the late 60's. One that had 1/2" action. REALLY builds up the hand muscles. From there, a Nylyn string ply-box from a catalog store to a SIlvertone 12string acoustic. A sting of epiphone and Yamaha 6 and 12 strings followed themmy 1st O(Actually a 12 string Matrix with the REAL neck, not the aluminum one. The brides startsed to let go and I found somone that wanted it ot try and fix it them selves(I miss that guitar) Had a GREAT BIG sound. now a Celebrity DLx RRBY. Used at the local GC. I know what everyone say, but I LOVE the tone on this one. WIll be in the market for a 12 string in the future...... |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | My very first guitar in 1960 was a Roy Rogers guitar bought for my birthday by Nanna, my Grandma...
Unfortunately I didn't keep it.
I didn't know how to play it, how to tune it or any chords back then either. :eek:
The action was about the same as this one... Same strap too! |
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Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Hmm...The Silvertone my Dad dropped was my first guitar. Then I got a Danelectro solid body. Then my Dad got me a Tornado. Then I bought a Sigma, an Epiphone, a Les Paul and a Les Paul Jr. Then My Dad gave me a Matrix. Then I got my beloved Gibson Heritage. Then I got an Applause, and another Applause. Then my 1617. Then I got a Martin D18. Then I got a Gibson B25, a Gibson classical, a Guild dread, my B.C. Rich Warlock, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some. THEN I found this place! Got my precious 2077LX, a beautiful Adamas that some really nice person sent me, a 1767, a parlor that I'm babysitting for a friend, and several other O's and an A that stayed for a short time before moving on to other homes. Got an OFCII coming, and oh yeah, I just picked up a Goya that PROBABLY will leave eventually (it's a sweet guitar but...) |
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April 2004
Posts: 795
Location: Texas | My first guitar was a cheap no brand classical when I was about 8 years old.
My first acoustic steel string was an Aria D size, sunburst.
My first electric, a 1965 Fender Stratocaster.
Sold both and bought a Martin D-18 and soon after my first Ovation, a Legend 1117.
I have had over 100 guitars since then.
:cool: |
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May 2008
Posts: 1561
Location: Indiana | Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
My very first guitar in 1960 was a Roy Rogers guitar bought for my birthday by Nanna, my Grandma...
My first guitar as well OMA! Exactly. I haven't seen one of those in decades... |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | Originally posted by stonebobbo:
I bought my first Ovation, a 1311 Ultra (USA) from South Shore music in 1983. Do you think we ran into each other without knowing it, Damon? Maybe there, or maybe Thin Man String Company? I bought my Strat there. I still have both of those guitars. Ha! I know Larry and Dave well over at Thin Man.
I bought my Preacher then UKII at Starland (Then Yamaha Music Center) when they were next door to Jim's Coffee Shop.
Jim's is still the best breakfast in town. |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | I have a Starland branded guitar cable still. I used to rent PAs from them. Ole's is the best breakfast in town, AFTER La Pinata. :cool: |
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May 2009
Posts: 1433
Location: Right now? | Ohhh.. Ali ... a Goya ... do tell.
;)
Willa |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | '76 CustomBalladeer.
Bought it BrandNew.
StillGigging w/It. |
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Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | My first real acoustic - Ovation Matrix - around '76 or so - died on the alter.
My first real solidbody - Ovation Preacher - '77 or so - still hanging around in the basement awaiting a revival. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | I've never understood the attraction to Ole's.
At least do Alberts over on Webster. |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | My first guitar was an Ovation legend 1117, bought new in 1982 and still going strong, albeit with plenty of fretwear and the odd finish crack. |
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Joined:
May 2009
Posts: 325
Location: Utica, NY | Originally posted by nervous:
My first acoustic was an acoustic back in '78 or '79. Should read: My first OVATION was an acoustic or, my first ACOUSTIC was an Ovation... |
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Joined:
October 2008
Posts: 639
Location: NW of Philadelphia | I didn't get my first O until 1995. My very first (some of you heard this already) is a 1971 Kingston 3/4 scale Folk guitar. My grandfather bought it for me when I was 6, my elementary school teacher said I needed a hobby to keep me out of trouble. I was called "a hyper child" back then.
My (now 5 year old) niece has been strumming it last summer.
Takes a lickin'... and keeps on pickin' |
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Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Very first guitar: A Fender MusicMaster -- purchased when I was 19. Moved on considerably since then, to a Les Paul, several Strats and others. Then took a LOOOOOOOOOONG hiatus (Darn!), picked up a low-end Takamine...waited some more years, and bought my first Ovation: an Ultra 2071 -- new, at Daddy's. Paid too much for it, but that's ok. I got from it what I wanted to get from it, and I still own it. It's a fine guitar, by the way. Great playability, great sound, fine electronics, a great feel. Nowadays, it's a FINE $400 guitar.
Since then, I picked up a Gretsch 6117 that's one of the finest guitars I've ever played. It makes me seem like a much better guitarist than I am.
Oh, and I picked up about 15 more Ovations and Adamii...the three Adamas 2080's are just gorgeous! Can't say enough about them! The FD-14 is nicer than words can convey. The 1681-5 is more wonderful than I can express. The two 2007 Collectors's are spectacular. One word: Balance.
All have served me REALLY well in terms of "being-more-than-I-expected-and-my-expectations-were-not-small-to-start."
Oh, and I also have a Gitane D-500 that I really like.
And, last but not least, on a whim I bought a Rondo Agile 2000 with a 1.75 nut width. $200. Worth it and then some. The FD-14, the Gitane and the Rondo have convinced me that I'm much more comfortable with the wider nut. I have pretty mondo hands, after all. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | My first guitar was a sunburst Silvertone acoustic received for Christmas in 1959. It cost my Dad $25 from the local pawn shop. A year later, I was loaned a Gibson ES-125T along with an amp that I then used until I moved out of the house in 1969, at which time I gave it back to the owner (a truck driver neigbor). After trashing the Silvertone by running over it with a motorcycle in the desert in 1973, I bought my first Ovation. |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | My first guitar was just barely beyond the "cheese-box-strung-with-rubber-bands" variety; it belonged to a fellow I was engaged to, and he left it with me for safekeeping while he went to school out of state.
I remember it as small, strung with silk and steels, with a bowed neck that made it impossible to intonate past the fifth fret. After he ditched me, I decided that since I still had the guitar, I'd be playing rings around him when he finally came back to claim it--and I was. :D
By the time I returned it, I was married to the blue-eyed carpenter, and playing my first and most favorite O--my dearly beloved Gertrude. Having her has made all the difference in how I play now, all these years later.
--Karen |
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September 2005
Posts: 3619
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | 1537 Purchased from a pawn shop in Savanna, GA in 1987. |
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Joined:
March 2009
Posts: 715
| My first guitar was a cheapo Memphis guitar, which I got for $50. The $50 also included a crappy Holmes amp.
I had to get rid of the Memphis because I found out the neck was warped, and I started having trouble with the 5 way switch.
Michelle |
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My first guitar was my first Ovation...