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Joined:
May 2009
Posts: 325
Location: Utica, NY | Well, I picked up my 1866 Legend early this morning from FedEx. It survived the trip well and on opening it it looks as new as any 'used' guitar I have received and that's in some exceptional company with the two that I have purchased from folks here. It still has the original strings I am told. When the octave G snapped at the peg on tuning up to pitch I believe it... Action is quite good and I have not yet pulled any shims. I think it will be awesome with one removed. But, all-in-all I couldn't have done better off a local music store wall for condition and nowhere near as good in price.
It's my first 12 so I expect some adjustment from a six. First impressions of it and the SSB are:
1) Damn that's a lotta strings!
2) Damn it's a bi*ch to tune! Big fingers and close keys will require some new technique.
3) SSB sounds pretty good to my ears, better than I expected.
4) The SSB really is Super Shallow. I think I am gonna like that live.
5) Basic finger-picking will also take some more practice to get the level of sound out that I like.
6) Sounds GREAT played with a pick. Very jangly, just the way I like it.
7) The OP-40 tuner might be hard to see live
8) It sure is purdy in red.
9) the truss rod wrench is HUGE.
10) I must have a K-Bar because there's no TRC.
So I am looking forward to spending some time getting acquainted and praying that the the bridge never spontaneously pops off. It will get a string change (Elixir 10's) and a good once over this weekend.
I am feeling that it's a different mindset when playing a 12 and I welcome any playing tips, favorite chords/progressions, etc. |
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Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Congrats! I never did hold on to a 12 string till I got the 1758. They are nice to have and great to listen to. Enjoy it!
How about some pics! |
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Joined:
October 2007
Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | Originally posted by Trader Jim:
Congrats! I never did hold on to a 12 string till I got the 1758. They are nice to have and great to listen to. Enjoy it!
How about some pics! Yeah,but you've bought and sold,like what 4??? ;)
Congrats on your first 12'er!! |
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Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Congrats. I love my 12. They have a special place. I can't see ever ridding myself of it. Enjoy it and keep us posted on how the learning curve is coming along. |
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Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 354
Location: nashville | Congrats on the 12er. I LOVE my Jumbo Guild 12er
I dont play plugged in, Just a back pourch player. Watch out for classic Stewart, Dever and Young. Doctor My Eyes is a personal fav.
If you know the verson that starts on the 7th. fret Dont know the chord name but its 0xxx00 and ride the E string then it moves to a E first pos. etc. repeat.(intro) My bet Any song that written for the piano is a good fit. |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 247
Location: Delaware | Good luck and enjoy your new 12er. Oh yea, can you say "Man my fingers hurt!" ? |
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Joined:
May 2009
Posts: 325
Location: Utica, NY | Thanks for the feedback. I'll do some pics when I get some time and weather. The northeast can be a crap shoot this time of year.
I can't believe the prices on these things though. Check this out, same guitar and less money than I am in for. Not sure of the condition but it looks pretty decent, especially for the price:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220508801372&ssP... |
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Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Originally posted by BT717:
Originally posted by Trader Jim:
Congrats! I never did hold on to a 12 string till I got the 1758. They are nice to have and great to listen to. Enjoy it!
How about some pics! Yeah,but you've bought and sold,like what 4??? ;)
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | Congrats on a great guitar. 12 strings are great and Ovation builds some of the best 12's out there.
May I make a couple of observations? First, it won't take you long to get used to playing a 12, picking or strumming. What I've found with 12's is that you can pick less on them and sound like more. When I'm playing with a group, I really only need to play 2 or 3 notes out of a chord (if I'm feeling lazy) to add a lot to the music. Even tho' it's more strings, a 12 is a lazy man's choice.
Second, you're going to like the SSB when playing live. You'll have all the power you want and be comfortable to boot.
Tuning? Can't be helped. Drives me nuts when a string is out of tune. Gotta find it (which is easy) then tune the rest of the guitar to it (which is hard).
The OP40 is a good preamp, but you will have trouble on stage reading it. Get a plug in tuner with a big readout.
K-bar necks are heavy but stable beyond belief.
I've never had a bridge pop off. Don't spend time worrying about it.
Congratulations on a great guitar! |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Welcome to my world: 12 strings rule! I have played them for more years that I care to count (kind of like TJ counting his sales)...I just love them...
I echo what is said about the SSB's: fantastic stage guitars...esp. for we members of wider girth... :rolleyes:
Congrats on the first of maybe many... |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | Cool!
1) Damn that's a lotta strings!
2) Damn it's a bi*ch to tune! Big fingers and close keys will require some new technique.
You only have to tune six of the strings... then get their partner to sound the same!
For the Finger action you can "pinch" the strings a little closer at the Saddle.
Mostly just play the heck out of it and the rest will follow. |
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Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 106
Location: UK | I don't like tuning my 12 up to pitch - If I'm playing something in standard tuning I'll usually have it tuned lower and then use a capo to bring it up to pitch.
Although most of the tunes I play (try to play) use alternate tunings.
Here's me picking my Martin - tuned to DADF#AD
http://ovationfanclub.ning.com/video/picking-12-string
If you look at a lot of video of people picking a 12 string you'll notice that many have removed the high octave G string. That string can stick out like a sore thumb especially when picking something not specifically written for a 12. I've left min in place though and just learned to avoid hitting it except when I want to.
Some pickers - so I've been told - also turn the strings around so that the high octave is below the low octave (a bit like a rickenbacker) - that way the picking thumb doesn't hit the high octave too aggressively. I actually tried that - it didn't work ! |
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Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Congrats Nervous!
I recently changed the strings on my GC 12 string - I won't be doing that again any time soon. On top of being a 12 string, it's also a slothead. What a beast! But it sounds beautiful (except when I play it!). |
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Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 106
Location: UK | Originally posted by MWoody:
.
You only have to tune six of the strings... then get their partner to sound the same!
The same - but a whole octave higher. |
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Joined:
December 2008
Posts: 1456
Location: Texas | I'm glad it all worked out so well for you Nervous…
It's true that a 12 can be a little overwhelming at first but you'll slip into the zone pretty quickly, just keep playing… |
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Joined:
May 2009
Posts: 325
Location: Utica, NY | Originally posted by standing:
I'm glad it all worked out so well for you Thanks and, trust me, so am I. The seller ended up being a very decent, honest guy. But in the 'dark side of the moon' time in between sending cash and waiting for what you paid for to arrive is a little unnerving. I don't think I'd make a habit of it. |
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Joined:
December 2008
Posts: 1456
Location: Texas | Hey, it's not our fault you searched Craig's List for the entire Universe and found a guitar in a distant Galaxy… ;) |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 698
Location: Cork, Ireland | Originally posted by Fridave:
Good luck and enjoy your new 12er. Oh yea, can you say "Man my fingers hurt!" ? my 12-string hurts the fingers less than my Applause with its higher action. But I found the extra width hard on the wrist/arm initially. |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 698
Location: Cork, Ireland | AND it really impresses non-players when you say that you can play so many strings. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by nervous:
The SSB really is Super Shallow. I think I am gonna like that live. Sounds GREAT played with a pick. Very jangly, just the way I like it.
You think it now, but you're going to know it for sure after you've stood playing an SSB for any length of time. Also, if you want the ultimate in jangly tone, try a Janglebox compressor. |
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Joined:
May 2009
Posts: 325
Location: Utica, NY | Ya ever tune the high E and B unison strings ever-so-slightly flat to get a more pronounced chorusing effect? It adds another dimension and I rather like it. |
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Joined:
May 2009
Posts: 325
Location: Utica, NY | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
Originally posted by nervous:
The SSB really is Super Shallow. I think I am gonna like that live. Sounds GREAT played with a pick. Very jangly, just the way I like it.
You think it now, but you're going to know it for sure after you've stood playing an SSB for any length of time. |
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Joined:
May 2009
Posts: 325
Location: Utica, NY | OK, I'm 8 days into ownership so I'd thought I'd drop back in with an update.
1) SSB is for me! Of all the bowl types I have tried this one suits me best. Sounds just fine for my tastes and is just a great fit.
2) Didn't take much time at all to get used to the extra strings and I am actually finding it rather easy to play.
3)The original factory action was a bit high at the 12th but removing all the shims and slowly tweaking the K-Bar over the past few days has yielded fantastic results with awesome playability from the 7th fret down (not that it's bad from there up it's just now exceptional down low). As good as most any electric I have owned. No painful fingers whatsoever. Happily surprised.
4) This guitar makes me want to play and learn more than any of the previous and that surprised me. The 12 sound is just something so different and appealing to me. It makes simple noodling a whole new adventure. Basic chords sound huge and the pretty chords sound like beauty queens (but not the ones that get all glittered up and say dumb stuff).
5) tuning ain't so bad after you do it a few times.
So far so good..... |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Herb,
Glad to hear you're comfortable with the 12er!
Ya might want to check out this 12er SONG THREAD for a taste of what some of the members prefer. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Ya might want to check out this 12er SONG THREAD for a taste of what some of the members prefer.
I can't believe I missed that thread... |
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Joined:
May 2009
Posts: 325
Location: Utica, NY | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
Ya might want to check out this 12er SONG THREAD for a taste of what some of the members prefer.
I can't believe I missed that thread...
:D |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by nervous:
it should be revived and added to....
:D Weeell...  |
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My New 12er