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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Wow! A friend of mine finally got her old Balladeer back from her son after 20 years. He didn't take care of it so it has some bad cracks in it, but it's still the prettiest guitar I've seen in a long time. What is amazing is, as beautiful as Ovation sunburst are, this is different, and SO beautiful! I put some pics up on my ning page and I'll even provide a link - that's as computer savy as this old lady will probably ever get.
http://ovationfanclub.ning.com/photo/100media-imag0191?context=user |
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Location: Route 66, just east of the Cadillac Ranch | You are right, that's a beautiful guitar. I can't tell from the picture, did you notice if it has a 3-piece top? Thanks for sharing. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Yeah, it's a three piece top. What gets to me though is the color. The pictures don't do it justice. I'm wondering why they changed to a more traditional looking sunburst, and also if anyone else has ever seen one like this. There is no yellow at all. it just goes from a warm cinnamon color in the center and gradually darkens to almost black at the edges. |
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Location: Tuscany, Italy |
What about this one .... ?
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Location: Germany, where delicious wine is growing (Rheinh) | Well, my old 12-string Celeb CC-65 was in this color, too. It was called "tobacco-burst". Maybe I have some pics of it.....
Bernie |
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Location: Nashville TN. | Pretty guitar |
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Location: sitting at my computer | thought my 1756 Legend 12 string was "tobacco-burst" (???) but it's not as red as your Balladeer appears to be. It has a more honey / amber color... like my 1617-4 Legend 6 string. Hard to see in this photo, but the headstock has a matching burst. 
It's a real purdy one! IMO  |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | maremagnum - 2012-04-25 12:41 PM
What about this one .... ?
Yep, that one is close to the color, but Bonnie's isn't as dark at the outside edges. I used to think my (Iffy's) parlor was the prettiest sunburst I've ever seen, but this one has it beat. Now I'm going to have to dream about having one of THOSE made...SOMEDAY. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | CanterburyStrings - 2012-04-24 12:15 PM
Yeah, it's a three piece top. What gets to me though is the color. The pictures don't do it justice. I'm wondering why they changed to a more traditional looking sunburst, and also if anyone else has ever seen one like this. There is no yellow at all. it just goes from a warm cinnamon color in the center and gradually darkens to almost black at the edges.
This almost looks like a refinish. Has the early shaped headstock and TRC but the bridge and rosette is later vintage. Almost think maybe it was refinished and the later parts added to replace the non-reusable originals. I do not believe there were any originals with 3 piece top that did not have inlaid chainlink. I bet of you peeled up the rosette you would find the chainlink. |
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Location: Chicago | How does the Balladeer play? How does it sound? I bet it's good! |
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Location: Tuscany, Italy | Those custom balladeer ('70s era foil labeled) has mod. X bracing and sounds beautifully  |
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Location: Canada | No story....just good on ya' for passing on something you no longer have use for. Some might call it vintage and ask an outrageous price! LOL |
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Location: Route 66, just east of the Cadillac Ranch | GM Thompson - 2012-05-01 11:01 PM No story....just good on ya' for passing on something you no longer have use for. Some might call it vintage and ask an outrageous price! LOL Nothing's "passing on" here. Alison was just sharing pictures of an old and very cool Ovation. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | I think Rhythm S Pace was mixing up the two threads -this one and the one in which Fillhixx provided me with a case to give Binnie for her beautiful guitar.
I talked to her some more when she brought it back in after some repairs. The guitar sounds like an ORIGINAL Ovation. I don't know how to explain it. If you have ever played some of these shiny bowls you'll know what I'm talking about. Loud, rich, articulate. In short, it is spectacular.
AND, I found out she bought it new in late 1966 or early 1967. She got it for a great price too, because the music store wanted the new line he was carrying out there in the public eye, and Bonnie was in a popular band. So the rosette is original. I'm thinking they made one that way to see how it looked, and somehow that particular guitar got out there. Could be a one of a kind. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | What's the serial number? There's no way that bridge is original. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | I don't have the guitar here so I can't check, but it was 2_ _ I think. And it says "Patent applied for". I really do think this is some kind of prototype. The guitar was either brand new when she bought it, or the dealer lied to her about it. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | I just went inside with a mirror and the bracing is different than anything I have ever seen before. It is X braced, but the X is only in the bottom bout. It has two horizontal pieces across the bottom of the X. Other than that, all it has is two verticle braces at the soundhole. No wonder it sounds so good - there ISN'T much bracing! And I just played it alongside my 1581 Adamas which is the loudest guitar I own. This Balladeer is MUCH richer, and VERY MUCH louder. It is articulate across the strings and all the way up the neck. Holy cow! I've never in my life played such a fine sounding instrument. I swear it's louder than an original slothead. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Of course, its totally the sunburst finish. |
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Location: sitting at my computer | CanterburyStrings - 2012-05-03 1:59 PM It is X braced, but the X is only in the bottom bout. It has two horizontal pieces across the bottom of the X. Other than that, all it has is two verticle braces at the soundhole. An early experiment in modified X bracing perhaps? Might have contributed to those cracks mentioned in your original post. ? Keep it humidified! |
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Sunburst shiny bowl