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Location: Dayville, Connecticut | Okay...I remembered how to post pictures. Anyone know what the "XO4" written on the label means? (I know what the "CWK" is)
   
When I pick up the amp (probably this weekend) I'll take some pics of it.
Rick |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Hmmm now that thar is interesting.. X04 was usually the numbers they assign to prototypes back then. As it was told to me, they would lay out the makings of several guitars of the same model and put them together and just number them x01-x010 or whatever. One might be used for photo's, another as the production model example, maybe one or two go to be displayed at the NAMM convention etc.. I did not realize they did this with Applause guitars, but maybe as anything is possible. |
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Location: Dayville, Connecticut | That's kind of what I thought. My uncle was in purchasing at the Moosup plant. I believe this was a guitar he loaned me back when I was a teen. I used to play for the local church on Saturday nights, and one practice session my strap broke on my Balladeer and it hit the marble flooring. the neck started to seperate from the shiny bowl, so he loaned me one for a couple weeks and had mine fixed. I remember it was a sunburst guitar with an aluminum fretboard.
Another thing...I looked at a website that showed all the ovation models and brochures and I don't see an Applause with the headstock that this one has. All the ones shaped like mine have "matrix" or "ovation" badging.
I know it was their "economy" model but these little differences kind of brings up the "coolness level" for me. That and the fact that it has remained in my family and...it really IS a nice player. It's become my favorite accoustic to date (if you can believe that!)
Thanks for the reply sir,
Rick |
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Location: Caribou, ME | My crystal ball says they discontinued the 1132 and had a surplus of necks and rosettes. I like making stuff up like that.... |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | ksdaddy - 2012-07-24 10:24 AM My crystal ball says they discontinued the 1132 and had a surplus of necks and rosettes. I like making stuff up like that.... You might not be to far off. As we've seen with other models, it is an effective means of managing an inventory of surplus materials. |
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Location: Dayville, Connecticut | Sure...Makes a lot of sense. I think that would be standard practice for any company...make something outa what you have so you can sell it. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | When were you a teen and when did your uncle work in the Moosup plant? My Matrix has the same headstock, but with "Ovation" on it. It's a 1976. It doesn't say Matrix in big letters on the label, like others I've seen. My guess is that it was a prototype from before 1976 and before they made the decision to run a separate Applause line at a price point just below the virtually identical Ovation-Matrix line. My theory is that they put the Applause label on yours before they decided to have a different headstock for the Applause guitars to distinguish them from the slightly higher priced Matrix guitars. |
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Location: Dayville, Connecticut | Mark in Boise - 2012-07-24 12:49 PM
When were you a teen and when did your uncle work in the Moosup plant? My Matrix has the same headstock, but with "Ovation" on it. It's a 1976. It doesn't say Matrix in big letters on the label, like others I've seen. My guess is that it was a prototype from before 1976 and before they made the decision to run a separate Applause line at a price point just below the virtually identical Ovation-Matrix line. My theory is that they put the Applause label on yours before they decided to have a different headstock for the Applause guitars to distinguish them from the slightly higher priced Matrix guitars.
Yes he did. His name was Jim Lazarou. He worked in purchasing. I remember when they started working on the injection molding for the necks. He stopped by with what looked like a huge mushroom in a pail...it was the neck material. They were probably working on the "screw".
Oh and I'm still a "teen" (at heart) I'm 50 now. He gave me my first guitar when I was 8 and I was playing for the church folk group probably around 14-15 years old. That would make it around 1974-1975
Rick
Edited by deadfish 2012-07-24 1:03 PM
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Location: Caribou, ME |
You might not be to far off. As we've seen with other models, it is an effective means of managing an inventory of surplus materials.
Witness my Applause AA12 with the plastic Academy top! |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | 1974 or 1975 would fit my theory, but not the "left over parts" theory. Also, the prototype model number on your label would be consistent with an early Applause. It has been awhile since I read my History of Ovation Guitars book, but I remember a discussion of the decision to come out with the Applause to compete with Ovation imitators and that the Applause guitars were considered too close to the low end Ovation models, possibly the Matrix. I like my theory that your guitar was made before they decided to change the Applause headstock to make it look different from the Ovation Matrix. |
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Location: Caribou, ME | I'd be popping the neck. My newest applause is dated June of 82 while my AA12 is dated March of 83. I think anything after the fall of 82 would be fair game for leftover status. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | XO-4 + xo xo xo xo |
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pictures