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Location: Florence,SC | OK, I've stumbled across something that's puzzling. If this has already been covered, please give me the thread ... I couldn't find it.
Looking through the Ovation adverts in the Archives of The Ovation Tribute website (thanks Jerome!), the Magnum bass pictured in a couple of them caught my attention. If someone out there has an original (Jerome?), would you check it out for me? http://www.ovationtribute.com/Catalogues/Magnum%20Bass%20Brochure/Magnum%20Bass%20Brochure.html
The first page shows a bass player (who looks like he escaped from a Renaissance Fair) playing what looks like a Magnum I at first glance. The second page shows the bass clearer. It has a switch (not labelled) where the volume control is normally located on the Magnum II. Also, up at the neck pickup, the 2 pickguard screws aren't aligned across from each other as they are on the normal Magnum I. All 4 knobs are moved towards the neck to allow for the re-positioning of the 2 output jacks. The labels for the jacks ("mono" and "stereo") are upside down as compared to the normal bass.
The photo on the left has the name "Magnum 1" on the bass side of the bare metal surround frame. The name may have been superimposed on that photo since the blow-up photos on the right show no indication of a name.
Anyone, comments?
Bill, insights? |
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Location: Maine | Are you kidding me? Just 10 minutes ago I had a phone conversation with another OFC'r about this same promo ad ..!!! Thanks for finding the AD scanned online as i have a physical copy of it . Unbelievable
In my opinion, The Magnum I shown is a prototype. Notice the more sweept lower bout , i.e. more Deacon-like. Talbot |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Ok, I must be dense.. The guitars in the ad look just like mine Magnum I and Magnum II asside from some labeling and maybe the placement of the switch isn't exactly the same. I'm pretty sure I have seen Magnum I's with the the labeling legible when looking at it. Mine is labelled to look at it while playing... e.g. upside down as it were.
And the Bass player looks like John Entwistle may he RIP. |
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Location: Maine | I could be wrong, but isn't the bass player in the ad Ovation's own Mike Macure (spelling) aka "Puppy"? Later he was with Takamine?
Look at the Magnum I again and draw a "would be" horizontal line as if the guitar was set on the floor. Would the neck be vertical or tilted like a BW/Deacon?
Its a subtle difference from the standard magnum I II body shape. TJR. Ive got some other pics to share but they are not on this mobile device |
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Location: Maine | Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWHD_IRh7AA&feature=youtube_gdata_pl...
...TJR
( mobile email ) |
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Location: Maine | Pics as mentioned nearly a year ago. You can clearly see the body shape differences with this side by side shot. Magnum IIMagnum I 
Magnum I 
Magnum II 
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Location: Maine | More Pics to share, Talbot Neck Plates
Magnum I is the X050 
PegHeads, Notice the carbon fiber strip end points Magnum II (Top, L&R) has the Yellow-ish Gold logo and scripted machine heads  |
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Location: Florence,SC | Thanks for posting the pictures. Glad to see the bass actually exists. With an "X" serial number, it's probably a prototype. Notice also the pole pieces on the bridge pickup are standard round and not the oval scooped out ones that became standard. On the flyer, the insert showing the Magnum II's controls, shows what looks to be a passive 3-band equalizer (0-10 markings 3 sliders, not 6). Do you own both of these basses? |
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Location: Maine | Wow. I never noticed the spec sheet showing the Mag II with only 3 slide pots
The later ones had 6 sliders but was still a three band EQ since
the "tone" slides were paired up with a volume compensation slide.
In the stash of stuff I have I found a Magnum circuit board with a "wheel " volume knob
Think like a black aluminum wheel half sticking out from pick guard which the player could spin by its outward facing OD edge
Yes those basses are here with me in Maine
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Location: Florence,SC | Would love a picture of that circuit!!! Ovation has always thought outside the box.
The reason I think the 3 slide pots are passive is that active EQ is +5_0_-5 because they can boost as well as cut frequency whereas passive is 0-10 because they can only cut frequency like a standard guitar's tone control. But hey, it's just a guess ... designers' don't need our permission to do what they do.
Where did you come across that "X" bass? I was beginning to believe (since the ad was in black & white) it was just an artist concept drawing. Do you know of anyone who has a Magnum II version?
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Location: Maine | I've never seen another Magnum bass that has that elongated body shape
Like the X050, but I wouldnt be too suprised if there is one somewhere.
The bass came from my fathers collection. A few decades ago he had the good fortune to work at Ovation and be able to work on stuff like that bass.
When I get a chance l'll post pics of the CBoard
Ill also share a funky tailpiece concept
Notice anything different about the tail piece on the Mag II pictured above?
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Location: Florence,SC | 4 things: bare metal, no intonation markings between the first and last pair of bridge saddles, bridge saddles are not brass, and there's a cable coming out from under the bridge (acoustic pickup?). How many others did I miss? |
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Location: Maine | You caught more difference than I expected but
the cord is the main feature.
Here's why....,
http://www.ovationtribute.com/Ovation_Guitars_Patents/Magnum_1977_B... |
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Location: Upper Left USA | "A few decades ago he had the good fortune to work at Ovation and be able to work on stuff like that bass."
Tal, your Dad left more than a few fingerprints, he was central to a lot of the leading edge features and made possible so many manufacturing tools.
I'm glad you got to hang on to a few goodies.
(Even gladder for the ones you've shared with me!) |
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Location: Sweden | Of course it´s a prototype ! |
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Odd Magnum Bass