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Joined:
March 2010
Posts: 30
Location: South Florida, USA | Hello,
I have a 1755 Balladeer 12 string that came with an OP 24 pickup system. That system is gone and I would like to replace it. I have waited for over a year for one to show up on the Bay, just bought one, and unfortunately it does not work.
My questions are: Does anyone have one to sell? 
Any suggestions for an after market pickup for this guitar?
Would I be better off just putting in a nice soundhole mounted magnetic pickup?
Any comments, thoughts, pickups, etc. would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
I apologize if this is the wrong Forum for these questions.
Edited by golfmanbil 2012-09-18 8:25 PM
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | I use a Baggs M1 sound hole pickup a lot in a 6 string Larrivee, which I really like. It has 6 adjustable pole pieces.....I don't know whether 2 strings would react any different than a 1 string to each individual pole piece??? But for $125, the M1 is a great sounding pickup.
Edited by BobG 2012-09-21 6:12 AM
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4070
Location: Utah | Do you know which part of the system is kaput? FWIW, I would stick with the original Ovation undersaddle system. The undersaddle piezo will pick up the acoustic sound of the guitar, whereas a magnetic pickup in the soundhole will sound like an electric guitar because it picks up the magnetic vibrations in the strings.
There are after market undersaddle pickups which will fit, but the factory pickup is very close in price.
If it is the preamp module which is bad, you have the option of either replacing it with an Ovation preamp or using some kind of external preamp. For example you could run undersaddle piezo wires to the jack on the guitar body and then plug it into any one of the decent acoustic preamps on the market. My son uses a Fishman preamp for his electric violin which I have tried on an Ovation with very good results. This Fishman is the size of a cigarette box and has a 9v battery. It clips on his belt and then he plugs that into the cable to the amp.
It would be a lot simpler and cleaner for you to just restore your guitar to the original configuration, which is what I would do. |
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Joined:
March 2010
Posts: 30
Location: South Florida, USA | Gentleman, Excellent advice, the preamp is the issue. I did not realize that I could use the Ovation pickup in a different preamp. I agree, that would be easy and sound more natural.
Many thanks! |
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Joined:
June 2012
Posts: 2333
Location: Pueblo West, CO | You could also contact Al at Lost Art Vintage to see if he can get a replacement OP-24 preamp from the Mother Ship. |
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Ovation Pick Up