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Location: New Bern, NC | I've been browsing the forum threads, using the search feature, and reading on various sites about few Ovation models are still made in the US. Apparently, as one thread revealed, the New Hartford shop is producing Guild as well as Ovation. http://www.acousticguitar.com/article/Default.aspx?ArticleID=28282 And it appears they're producing more Guilds than Ovations to boot. Consequently, if I dropped by the New Hartford shop one day it's quite possible I wouldn't see a single Ovation being made. If my own Custom Legend 1619 needs maintenance and I ship it to New Hartford isn't it very possible that a non-Ovation guy will work on my instrument?? 
Shout out to my fellow female guitarists. I like having all these guys around me!!! That's a perk of being a female guitarist. (Sorry guys, I'm married.)  |
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Location: Texas | Meredith,
Regardless of whether it is a Guild guy or Ovation guy, they are all skilled craftsmen. I can promise you that you will not be disappointed and would bet that you will be ecstatic at the finished product, if you allow the folks at the MS to tend to your Ovation.
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Location: New Bern, NC | Guild and Ovation are two different animals that use very different construction methods. I would not expect a Guild guy to know everything an Ovation guy knows. I'm quite sure the Guild guys are total professionals and I'm quite sure I would be impressed with their craftsmanship, but the fact remains that they are not Ovation specialists. If I had a Rolls Royce I would not want a Jaguar engineer to work on it, although I'm sure the Jaguar guy is very skilled and deserves my respect and admiration for his expertise in his field. I would rather have a Rolls Royce guy work on my Rolls, wouldn't you? |
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Location: SoCal | Meredith, you're mixing up the factory with the repair shop. I just had work done on my OFC slothead Adamas. I wasn't concerned in the least about sending it to the factory. Further, most of the people in the factory are former Ovation/Adamas people. Trust me, they know what they are doing. As do the people in the repair shop. You're Jag/RR analogy doesn't apply..... |
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Location: New Bern, NC | Sorry, so where is the "repair shop" located? You sent your Adamas to the "factory" or the "repair shop"? |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | The "repair shop" is located in the Factory... It is a big building.
As far as being "Guild Guys"...
I think all of the "Guild Guys" were fired when they closed the Westerly RI plant.
These people were "Ovation Guys" until their jobs were moved to Korea.
They still make Adamas and the Al DiMeola ADII Ovation there.
I also believe that there are still "Ovation Guys" that would enjoy working on you guitar.
Just like the Chevy mechanic who enjoys working on a '68 Camaro...
(as opposed to reprogramming that computer on a 2011 Camaro Reissue)
And No... You probably won't see a single Ovation being made.
Which is why any of the old-timers would be Happy to work on your guitar.
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Location: Nashville TN. | The same people nothing to worry about |
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Location: New Bern, NC | That's what I thought, Arthur. I didn't think there was a separate "repair shop." Very sad about most of Ovation's production going overseas. I'll stick with my old Custom Legend 1619, "Made in Connecticut, U. S. A." |
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Location: SoCal | Meredith, the question that'd I ask is "why consider buying another wood top Ovation?" The 1619 is one of the best Ovation every built. If you look at anything else, look at an Adamas. Different sound..... |
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Location: New Bern, NC | I'd love to have an Adamas. Maybe Santa will bring me one!! I agree, moody, p.i., I think my Custom Legend 1619 is one of the best guitars I've ever seen or played, but I may be a tad biased. One thing I love about it is the action. It plays like butter! Everyone who's ever played my guitar says the same. By the way, I noted on the Gallery Serial Number Registration page that all the 1619's have a number after the model number, e.g. 1619-1, 1619-4, 1619-5. http://www.ovationgallery.com/collectors/collector-legend.htm Mine is only 1619. There is no number after my model number. What's up with that? I guess I should start a separate thread for this. |
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Location: Lebanon, TN | <p>It's the finish/color code. From your picture yours would be -4 for natural. Check out the FAQ forum at the bottom for the model and color decoder post :-)</p>
Edited by Stuart Miller 2012-11-25 5:49 PM
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Location: California | Those numbers refer to colors, 5 for black, yours is 4- natural.
Edited by hwebster 2012-11-25 5:54 PM
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Location: New Bern, NC | Okay, so do most Ovation guitars have the hyphen and color number after the model number? Mine does not. Could it be that when mine was released there were no other color options at that moment in time? But when the color options were added Ovation added the color numbers after the model number??? |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I am trying to think... But I don't believe that Any of my guitars has the -number thing.
(Later, I will go look and discover that I am wrong again)
Some do, some don't.
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Location: SoCal | I've never seen a label with the color designation on it. It's a catalog/records thing.... |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Off the top of my head ...
The oval foil labels had -color after the model number
Adamas I rectangular paper labels had -color after the model number (Adamas II did not)
Adamas I and II oval paper labels had -color after the model number
Storm series rectangular paper labels had -color after the model number (labels with model NAME did not)
There's probably a TON of exceptions ... |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | 
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Location: SoCal | First of all, relax...everything John Budny and Kim Keller (and great staff) has touched of mine (including a recent lifting of the bridge on a Custom Legend 12-str 1658) has been great. I have not found a better company service group.
As most of you know, I am a Custom Legend guy...no longer have the 1619s (do have a 1669) because I recognize how great the 2004 1719-30CM is (I have two)...updated pre-amp and the best of the 1974 1619. So, if you appreciate the 1619, start thinking of a 2004 1719-30CM (best of the best). Not really a reissue, an improvement but recognizing the past.
Edited by Tony Calman 2012-11-25 7:50 PM
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Location: New Bern, NC | How do I post a pic? I'm in Rich Text now and I tried to use the image button in this editor, but it didn't work. Hmmm... I'm usually pretty good at figuring these things out. But I'm stumped.  |
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Location: New Bern, NC | Here's my label: http://www.ovationfanclub.com/megabbs/photos/show-album.asp?albumid... Not a great picture, but it looks okay. |
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Location: Texas | Tony, the 1719-30CM is a beautiful guitar...I think one just sold on ebay for 1500 BIN. |
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Location: SoCal | Standingovation - 2012-11-25 5:34 PM
Off the top of my head ...
The oval foil labels had -color after the model number
Adamas I rectangular paper labels had -color after the model number (Adamas II did not)
Adamas I and II oval paper labels had -color after the model number
Storm series rectangular paper labels had -color after the model number (labels with model NAME did not)
There's probably a TON of exceptions ...
I stand corrected. But I've still never seen it....
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Meredith, you've just received advice and knowledge from some of the best Ovation/Adamas folks on this site...believe me, they know what they're talking about. I have personally sent over 25 guitars to the MS with no complaints at all...Kim, and John and co. are the best in the business...you'll never find any better customer service, period!
Edited by MusicMishka 2012-11-25 11:32 PM
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Hi Meredith,
I've made a relatively expensive habit of sending guitars to New Hartford for repair and have a custom being repaired there right now. Without fail, they have returned stellar results. While Ovation USA has been scaled back to near invisibility, they still have all of the requisite, not to mention tailor-made, equipment necessary to properly repair an Ovation. That reason alone makes it worth the extra step.
As far as the talent pool at the factory goes, when I went to pick up my last guitar there, John Budny told me I was not allowed to take it until the man who re-built it talked to me. Mike could not have been more proud of his handiwork and he wanted me to know how much care he put into it personally.
And finally, during that same trip, I spontaneously asked John if I could take a few pictures for the calendar, and he readily obliged. So I can honestly state that, while there is no apparent Ovation assembly line, I had no difficulty finding more than a dozen O's and A's on racks and workbenches in various states of assembly.
All in all, no one in the country knows your 1619 better, inside and out, than the people at the MS. Their prices are very competitive for service. Getting the best, most experienced talent at an equivalent price to local competition seems like a good deal to me.
Good luck!  |
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Mother Ship (New Hartford shop)