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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 567
Location: Denmark | Hello fellow ofc'ers. I am considering trying a shallow bodied O and have been in love with the 1867 for some time after trying one (which was not for sale) I have seen this 1868: http://www.dba.dk/western-ovation-1868-elite/id-90464268/ which could also be a possibility as the 1867 are rare seen but I worry about the described cracks in the deck (photos 2 and 8).
I would not consider it if the cracks make it a dubious deal and it in the end is not my dream guitar.
Thanks for your thoughts and comments? |
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Joined:
November 2011
Posts: 741
Location: Fort Worth, TX | That crack is an easy repair. PM me for info on how to do it. I've fixed two of them like that so far. Takes all of a half hour tops. |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Could you post that info, Dave? I'm sure there are others that would be interested in knowing how.
Thanks
Wayne |
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Joined:
November 2011
Posts: 741
Location: Fort Worth, TX | I didn't want to do it in the forum again since I've already done it a few times. I found this info on a luthier forum. You get Titebond Molding and Trim glue. Take a plastic medicine cup, like comes on bottles of cough syrup and fill it one fourth the way with Titebond. Add a few drops of white vinegar, but ONLY a few DROPS to the glue and stir it up well. Get a small piece of damp cloth, dip it in the glue and work it into the crack. All the while you are doing this, have a hot iron (cotton setting) ready. Wipe excess glue off with another damp cloth. Lay guitar down and place a clean piece of damp cloth over the crack area, be sure it is large enough that hot iron doesn't contact the guitar top. Iron the crack area, holding the iron in place a few times for up to 10 seconds to set the glue. Let the repair cool off and inspect to see if another application is needed. In two repairs I've done so far one application was enough. The crack line will still be visible but will now be stronger than the surrounding wood.
I was told the vinegar thins the glue enough and does something else too that helps it soak into the surrounding wood. It also help the glue dry strong under heat. Both repairs I've done this way I tested by a lot of downward pressure on the crack. They both held fine. As far as the crack line still being visible, I had my own solution for that as is evident in my avatar. You might want to just live with the visible crack secure in knowing it won't spread further. |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | So, you don't etch the crack out? Just fill it as it is? Yeah, I don't care if there is a visible line, just as long as it is tight and you can't feel it when you rub your finger across it.
Wayne
Edited by Bluebird 2013-03-24 9:16 PM
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Joined:
November 2011
Posts: 741
Location: Fort Worth, TX | Weiner - 2013-03-24 9:12 PM
So, you don't etch the crack out? Just fill it as it is? Yeah, I don't care if there is a visible line, just as long as it is tight and you can't feel it when you rub your finger across it.
Wayne
Fortunately, the first crack I repaired happened in transit and obviously didn't have time to fill with grime. The second one I filled, on a 39 year old Glen Campbell I paid $100 for, had sat high on a shelf for about a year. I carefully took the tip of a new Exacto blade and ran it back and forth in the crack first to get caked in dust out. I actually have no idea how one would "etch" a crack out. I've found another music store with three O's with cracked tops. I'm waiting for him to come to his senses about his $250 apiece asking price. Hopefully, after they've sat there 6 months or so he'll sell me the two nicest ones for $150 each. |
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Joined:
November 2011
Posts: 741
Location: Fort Worth, TX | I should add this repair is for a crack that goes into the wood, it is not a finish crack solution. On the glen Campbell, I had no way of clamping cleats inside the guitar on the back of the crack and don't have the proper tools (clamps) to do so anyway. The heated glue method sealed the crack strong enough cleats weren't needed, and I tested the repair out very forcefully. Of course on the Elite, I had only to open the back access cover and glue a few cleats over it with superglue so clamping wasn't needed. I think I'm going back to the music store today with the 3 cracked O's since it's been over a month since my last visit now. If all 3 are still there I'll make him my offer now. I sold the Glen Campbell for a $125 profit for a half hour of effort at the repair. The guy has a beautiful sunburst Balladeer there that has a beautiful tone but two top cracks. Nobody is going to give him 250 for it. |
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Joined:
November 2011
Posts: 741
Location: Fort Worth, TX | I should add this repair is for a crack that goes into the wood, it is not a finish crack solution. On the glen Campbell, I had no way of clamping cleats inside the guitar on the back of the crack and don't have the proper tools (clamps) to do so anyway. The heated glue method sealed the crack strong enough cleats weren't needed, and I tested the repair out very forcefully. Of course on the Elite, I had only to open the back access cover and glue a few cleats over it with superglue so clamping wasn't needed. I think I'm going back to the music store today with the 3 cracked O's since it's been over a month since my last visit now. If all 3 are still there I'll make him my offer now. I sold the Glen Campbell for a $125 profit for a half hour of effort at the repair. The guy has a beautiful sunburst Balladeer there that has a beautiful tone but two top cracks. Nobody is going to give him 250 for it. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 567
Location: Denmark | Cool answers, thank you very much for the advices and experiences. |
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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | By the way. My 1868 is my favorite guitar ever. I haven't had as many as these guys, only 5 acoustic Ovations, but I stopped looking after I got this guitar. I also have a 6778LX Elite, but the 1868 suits me perfectly. Of course, I have been to a lot of OFC jams and played the cream of the crop. I still love my $199 ebay Elite so much.
Edited by Captain Lovehandles 2013-03-28 1:07 PM
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Joined:
September 2011
Posts: 260
Location: Spain | I love my 1868, it's amazing on stage, such a great powerful tone. Acoustically it's pretty quiet BUT that's probably because I have very light strings on it, I just can not handle 12's.
However, when I had it fixed and set up (I bought it in terrible condition) the lutheir had put 12's on it, saying that's what Ovations came with, and the sound was just absolutely unbeatable!! I tried to get used to playing it like that, I couldn't believe how fantastic it sounded...but in the end I just couldn't take the massive finger workout :-((
Conclusion? Amazing guitar, buy it :-) |
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1868 - Elite