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January 2011
Posts: 7
| Hello,
Damon67 advised me to post this topic in the "General Posting" section, since not many members can respond to the newbies.
For a while I'm visiting this board and enjoy reading the posts. About six months ago I bought a pretty rare Ovation Country Artist with a Baldwin Prismatone pickup from a OFC member. I am very happy with, but I would like to know more about it. The guitar is in absolutely mint condition and I guess it's from 1970 or 1971.
I know that it all started with Glen Campbell, who played Jerry Reed's Baldwin during his "Goodtime Hour" show while he was under endorsement from Ovation. Ovation wasn't amused and wanted to act quickly; so they approached Baldwin and bought a bunch of their pickups and slapped them one some of their guitars. They didn't particularly liked the Baldwin pickup and so they started developing their own electrical classic guitar.
Is there more information available, or is this pretty all there is?
Thanks a lot!
Hendrik 
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Location: Texas | Hey Hendrik...
You sly dog...you just wanted to show off that rare beauty. Did it come with the 22.5 pre-amp supply? IF you ever get tired of her, drop me a line.
jay |
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January 2011
Posts: 7
| Hi Jay, nice to see you hear on the OFC. It 'only' needs a 9v battery, so it isn't the same setup as the Baldwin guitar(s). It sounds a bit less fat in comparison with the Baldwin; maybe the preamp is the reason of that.
Edited by hensib 2013-06-15 10:41 AM
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Beautiful guitar, Hendrick... does yours have any preamp at all, or just the volume control (preferred because you can run it into any preamp you want)?
I'm not sure there is any more to the story than what you mentioned already and a few more details that are in the book. Whether they actually liked the pickup or not, they would have wanted to develop their own original design.
What is the width measurement of your headstock above the D and G tuners? Mine looks narrower than what is on your guitar so I would like to know for sure.
Thanks,
Wayne |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Ok, I see you answered the first question while I was typing. Is the preamp the same as the original FET Ovation preamps?
Wayne |
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January 2011
Posts: 7
| I don't know if it's the original FET preamp Wayne. I am not really familiar with Ovation guitars, so I can't answer that question, sorry.
Will measure the width of the headstock for you asap  . |
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Posts: 7
| Wayne, the width right above the D and G tuners is about 6,3 cm (2.48 inches). Is that the same as yours? |
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Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Mine measures exactly 6 cm at that point and 5.8 in the logo area just before it starts to crown. The widest point over the truss rod cover area is 7 cm.
Thanks Hendrick!
On the preamp; perhaps the previous owner would like to chime in.. he has/had many Ovations so I'm sure he knows what's in there. |
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Location: Cork, Ireland | Is that the same pickup as Willie Nelsons Martin? |
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January 2009
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Location: Texas | Yes. Baldwin had given Willie one of their nylons, outfitted with the prismatone, along with an amp (C1?). Those prismatones require 22.5 volts and the Baldwin amp (which he still uses today) provided that. In the late 60's Willies Baldwin was damaged and he sent it to Shot Jackson in Nashville, who pronounced DOA. He put the p.u. on a Martin nylon and the rest is history. There is a youtube video out there of Willie and Glen playing together and Triggers' soundboard has yet to be violated. Admirable that the man has not had GAS since the late 60's. |
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January 2011
Posts: 7
| That's right Jay. Here is a comparison picture, where you can see the pickup on a Baldwin guitar (that Willie got his from) and on the Ovation guitar. You'll see that they are identical, only the sticker on the top of the pickup is missing on the Ovation.
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Location: sitting at my computer | Hendrik, nifty piece of O history you've got there. Can't help add any more than you already know, but found a clip of GC playin' Classical Gas on his Prismatone O. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqGkq2DrKtQ amosmoses - Admirable that the man has not had GAS since the late 60's. ...maybe WAS helps control GAS. ???  |
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Ovation Country Artist w/ Baldwin Prismatone pickup