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Posts: 16
Location: Atlanta | Just wanted to say hello. I'm a French guy living in Atlanta, and I've been playing guitar (electric) for a long time. I just sold all of my electrics, and I want to buy an E/A Ovation. I just checked out some today at Guitar Center, and wow, they are beautiful! Couldn't try any because I was with my 2 year old who was blowing her harmonica like a nut in the store so I couldn't stay. :D
I was hoping to get some advice from people who actually own one. I want to get a model that I'll want to keep forever, so not a low-end celebrity, most likely, but I wonder how high I should go as far as price / features go. Deep bowl? Medium bowl? Do those fancy soundholes on the sides actually make a difference as compared to the regular one? Surely a solid top is another feature to look for?
Anyway... I hope someone can point me in the right direction, I miss playing... :( Thanks! |
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Posts: 1609
Location: Colorado | Welcome. Find a 2080. Also - there are folks on this board from your area - both France and Atlanta - not necessarily in that order...in fact the parties from these areas own some of the world's best Ovations/Adamas'around..hoping they'll chime in...go have a chili dog at the Varsity for me. |
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Location: Atlanta | Funny you mention that, I live not far from there. Near GT and I75, right?
Yeah, the 2080 might be a little too much for me. I was thinking of $1,000 or $1,500, tops... |
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Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | There are two of the finest, a 1537 and a U681T that are in the For Sale section now. They are at either end of the range you just gave. The 1537 is one of the best wood topped Ovations ever, and the first Elite model. The Ute is a great fingerstyle Adamas that has very full bass and ringing highs. The guy who's selling them must have lost his mind. Both are lifers. |
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Location: Atlanta | So what's so good about, for example, the 1537? |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | 1537 is the Very Best Guitar made Ever !!!!....it Beams...it Pushes..it Rocks..it lends Subtlety to Poetry...it Supports..it Leads..it Whispers..it`s Strong..it Cuddles..
Vic
..just `cause I`ve got a Sunburst one does n`t mean I`m biased.. :) |
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Posts: 3969
| As an owner of a 1537, all I can say is that it's the best sounding wood top Ovation I've ever heard, rivaling even some Adamii. And I've had the chance to play some pretty good Ovation products - this was my house at a recent OFC gathering:
Whatever special mojo was drifting around New Hartford then was absorbed in spades by these guitars.
Seriously, it's a combination of the skills of the luthiers who had by then refined the Adamas guitars applying their experience and art to these first Elites, quality of the materials (soundboards), construction techniques, and on and on. If I had to get rid of all but one of my guitars the one staying without question would be the 1537. |
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Location: Atlanta | Wow, you guys make a pretty good case for it! :) Now I'm guessing there aren't that much around. Except the one mentioned.
Is the neck similar to the recent ones? |
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Posts: 4073
Location: Utah | I would say that the "lowest" model to consider is the 1778T or the 1778LX. They are both great guitars, and you'd be pleased to keep it forever. Guitar Center has their own version of the 1778LX that they call the 178LX or something. It is also a fine guitar.
The 6778LX is another great guitar for the money. Moving up from there you could consider the 2078LX, which is the deep contour bowl model. It has a slightly fuller sound due to the deeper bowl, but the contour shape is something that some people don't like (and others love).
From there, the Adamas 2080. I think that many would consider this the ultimate guitar which is affordable to the average buyer. But you won't find one at the local Guitar Center, or at any other store most likely.
The side holes sound just great, btw.
There are a variety of preferences on this forum, so you'll get a lot of good but varied input. One good question would be what are you looking for in a guitar? How much money are you looking to spend? |
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Posts: 3969
| Originally posted by Olivier:
Wow, you guys make a pretty good case for it! :) Now I'm guessing there aren't that much around. Except the one mentioned.
Is the neck similar to the recent ones? Not many made, only rarely do they come up, and it's usually a member here getting G.A.S. pains for something else and - in a moment of temporary insanity - selling it off.
The neck, having the Kaman bar, is heavier and has a more pronounce V profile than do some of the other O's with a softer C profile. I don't find it uncomfortable - I have the same style neck on another of my O's - although some people prefer the soft C shape. |
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Location: Atlanta | First, thanks for all that info, it's giving me a good place to start.
How much money I'm looking to spend... initially I thought about $500, but then I realized that the reason why I sold my electric guitar was because I bought a cheap model which didn't sound so great, so I eventually got tired of its sonic shortcomings (mostly lack of good sound definition, the bass sounded fuzzy and lacked clarity, the highs had zero sustain...). So now I want to invest into something good, and I'm thinking $1,000 should be enough (at least for me!), which will be possible if I do get a new job and successfully sell my saxophone.
I'd like a comfortable instrument, with a small-ish neck, and clear, powerful sound, something that would sound equally as good for fingerpicking or just strumming. A good preamp, if possible with a built-in tuner... and most of all, I want something well-made, not a guitar made on the cheap on an assembly line somewhere in Asia (although I hear the Japanese are doing a good job), good woods, good construction, something that will last a loooong time. |
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Posts: 16
Location: Atlanta | Also (I've never played an E/A plugged in before) would it sound OK on an electric guitar-oriented preamp such as a Digitech GSP 2101? Hopefully it'd work okay, since it would be nice to play around with all the effects, etc... |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Olivier,
If you haven't already, do a search for 1537 and spend a day or so reading. It was the subject of a bunch of threads a couple years ago and is really the top of the line Ovation, or a wood-topped Adamas, whichever way you look at it. To get one in excellent condition for $1000 was one of the smartest buys I ever made.
The Ute is also very special and is more rare, but it will be harder and harder to find a mint 1537 in the future. If you want a wood-topped Ovation, get the 1537. If you like the Adamas sound with a little wider 12 fret neck, get the Ute. |
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Posts: 3969
| You'd be much better off with an acoustic amp. Electric guitar amps generally don't reproduce acoustic tones very well, and acoustic amps (and pedals) come with their own effects designed for acoustics. Search the archives here for lots of info on acoustic amps and pedals.
If you're mainly a fingerpicker then look for one of the wide-neck models, like a Folklore. The FD14 is also considered among the best wood-top Ovations, and some were made with a wide neck. Those are pretty rare, and might be out of your comfort zone price-wise.
Older Legends ('70s to early 80s vintage) might be worth a look, too. There have been some amazingly good deals on eBay recently for 1617's, under $400. That is seriously undervalued, IMO, for the AAA-grade spruce top, deep bowl tone monsters that these are.
So many choices, so little time (and money)! |
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Posts: 4073
Location: Utah | Check out this thread for some great buys. You can probably get that store to ship you the guitar.
For under $1000 you should be able to find a new O or an excellent condition used O. Remember that prices are negotiable, even at Guitar Center. |
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Location: Utah | Also, don't forget to browse the for sale forum here. |
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Posts: 16
Location: Atlanta | Originally posted by FlySig:
Check out this thread for some great buys. You can probably get that store to ship you the guitar. |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Olivier,
First of all, welcome!
Next, I have had eyes upon some of the newer 'O' models, but I have several oldies and I LOVE 'em all and have no desire to let them go!
Lastly, I'm glad that many folk know not of the art of bartering. Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East has taught me that a price tag is nothing but the sellers ultimate profit margin. Just make an offer. The worst they can say is "no".
Good luck in your quest. You definitely came to the right place!
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Bartering...noted.
will offer U , 5 dollars for that 1763 Classic..including Case and Tuner.. :)
Vic |
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Posts: 1388
Location: Paris/France | "Bienvenue" from Paris and welcome aboard Olivier!!
J :) |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by HumblePie aka Solid Top:
Bartering...noted.
will offer U , 5 dollars for that 1763 Classic..including Case and Tuner.. :)
Vic OK, you talked me into selling the tuner (Pick up only! I think you might enjoy our winter here! :p ).
After being 'soaked' for $553 for the 1763, I do need to make that 'ultimate profit margin'!
Seriously, I am totally in love with the older deep bodies (whoa there, I'm talking 'bout guitars here). I'm still learning about all the 'O' options but I'm totally happy with the oldies (hell, I am one!).
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Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | Welcome aboard Oliver!
While I've been an ovation owner for decades now, I'm nowhere near as knowledgeable as most of the posters above me. The reason? I've owned solid body electric Ovations, and have only owned an Ovation acoustic for the past 4 years now.
At the risk of being chastised from more experienced O owners, I'd like to say I think it depends on what you're wanting and your style of playing. That 1537 looks nice to me, and I'm sure it plays and sounds beautiful, but I would feel limited with it, and heres why:
As noted above, I'm first an electric player. I have electric player habits. Many of those habits require access to the upper register on the neck. That 1537 would make me feel claustrophobic.
It all depends on what you want to do with it. I would suggest you stick with a US made model, but if your budget doesn't allow it, maybe one of the new Ultras would be an idea? I just played one today, and though it played and sounded great. If it would have had an ebony fretboard, I would have bought it right there! |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | olivier,
click on my name link below to hear the (plugged in) 1537 i used to own and wish i still had... |
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July 2005
Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | Olivier, I was at the Atlanta GC at lunch today. That was your daughter? Now I feel bad that I complained to the management.
Okay seriously... I was there at lunch today swapping some cables I bought on Saturday. That GC (I-85 access road north of N. Druid Hills) has a black 1778T. And they have a small room in the acoustic room that has some acoustic amps, including a Roland AC-60, which many here like.
But if it were me, I'd first of all look at the For Sale section of this board. Deals can get scary-good.
Welcome!
Jas
Looks like Atlanta is busting out with new members! |
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February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: Atlanta | Yeah, no upper frets access on 1537 = no no.
That was my daughter, how could you?! :-D
I need to go back and try the 1778T, I need some midi cables anyway.
I must say I'm a little weary of buying used gear though, especially if I can't try it first. My wife said that pawn shops could be a good place to look though, maybe I'll try that. |
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February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: Atlanta | I'm a bit surprised, I saw an 1861 for sale at one of the GCs and it says it's an 1861 but I thought the balladeers like the 1861 only had a center round hole? This one has the little holes in the epaulets... |
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Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | Local store here is selling an unowned (it's been hanging there a while so I won't say new) 1778LX Elite for $700. I bet they'd ship. I've played it. It's in perfect shape.
If you want their info, let me know. I bought mine from them too, though I paid $1000+. Here;s mine, but the one they have is a Black Cherry Burst
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Hello