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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: oz | HI im new here
im trying to get specs of an old mid80's ovation bubble back accoustic, its black with serial number 355023, no other stickers, has active bridge pick up, 3 band EQ.
i need to find the way the bridge nut fits on
thanks |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Pictures might help.
BTW; Welcome to the OFC. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 2791
Location: Atlanta, GA. | ????
i need to find the way the bridge nut fits on Do you mean the saddle? If its an A/E, the pickup is the saddle.
I'm confused.
????
BTW, WELCOME to the OFC!!! |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Levi 9...WELCOME !!
..I do n`t understand the question.. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 575
Location: Denmark | You could also check with the manual: http://www.ovationguitars.com/img/OVmanual.pdf |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by levi9:
HI im new here
im trying to get specs of an old mid80's ovation bubble back accoustic, its black with serial number 355023, no other stickers, has active bridge pick up, 3 band EQ.
i need to find the way the bridge nut fits on
thanks welcome |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | welcome |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: oz | hi
might i sayy thanks to all who replyed, I didnt relise this place was so popular.
My last message was typed in 2min just before going out, sorry!
I havent used it in 5-7 yrs, and the following was done in ignorance, i was a fool and cant afford a proper repair. The prob im having is that the B and E strings dont intonate well, causing a weird twang when some root 6 or 5 bar chords are played [Amaj-5th fret mainly, the other 4 strings "shing" well], no its not fret buzz and my fingering seems fine. it sounds like a slight +ive/-ive detune of the bottom 2 strings and does not happen on all frets.
Other "probs"???-
The neck rod was loose {had to turn 1/2 turn to be hand tight, just a little tension}. Also where the neck attaches to the body via the bolt {but on the outside} the glue has failed and was packed with a purpose made piece of bakerlite to bridge the gap temporarily. The only other mod is a piece of bakerlite under the bridge pickup, to raise the action/prevent the fret buzzing it had previously.
I spose these mods could be doing it so im trying to restore orig cond. Im no fool with the tools anymore so ill give it a go.
the saddle [bit the strings rest on, it cover the pickup], seems symetrical (i thought it may have been back to front) so i dont think it will change anything by reversing it.
i dont know if im making much sense,but any help appreciated, links maybe or DIY repair sites.
bye
levi |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: oz | thanks for the manual link.
Ill try to get pix
bye
ive just checked the neck action and it is "bowed"
, well actually to me it looks dead straight to the 15th fret and then dips down [slightly] towards the rear of the guitar the rest of the way up the fret board. |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: oz | neck assessed without strings and all "mods" untouched. There is no 5th fret "bow" noticible. |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: oz | pictures are up.
ovat saddle
ovat
ovat body
ovat neck job
ovat eq
ovat pik up
ovat neck bow (not good pic)
bye |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by levi9:
Also where the neck attaches to the body via the bolt {but on the outside} the glue has failed and was packed with a purpose made piece of bakerlite to bridge the gap temporarily. I don't understand the above at all.
Can't help you with your problem, coz I'm not too sure what your problem is, but welcome to the OFC. Good to see another Aussie on the board. Hope you hang around. (Where are you?)
One thing I CAN tell you though, the bakelite shim is the standard way of adjusting the action on an Ovation. It's not a 'mod'. You could try cutting up an old credit card and slipping that under there to see if it alleviates the problem - if it IS fret buzz. |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | When I said I don't understand, I meant the bit about "attaches to the body via the bolt" - what bolt? There are some Ovations where the neck is attached to the body via 3 Allen bolts, but they're accessed from the inside of the guitar. I doubt that your guitar uses that system.
If the glue HAS given up on the heel, then I'd seriously consider finding and employing a luthier that appreciates Ovations. (Good luck finding one of THEM in Australia) |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: oz | hi muzza,
sorry, the main prob im trying to eliminate is :-
The prob im having is that the B and E strings dont intonate well , causing a weird twang when some root 6 or 5 bar chords are played [Amaj-5th fret mainly, the other 4 strings "shing" well], no its not fret buzz and my fingering seems fine. it sounds like a slight +ive/-ive detune of the bottom 2 strings and does not happen on all frets. the rest is mainly for info, query the cause of the intonaion, i thought this may sound familiar to someone.
definately 1 bolt approx 10mm, rite below the truss rod allen head on the inside of body thru to the heel.
thanks anyway. |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: oz | its an 1985 vintage going by the serial no. but not sure of model, anyone help me out on this?
thanks |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Can't help you with the model number, but when the Yanks wake up, there's no shortage of experts in that area. They'll probably prove me wrong, but I've not seen an externally bolted on neck. Sounds like someone tried to bolt the neck back on after the glue failed.
Try raising up the bridge slightly to get a better 'break angle', which means, after the string passes over the saddle, it bends down before going through the little tunnel. If this angle (break angle) isn't sharp enough, there is insufficient tension to hold the string hard against the saddle. As you can see, the saddle is much lower on the E and B strings, so the break angle is much shallower than the other strings.
If the point of attachment at the heel HAS given up, then the result would be a very high action. The previous owner probably tried to compensate for that by lowering the saddle by removing some shims. The bakelite shim under the heel, and existence of the Frankenstein bolt, indicate to me that someone without much passion for Ovations has tried a backyard repair job in the past, with limited success.
If that is the problem, you've got 2 options. [Well, there are 3 options actually, buy you really don't want to know the 3rd :eek: ]
Option 1; pay to get it professionally repaired.
Option 2; raise the action back up and learn to play slide guitar. (That's what I did with my Hondo)
I hate to be the harbinger of Doom, but (on the bright side :rolleyes: ) I could be wrong.
Whereabouts in Oz are you? |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I think this is an '86 Custom Legend...
Has this guitar had water damage?
The problem could be the saddle to pick-up contact but, to me, it sounds like the neck is the real issue which will likely require professional attention. |
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Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
I think this is an '86 Custom Legend...
You mean Custom Balladeer. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 231
| Doesn't look like a CL to me. May'be a Balladeer. Looks to have the uncarved bridge, and silver keys to me. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | sorry... yes, "Custom Balladeer" |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | The saddle justs sits on top of the silcone inside the aluminum pickup channel. String pressure will hold it in place, or you can use a little rubber-solution glue.
And, yes, it is a Custom Balladeer. Looks like it's had a hard life. |
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Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Was this the one advertised as a Custom Legend on Orange County Craigslist a little while back? I seem to recall seeing a picture of that preamp with all the rust on the screws. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 231
| Looks like someone took that boat paddle thing seriously. |
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Joined:
March 2006
Posts: 482
Location: enid, ok | Indeed! After Keith Relf passed, I quit doing that. |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: oz | the saga continues , see episode IV (a new hope) at post, "More on 80s BB", general posting.
bye
levi "ovy wan" kenobi. |
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mid 80's bubble back