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February 2009
Posts: 194
Location: Huntington Beach | OK, you guys who have played and owned and listened to a gazillion Ovations. What year, years or period produced the finest playing and sounding guitars. Personally, I haven't played an O that I would give up my 1977 1617 for. Though there were some close contenders.
Is there a time in the Ovation line similar to pre-CBS for Fender? |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | I don't know if there was a best year. Well after "the good old days" they produced the 2008 Collectors - a textured top hand-laid contour bowl Adamas. That's the best in my stable and I can't imagine ever letting go of it. |
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Posts: 4044
Location: Utah | Impossible to answer!
The pre-1980ish period produced some amazing instruments which have not been surpassed. The acoustic tone of the hand laid deep bowl A-braced round hole guitars is organic, crisp, and beautiful. The original slot-head Adamas still sets the goal. The solid body electrics. The innovation during the first 15 years of Ovation/Adamas was incredible.
The LX era, starting approximately ten years ago, ushered in a new rush of innovation and design. Arguably the tone is purer, better balanced than ever. The preamps gained new features, taking advantage of digital signal processing to bring us superb stage and studio features. Lighter necks, stronger lighter bowls, more sonically alive tops. The contour bowl addressed urban legend concerns of bowl slippage while playing, and made the guitar a better fit with the expanding American gut. Reissues of older models, sometimes with infusions of modern materials were released. A variety of cosmetic packages were offered to make the guitars more enticing to young players. In some ways this last era was the Golden Age.
Not to be minimized, the price of USA made LX guitars in the mid to late 2000's was silly cheap.
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Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | I was thinking along the same lines as FlySig. 2005 had the 2005 Collector, which is one of the best I've played, with the LX neck and new bowls. I wasn't a fan of the contour bowl, but I've grown to like it. I think that was also the year they built the Ute and did 3 other reissues of early Adamases, including the #47 RI, which I dearly love.
I also noticed that FlySig and I joined the OFC. The OFC was really jumping that year. |
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June 2002
Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | I think every era has its fans ... none best, none worst, just subject to personal preferences.
For me the pre-69 shiny bowl days were the peak. Before they went acoustic/electric. The guitars had to stand on their acoustic merits only - and boy DID they. Seemed that once "plugged in" came in vogue the business really took off, but at the same time they could take their eye off the acoustic sound which to me was a shame. Then came the intitial Adamas protos in mid 70's. 'Nuff said about THAT. I don't think anything has come along since that can compete.
I've got a variety of ovation models to play (for which I am extremely thankful) but in the end which two really get PLAYED? The old '68 Glen Campbell Shiny Bowl and the '74 Adamas Slothead #42. You just can't beat them ...
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February 2009
Posts: 194
Location: Huntington Beach | Thanks FlySig, that's where I was going with this. So in general, the best years of instruments to seek out would be roughly 1966-1980 and 2004-2009 made in USA. Of course, realizing that on any given day in production there can be both exceptional and less than exceptional instruments. And then there is both the positive and negative effect of aging.
The ingredients of company leadership, designers, outside influencers, craftsmen, economic climate, material availablity and a multitude of other factors combine and impact the quality of a product. Are there factors or people that can be pointed to as tipping points to greatness. Like the Iacocca era at Ford? Or the availability of AAA aged Sitka spruce? |
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December 2006
Posts: 6994
Location: Jet City | I haven't had a chance to own and tinker with the shiny bowl era guitars much, aside from my Tornado, and that doesn't count so I can't speak to those.
Early 70's weren't my fav. Not a fan of the VT braced stuff, but late 70's to early 80's were great. The A-braced tops, the composite topped Adamas, cutaways introduced, SSBs, the Elite... Oh... And of course...
The UKII
The late 80's through the 90's had some great guitars like the 87 collectors, the "Book", and a few others, but aside from a mid bowl and some electronics advances, not much innovation to speak of in my mind.
Enter the newer LX era. These are my favorite acoustics for gigging and playing live, but the 3 that are sitting on a tree right next to me are an A-braced Legend (Anniversary), a 1537, and an 84c. I'll also put my Adamas II up at the top of the heap for guitars I like to play when I'm just sitting around. It's newer, but a re-issue of the early Adamas II so... where does that one fall? |
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Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Based on what I've held and played...
1985 - 1986 Deacon and 1537. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Standingovation - 2013-10-14 9:18 AM
Before they went acoustic/electric. The guitars had to stand on their acoustic merits only - and boy DID they.
As for "how-they-did-it-in-the-Old-Days"...
I have a square-label 1121 that is quite old and has had a rough life...
But the tone and volume of this guitar is phenomenal.
This has a "shallow" Artist bowl but it is Loud. A combo of age and the hand-laid bowl.
But I do like the models that were produced this century.
Elite T's and Flamers and such.
And I have two very light weight LX models, a Balladeer and an Elite.
Both sound great acoustically, no electricity needed.
And I have also had some fine sounding "Rainbow Label" O's from the '80's
Folklores and Balladeers and Elites with stick-on epaulets.
The SSB Elites and Balladeers and Collectors from the 80's are very nice.
So I cannot give you the Best Year Ever, either. 
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Posts: 1249
Location: Texas | +1 to StandingO's post An American handmade guitar that is as pretty as it is sonically equal or superior to any acoustic that followed it from New Hartford. |
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December 2001
Posts: 7222
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | With very few exceptions, unlike some other brands, Ovation has been pretty consistent. The models made in the USA have been made at the same factory, with many of the same people for most of the companies life. I think there have been stand-out models over time, and some design changes, but overall they've always been a guitar focused on bang/$. I don't think there's been a particular timeframe that stands out. |
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February 2009
Posts: 194
Location: Huntington Beach | Thanks guys. I remember vividly my search for a new acoustic when, in 1976, my Guild D35 Cherry was stolen from a motel room in Kentucky while on tour. I tried all kinds of acoustics and was drawn in to the Ovation line. The feel, the sound, the pickup. It seamed the right choice. Once I decided on the 1617 I tried several until I found one that had "it". I still have and play that '77 1617 daily. Over the years I've owned some other very good acoustics - Taylor K22, G&L proto dread, another 1617, '74 1117, book Elite, 1778T elite, '76 GC, Harmony H165 - most are gone because we didn't bond.
So the search continues for another instrument that can stand with my 1617. I have to thank the thief for forcing me find my favorite O. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Late 60's into the teens. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6994
Location: Jet City | damon67 - 2013-10-14 10:19 AM The late 80's through the 90's had some great guitars like the 87 collectors, the "Book", and a few others, but aside from a mid bowl and some electronics advances, not much innovation to speak of in my mind... This poster has no idea what he's talking about. Yeah, i know it's me but I thought about it a bit more, and actually just walked into my room and realized it's full of innovation from the this period. Aside from the obvious "Book", there's my Longneck, Mandolin, Al Dimeola (original signature model), and EA Viper, not to mention other things I don't have like the Mandocello. I'm revising my answer. I'm with the Professor. |
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September 2002
Posts: 806
Location: Seymour, Tennessee | Aside from my Adamas, my 68 DB is arguably my best sounding guitar.
I might be biased towards it since we've had it since new but I think it sounds better than my 87 Collector's too. |
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July 2005
Posts: 1609
Location: Colorado | Dave...lets get together sometime - maybe a slothead reunion - and A/B 42 and 43. |
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June 2002
Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | A slothead reunion redux would be awesome !!! I think we have more accounted for than last time. Someone should repost the list. |
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Ovation's best year ever?