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Joined:
July 2013
Posts: 98
Location: Des Moines, Iowa | While most all of you have long since enjoyed the full Ovation experience via the Adamas guitars, I'm receiving my first foray towards that experience. While it's not a full blown Adamas guitar, it is the prequel or introduction via my first Ovation Elite.
It is due to arrive today via USPS and I just wanted to share my excitement with the group, as I anxiously wait for my work day to end, so I can dash home, grab that package, and then spend the rest of the night with that sweet new baby cradled in my lap.
FYI - I mentioned it before, but in case you missed it... it's a 1989-year USA-made Elite 1868 that is flawless and a real beauty.
I can hardly wait... | |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13988
Location: Upper Left USA | Anticipation is a good thing! | |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I remember those days when I'd keep checking the tracking information to see if it was any closer than when I checked a few minutes earlier. My wife never shared my excitement and called me when it arrived. I'd see "delivered" on the tracking info, call home, and she'd answer, "yeah, it's here." | |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6198
Location: Phoenix AZ | Awesome, I'm sure you will enjoy it. | |
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Joined:
July 2013
Posts: 98
Location: Des Moines, Iowa | Okay... so my big concern was not being able to get my guitar today, when it would be delivered and here's why... I live in an apartment home and often times packages are dropped off at the clubhouse/office, which isn't usually a bad thing because it guarantees secure delivery. The issue was that I shifted my work hours a bit later and wouldn't be done until after 6pm when the apartment office would be closed.
Now my girlfriend/live-in was going to be home all day, as she's recovering from a back injury from last week and would be able to take the shipment at the door from USPS, but could not (and I wouldn't let her) pick it up from the office if they delivered it there first and didn't try to deliver it to the door.
So, last night I thought I'd put a note on outside of our mailboxes, knowing that the postman would HAVE to see it. The note said, "ATTN: USPS PLEASE DO NOT DROP OFF LARGE PACKAGE FOR APT. (my apt #) TO THE OFFICE - PLEASE BRING IT TO THE APARTMENT DOOR - SOMEONE IS HOME TO ACCEPT." If they dropped it off at the office, then I'd have to wait until morning to pick it up before work and it would be another whole 24 hours before I'd get to play it... ARRGGGHHH!!
Then this amazing thing happened and it all started when the sky opened up and starting raining ice. I don't mean an icy rain, I mean ICE... as in small pellets the size of BB's or as much as 2-3X the size of a BB just pouring down from the sky like a torrential rainfall. Then it became this combination of snow and rain that wasn't actually rain, but it wasn't quite snow. Well... the next thing I know they're closing down our offices and telling everyone to go home because of the weather and it's around 1PM. I only live 2.1 miles from where I work, so the weather don't bother me. So, I'm all excited to head home and hope the postman has rung at least once... if not twice. I checked the mailbox once... did he come and not drop off my package... nothing in the mailbox. Then about an hour later I check the mailbox again... and there it is... a small piece of white paper notifying me that a package has been dropped of at the office. I had to go past my note just to get into my mailbox, so I know the postman saw it. Oh well.... fortunately I was home and could go get it. Drove the car around, because it's still doing this whole rainy/snowy/icy thing.
So... the day COULD have been a disaster, with me not able to get the guitar, because the postal guy didn't deliver.... to my door, but instead, I got off work early, got my guitar, and now if things work out right, I'll even have all day tomorrow to play... if the weather holds out and stays nasty enough.
The Guitar Gods have smiled on me today and brought forth this super amazing Elite model Ovation. This baby has action that is so low and so light... I swear someone else is doing the fingering, because I can't even feel it. I could play barre chords all night, up and down the fretboard without any muscle fatigue at all. It really is sweet. It also suggests to me that my Legend 1867 could use some adjusting AND I was sold on it when I played it in the pawn shop because I thought IT had some really amazingly light and easy action.
Huh... I just realized that I've now got sequential models of different series, an 1867 and an 1868 - COOL!!
One small detail I might need some expert Ovation help with... the serial number. It took me a bit... a flashlight AND a magnifier AND some squinty eye work to see it and especially to read it. AND... I was about ready to ask you all why my serial number doesn't exist, but then I got my GF to take a look at it and using a Q-tip to clean off the serial number plate (she says it is metal), I guess it's different than what I saw. It's 402694 which puts it at around 1991.
Just curious, does anyone know why the serial numbers in the early 90's stopped being sequential from year to year and kind of jumped up and the back down and then back up from year to year?
It's definitely a USA-Made Elite, per the Model number label (Made in New Hartford, CT). And it's got an OP-24 pre-amp, so it would have to be between 1989 (isn't that the first year for the 1868?) and around 1994, because didn't they discontinue using the standard OP-24 pre-amp beginning in 1995, which is when the OP-24+ came out along with those Opti-whatever types, no?
Okay... that's my ramble for today, cause a sweet Elite is calling my name... and I'll leave you with just a quick picture of me holding my new sweetheart (don't tell the lady that lives with me, cause she thinks SHE'S my sweetheart). 
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Joined:
November 2013
Posts: 163
Location: Phoenix, AZ | Very nice guitar! Congrats. | |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Oooo! That's Purdy. 
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May 2006
Posts: 4227
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Those are really nice instruments! | |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | It's hard to beat the excitement of getting as new guitar, congrats! | |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | nice guitar | |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | Man, there's just something incredible about the Ovation burst.... | |
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Joined:
September 2011
Posts: 260
Location: Spain | Lovely guitar mate, same as mine just a couple years older! Looks great! | |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 841
Location: CA | I used to think the time I met an Playboy centerfold was the most exciting thing that could ever happen to a mortal male. I stand corrected. Congratulations. | |
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Joined:
July 2013
Posts: 98
Location: Des Moines, Iowa | I hear ya, Oddball... I also think that what was exciting when you're 18 and what's exciting after you pass that half-century mark, well... I like to think I'm older, wiser, and spending my money on things that really matter AND last.
I do love the new Elite and it's got such super low, super light action that it's now my light playing guitar. I think someone mentioned before how their action was real low, but that they were a real light picker/plucker. It's not such much the picking as the bending that don't quite work so well on the low action guitar, but that's okay... my 1867 Legend has amazing action, but not quite so low. So, it's officially my designated acoustic blues guitar, whereas my Elite... it's for sweet, soft love songs. You know... songs about longing, lust, and desire, like you feel when you first ponder moving on up to an Adamas guitar.
Like I said... with age comes relativity, at least it's all relative and I'm not so fond of most of my relatives. What was I talking about?
I might be old, but I'm still a...
SillyLittleBoy | |
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Joined:
September 2011
Posts: 260
Location: Spain | My second set at my last gig included Crossroads (Clapton style), Sweet Home Alabama, Long Train Runnin and some Beatles (can't remember which ones now..it was late...beer....)
Not sure if they qualify as "sweet, soft love songs"  ) I use my Elite for everything ) I think it sounds fantastic whatever the style | |
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Just thought I'd share my excitement....