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Location: Foothills of Mt. Rainier | Hey Everybody,
Before anybody gets their back up let me tell the story. I took my newest Ovation find to the Bluegrass Jam the other night. My Ovation is aa acoustic model deep body slot neck Folklore.It had been in it's case for the past 10 years. I put new strings on it and took it to the Jam. I caught enough flak for just bringing an Ovation but when they heard the cutting tone they quieted down some. I played it all evening and it just plain cut through those D18's, banjos and fiddles. At the end of the evening one of the "dreadnought dudes only" folks came up to me. He allowed as how this old Ovation was pretty good sounding at the Jam and by the way, did Ovation ever make anything that sounded like his D35 Martin? I sure do not know the answer and I have not heard enough Ovations to offer any kind of answer to him. I think he was refering to the bite and bassyness that a good D35 has probably due to it's 3 piece rosewood back and sides. I don't want to start problems here cause I am new and also cause I just plain love to play my guitars but the question seemed legitimate and I am sure many of you have been asked the same thing before. Any help appreciated for sure and again...thanks for making me feel at home on this forum.
Bob |
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Location: ms | NO. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by Washingtonbob:
I don't want to start problems here No worrys. I'm sure Tupperware and Cliff can handle the competition.
I think Ovations pretty much always sound like Ovations....and louder than anything with similar attributes. So if you want clarity, volume, and full range response that stays in tune regardless of temperature and humidity changes....
Play an 'O'
Play an 'O'
Play an 'O'
(to the tune of 'Let It Snow') |
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Location: Jet City | Hey Bob,
I don't have an answer for you, but tell me about the Jam.
Was it here in WA somewhere? |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | As I recall, according to the book, a Martin was used as one of the references for the first O. But only as a reference ... But to infer that there was an attempt to recreate a Martin sound is uninformed. From my perperspective the intent was to create a better sound. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I respect your self-control Bob...
I woulda said something like..
"No, They make better guitars than that..." |
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Location: ms | As Martins go I like D28s better than 35s. I was hoping to start something when I said NO but I think most everyone here likes the Ovation sound, I know I do.I own a couple of Martins but I don`t try to compare them with Ovations. I want my Ovation to sound like an Ovation. |
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Location: Foothills of Mt. Rainier | Hey Everybody,
This Bluegrass Jam is at a Senior Center that serves about half a dozen small towns on the back side of Mt Rainier in Washington State. Most of the folks that attend are older guys very set in their music and their ways. I have played a Martin DM there for a couple of years and taken some flak for that guitar even. When I showed up with an Ovation you could hear folks buzzing somewhat. Last time another guy brough in a killer Balladeer but he did not come back this week. My Ovations sounds very different from the average wood dred but it cuts so nice in a group band situation. Bright and loud would be the terms I would use but it also has some nuances if I might use that term. I have been playing for 40+ years so I am not a total newby to guitar but I am completely new to playing Ovations. I have seen them at church where most guys said how well they stayed in tune but never addressed tone...I am kind of a tone guy. I really enjoy and like both of my current Ovation guitars for their playability and Tone. As I play them more I am sure to come up with more reasons folks should look at Ovation guitars.Damon67...I am about 150 miles and snow closed hiways away from Bellevue...maybe this Spring you can come out and play at the Jam and hang out with me at my little place...currently the roads are closed to our communities in the foothills due to a record snowfall.
all my best,
Bob |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Jim Rickard had a pre-war D-45 that they used as a standard, but mostly they tried to build a guitar that had the sound people liked the most. |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | I have not had a lot of experience with Martins but I do find the 14-fret original shiny-bowl O's have some of that sweet, snappy midrange sound that is characteristic of Martins in general. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Ovations sound like Ovations.
D35s sound like D35s.
You choose whatever one you prefer. I like the sound of D28 better than D35.
Dave |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by Bluebird:
I have not had a lot of experience with Martins but I do find the 14-fret original shiny-bowl O's have some of that sweet, snappy midrange sound that is characteristic of Martins in general. I've yet to hear a Martin Dread that has ANY midrange. That to me is the primary difference between the two. A Dreadnought has lots of bottom and top with very little in the middle, an Ovation has enough of everything. |
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Location: ms | I think its been talked about here before, but to my ears Ovations have a very good string to string balance. |
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| I think the answer should have been; Why?
:cool:
If you already own the guitar that sounds like the guitar your interested in hearing then what is the F...n point. I am sure Taylors and Martins and all traditional guitars, in all price ranges, have many models that sound identical.
Ovation stands on its own they do not need to sound like any other guitar. I have still to find an acoustic that can cut through the mix like my Adamas's! You can hear it when your jamming with others but it really comes out in a recording. |
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Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Bob,
Welcome from another PNW'er and don't worry about offending anyone. If it happens....well....they tend to get over it pretty quickly.
Interesting you mentioning a D35. This summer when I was taking a trip to AZ I stopped and visited a friend in Tremonton UT. He had a Martin that he has owned for a long time and if my feeble memory is correct, it was a D35.
I have played a 28, and agree with the others that my personal preference is towards the 28, but I actually got to play the 35 a bit. In fairness it had stings that may have been from the last decade or more, but it had well defined lows and highs, but middle was muddy, so the entire sounds seemed a bit on the dull side.
The friend is a Rocket Scientist....REALLY...was with Thiokol for years, so he easily embraces the old and the new.
I had my Adamas 2080 with me on this trip, and we pulled it out for comparison. Well...there really wasn't one. Two completely different sounds, with the Adamas doing what they do. Deep, clear, and clean.
He was so impressed with the Adamas, he was threatening to run out and buy one....except...oh...well, he never really played the Martin and was giving it to his son, so didn't think he should buy another dust collection device.
The old martin was certainly a nice instrument, but I would not have traded my A for it.
Again, welcome.
Jeff |
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Location: Chicago | Welcome Bob! Isn't it interesting that you experience "attitude first, listen later"? There IS a prejudice against "plastic". The guy who asked the question HEARD the superior sound, volume, bite, bass of the Ovation and yet has to ask: "But is there an O that sounds like a Martin?" I like to point out that when the advanced "fusion" players (McLaughlin, Abercrombie, Coryell, Di Meola, Catherine, La Grene the list goes on...) needed to play an acoustic it was nearly ALWAYS an Ovation. That music has something in common with bluegrass: fast, technical, lots of projection, wide range (needs bass and high end equally). You just did not see John McLaughlin tinkling on a Martin back in 1973!!! |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | There's a thousand "my ovation just blew away the other guys martin" stories on this board. And over on the martin board there are a thousand "my martin blows away all ovations" posts. Same with Taylors and Takamines and all the rest. That's why these are called FAN clubs.
I used to care about this crap but life is too short. Play what YOU like and don't worry about what anyone else thinks. If you want to play a Martin, great. Takamine, Taylor, Ovation, no problem. Hell, go play a ukulele if you want to! Enjoy whatever you play, that's all.
There's nothing to be gained by trying to prove to the world on some lame chat board that YOU are smarter than everyone else because you play so-and-so brand of guitar. Who freaking cares.
Dave |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | We do. Otherwise we wouldn't be here.
And it keeps us off the streets. (At least that's what JeffWs parole officer said.) |
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Location: ms | Why would anybody want to play a ukulele? |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by gulfcoast:
Why would anybody want to play a ukulele? Why would anybody want to play a T... (ah, never mind).
Dave |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Because it's PLAY?!
Oh, sorry. That was all meant to be rhetorical/ argumentum ad hominem, wasn't it? |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | My wife's Porsche is better than your wife's Mercedes, Dave. |
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Location: Eaton Rapids Michigan | Yeah, well, I don't know about all this, except since I bought my kid an Ovation, my poor martin has been sitting in it's case, and I have been "borrowing" his guitar. It's just fun! |
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Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by gulfcoast:
As Martins go I like D28s better than 35s. I was hoping to start something when I said NO but I think most everyone here likes the Ovation sound, I know I do.I own a couple of Martins but I don`t try to compare them with Ovations. I want my Ovation to sound like an Ovation. Ditto that...
28 bassier and sound for traditional. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | " Legend`s " sound similar to " Dreadnoughts "....at least my 1617 and 1618 do...
Vic |
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Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by Tupperware:
There's a thousand "my ovation just blew away the other guys martin" stories on this board. And over on the martin board there are a thousand "my martin blows away all ovations" posts. Same with Taylors and Takamines and all the rest. That's why these are called FAN clubs.
I used to care about this crap but life is too short. Play what YOU like and don't worry about what anyone else thinks. If you want to play a Martin, great. Takamine, Taylor, Ovation, no problem. Hell, go play a ukulele if you want to! Enjoy whatever you play, that's all.
There's nothing to be gained by trying to prove to the world on some lame chat board that YOU are smarter than everyone else because you play so-and-so brand of guitar. Who freaking cares.
Dave I pretty much echo that
Play what you want.
I would put some stock into the opinion of those who own both. |
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| Yeah but then what would we have to talk about? |
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Location: Foothills of Mt. Rainier | Hey Everybody,
Acoustic music seems to bring out more opinions among players than electric style music does...at least in my experiences. I have been playing for about 40 years and rarely if ever had anybody make a negative comment about my Fender Strat or Telecaster or Gibson or whatever when I played a gig or went to a jam session. Go to a Bluegrass Jam and things are a bit different. Lots of folks think only a Dred of some brand will cut the cake there and they have no problem telling you about it. I was in the Marine Corp so you can't hurt my feelings but I sure find it interesting when some guy gets in your face because I brought my Ovation instead of my Martin. It is indeed an interesting world we live in. Personally I like most guitars and really enjoy the sonic differences between brands....that is exactly why I own more than one guitar. I look forward to Winter Grass this year and the jam sessions. it gives me a great opportunity to learn new songs and some new licks and just play my guitar. Thanks everybody for your input....I sincerely appreciate it.
Bob |
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Location: enid, ok | I think Ovation's whole focus from day one was not to emulate, but study and make a better product. I think in most ways they succeeded, and I play electric. I can only imagine the attention to detail on the top acoustics. This is a company that cares about their product and their customers. Sadly, there are few companies that follow this model today. |
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| Since I own both brands, and have for the last 30 years or so, i'll put my two cents worth in, too. My first Martin was a D-35, but have owned many since. I still own a HD-28V. I still have my first Ovation, a Sunburst Legend. I still love my Martin, but this old Legend will always be my favorite. I own other Ovations, all older Legend Models, including one Anniversary Model, and they are all great sounding guitars. If I could own only one guitar, I would still be playing an Ovation. Some call them plastic, some call them boat paddles, but I fell in love with them, and have made believers out of more than one Martin player over the years. My Ovations don't sound as good as my Martin. They sound better, in a lot of ways. |
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Any Ovation model with the Martin D35 sound?