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Location: Canada | I freely admit that I am more of a number cruncher than a guitar player, so when I looked up a serial number I thought I use this data to get an estimate of O production stats over the years almost to the bitter end. I will try to attach the spreadsheet after I am done typing this but not sure if this will work. Maybe some people here who have more knowledge can provide some comments on some of the notable gaps in numbers or changes that occured in some of the years.
So in summary, there were well over 600,000 guitars produced between 1972 and 2013, with an average of about 1,300 per month. The serial number record is pretty consistent with gaps only in 1980 and 1987, as well as between 1990 and 1992 where it looks like there was some kind of issue with numbering or record keeping. Production was highest between 1973 and 1996 with about 1800 guitars per month. It declined substantially starting in 1997 (maybe coinciding with CWK2 departure) to about 750 per month for the next 10 years. Production was up in 2004, possibly buouyed by introduction of LX models. Then starting in 2008 things really went downhill with FMIC ownership, probably because of introduction AX models and moving production overseas while the factory was doing more Guilds than Os. This bottomed out in 2013 where only 10 O/As per month were produced. So sad ...
Edited by d'ovation 2014-06-25 5:23 PM
Attachments
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 ovation serials.xls (26KB - 4 downloads)
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Location: Pueblo West, CO | Are the 600,000 referring only the US-made Os?
If so, that's pretty good considering Martin only produced their 500,000th guitar in 1990, their 1,000,000th in 2004 and their 1,500,000th in 2011.
There are, on average, 22 work days per month. So, 1,300 guitars per month works out to 59 guitars per day with 1,800 per month at 81 per day.
750 per month drops daily output to 34. 10 per month is one guitar every 2-1/2 days.  |
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Location: Canada | As I have read elsewhere in this forum, the serial numbers only apply to US Ovations, so most likely reflect production and consistent numbering at the NH facility. In 1981 a whopping 4058 per month seem to have been done. But there also seem to have been slower years, maybe when they had to to major re-tooling for new series and models.
Edited by d'ovation 2014-06-25 5:39 PM
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Don't forget, for several years during the 70's and early 80's, we were pumping them out in the Moosup plant at the same time New Hartford was also building them. I can't say for sure, but for a while we had 6 of us inspecting them in Moosup alone, and we were often working overtime, so I'd guess (through my foggy memory) that for a while we were putting out maybe 2,000 a WEEK. Not sure, but if New Hartford was putting out as many as we were, you can see that a large part of the total number came during a short period of time.
There was a time when demand was so high we couldn't keep up. Everybody wanted an Ovation back then and we in Moosup could supply any price range, from the $150 Applause to the incredible Adamas' which in those days were pretty much completely made by hand. Back in those days although we also made Balladeers and Legends, New Hartford ONLY made Balladeers and Legends. It wasn't until the Moosup plant shut down in the early 80's that Applause went overseas and Adamas went to New Hartford. |
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Location: Canada | I used the serial numbers as a proxy for production estimates, so were the Applauses included in the serial number system as well? It seems that if serial numbers were recorded at both facilities hopefully they were fairly consistent with each other. |
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Location: Caribou, ME | I don't think there's any correlation between Applause numbers and Ovation. I have 53 Applauses from 76 to 83 and the numbers are all over the place.
I read somewhere there were about 105,000 Applauses made in Moosup. |
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Location: Taxed To Death State | Hi Alison, do you know specifically what year Adamas production moved to New Hartford? Just curious. I spoke with Dave Repp a few weeks back and he told me he couldn't buy wood fast enough during that time period to make the guitars. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Hey Dan, if (IF!) I remember correctly, it would have been either late 1983 or early 1984. When it was announced that the Moosup plant would be closing I chose to go over to aerospace early rather than late so I wouldn't have to witness the decline. That was honestly one of the most traumatic times of my life. I LOVED working there and all of my friends worked there. I remember one day long before it was even thought of that it would someday shut down, I was walking down the hallway and thinking to myself, "I love this place. I'll work here for the rest of my life."
I couldn't handle working in the aerospace part. Too much danger to my ears and my hands doing sheetmetal work. I'm rather proud of myself that I was the very first of "the animals from the guitar shop" as they used to call us, to ask for a lay-off. My group leader in aerospace was a guy named Bill Richmond (since passed away), who had a reputation for his temper. When I asked for a lay-off, they asked if he was the reason. I was adamant that if there were ever a reason I would want to STAY it would be because of Bill. Yeah, he had a temper, but he NEVER turned it toward me. Instead, he would encourage ME to get mad instead of sad. So many times when I didn't know what I was doing or how to do it, he could tell I was near tears. He was patient, funny, encouraging, a good teacher, and all in all a wonderful man. I think he was the only one who was disappointed that I left.
At the time I had a mortgage and a husband who wasn't working. I ended up working as a waitress after that because even though there were no benefits, the money was good. But it was so hard emotionally to go from a job I loved so much to being a "servant".
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Location: Taxed To Death State | Thanks for sharing Alison. I bet it was hard leaving the guitar making business and going over to making helicopter stuff. You've come full circle, now you have a cool guitar shop and do what you you've always loved to do! |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Now that you have your own shop, you've gone from "servant" to "slave", but you're also the "master".
I love your shop, Alison, and hope to get back there soon. We will have a small Porsche gathering in Rapid City in the next year or two and at least one of us will make it down to see you. If I can get my guitar fix at your place, I might not have to deal with trying to fit an Ovation into the Porsche. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Mark, you're welcome to come down and play as long as you like. When it gets closer, let us know the dates you'll be here and maybe we can have another Black Hills gathering. It'll be great to see you!
And yes, I AM a slave to this place but there's no place I'd rather be. For example, just a minute ago a pair of brothers from Oz were in here playing together. They went from blistering bluegrass to beautiful jazz, to classical. Both were incredible players, and they fell in love with the two Adamas' I let them play. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | It's already set for September 30- October 4, 2015, but no schedule yet. We'll probably take a couple days to drive over, hitting Yellowstone on the way over or back. Maybe not, since we will be going to Yellowstone this year and went in 2013. Anyway, that's all I know for now, so if we can expand that into another Black Hills gathering, that would be great.
I wish we had more guitar stores like yours. I really miss Old Boise Guitar, where I'd hang out at least one lunch hour per week. |
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Location: Suisun City, Ca | CanterburyStrings - 2014-06-26 11:02 AM Hey Dan, if (IF!) I remember correctly, it would have been either late 1983 or early 1984. When it was announced that the Moosup plant would be closing I chose to go over to aerospace early rather than late so I wouldn't have to witness the decline. That was honestly one of the most traumatic times of my life. I LOVED working there and all of my friends worked there. I remember one day long before it was even thought of that it would someday shut down, I was walking down the hallway and thinking to myself, "I love this place. I'll work here for the rest of my life." I couldn't handle working in the aerospace part. Too much danger to my ears and my hands doing sheetmetal work. I'm rather proud of myself that I was the very first of "the animals from the guitar shop" as they used to call us, to ask for a lay-off. My group leader in aerospace was a guy named Bill Richmond (since passed away), who had a reputation for his temper. When I asked for a lay-off, they asked if he was the reason. I was adamant that if there were ever a reason I would want to STAY it would be because of Bill. Yeah, he had a temper, but he NEVER turned it toward me. Instead, he would encourage ME to get mad instead of sad. So many times when I didn't know what I was doing or how to do it, he could tell I was near tears. He was patient, funny, encouraging, a good teacher, and all in all a wonderful man. I think he was the only one who was disappointed that I left. At the time I had a mortgage and a husband who wasn't working. I ended up working as a waitress after that because even though there were no benefits, the money was good. But it was so hard emotionally to go from a job I loved so much to being a "servant". I find that hard to believe... Nice post |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Thanks AstroDan, for the kind words. So many memories...
Mark, you're going to be here at one of the best times of the year. Not too many tourists, cooler weather, and there will be some leaves changing by then, especially in Spearfish Canyon. Great ride to take in the Porche! When the time gets closer we'll have to start organizing and see how many members we can get to come.
(Damon? OMA? Are you guys reading this?) |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | No room for extra passengers in the Porsche, but if you can get to Boise, we might be able to arrange transportation the rest of the way. We honeymooned in the Black Hills and always planned to meet the inlaws from Iowa back there. It never happened before SWMBO's mom died. The trip across Idaho and northern Wyoming is much better than the trip across Nebraska and South Dakota. |
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Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah | I would to go a gathering in Idaho. Or we could have one in the always beautiful desert and canyon country of southeastern Utah. So much to see and do here and we could play Ovations in our spare time! |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I am reading this.
I didn't make the last Black Hills Gathering...
I would love to visit, but that doesn't mean that I can.
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Location: Canada | In the black mountain hills there lived a young boy named rocky racoon ... so where about is this relative to the Canadian prairies?
And what happened to the serial numbering between 1990 and 1992, where they are a bit out of place? |
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Location: SoCal | Alison, what did you do in Moosup? I wonder if you worked on my 1537? If so, you done good...... |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | nerdydave - 2014-06-26 11:47 PM
I would to go a gathering in Idaho. Or we could have one in the always beautiful desert and canyon country of southeastern Utah. So much to see and do here and we could play Ovations in our spare time!
Dave... a little later this summer I will be visiting a "dude" ranch owned by my college roommate near Vernal Utah. I never have an itinerary or ETA when I travel so swinging by to visit you would be doable. Are you close to this area? You can check out the ranch at http://www.jlranch.com/. |
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Location: Pueblo West, CO | CanterburyStrings - 2014-06-26 11:45 AM
Mark, you're welcome to come down and play as long as you like. When it gets closer, let us know the dates you'll be here and maybe we can have another Black Hills gathering. It'll be great to see you!
And yes, I AM a slave to this place but there's no place I'd rather be. For example, just a minute ago a pair of brothers from Oz were in here playing together. They went from blistering bluegrass to beautiful jazz, to classical. Both were incredible players, and they fell in love with the two Adamas' I let them play.
I just realized you're located very close to Rapid City, S.D. I'm going to be there in September for a USMC ATC convention with my MIL, FIL & SWMBO. I'll have to make time in the schedule to come down to your shop.
Edited by DanSavage 2014-06-27 9:46 AM
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Location: south east Michigan | Allison's shop is a nice visit.
Be sure to pack a couple sandwiches and have lunch at the little park just down the road a bit.
She'll point it out to ya. |
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Location: Flahdaw | DaveKell - 2014-06-27 10:34 AM
later this summer I will be visiting a "dude" ranch owned by my college roommate near Vernal Utah
The entire barnyard is thrilled by this news |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | This thread has been officially hijacked. Sorry, I got it pointed toward another Black Hills reunion. We should probably start another thread.
(And Dave--Vernal, Utah isn't close to anything). |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | D'Ovation, We're a little less than 600 miles south of Regina. And I don't know about the serial numbers because I was long gone by then. Maybe they found an old roll that had been misplaced and decided to use it up?
Moody, I was an inspector. As group leader I DID also get to choose and grade wood, but I'm thinking your 1537 was probably made in New Hartford. Back when both plants were open, anything with a K-bar was made in Moosup and anything with a truss rod cover was made in New Hartford. I worked in Moosup from 1977 to 1983.
Dan, it would be great to see you. September is beautiful in the Hills. My shop is open Mon.-Sat. from 10AM to 6PM. Come early in your trip so I can point out some sights you might not hear of elsewhere. As a matter of fact, when the time gets closer shoot me a PM. I usually take Sundays off starting in September so if you come down on a Sunday I can actually play tour guide. |
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Location: SoCal | Alison, it was made in Moosup (pretty certain that Nick Macklin told me that all 1537's were built in Moosup -- when production went to New Hartford, the guitars became 1718's), in 1983, K-bar and all. May have passed thru your hands. You probably labeled it, accurately, great......
Edited by moody, p.i. 2014-06-27 3:43 PM
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Well cool then! Did you buy it new? If you did and you still have the paperwork, my inspection number was 75. And I am definitely the one who chose the wood for the top, and also inspected the bowl and the neck before it was all put together.
And not to embarass you, but Nick's last name is Mackin - no "L". His wife Ariel worked in the office. They were (are) both nice people. It blows my mind how all these memories have been flooding back lately. I can't remember what I had for breakfast yesterday but I can remember stuff from 30 years ago. Not that I'm getting old or anything... |
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Location: New Hartford CT | This is an interesting topic. My Dad and I had a company that supplied Ovation with every single tension rod, nut and washer they ever used between 1968 to when the composite graphite system appeared on the LX series. At that point we lost the job.
I have right in front of me detailed invoices from around the time we moved the business to Winsted CT around 1974. Prior to that the records are gone. But the count rose every single year up until 1993-4 or so. The absolute peak we ever saw going to the NH plant was about 40K units/year but typically more along the lines of 20K units/year or less. If you work through the serial numbers it does make sense. this would include various types of t-rods whether for a classic or K-bar style. There were also several different lengths of t-rods of course. Once Ovation switched over to the k bar system in the late 70's the majority of t-rods we sold were the hook version to be inserted within the k-bar alum/zinc casting.
I thought Moosup made all the Applesauce guitars back then...only found out about the black-op renegade 1537 team through this forum. But if I'm not mistaken...most of of the roughly 700K? USA Ovations were produced in NH. But I'm always learning things here, it was so long ago.
This was the era of mass production and they had it down to a science. The guitars being produced during these days were mostly stellar. I only prefer the pre-k/bar models because all things being equal, the guitar is lighter. But the k/bar itself has some hidden advantages, I've played models that I swear sounded better due to the k/bar style neck. Resonance.... |
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Location: Flahdaw | In a way it's too bad that all the folks responsible for putting together Ovation guitars for all those years aren't members or consistent contributors here on the forum. There should be an effort to try to get them to join this group, by anyone (Alison for example) who IS a member that might stay in contact. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | When I first started in 1977 we only made Applause and Matrix, but within the year if memory serves, we also started making Balladeers and Legends. As a matter of fact, I distinctly remember inspecting some Patriots that didn't get put together during '76. So SOME of the patriots were actually put out in '77. We also made the first UKII's. Probably ALL of them were made in Moosup. One of my fellow inspectors, Rob McCloud, was a FANTASTIC guitarist on an electric. He was a really cool guy and funny too. When he played the very first UKII, he was freaking out at how good it sounded - actually danced around a little bit and had us all in stitches.
Back then, the bowls were made in Moosup too. The first Shallow bowls (they call them mid-depth now) were made there, then later they came out with the supershallows.
I like both necks but I think if I had to choose just one I would choose the K-bar. Maybe it's because the heavier neck DOES give a better sound, but it might also be because after playing anywhere between 50 and 80 a day for over five years, I kinda got used to them. As a matter of fact, the neck on my 2077LX that I'm always raving about is quite a bit beefier than most guitars. ALMOST feels like a K-bar. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Bob, I have talked to a lot of them about it. One of them is a member here and "outed" me when I first joined. (He could tell by my screen name and wrote, "I think I know this person".) He reads but seldom posts. I haven't even been in touch with him since I heard about the closing. Shame on me, but just like when somebody loses a loved one, I don't know what to say.
How about it Dave? Are you there? Talk to us. |
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Location: New Hartford CT | There were many great people that made Ovation what it was. Bob McCloud is in that group; there are numerous unsung heroes that made this company outstanding and without peer. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | I still can't get used to calling him Bob. There were a bunch of Bob's working there then so we called him Rob - or (don't mention I told you) Robbie. And sometimes we called him "the little guy". I used to be close to 5'10" before I got old and shrank. One time we were all goofing around (I guess there was a reason they called us the animals in the guitar shop), and Rob pretended to be really scared. He ran at me crying, "Protect me!" and he jumped into my arms and I carried him away.
When they closed Moosup they offered ALL of us a chance to go to Korea and get things started there. Rob was the only one who took them up on it. From there he went on to become one of the key people at Ovation. I'm proud to know him.
My Dad had a lot to do with it too. He came up with the designs for a lot of the machinery used in making O's. None of that stuff had been invented because it was such a different design. I remember one time they wanted to figure out a way to get rid of hand sanding and buffing so they could do more tops at once. One of the guys insisted it couldn't be done because any fixture that would hold a bunch of bowls (with tops already attatched) wouldn't be able to compensate for the diffent heights of the tops. (Some had higher "arches" than others, some were perfectly flat, as any wood guitar). Dad made a fixture that would hold five bowls, and each was cradled with springs underneath so when the gigantic buffing wheel passed over them they would "wobble" to meet the wheel.
Jim Ricard was head of R&D when I worked there. THAT man was a certified genius! Honestly, you could bring up ANY subject, even if it had nothing to do with guitars, and he could give you in-depth information about it. No matter what the topic, he was well read and interesting, yet he never acted like a know-it-all. He just shared his enthusiasm and made us all want to go out and learn more.
There are SO many people who were totally dedicated to Ovation. It was partly because of the guitars, and mostly because of Charlie. He treated his employees like family and we all loved and respected him. |
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Location: Pueblo West, CO | CanterburyStrings - 2014-06-27 1:21 PM
Dan, it would be great to see you. September is beautiful in the Hills. My shop is open Mon.-Sat. from 10AM to 6PM. Come early in your trip so I can point out some sights you might not hear of elsewhere. As a matter of fact, when the time gets closer shoot me a PM. I usually take Sundays off starting in September so if you come down on a Sunday I can actually play tour guide.
Sounds good. As we get closer to travelin' time I'll be in contact. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Alison and Geostorm98, your historical accounts and recollections of your personal experiences at the factory add a lot to these forums. Thanks so much for sharing them with us. |
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Location: south east Michigan | I'm waiting for someone to write a "spill the beans" book. |
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Location: Flahdaw | Or a "spill the cashews" book
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Location: Atlanta, GA. | I wanna hear more about Cliff and the Llamas too. |
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Location: Utah | 
Edited by FlySig 2014-07-01 8:51 AM
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Location: Utah | Oh never mind. Posting pics to this forum exceeds my technical abilities. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | FlySig - 2014-07-01 7:51 AM
Oh never mind. Posting pics to this forum exceeds my technical abilities.
I saw the pic in your album, though. We used to have a Toyota like that, but without the llama option. |
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Location: Jet City | FlySig - 2014-07-01 6:51 AM Oh never mind. Posting pics to this forum exceeds my technical abilities. a little help... 
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Location: Texas | That is actually a Volga, isnt it? In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better.
Edited by jay 2014-07-01 11:23 AM
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Location: Boise, Idaho | amosmoses - 2014-07-01 10:17 AM
That is actually a Volga, isnt it? In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better.
I really didn't recognize the car and have no idea what a Volga looks like, but we had a Toyota Cressida that sort of looked like that back in the late 60s. Ours didn't have the decorations on the side or the llamas on top. |
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Location: Flahdaw | amosmoses - 2014-07-01 12:17 PM
In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better.
Making them dress up in little girl school outfits is not treating them "a little better" |
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Location: SoCal | Mark in Boise - 2014-07-01 9:30 AM
amosmoses - 2014-07-01 10:17 AM
That is actually a Volga, isnt it? In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better.
I really didn't recognize the car and have no idea what a Volga looks like, but we had a Toyota Cressida that sort of looked like that back in the late 60s. Ours didn't have the decorations on the side or the llamas on top.
No llama pretty well states that you grew up poor...... |
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Location: sitting at my computer | Mark in Boise - Ours didn't have the decorations on the side or the llamas on top. IIRC, ya had to special order the 'Machu Picchu Explorer' upgrade package to get those. |
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Location: NJ | ". . In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better . . . "
but, Did y'EVER bring 'em to a GuitarFactory?? . . . . |
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Location: Tennessee | cliff d. - 2014-07-01 12:09 PM ". . In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better . . . " but, Did y'EVER bring 'em to a GuitarFactory?? . . . . 
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Location: New Hartford CT | Great picture
Nothing like seeing the old guard going to an OFC gathering. Is that John Budny on top of the station wagon with his coworkers? |
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Location: SoCal | stonebobbo - 2014-07-01 1:40 PM
cliff d. - 2014-07-01 12:09 PM ". . In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better . . . " but, Did y'EVER bring 'em to a GuitarFactory?? . . . .
Boy, I had forgotten that drawing. What year was that, 05? I can hear in my mind somebody at the factory saying "Funny? That's not funny". Some will know what and who I'm talking about. Most won't.
Did those llamas ever recover from that night? Clifford? |
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Location: Jet City | "Ovation USA production statistics/history in numbers" to Llamas and Cliff on the OFCFT. Some things never change.
Woulda been fun to have been at that one. |
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