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Location: Foothills of Mt. Rainier | Hey folks,....I am very new to this forum and Ovation guitars. I bought a 1983 collectors edition and love it very much. I like to play bluegrass style and have a Martin DM for the jams. Tonight at our jam session a guy brought a vintage looking (very worn and somewhat faded) Ovation Balladeer. At least I think it was a Balladeer. It had a deep body and a sunburst top that looked like very good spruce and it was straight acoustic...no electrics in it. This guitar just boomed and had such a sweet sound I could not believe it. Most of us feel that Bluegrass was meant to be played on Dreadnought wood guitars like a Martin, ect. This Ovation has such tone and volume that many of the players wanted to try it out. The owner had bought it about 7 or 8 years ago at a pawn shop for a couple of hundred dollars. He said it sounded good then but it even sounds better now. The neck was smooth and fast and the tone was killer. I tried out some old blues licks I have and just blew myself away! I want one!! No label inside this guitar and the owner said he did not know the model for sure. It was full bodied, had some nice inlays around the sound hole and was sunburst finish and I'd bet the top was good spruce. Anybody familiar with the older Ovations and know kinda what I'm talkin about? This guitar had some BIG volumn and was pushing the D18's and D28's aside tone and sound wise. Any help appreciated...I just gotta get one of these.
Bob |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Did it look like this? Then it is a Custom Balladeer 1112-1... That would be around 30 years-old, if it has a Truss-Rod cover. With no TR cover, it is 1980 or newer. Anyway, Welcome Bob. If you are ready to become a Convert, these folks will lead you down The Path! :eek: :cool:
Coincidentally, I just sold that particular Balladeer this morning... |
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Location: Upper Left USA | That would be like my Sunburst Custom Balladeer - 1112-1.
Welcome Bob! |
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Location: South of most, North of few | "these folks will lead you down The Path!"
Welcome Bob, just go slow on the path, it's all down hill. :D |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Love stories like that... |
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Location: Marlton, NJ | I'm expecting mine back from the factory spa anytime now... I can't wait! |
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Location: GA USA | Originally posted by Washingtonbob:
Anybody familiar with the older Ovations and know kinda what I'm talkin about? Oh boy... Welcome to the club. I imagine you're already getting offers. Once you get it, stick around. You'll like it here. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Just to help you along, Bob, and to keep me from buying it, there was an old Balladeer on the Portland Craigslist a couple days ago for $200. It looked like it was in pretty good condition. It was in Beaverton. We have a few Portland members and I've got family all over that area if you want someone to check it out.
Or I'll buy it and trade it for your 83. It sounds like you need a deep bowl. |
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Location: Foothills of Mt. Rainier | Thanks everybody for your information. I am sure I will enjoy being a part of this forum.It was indeed a Custom Balladeer and it had great tone for our Bluegrass Jam.It cut through the banjos ( which are obsenely loud) and gave the really good dreds a run for their money. It was bright and punchy and had great string definition.string to string and just got louder the harder I pushed it. Everything most bluegrassers look for ....so Ovations must be one of the best kept secrets around. I would like to read more about them to see what kind of bracing they had in those tops...it was just alive! The 83 Collector is a definate keeper....absolutely a great playing guitar. Thanks again everybody...I sincerely appreciate the help.
Bob |
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| Originally posted by Washingtonbob:
....so Ovations must be one of the best kept secrets around. Nobody gives 'em a chance because:
1. the only ones anybody ever sees/tries out are the laminated top Korean imports with dead strings at their local big box music chain store
2. supposed 'experts' on the other guitar forums, who've never so much as picked up and Ovation or Adamas, keep spreading comments like "oh, those plastic guitars (sneer)", and "those things are only good for canoe paddles."
Actually, we like it that way. It keeps the prices down since people want to spend thousands on a Taylor that doesn't sound near as good, and we like the looks on peoples faces when they actually hear a one of the top Ovations. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Originally posted by Washingtonbob:
Thanks everybody for your information...It was indeed a Custom Balladeer and it had great tone for our Bluegrass Jam.It cut through the banjos ( which are obsenely loud) and gave the really good dreds a run for their money. It was bright and punchy and had great string definition.string to string and just got louder the harder I pushed it. Everything most bluegrassers look for... I would like to read more about them to see what kind of bracing they had in those tops...it was just alive! .
Bob That era Balladeer had "Ovation Modified X" bracing...
And I'm curious as to why that 1112 on Craig's list doesn't seem to have a 5 piece neck... |
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Location: Slightly northwest of Trader Jim | I have a 1661 Balladeer from the early 80's that my wife bought me after hearing me play one. I wouldn't sell it for anything, and would put it up against most. Welcome to the best forum around. ;) |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I emailed the guy with the "1112" on Portland Craigslist and will let you know if he responds, if I don't buy it first. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | He emailed me back and said it was a Custom Balladeer with a late 15xxx serial number, which would put it in 79 or so. Anybody know when they went to the 2 piece neck? Mine has it, but it's a 92. |
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Location: Alberta, Canada | My '79 had the two piece neck, and had awesome sound/tone. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | '78 CB definitely had the 5 piece neck. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | '79 Balladeer had 5 piece too... |
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Location: SoCal | W.B., just be warned. If you do start playing an Ovation at your bluegrass jams, when you take your guitar out of your case everybody will think you're a pervert. When you start playing, they won't believe your ears and think that you had an Ovation specially made to sound that good. O's are one of the great secrets of the guitar world. Too many people listen with their eyes instead of their ears!
Oh, and if you hang around this forum, everybody will know you're a perv. Welcome to the group. It's a fun place to hang out..... |
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| I have a early 80's sunburst Legend that I have used for Bluegrass for many years, and it is a monster. I have a Martin Vintage Series also, and the Ovation holds it's own with the best of them. It has the A-style top bracing pattern, which is my favorite for Bluegrass. The guitar that you saw could have been one of the older Legend models, as well. The main cosmetic difference being the gold plated keys, but also has different bracing, and a different grade spruce top. You might want to check one of those out, too. They are great. |
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Location: Foothills of Mt. Rainier | Looks like I have started a run on Custom Balladeers! That is okay because those guitars have some serious boom if you want to play acoustic bluegrass and great necks too.I will check with all of my usual sources and see what I can come up with. I still prefer to deal with my local area shops versus Ebay but there are some awesome web dealers that I have purchased guitars from and they got me better guitars than I could have ever found locally in my opinion. Course...I live way freakin out in the foothills of Mt. Rainier in Washington State. I drive to Seattle or Tacoma or Olympia for my guitar stuff and have been pretty happy. I have yet to buy a guitar from GC but you never know I guess. Thanks again for all the great advice everybody.
Bob |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I'm going to go with Colt. The one in Portland looks like the 1112 in his gallery. 2 piece neck and he says it was a 79. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | this should make it more confusing...
Headstock Shots |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I spent a couple hours researching this Kaman bar/5 piece neck issue last night and didn't find that. I read a bunch of manuals on Jerome's site, though. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I think its a transition period... some had it, some didn't. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I've now spent a couple of evenings looking through Jerome's site and there's still much more I haven't seen. I'm still considering the one in Portland, but I think I'll leave it up to my daughter. If anyone else wants it, go for it. Looks like a good one at a good price. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | The $200 Balladeer on Portland craigslist is still available as far as I know. Have at it. It was too plain for my daughter and she doesn't think she can justify two guitars. She gets that crap from her mother. Anyway it looked like a nice deal for somebody. |
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Location: Foothills of Mt. Rainier | Hey everybody,
Seems like lots of folks read this forum and I have had a couple of interesting emails concerning Balladeers and some other Ovations that I might need. One was described as a natural colored top, deep bowl and slotted headstock and was in nice shape for $150 or best offer. That sure sounds interesting...I must learn more about the various models...that one has the truss rod cover also. More later,
Bob |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Start doing your research, Bob. A deep bowl slothead would probably be a Folklore, unless it was made in Korea. Nylon string would be a Classic. As my wife said, "My God, how many models did they make?" If you can get a Folklore for $150 and it doesn't have cracks in the top, buy it. Otherwise, go for that Balladeer in Portland. Or better yet, do both. Two guitars for the price of a cheap one. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Y'know what I heard, Mark? That there are people out there who only own One Guitar... :confused:
[and I feel for them, too... Go for the 2-fer Bob] |
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Location: Foothills of Mt. Rainier | Hey Guys,
I am the new guy here and I only have nine guitars...I better get some more if I am going to hang with this crew. I play everyday for the joy of it so more tools just makes it better. Thanks for the good advice.
Bob |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | It goes through Phases... I have actually sold a few, so I can buy a few more.
Need room... |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | You're doing pretty well, Bob. Maybe Art should get that Balladeer to replace the one he sold. I just noticed you have another one, though. |
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Old Balladeer at the BlueGrass Jam...fantastic!