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December 2007
Posts: 9
Location: New York | Just acquired my first Ovation--an 1861 Standard Balladeer. How the heck do you keep these things from moving around? When sitting, the guitar wants to lay down like a lap guitar and when standing it squirms around quite a bit. Any tips? By the way, I love the sound and playability of the guitar. |
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February 2002
Posts: 1817
Location: Minden, Nebraska | Nothing a giant piece of velcro won't cure....
Seriously, there are numerous ways that different Ovation players use to deal with this. I play a shallow bowl Custom Legend, and don't notice any problem when playing standing up with a strap (that helps). There are anti-slip products for the bowl that help when sitting down. Many of us probably just get used to holding the guitar in a fashion that minimizes movement, much like parents learn to handle squirming babies.
Welcome to the club, and I hope you get countless hours of enjoyment out of your guitar. |
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Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | Welcome, 'zuki. The best tips I know are 1) to rest it perpendicular to the floor, not leaning back; 2) don't press with your forearm; or 3) strap it on and play standing.
I've also found that if you use a stool instead of a chair, rest your right foot high enough that your leg angle "traps" the guitar.
Like Paul said, you learn to adjust, and it's not a problem for most of us. |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | I use a pc of 3M anti-slip stair tread from the hardware store. I cut it to a suitable shape with my wife's best sewing scissors and apply it to the waist of the bowl that sits on your leg when playing sitting down. This fixes the problem when sitting.
As far as standing, If you move the strap button from the bass side of the neck to the treble side the guitar sits much better on your / my round midsection.
John <>{ |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | You get used to it. |
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December 2007
Posts: 9
Location: New York | Thanks for the suggestions. I especially like the 3M anti-slip tread idea for playing while seated. Also would like to move strap button but am reluctant to drill bowl. I also assume strap button is secured with a nut inside bowl which could be problematic. Has anyone relocated strap button and, if so, where and how? Thanks for the great welcome. |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Duct Tape. :D |
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March 2005
Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | I think Miles (Mr. Ovation) has some pictures in the gallery of the "proper" posture for Ovations. I have never had a problem. The only thing I can figure out is that people who think it slips must have their knee lower than their hip. I don't play standing up, so I don't know about that problem. I also don't do any hard strumming, so maybe people who do that have problems I don't. |
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Posts: 4827
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Play standing up, it opens your diaphragm so you can sing better. It only squirms when it's happy. |
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November 2007
Posts: 37
Location: Detroit Mi | Just play while laying flat on your back. It works really well. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by Mauvais Beal:
You get used to it. I was gonna say that! :mad:
Also, cross you right leg over your left...
(when sitting.... That might help when standing too?)
And Welcome! Stick Around!
Once you get over this first hurdle,
The second is explaining to people Why you bought a Plastic Guitar! |
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July 2005
Posts: 354
Location: Flushing, MI | Always use a strap when you play sitting. I almost never try to play an O sitting and strapless.
Sometimes, while standing, it'll kinda slip outward, making me hold it in a T-Bone Walker position. Mildly annoying, but easy to slip back into the normal position while playing. |
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November 2005
Posts: 4827
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | These guys don't seem to have any trouble holding on to their guitars. |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | neither do these guys! |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | Moving the strap button:
1) Remove the button from the original spot. Take out the molly from inside the bowl.
2) Drill the same size hole in exactly the same place on the other side of the heel.
3) reinstall molly and button.
4) fill in old hole(a little fiberglass cloth inside, a little epoxy to level out the outside. Finish with Sharpie. |
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September 2005
Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Two Comments:
I thought it was kinda cool that in both the YouTube examples above that the guys doing the bass lines were using those single-side hole Adamai. (I guess they doulbe as bass guitars with all that low boom)
And Ive tried playing while lying flat on my back with a deep bowl, and it's more difficult for me than sitting. That big round bowl just slides in evey direction. I like the idea of using the non-skid tape in a couple of areas. |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | what's up with their tone? It's weedy, thin, and truly horrible, probably down to a sound engineer who either doesn't know how acoustic instruments should sould, or doesn't care. Those guitars do not have to sound like that. Clips like this help sell Taylors and the rest. |
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November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | I was thinking the same thing...that video sounds like crap. The playing is proficient, but the tone is a train wreck. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | A really worn out lazy boy recliner (actually I think it's a Lane) works great for me. The arms are so worn out that they don't interfere. I can lean it forward and my butt is lower than my knee, and I can recline it and the deep bowl just lays there with just enough room over the top that I can still watch TV. I've got a great setup. As soon as I lose about 15 pounds and get those 6 pack abs back, they'll fit even better. |
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Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
The only thing I can figure out is that people who think it slips must have their knee lower than their hip. Yeah. I agree with Mark. I've never had a problem with O's, and I've only ever had deep bowls and play sitting down with my thigh level with the floor. Forget laying in bed on your back and tinkering, unless you've got a concave gut.
Some people never get used to it, give up, sell it and miss out on the best sounding guitars in the world, IMO. |
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Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | 3 of the 4 players in those videos are using straps while playing seated. Dave |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | At first I always needed to use a strap. Now, when I forget the strap its not a problem. As they say, you get used to it. |
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December 2007
Posts: 9
Location: New York | Well, I installed a strap button on the treble side of the heel--into the wood. Left the original one intact. Guitar now hangs vertically like it should--much improved for playing while standing, which I do alot. Thanks for everyone's input. |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Originally posted by bauerhillboy:
I use a pc of 3M anti-slip stair tread from the hardware store. I cut it to a suitable shape with my wife's best sewing scissors....
John <>{ :D :D
John's going to be in trouble...na, na,nana, na... |
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July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by Mauvais Beal:
You get used to it. Bingo!!!!
You get used to it.
Plus use a strap.
You may even find you like the
way it moves and use that in your performance. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by Tupperware:
3 of the 4 players in those videos are using straps while playing seated. Dave I almost always use a strap while practicing seated on a stool. This frees up both my hands to tend to music sheets, make notes, move stuff around on the music stands, etc. This is most critical with the 1651 in light of its heavy neck. Without a good fitting strap, I lose one hand completely just keeping the guitar in my lap. |
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Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | I don't need a strap unless I'm standing, which is rare.
While you're struggling with the way it feels, concentrate on how fantastic it sounds. |
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April 2007
Posts: 60
Location: Sun City, California | Originally posted by Kawazukiman:
Well, I installed a strap button on the treble side of the heel--into the wood. Left the original one intact. Guitar now hangs vertically like it should--much improved for playing while standing, which I do alot. Thanks for everyone's input. What kind of strap button did you use?
I also want to leave the original one and install a second one. |
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December 2007
Posts: 9
Location: New York | Generic strap button removed from Strat when I installed straplocks. I did, however, shorten the screw with Dremel tool--there's not a lot of wood around the heel. Also drilled pilot hole slightly smaller than screw to avoid possible splitting of wood. |
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Joined:
April 2007
Posts: 60
Location: Sun City, California | Originally posted by Kawazukiman:
Generic strap button removed from Strat when I installed straplocks. I did, however, shorten the screw with Dremel tool--there's not a lot of wood around the heel. Also drilled pilot hole slightly smaller than screw to avoid possible splitting of wood. Thank you!
Does anyone know if an "Ovation" button can be purchased? |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | They use straplock buttons now. |
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April 2007
Posts: 60
Location: Sun City, California | Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
They use straplock buttons now. Where can you buy these same ones? |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I get the Fender Strap Locks at GC (might as well keep it in the family).
I've found them to be reliable and compatible with the stock buttons CT uses. You can't just buy the buttons (that I know of), you have to buy the set. Still, at the price, I get the peace of mind knowing my precious isn't going to fall on it's head when I bend over to pick up my pick.
Or, you could try contacting Ovation customer service and see if they'll sell you a button. Stranger things have happened... |
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April 2007
Posts: 60
Location: Sun City, California | I was hoping to find something that looks like the one I already have on. |
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October 2005
Posts: 4044
Location: Utah | Dunlop Strap Locks are what come standard these days. |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
I get the Fender Strap Locks at GC (might as well keep it in the family).
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | These are the Dunlop straplocks used on the vast majority of current USA Ovations
Dunlop straplocks |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | My mistake!!!! Thanks for correcting that, Paul.
I just checked, and mine are Dunlop. My apologies, I've had a day from hell at work.
Dunlop.
Dunlop.
Dunlop.... |
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April 2007
Posts: 60
Location: Sun City, California | So, you actually get one strap button and two strap attachments? |
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October 2005
Posts: 4044
Location: Utah | You get two buttons to attach to the guitar, including screws. You also get two clips that go on your strap, one on each end. The clip consists of several parts and it snaps together in the hole in your strap that you normally slip over the button on the guitar.
Hope that made sense. Two complete assemblies, including parts for the guitar side and for the strap side of the system. Enough to do one guitar and one strap. |
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April 2007
Posts: 60
Location: Sun City, California | Cool. Thank you!
Oh, I didn't see any felt in the picture, I'm assuming they are included. |
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December 2007
Posts: 9
Location: New York | If anyone's interested, I uploaded pictures to the gallery of the new strap button and the anti-slippage tape. Thanks for the help. |
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April 2007
Posts: 60
Location: Sun City, California | How can you find a specific upload? |
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New member with Question