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February 2015
Posts: 17
| Hi, i did a really bad deal on a 1511, it came with saddle loose, broken braces.... But i can be repaired and i probably will even though it will cost. Since i havent played it i cant tell if its gonna be a good guitar or not, so i have a few questions:
I measure the relief to 1,5-2 mm (0,04-0,08 without strings) Pretty much? Will the neck bend a lot under string pressure. if it does its gonna uphill from 7 fret? Is this relief normal and would it get a playable action on thoose frets? Awood neck would bend under string tension to the double. It also have some heavy fretwear, and replacing fixing that would not be done if the neck is way to bendt!
And if so, i see a few ovation necks on ebay, did ovation use same neck fitting (dovetail/ bolts) on guitars from same era, or are they diffrent. So, would a balladeer neck from 80 fitt in this neckpocket? Lenght and scale the same. would a shallow bowl neck fit deep bowl?
And yes, i would be parts-ovation, but playable and adjustable. ( dont know if ovationism allows unorginal modifications like this )
Anyone knows anything about this!
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February 2015
Posts: 17
| I've got the 2 bolt neck! |
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December 2003
Posts: 13983
Location: Upper Left USA | Johan,
Unless you are already familiar with swapping out necks and repairing braces I would have the work done by someone.
The two bolt neck is detachable and may be swapped with necks of the same scale. |
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February 2015
Posts: 17
| I've been working a lot on electric guitars, necks both bolt on and the glued ones. But for the braces I lack competence and gear, so that'll be the expensive part!
Did ovation make guitars with different scale length at that time? I guess measuring the length from nut to last fret would tell if it's the right one.
Even though it might would be cheaper to just let it go, it's totally against my philosophy to not fix it... seems like it's possible to replace the neck in case it starts bending with strings on!
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Posts: 13983
Location: Upper Left USA | "it's totally against my philosophy to not fix it... "
You are in the right place! |
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November 2002
Posts: 3599
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Can I get an 'amen', Brothers & Sisters?.......
Pretty sure, that's 14-frets-to-the-body, so the scale should be the standard- about 12-5/8", to the 12th fret. |
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February 2015
Posts: 17
| It's being re- braced right now, will pick it up Wednesday, then I see weather it's the standard scale, and if needed ill start watching ebay for necks. Maybe it'll be just fine after re - stringing it. I have no experience with non wood necks! I'll let you know how this will end. I have to re do the finnish on the plywood top since the bridge/saddle took away some old on its way off. I also wonder if the pre amp still works (didn't wanna check it since that would be a reason not to do anything about the guitar). Thanks ! |
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November 2002
Posts: 3599
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | OK, now I'm confused. I just referenced the 1511, in the model listings, and it is a double-cutaway, Ultra GP electric, with a solid body. So, Johan, do you have a 1512? That would make sense, given the discussion, thus far. Those had the "urelite"-foam necks, as I recall, and may have had rosewood fretboards, or they might have been the aluminum fretboard, which is pretty difficult to refret, unless you happen to be a machinist, with a milling machine. At any rate, the scale length is the same, for all those acoustic-electrics. Chances are, there is no twist, or excessive relief in the neck, either. Fixing the bridge & braces may be all the structural things it needs. "Cross your fingers"...... |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | seesquare - 2015-02-08 3:06 PM
OK, now I'm confused. I just referenced the 1511, in the model listings, and it is a double-cutaway, Ultra GP electric, with a solid body.
Try here... http://www.ovationfanclub.com/files/prices.asp
Also, a 1511 just sold on Reverb... HERE
According to that, I think that a 1511 is the Ultra version of the 1111 with a pickup.
So Urelite neck and all that. If it has the two bolt Kaman neck, a similar neck should fit.
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Posts: 3599
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Thanks OMA, I feel better about that now.
Actually, that listing looks to be a year old, and didn't sell, as there were no bids. Too bad, looked like a nice piece. I think those shipping fees, $60.00 in this case, scare a lot of buyers off. |
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February 2015
Posts: 17
| Yes, it says 1511 inside, no doubt. Plywood top, some cheap wood imitation neck ( looks cheap). I also saw that I was a solid electric guitar at first, but I found more info. Seems like a rare model ( probably because og cheap parts and non adjust neck) .... but I've got one ?.... left to see (hear ( if it's playable, sounds good. . |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Ah... "Cheap Wood Imitation Neck".
That is open to interpretation.
I am pretty sure that the Urelite foam neck cost more than a chunk of wood.
But once you have the machinery set-up it is simple to produce.
The Urelite has more consistency and is not affected by temperature or moisture.
The neck should have a Truss Rod inside the bowl...
Think that it might have a Kaman bar.
I have owned an Academy KA17 and an Ultra 1312, both with Urelite necks...
and the Urelite neck felt good and was stable, and had some wood grain for aesthetics.
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February 2015
Posts: 17
| I didn't mean it was cheap, it looks cheap since its brownish with imitated wood structure ( or maybe that's the way urelite looks). I shouldn't express myself in a way that could be understood as I don't like progress and inventions, and nor make fun of those who tried ?! I still couldn't find the trust, have you seen a 1511 with this neck and a truss rod? |
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Posts: 17
| What is a kaman bar? |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | This is a Kaman Bar.
I said that the 1511 Might have a Kaman bar.
Even if it does not have a K-bar, the Truss Rod adjustment should be on the inside of the sound-hole at the end of the fingerboard like this photo.
I believe that ALL Ovations have a Truss-Rod, even Applause's, Academy's, and Ocean Acoustics.
(but I have been wrong before  )
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February 2015
Posts: 17
| Hmm. I've reed in this forum that this model don't have it, and I couldn't find it where it's supposed to be! I'll get back to it om Wednesday when I pick it up! I'm not an expert on acoustic guitars, and certainly not ovation, but I've been working on a few electric basses and guitars! I hope I'll find one! |
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Posts: 3599
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Ah, no. Not ALL Matrix necks had an adjustable trussrod. I worked on a few, that didn't, because they have the aluminum fretboard, all-as-one-piece. They don't distort much, anyway. I have one coming, probably next week, with a rosewood fretboard, which probably DOES have a trussrod. I will have to check my KA-17 tonight, and see if it has any adjustment capability, with an aluminum fret-deck. |
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Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | I can't see a truss rod on mine, but without a mirror or loosening the strings, I can't see all the way up there. I just see one bolt for the neck. |
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November 2002
Posts: 3599
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Just checked the Blue Academy. Aluminum fretboard, no trussrod adjustment, 2 mounting bolts. The broccoli-head Applause- aluminum fretboard, no trussrod nut, 2 mounting bolts. Seems to be a pattern here....... |
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February 2015
Posts: 17
| Been to busy, will pick up the guitar this evening and report tomorrow.
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February 2015
Posts: 17
| Ok, I've picked up the guitar.
No truss rod.
Unbelievable high action.... anyone tried to heat and bend the neck in a jig?
I've got nothing to loose, so I took off the neck and shimsed the top bolt. The action became a little less unplayable and the intonation as well. But still far from perfect.
Anyone experienced neck angle problems. The neck is fitted in plastic and could perhaps be stressed from a hit, heat and so on .
A crazy idea, the neck is useless with 3-4 mm relief stringed with 0.10. I've got gear for drilling deep and straight.. I've got a few fender (same scale) necks. Anyone fitted a rod in a foam neck.
Or just learn how to play slide guitar....
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Posts: 4025
Location: Utah | Check out "bowl bend". MWoody has done some, as has Dan. |
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February 2015
Posts: 17
| Ok, bowl bend, a ovation term, will check ut out. I can't understand that the neck bend alone can make that high action, so that could be a part of the problem.
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Posts: 3599
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | The plane of the fretboard, in relation to the plane of the soundboard, with the inflection point at the neck/body joint. So, if the neck is glued in, heating up the bowl, around the joint, and carefully altering the angle, about 1-or-2-degrees, usually does the job. The prevalent experience is, it works better on the hand-laid fiberglass bowls, than the later, Lyrachord-molded bowls. |
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February 2015
Posts: 17
| News about the guitar.... I've continued the massive loss of money to try making the guitar playable. I've purchased a 2 bolt 25 1/4 scale neck. Rem ved the old neck. I started to remove the cracked up finnish carefully. Hard work. Considering doing a shellac finnish.
It's costed me a fortune so far.. but in the end I'm gonna be calm with the knowledge that I did what I could. |
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February 2015
Posts: 17
| Last update! Replace neck is on. Without any other adjustments than removing old glue under the fretboard. Just bolt on and play on first set. Didn't need any truss adjustment. A small shim under bridge that's all. Plays a lot more crispy than my 1712. Looks like he'll but plays like a dream so dar |
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June 2012
Posts: 2303
Location: Lake Forest, CA | Yep. Same thing with the 1983 CE I did for a friend. I simply unbolted the neck, cleaned out all the old glue then carefully bolted it back down into place. (I did put a thin, fresh layer of glue under the fretboard extension) |
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December 2004
Posts: 555
Location: Denmark | A picture, please? |
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1511 neck knownledge wanted!