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Location: Wayne, NJ | Hey all: Any help would be appreciated. I'm going to look at a guitar tomorrow. It's described as a 7772-4 - acoustic only. It looks like a Legend, with the large rosette. It's in pretty bad shape. However the reference page doesn't list this model #. Thanks.
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Location: Texas | I am betting he is mistaking the 7's for 1's. Which would make it a custom balladeer.
Edited by jay 2015-09-16 4:13 PM
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Location: Wayne, NJ | Thanks.
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Location: Wayne, NJ | And I might add a "duh". Like we say in NJ - "stupit". I'll check it out tonight. Sincerely Jay, thanks for help. At first I was a little disappointed. But it's a really well appointed Balladeer. Does anyone have any ideas about the year (based solely on the picture) and it's comparison to a Legend? |
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Location: Texas | With the early foil sticker you're probably looking at a 72 or 73? |
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Location: Wayne, NJ | Thanks Jay. Now I'm less disappointed. Did the 1112 change over time? According to the FAQ, it was manufactured from 1973-84. Was there less bling regarding the markers and rosette? |
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Location: Texas | PB, I really am not sure, but my bet is, it didnt. Ovation stayed pretty true to the "look" of each model issued, through the model life. Ovation was transitioning from foil to paper in the early 70's...so I am guessing this would be one of the first ones. It does have a foil Ovation sticker...right? |
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Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota | I have 3 of the Custom Balladeers from '76 and '77, they have Fantastic sound, big and full!!
I hope that you are able to get this one, and that it is in good shape! They really are Great Guitars!!!
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Location: Wayne, NJ | Thanks Nancy. If he meets my price, this is going to require a trip to the Mothership (is it Mothership now?), and a couple of weeks at the spa. Jay - I haven't seen the guitar yet. It does look like a foil label through the shadows. I'll know more after this evening. |
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Location: Western Sonoma County | Looks like a 1117-4. I have one at the Mothership right now undergoing some rejuvenation. Mine is a 1974 specimen. From what I've read, it was the first guitar to carry the Legend name. |
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Location: Western Sonoma County | Haha, never double click the Submit button...
Edited by jbblunck 2015-09-17 11:25 AM
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Location: Jet City | jbblunck - 2015-09-17 9:24 AM Looks like a 1117-4. I have one at the Mothership right now undergoing some rejuvenation. Mine is a 1974 specimen. From what I've read, it was the first guitar to carry the Legend name. Your 1117 should have a bound fretboard. it was originally called a Deluxe Balladeer. The one pictured above is a 1112 Custom Balladeer (really a step below the Deluxe 1117 with the lack of binding). And the answer to 'has it chaged over time?' is yes, but minimally. Really it's the neck and truss rod, but I think the bracing eventually changed in the 80's too. |
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Location: Wayne, NJ | Thanks Damon. |
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Location: Wayne, NJ | Well, it didn't happened. A huge gash running down the soundboard, up to and under the bridge. I offered a fair price considering the expense of repairs. I'm sure the guitar has sat in the case, in a closet for 40 years. 
Maybe next time.
Thanks everyone for their help and information. |
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Location: Pueblo West, CO | If you don't mind me asking, how much was he asking for the guitar? |
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Location: Wayne, NJ | $225.00 |
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Location: Western Sonoma County | Ah, Damon67, missed that unbound fretboard. Good catch.
On the name front, here's what I found on the Ovation Gallery website on the 1117:
"In 1971 Ovation introduced the Legend. For a 5-year old guitar company to name one of their products "Legend" took some guts, but 35 years later it's obvious they knew what they were doing. The Legend is the direct descendent from the Glen Campbell Deluxe Balladeer. The changes were the new textured bowl, lower peghead angle, add-on rosette and 3rd generation bridge. The Legend feature a rich deep tone that Ovation would become "legend"ary for."
I guess one person's Deluxe Balladeer is another person's Legend. I do know that when I first picked it up, it felt exactly (neck-wise) like my 2002 Legend. Same bound fretboard, binding and markers, too.
Excellent guitar no matter what it's called. |
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Location: Jet City | As I understand it, Glen Campbell wanted a slimmer bowl, so they introduced the Glen Campbell Artist Balladeer. Really, the 1127 is what that model morphed into. The Deluxe Balladeer was indeed changed, but it was still called a Deluxe Balladeer (no Glen Campbell). It was different than the Glen Campbell Deluxe Balladeer. It had all the bling and bindings like the Legend as we all know it, but they didn't slap the Legend name on it for a year give or take. Bobbo has one I think. I used to but it lives with Riccardo in Italy now. Here's the original Glen Campbell Deluxe Balladeer... 
Here's the 1117 Deluxe Balladeer (notice difference in neck binding and inlays) 
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Location: Tennessee | Yup, I have one of the 1117 Deluxe Balladeers with the winged bridge just like in the Clapton ad. I think mine is from early 1969. It was an 1117 before they became Legends. It is super light and super resonant, from that period of time when they were experimenting with different bracing patterns. Hey, maybe my guitar is what caused the name change to Legend! |
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Location: Western Sonoma County | The plot thickens. My 1117-4 has a serial that puts it in early 1974. The inlays look like the one Peanut Butter tried to buy, it has the big rosette, but the neck binding is white. No "Deluxe" identification. More Legend-ary me thinks. Eric Clapton looks very impressed with himself in that ad. Ha!
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Location: Texas | Does anyone recall ever seeing Eric with an Ovation in his hand? |
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Location: Tuscany, Italy | Hi Damon, your 1117 is still with me and taken care of. Love it !!! 
Edited by marenostrum 2015-09-19 11:40 AM
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Location: Pueblo West, CO | I haven't seen a pic of Clapton playing an Ovation, but there was an Ovation front and center in the pic for the news item about the auction of Clapton's guitars at Bonhams in 2011. See: Eric Clapton guitar 'expected to make £13,000' 
Edited by DanSavage 2015-09-19 7:11 PM
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