Haven’t posted in a while but wanted to share something that should be of interest to anyone that plays Ovations amplified:

So, I bought a pristine 1997 Collector’s Edition (the slot head parlor) several years back. Absolutely perfect — except the pickup wasn’t working. Checked with John Budny and the volume slider “tape” and the electronics together were around $300. Figured there was nothing wrong with the piezo.

I was in a dilemma: I didn’t really want to spend money on what I perceived to be a pretty crappy system with no controls except volume. But I also didn’t want to cut into the guitar and spend money to ship to Ovation to get anything else Ovation makes.

So, I sat on it. Put it away  Figuring I would get around to it sooner or later.

Well, that time is now and the outcome is, in a word, fantastic. Better sounding than any (round hole) Ovation I’ve ever heard amplified and I modified nothing on the guitar. It is untouched. If I ever want to go to the sliding volume system (to keep it “original,” it’s there.

Here’s what I did: LR Baggs makes the Anthem ($300 street) and the Anthem SL ($200 street) and, having never used one and not knowing the efficacy of one on an Ovation, I bought an inexpensive copy to test in this guitar, theorizing that, if it didn’t work, not a huge loss and, since no modifications were made to the guitar, no risk.

I opted for the main Anthem copy because each of the components plug into the soundhole controls and the parlor’s piezo has the same micro plug. What you end up with is an Ovation with a piezo and a soundboard microphone, with volume, mic blend, polarity button, and battery test button.

The 1/4” jack goes through the same hole, the controls mount with 3M double-sided tape as does the mike, and the battery bag has a velcro back that attaches to a velcro square inside the guitar.

Simply unbelievable sound. 

I have several different Ovation pickups: the “old style” volume, the volume/tone, the OP-24, the OP-Pro, and something else I can’t remember. None of them holds a candle to this combination.

if superb amplified sound is a goal, it would be hard to beat this system . . .

I’m pretty sure that they are all the same, made in the same factory. Though they are advertised with different names, they all seem to be A-202. My guess is that it’s OEM, possibly made in the same factory as the Anthem. Again, only a guess.