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| Hi, I've just received what I think is a quite good offer for a 1718 Elite. Guy said it is in very godd shape, some minor fret wear and that's all. He told me it can be mine for 600 euros, what do ou think of it? Here's the link. https://reverb.com/item/37874054-1989-ovation-usa-elite-model-1718-with-hardshell-case Thanks for your help! |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Looks like a good guitar.
I cannot comment on the price because I don't know how long you have to work to earn 600€ 
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| Old Man Arthur - 2020-12-30 10:59 AM Looks like a good guitar. I cannot comment on the price because I don't know how long you have to work to earn 600€ Thanks for chiming in, Arthur. I was actually asking about the price: is it a good deal? It seems so to me but I am looking for experts' opinioin. 600 euros is not an big issue for my pocket. |
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Location: moline,illinois | I got a conversion of 600 euro's is 727 USD which is a good price IMHO
How much is shipping..if reasonable its a good price on a hard to find guitar  |
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Location: Atlanta, GA. | Does the brown bowl on some O's signify anything in particular? |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | If you use the SEARCH button you will find this ...
Brown vs Black Bowls
Seems like there was some logic to it early on and then like most things it got all fussed up over time. |
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Location: SoCal | Man but do I miss those days....... |
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| Thanks everyone for your answers? @2wheeldrummer: yes, shopping is just 30 euros so pretty fair I'd say.
Anyway, I pulled the trigger and got the guitar, can't wait to have it here! |
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Location: moline,illinois | mimmo congrats on the new guitar headed you way I hope she provides you with many years of joy
30 euros sounds affordable for shipping I hope she arrives safe and sound.
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| 2wheeldrummer - 2020-12-30 7:05 PM mimmo congrats on the new guitar headed you way I hope she provides you with many years of joy 30 euros sounds affordable for shipping I hope she arrives safe and sound. Thanks my friend. She will be shipped from Germany so I couldn't really complain about the cost. The seller is a shop so I will return it if enything goes wrong...fingers crossed! |
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Location: SoCal | Looks like a good guitar. Only one question -- the fretboard looks like black walnut. A 1718 should have a rosewood fingerboard. Not a bad thing. Maybe from very early in the production? Or maybe built for the European market? |
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| moody, p.i. - 2020-12-30 7:24 PM Looks like a good guitar. Only one question -- the fretboard looks like black walnut. A 1718 should have a rosewood fingerboard. Not a bad thing. Maybe from very early in the production? Or maybe built for the European market? Good point! Didn't notice it and I am not an expert, could you please argument this? What guitar was the black walnut for? Can you tell me more? Thanks. |
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Location: Cicero, NY | moody, p.i. - 2020-12-30 10:02 AM
Man but do I miss those days.......
Good times, fer shure...
On the board, interesting catch. Is it possible it was rosewood but stained darker over time (it doesn't look very figured)? Or, if black walnut, did the company come out with any production walnut boards (i.e. was it a one off)? Ultimately, if it is walnut, I'm not sure it would stop me from pulling the trigger but I'm no expert either. |
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Location: moline,illinois | The catalogs I looked at all say rosewood fingerboard,walnut was frequently used on the Adamas models and is very good,
its hard to tell from the pictures the wood could be dried out and faded either way it should be a great guitar.
Here's a catalog with the Elite model/specs http://ovationtribute.com/Catalogues/1994_US_Long_Catalog/1994_US_L...
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Location: SoCal | mimmo - 2020-12-30 2:16 PM
moody, p.i. - 2020-12-30 7:24 PM Looks like a good guitar. Only one question -- the fretboard looks like black walnut. A 1718 should have a rosewood fingerboard. Not a bad thing. Maybe from very early in the production? Or maybe built for the European market? Good point! Didn't notice it and I am not an expert, could you please argument this? What guitar was the black walnut for? Can you tell me more? Thanks.
Black walnut was used on the 1537's (the first Elites), and the Adamii guitars. Rosewood, a darker and less expensive wood, was used when the Elites became the 1718 model. Excellent guitars but de-contented from the 1537's. Ivroid body binding, AA vs select spruce tops, OP24 preamp vs. the 2 knobber on the 1537, and a couple of other things. As I said earlier, it could have been a guitar for the European market made with a walnut fretboard, or it may have been a special order. No idea..... |
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Location: Cicero, NY | Great detail, Paul. Even after years here I still learn new things consistently. |
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Location: Cicero, NY | ...but apparently not how to avoid double postings.
Edited by Weaser P 2020-12-30 7:42 PM
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| moody, p.i. - 2020-12-31 1:50 AM mimmo - 2020-12-30 2:16 PM moody, p.i. - 2020-12-30 7:24 PM Looks like a good guitar. Only one question -- the fretboard looks like black walnut. A 1718 should have a rosewood fingerboard. Not a bad thing. Maybe from very early in the production? Or maybe built for the European market? Good point! Didn't notice it and I am not an expert, could you please argument this? What guitar was the black walnut for? Can you tell me more? Thanks. Black walnut was used on the 1537's (the first Elites ), and the Adamii guitars. Rosewood, a darker and less expensive wood, was used when the Elites became the 1718 model. Excellent guitars but de-contented from the 1537's. Ivroid body binding, AA vs select spruce tops, OP24 preamp vs. the 2 knobber on the 1537, and a couple of other things. As I said earlier, it could have been a guitar for the European market made with a walnut fretboard, or it may have been a special order. No idea..... Very detailed answer moody, thank you very much. I will try to get in touch with Ovation, maybe they can give me a definitive answer once I provide the serial #. Interesting point BTW. Thanks everyone for your comments! |
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Location: Utah | It is possible the guitar was made that way for some completely random reason. They were out of rosewood fretboards on the day the neck was made. They mistakenly used walnut on that one particular guitar. The neck was replaced by the factory later on (due to damage) and for whatever reason they used the walnut version. It could be a one-off custom request, or an employee built it for themselves or a friend/relative of theirs.
In no way is the walnut fretboard lesser than rosewood! |
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Location: moline,illinois | Mimmo-I'm not convinced your guitar has a walnut fingerboard,if you look at all the pictures in the ad some of them show darker wood and more dark grain patterns like you would expect from rosewood,it could be a special order with a walnut fingerboard it's to hard tell from just those pics.
When you get the guitar post some good pictures of the fingerboard and label and we can help you figure it out,I'm sure it's a superb guitar either way and it will give you many hours of joy playing it. |
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| 2wheeldrummer - 2021-01-01 1:34 AM Mimmo-I'm not convinced your guitar has a walnut fingerboard,if you look at all the pictures in the ad some of them show darker wood and more dark grain patterns like you would expect from rosewood,it could be a special order with a walnut fingerboard it's to hard tell from just those pics. When you get the guitar post some good pictures of the fingerboard and label and we can help you figure it out,I'm sure it's a superb guitar either way and it will give you many hours of joy playing it. Thanks again for your help, I haven't figured out how to post pictures on the forum yet, but I will try. In the meanwhile, best wishes for a happy new year! Stay safe and healthy. |
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Location: Muenster/Germany | These 1718s are great guitars, 600 € is a bargain. You will love it. |
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| DetlefMichel - 2021-01-05 7:06 PM These 1718s are great guitars, 600 € is a bargain. You will love it. Thanks! The guitar has been shipped and will be here in three days, can't wait! |
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| UPDATE. The guitar hasarrived yesterday and will be sent back. I love the neck, the look and playability but the seller did not mention that there was some wood missing from the leaves around the holes. Yes, one of the exotic woods was missing and honestly I can't live with this. Happy news is that I have finally been able to score a pristine Folklore 1614!
Thanks all you guys for your help.
Last but not least, the fingerboard on this Elite is rosewood, no doubt. |
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Location: moline,illinois | mimmo-that's to bad about the missing wood around the epaulet,that's probably repairable if you really like the guitar see if the seller will give you a partial refund to fix it....I understand you don't want to keep it with the defect but that is a hard model to find anymore. |
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| 2wheeldrummer - 2021-01-09 4:40 PM mimmo-that's to bad about the missing wood around the epaulet,that's probably repairable if you really like the guitar see if the seller will give you a partial refund to fix it....I understand you don't want to keep it with the defect but that is a hard model to find anymore. You are right, it is a nice guitar and not so easy to find, but I have always wanted a 1614 so the elite has to be sent back. Unfortunately. |
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Need you help please. Your thoughts on this?