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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 43
Location: South Africa | Ovation Legend Bridge Collapse!
Model: 1777LX Legend
Serial Number: 584889
Purchased: October 2004
Last Week, I bought a new Legend 1777 LX (Black) from the local agents here in South Africa.
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January 2007
Posts: 672
Location: New South Wales, Australia | Holy S**T Mike!! That's tragic. Where do you go from here? |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 43
Location: South Africa | Here is the full story on this topic. (I posted the message before completing it, and for some reason I cannot edit my original post? It says "sorry but the time in which you may edit your post has elapsed?)
In October 2004, I bought a new Legend 1777 LX (Black) from the local agents here in South Africa.
The guitar has been played on a regular basis but has been extremely well cared for and never abused. Most of the time I keep it on a stand in my living room but other than that it has been in the hard carry case.
I have only ever used light gauge strings (mostly D'Addario EXP 16's). Tuning has always been standard concert pitch EADGBE.
Over the past few months, I noticed a small gap appearing between the bridge and the top, but this did not seem to have any effect on the instrument. At times, I have had to tune up slightly before playing but I attributed this to changes in temperature and/or humidity.
I last played the guitar yesterday. This morning to my absolute horror I noticed that the bridge had completely separated from the top overnight and ripped some of the paint off as well (see photo).
Has anybody experienced anything similar? I will take it back to the local agents tommorrow, but I would appreciate any input from members of the board as well. I am horrified that this could actualy happen on what I consider to be an expensive guitar!!!!!! |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 43
Location: South Africa | Seems like this may be a quality problem with the Legend LX?
Brainslag (member # 4608) posted this on February 19 2007.
I've had a Custom Legend since new. About 23 years old now. Never humidified it. I live in CT where it's 90 and humid in the summer, 20 and dry in the winter, and have never had a problem. However, My Legend LX 12 had a neck repair and reset, as well as the bridge replaced after it completely pulled off the top - and less than a year old. Go figure. |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | I'm sure Ovation will treat you well. It's just such a pain that you probably don't have easy access to a new guitar where you live. If this happened here I'd have a new one rather quickly.
As for quality control...at the factory in Conn. there is an area where ALL guitars go to have the bridges glued on. It doesn't matter what model it is...the procedure is exactly the same for every guitar that comes out of the factory. I guess the issue is that out of all the guitars they build there's a percentage that will have a problem down the road. This is true with everything that man makes.
Just disappointing when it happens to YOU. Again, I hope this is resolved for you quickly. John <>{ |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | The factory will either repair ths or replace the guitar; either way, you'll have a brand new guitar, so contact either your dealer or John Budny, Customer Service Manager: jbudny-kmc@kaman.com or WE WERE ASKED NOT TO POST TOLL FREE NUMBERS. I would email him as you'll just be able to leave a message if you call...you can direct him to this thread to see the photo of your guitar and the story.
It will be ok, John is a great guy and the folks at service/repair are fantastic!
Blessings... |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 43
Location: South Africa | Thanks to all who have replied to this post.
I remain an avid fan of Ovation guitars - This is much to the chagrin of my mates, who all play Martin guitars. (I am a member of the Martin owners guitar club in South Africa, and also own a Martin D28, and A Martin DCX1E, neither of which have ever given any problems whatsoever).
Great stuff from the Ovation fans! - I will take all the advice and let you know what the outcome is.
Thanks again
Mike S. |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Before you contact Ovation customer service you need to contact the dealer from whom you purchased the guitar in South Africa. If the guitar was imported through legitimate channels and sold through the authorised distributor's dealer network it's their responsibility to take care of a warranty issue such as this. |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | I do n`t get it...on mine All bridges are bolted securely onto the top...do they not do this anymore ..?..anybody can shed light on this..??
Vic
..BTW that really looks ugly... |
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July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Did not someone have a similat problem on a 12 string?
Are the still bolting bridges on any model?? |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | no longer any bridge bolts on USA O's |
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November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Here's a question for the Ovation experts here...
Why no bridge pins? It seems self evident to me that the Ovation design puts more stress on the top fibers of the soundboard, and is inherently more prone to this sort of failure.
What is the advantage of Ovation's approach? |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Personally, it makes it a HELLUVA lot easier to replace a broken string "on-the-fly" at a gig . . . |
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Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I don't think pins are better. I suspect they are worse. I've seen a Sigma bridge that was cracked at each of the holes for the bridge pins. Drilling 6 extra holes in the top can't be good. |
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Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | "WE WERE ASKED NOT TO POST TOLL FREE NUMBERS"
Mike, aren't the numbers available on the O website? I believe so. |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | And bridges are not bolted anymore because...??..
Vic |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
no longer any bridge bolts on USA O's Made me Look! :p
Owning a few Celebrity's, and a couple of Real Old USO's...
I want my bridge bolted down!
And three bolts on a 12-string.
Yeah, none of the LX series had bridge bolts.
Since they are under warranty, I guess you can always send them back, Huh?
I suppose it voids that warranty if you install a couple of bolts on your own... :rolleyes:
Edit-- I just looked over, and my 1312 US Ultra brown-bowl has no extra bolts... :confused: |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | I think the bolts are in the bridge mostly for the laminated tops as they would tend to peel easier. Solid tops shouldn't have this problem. Ovation has the whole glue thing down really well (with the obviously occasional mishap) and it makes a really tight bond to vibrate the top. The whole idea behind the pinless bridge as I understand it is that the design will transfer more vibration to the top that the standard pin bridges, and you also don't have to drill holes through the top that in theory will reduce how well the top will vibrate. And the whole idea is to get more vibration! |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | At a boy Arthur,use them sturdy 4" machinebolts,tighten well,and have `em welded shut,..warranty..?..what warranty ,with that kind of reinforcement who needs it.. :D
Vic
..use supergloo on strings at nut and bridge
, to increase tuning-stability... |
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February 2007
Posts: 75
Location: Portland, OR | This same thing happend to my 1867 Legend, bought around 1994.. Never a problem, spent alot of its life in a case. After about 4 years of keeping it in storage, I started playing it again.. 6 months or so later, I came back from a weekend trip and the bridge had completely seperated, and there was a crack running all the way from the butt end to the sound hole. I attributed it to a really dry winter and not properly humidifying it. I never got a quote on repairing it, instead replaced it with a 2078LX and couldn't be happier.
Good Luck!
Todd |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Originally posted by stonebobbo:
as I understand it is that the design will transfer more vibration to the top that the standard pin bridges I think that's right. The only reason I can see for a pinless bridge is because it allows you to eliminate the bridge plate that a standard bridge has. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Plus, alot of people feel like me...
I hate bridge pins!
Also, I've never had a bridge-pin pop-out into someone's eye on an Ovation.
Of course the reason why I hate them is that I am technically inept,
and I sometimes have trouble getting them to cooperate. :confused:
I'm clumsy! |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Honestly now,the "Ovation stringing" is that of the "Classical guitar",most people know,that when a "Classical" is being strung with steel strings,the bridge will be pulled off seems to me that it`s not even the Bonding that is at fault,but "splintering of the TOP",this system does make for easier string-change,but...calls for reinforcement of some kind,if not,well,we`ve seen what can happen,Arthur`s got a Point !!....Bolts Gentlemen..Bolts !!
Vic |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 43
Location: South Africa | Originally posted by Mike S:
Ovation Legend Bridge Collapse!
Model: 1777LX Legend
Serial Number: 584889
Purchased: October 2004
In October 2004, I bought a new Legend 1777 LX (Black) from the local agents here in South Africa.
OVATION CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE BEST!!!
GREAT NEWS - Yesterday, I received a Brand New Legend 1777 LX as a replacement for the damaged guitar at no cost whatsoever.
I don't know what arrangements were made between Ovation USA and Turnkey Music (who are the local agents in South Africa), but I am one happy customer and all I can say is WELL DONE OVATION!!! |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Thats great news Mike! Enjoy! |
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March 2005
Posts: 2791
Location: Atlanta, GA. | Can't beat that.
Like Jim said... ENJOY! |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Bravo Mike; Bravo Ovation! |
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Ovation Legend Bridge Collapse!