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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 6
| Just got a Collector's Series 12 string (1986),
Model # is 2986-6.
An eBay purchase, so surprises are not surprising, but unwelcome nonetheless.
My first Ovation, but the pickup assembly that should be mounted beneath the saddle I presume is completely unattached, loose and super-knocking around inside the super-slim body.
It's in good shape otherwise. Return to factory to remounting job? (NYC metro area)
Thanks |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 799
Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | Congrats on the guitar, all except the assy. What is knocking around? Is it just the cable that connects to the pickup through the top? Or is it the pre-amp, too?
Not to make light of your situation, but when I first saw the thread title I thought that the pickup smelled assy....like ass! :cool: |
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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 548
Location: Up North | Hey Rage
Welcome aboard. If you could get some photos of the interior, there are enough knowledgable people on this forum who could probably talk you through it.
I'm not including myself in the knowledgable part |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | Welcome!
The first thing I'd do is get ahold of the directions.
OK, it's the last thing I usually do but it seems to work for others.
At www.ovationguitars.com there is a link to the Owner's Manual. In it is an exploded view photo of the parts in assembly.
Also in various places at www.ovationtribute.com
I'll see if I can grab some more definate links.
Good guitar to grab by the way! |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | Owner\'s Manual
Go to Page 6 of 10 |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 6
| Thanks, folks. I feel very welcomed.
I'm quite certain the entire preamp assembly is detached. I'll work on a photo. p. 6 of the manual is a bit unclear on what portion is inside the sound box, but the detached portion is (from memory here) roughly 1.5" tall and 3" across. One surface appears to be non-metallic, and slightly distintegrating - perhaps a plastic or foam substance. More later. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Did these have a surface mount or screw mount battery box? From the description it sounds like the battery box. |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 799
Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
Did these have a surface mount or screw mount battery box? From the description it sounds like the battery box. When you said "foam" (rubber foam is the usual), I'd have to agree with The Wab. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | I was thinking the pick up portion earlier, sorry.
One knob or concentric knob preamp?
Or is the Battery Box. Like This One?
I have a smattering of the 1/4 turn screws and pieces if needed. Hopefully it just came loose or you can replace the foam portion.
If you can identify exactly what you have by |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 6
| You guys know your stuff. I'm grateful.
Yeah, looks like the battery box, after I had a look at the ebay photo. Maybe I'll need one of these, since the foam looks shot.
Here are the photos I took this evening:
http://softwareqc.com/images/galleries/ovation12/ovation-1986-12-st...
Where is the battery box supposed to be mounted? What does the collective wisdom suggest as a next step?
Will be interesting to see if it works at all with a battery in it.
On a side matter, the instrument stayed in tune for 24 hrs. No small thing :) |
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Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | look for a flathead screw on the bass side of the waist,reach inside,line the slot up in the batt box with the screw,push on the box and give the screw a 1/4 turn and you should be good to go....jason |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 6
| Jason, thx.
OK, I think I'm following this.
I gave it a quick try and decided it will have to wait for tomorrow - looks like the cables are tangled and won't reach to the flathead screw w/o detangling.
BTW it's a single knob pickup, no concentric control. |
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Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | volume only fet-3 is what i belive its called...jason |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 1889
Location: Central Massachusetts | It may be an optical illusion, but I'd say the red lead to your battery box is broken. Securing it will keep it from rattling around, but you're gonna need to snake it out of the sound hole and resolder that lead to have a chance of getting the preamp to work. |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 97
Location: North Cal. mountains | Welcome to this wonderful world.
Listen to these guys, find the right luthier and you will love your Ovation and the other Ovations you will no doubt make yours.
Congrats. |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 6
| FYI to others who may find themselves in this situation.
1. We changed the battery box installation from the factory scheme to one using ordinary Velcro (my Ibanez nylon string uses this method). This also allowed the box to be much closer to the hole for battery replacement. The original design seems in retrospect to be poorly thought out, especially considering there is no rear access to the interior.
2. The cables were deteriorated as well as detached and we replaced them.
3. The preamp itself was in fine working order. No specialized Ovation parts were needed.
The instrument sounds great.
Thanks all for the good tips. |
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Advice for detached pickup assy