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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 3
Location: Mililani, HI | Hey there Ovation Fans! My dad just came home tonight with an Ovation that he bought for $50. From who, i know not. It is labled as an Ovation Matrix 1632-4, serial number 112816. I've hooked it up to an amp to try it and and despite the fact that the pickup battery might be dead (requiring me to turn the volume up quite hight to get some sound), I must say i'm quite impressed.
I don't know much about guitars but I appreciate older guitars, as they are usually "broken in" and have a more mellow sound. I'm very stoked to see such a devoted fan forum you guys have going here! I've searched what i could in your forums and have seen some pretty neat info.
Of course, in the end i have some questions.
1) According to the ovationguitars.com site, the 1--- series are made in the late 60's, but that this only pertains to Ovations made in the US. How can i tell if my Matrix is US made or not? Basically, there's a lot of serial number/date info out there and i'm a bit overwhelmed
2) Where can I go other than ebay (which has no matrix's at the moment) to find pricing info on ovations? (my dad has tons of guitars and always wants to know the going rate, just in case an opportunity to trade or something comes along. He also likes to know if he made out good on a deal). Once again i tried ovationguitars.com, but their excel table didn't have many prices in it.
3)Is there anything i should know about ovations or the matrix that might be different from other guitars? I think i saw something in a post about the neck's being nigh impossible to replace due to their being made out of aluminum or something?.
Anyway, i humbly beseech the great Ovation sages for their advice. My thanks go out in advance. If you need any sort of description, photos, or information concerning the recent acquiring of our matrix, i will gladly do what i can. Aloha.
- Daniel |
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Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | 1977-78 original price was $355.00
the matrix line was in the 70's. the necks are foam and aluiminium with alum. fingerboars. nice guitars untill the frets wear out. they usualy sell for about $100-150. jason |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 3
Location: Mililani, HI | Thank you so much for the info Johnny Cash 83! I was thinking that it couldn't be from the 60's somehow. I was playing on it just a bit earlier and noticed that the frets are indeed looking a bit worn. The sound is quite nice, and the neck is nice and small compared to some of the other guitars in the house. I'm really not used to composite deep bowls at all; having thought that original all wood stuff would have a "better" sound. I've got to say that so far, this ovation is proving me wrong compared to some other guitars! |
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Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | ive got several set up for slide because the frets were worn too bad to fret chords...enjoy it.....heres one of my 1132's set up for slide that paul templeman is playing.. 
jason |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 3
Location: Mililani, HI | Nice! I've never played slide before but i've heard some played impromptu with a beer bottle. I'll keep that in mind if the frets get too bad! I guess slide stuff is used in certain hawaiian slack-key as well. Also, your 1132 looks just like my 1632! I guess since they're both -4's they have the same wood and all of that. Great pics! |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3666
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | More to the point, they have the same top & bracing pattern. Yours has electronics. |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | there was no battery in those so if it doesn't work plugged in the pickup might be suspect. |
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Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | hey chris, thats the bowl and neck you got from me in that pic, the top caved in about a week latter...had a few busted braces..lol jason |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12762
Location: Boise, Idaho | What Jason said. Usually the black paint on the fretboard wears off by the time the frets get worn. Mine still sounds and looks good after 30 years. Most of the used ones I've seen have some pretty bad finish cracking. |
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Matrix 1632-4