Partridge Acoustic Triple Play
xbj
Posted 2005-11-28 9:48 PM (#128107)
Subject: Partridge Acoustic Triple Play


Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 194

Location: Las Vegas
Well, thanks to the great advice on here we've now completed the acoustic portion of the Partrdge Ovation quest.

The 12-string arrived day before yesterday; shipped solely in it's hardshell vintage Ovation case it survived. The pictures hid a finish crack that runs the length of the bottom of the top where the two top pieces fit together, and some very minor buckling of the surface. It needs a good cleaning, but other than that is a beautiful guitar and sounds incredible when someone that can play plays it (needs new strings too of course.) Came with the original sales receipt! and ovation owners' manual which was really cool. Has a very loud bright tone, not too bassy, perfect for recording. Truss rod needs adjusting. Oh, model number 1115-4, G649

The 6 string Balladeer will be on the way soon, and will be a perfect match for the 12-string.

The classical I have the most hope for, as it probably experienced the least string tension over the years. If it sounds and plays good I might be selling my celebrity classical, but we'll have to see.

When the other two have arrived, I'll take a shot of all three together and post it.

Thanks!!

Les
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stonebobbo
Posted 2005-11-28 10:56 PM (#128108 - in reply to #128107)
Subject: Re: Partridge Acoustic Triple Play



Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307

Location: Tennessee
Les,

Looks like you scored in a very big way. More than pictures, let's hear some Forever Family acoustic tunes ... :)
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Wuzhizzoner
Posted 2005-11-28 11:05 PM (#128109 - in reply to #128107)
Subject: Re: Partridge Acoustic Triple Play


Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 1614

Location: Converse, Texas
Partridge Acoustic Triple Play??? Did I miss something in an earlier post? :eek:
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xbj
Posted 2005-11-29 7:40 AM (#128110 - in reply to #128107)
Subject: Re: Partridge Acoustic Triple Play


Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 194

Location: Las Vegas
Possibly... I was asking for info here before I "picked a peck o' Partridge" on eBay. While I knew a lot about the hollow and solid body electrics, I knew nothing about the 3 acoustics they used on the show. Got a ton of help and sorted it all out, and now they're in the colleciton. I did try for a Legend on the 6 string, but it got too rich for my blood, so I went with the Balladeer, which is what they used on the show anyway.

And I do have some all acoustic mixes around somewhere of the first three songs we recorded (with everything else mixed out); they sounded pretty cool.

Les
:)
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moody, p.i.
Posted 2005-11-29 8:21 AM (#128111 - in reply to #128107)
Subject: Re: Partridge Acoustic Triple Play


Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15651

Location: SoCal
Les, did they use a Balladeer or a Custom Balladeer (which is what you bought)?
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Stevechapman
Posted 2005-11-29 11:38 AM (#128112 - in reply to #128107)
Subject: Re: Partridge Acoustic Triple Play


Joined:
April 2003
Posts: 2503

Location: Fayetteville, NC
Congrats on your Partridge Triple Play Aquisition!
Great score. Let everyone know what they sound like and be sure to send some pics along too.
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MWoody
Posted 2005-11-29 12:19 PM (#128113 - in reply to #128107)
Subject: Re: Partridge Acoustic Triple Play



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13983

Location: Upper Left USA
So I guess you wouldn't be interested in any custom wood veneer pickguards for the Partridge solid bodies... :rolleyes:

Recreating an era is a fairly difficult task. Good job with the details!
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xbj
Posted 2005-11-29 6:54 PM (#128114 - in reply to #128107)
Subject: Re: Partridge Acoustic Triple Play


Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 194

Location: Las Vegas
Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
Les, did they use a Balladeer or a Custom Balladeer (which is what you bought)?
Actually, I'm not completely sure; the 6 string shows up the least in the 2nd season DVD set; the 12-string is in almost every episode, while the classical appears in maybe 1-2.

It's probably close enough for me at this point; I know the styles, color, and condition will probably match fairly well, and if I upgraded a bit from the actual items, that's cool too; I was considering a legend for awhile, but these will match better I think.

Les
:)
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xbj
Posted 2005-11-29 6:55 PM (#128115 - in reply to #128107)
Subject: Re: Partridge Acoustic Triple Play


Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 194

Location: Las Vegas
Originally posted by Stevechapman:
Congrats on your Partridge Triple Play Aquisition!
Great score. Let everyone know what they sound like and be sure to send some pics along too.
Will do! Thanks!!

Les
:)
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xbj
Posted 2005-11-29 6:56 PM (#128116 - in reply to #128107)
Subject: Re: Partridge Acoustic Triple Play


Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 194

Location: Las Vegas
Originally posted by MWoody:
So I guess you wouldn't be interested in any custom wood veneer pickguards for the Partridge solid bodies... :rolleyes:

Recreating an era is a fairly difficult task. Good job with the details!
LOL... how about chrome?

Thanks! We've had a TON of help, that's for sure!!

Les
:)
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xbj
Posted 2005-12-19 4:20 PM (#128117 - in reply to #128107)
Subject: Re: Partridge Acoustic Triple Play


Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 194

Location: Las Vegas
Okay... the concert classic arrived today, in FANTASTIC shape... wow, WHAT A GUITAR!!! After the destruction on the balladeer, I was really worried about this one, but we sent a new Ovation deep/mid bowl case for it to be shipped in and it fit and survived perfectly, with only a tiny inch finish crack near the rosette.

WHAT A SOUND. Okay, I can say it, because I'm going to hold onto the celebrity classical because of the pickups (and I want a knockaround) but THERE'S JUST NO COMPARISON. The depth, body, bass, and volume out of the concert classic is AMAZING. Ebony fingerboard (think the celebrity is luan???), DEAD ON PERFECT intonation all the way up the neck, loud, deep, full, amazing. I like that extra half fret cutout for the soundhole too; nice feature! The note rings true out there too! This is the new recording classical, for sure!

So the final rundown is this:

1116-4 Concert Classic 029023 1974
1112-4 Custom Balladeer 049461 1975
1115-4 Pacemaker 12-String G 649 7/68 - 2/1970

The finishes match well too, although the Balladeer is the lightest of the three. The Balladeer came with massive finish crack damage, because I noticed there were hundreds of tiny hairline fractures in the rosette that did show up in the original auction picture. The seller is paying for half the mothership costs though, and this one is definitely going to the mothership after Christmas. It's in the worst shape intonation-wise as well, as could be expected. The 12-string needs to be set up, cleaned, with new strings, and should be incredible.

I would have taken pictures of all three but the 12-string hasn't been cleaned in 30 years. Once I get it all cleaned up I'll take pictures, including the cracks in the Balladeer... you won't believe it. The classical came pristine, clean, like new, plays like a dream.

THANKS for all the help and advice!!!

Les
:)

P.S. The classical also came with an original suede Ovation gig bag with logo... how cool is that?
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