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September 2005
Posts: 11
Location: KC,MO | I tuned a Fender guitar for an old man I met at an apartment complex swimming pool. He gave me an Ovation a repairman told him was hopeless, and said if I fixed it to come back and play him something. The neck was broken thru the heel, and reglued with what looks like black epoxy. I swear the action was over an inch from the soundboard and I'm positive it needs a neck reset, if not a new neck entirely. Whoever tried to repair this was very sloppy, and the fretboard and it's binding is all gooped up and ugly.
I literally got this guitar for a song, so I have nothing to lose. Plus, I'm a sucker for bringing things back to life. I was hoping to get some help telling me exactly what I have, so I can make some decisions about what to put back right by this guitar.
This post is growing so I'll be short and get off. It has a winged walnut bridge, pinned thru. It has the small, square New Hartford label so I believe it to be pre 1971. Model 1117-4. Serial E 754 typed in black, not red, ink. Tuners are not gold toned, but either chromed or stainless. (they are flawless and work better than my les paul)
I believe this to be either a balladeer, or an early legend. But that's not my burning question. I cant tell if this is the original fretboard. The inlay dots are like no other ovation i've seen pictured. Nine round dots starting at the 5th fret. I have pictures now if any of you ovation historians might wanna peek... |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Pictures would be nice. Right now I'm trying to picture an Ovation with a pinned bridge. I'm not seeing one, at least not an 1117.
CWK2? Moody? |
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June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | Without seeing photos, I'd bet this is one of the later version Deluxe Balladeers fromthe "transition" phase. I have a similar guitar of the same vintage (F serial number). DB trim, such as the chrome grover tuners, dot inlays, etc. but with the "new" winged bridge and textured bowl. Some people call bridges without obvious bolt-on, "pinned" bridges. This might be what he means. or god forbid, someone may have drilled it out and actually stuck bridge pins in it. Dave |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Standingovation:
Some people call bridges without obvious bolt-on, "pinned" bridges. This might be what he means. or god forbid, someone may have drilled it out and actually stuck bridge pins in it. Dave I'm hoping that's what he means. |
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September 2005
Posts: 11
Location: KC,MO | Sorry, my bad. There are what looks like two recessed inlays on either side of the saddle. They are clean and tidy, and look like they were meant to be there. I assumed this was what was called a "pinned" bridge.
How do I post pics? Or does everyone just email them to each other?... |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Go to the "Member Acess" on the left side of your screen.
Then go to "Photo Gallery".
Click on "Gallery Utility".
Click on "Upload Photo".
Fill in the fields. When you click "browse" you are looking at the files on YOUR computer.
Pick the photo you want to upload.
Click "Upload".
Click "Return To Galleries".
Find your gallery.
Click on the thumbnail of the picture you want to post.
Right-click on the large version, choose "Copy Image Location".
Return to this thread.
Click on "Full Reply Form" at the bottom of this page.
In the "Instant UBB Code" section, click on "Image".
Press CTRL-V (paste) or right-click in the URL field and choose "Paste".
Click OK.
Add any text you want to.
Click "Add Reply". |
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September 2005
Posts: 11
Location: KC,MO | Thanks. I'll post the pics this evening. BTW, the bowl is textured, and there are no electronics.
You will see from the pics the glue job is pretty ugly. If I end up destroying the neck to get it out, or I find it aint worth putting back, How hard is it to find a maple sandwich neck?
Thanks guys, I appreciate all the info... |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | ". . How hard is it to find a maple sandwich neck? . ."
Any good NY Deli has 'em . . . |
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June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | An original winged bridge should look like this:
I don't know about any 2 recessed inlays ... |
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September 2005
Posts: 11
Location: KC,MO | Yep. That's the bridge. I prolly should just shut-up till I can post the pics. I'm at work, pics are at home.
Good one.. five piece laminated maple and mahogany neck. But nevermind, that's way down the road. |
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September 2005
Posts: 11
Location: KC,MO | Alright, here we go. I put several pics in an album. On closer inspection, there are two plastic pins which go thru the soundboard. This doesnt look like the same person who hacked the rest of this guitar. Also, the soundboard is dead flat and it doesnt look like the bridge has ever been removed. These pins are made of the same material as the nut. Looks like milk carton plastic.
Sorry, I realize this pic is krap.
Anyway, Anybody seen an inlay pattern like this?  |
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March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | Somebody's played with that guitar. Those aren't Ovation style fretmarkers. Looks like somebody put a whole new fretboard on the guitar. This is interesting. |
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July 2005
Posts: 354
Location: Flushing, MI | Maybe the entire neck is a replacement??? |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Looks like an O neck and headstock. The fretboard definitely looks wrong.
I wonder if putting the strap pin in the middle of the heel had anything to do with the neck breaking.
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | . . . or it's there t'help hold the break together . . . |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | ...or that's what really holding the neck on now... |
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September 2005
Posts: 11
Location: KC,MO | Yep... what you cant see is the spike thru the neck heel. I think the strap button was placed there to try and hide the nail head. I for sure have my eye out for a neck.
That fretboard is a mystery because that's the original binding. Why would anyone do that? Anyway, this odd guitar sounds like a real "tweener", and thats why I thot it might be the original fretboard. Told it is trimmed like a DB, with the numbers of a legend. A winged bridge and textured bowl. What a mutt.
So which is it? And when was it made? I guess it really doesnt matter cuz I'm not trying to turn it for a dollar. I would like to know some of its history tho, so I know what to tell folks. And I would have tried to put it back the way it came.
It was strung when I got it, and the low E made a nice, deep, round, full sound. It was not weak, mushy, flat, muffled, or muddy sounding. Makes me want to play it. And I will.... |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I'm guessing it was built over a period of time from 1973 through sometime around 1994.
With brief pauses for damage and reconstruction with non-OEM parts. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Do it up right! Put a Viper neck on it!!!
Or, if the news from the factory on my "needs a little work" 1624 is going to be too costly, maybe I'll sell the neck from that. Then you'd have a slothead! |
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Posts: 11
Location: KC,MO | hehehe Reconstruction is an understatement!
I think its much older than that. I read somewhere that they stopped using the small paper New Hartford labels by '71. This is why I thot it between '68 - '70. That, and the fact this guitar cant decide if it's a balladeer or a legend. |
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September 2005
Posts: 11
Location: KC,MO | HAHAHA I'm sure there is one of you O fans out there sleeping with a straight neck under their pillow!!
Im sure you'll see a "Wanted: O neck" post somewhere down the line... thanks buddy |
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March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | Well, it's at least a '69-71 guitar. The textured bowls came in in the middle of '69. I't not a '68. |
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September 2005
Posts: 11
Location: KC,MO | Excellent! sLuthiers unite! Any other tidbits? |
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'68-'70 Legend ?