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February 2006
Posts: 9
Location: Goshen IN | I received my first ovation a couple of days ago, Black 1778LX Elite from Munitions Friend. It is beautiful but the ebony fretboard looks like died rosewood! The 1778lx I played at the store both Guitar center and Woodwind & Brasswind had fretboards that had such tight smooth grain that they almost seemed like slate! I have two other guitars one with ebony and one with rosewood and side buy side My ovation looks like the rosewood (in texture not color). I plan to take my ovation to Woodwind and compare on Monday. Is it possible that the fretboard wasn’t sanded properly at the factory? MF has a 45 day exchange policy. I may take advantage of that. |
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June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Randy,
If you're not happy with the one you got from Musician's Fiend, and Guitar Center has one that you like, send back the one you got and by from GC. Since MF and GC are essentially the same company, they might even work out some kind of even trade with you, but I don't know, that might be sretching it a bit. I guess it can't hurt to ask.
If I had to guess I'd say Ovation still uses black ebony for their fingerboards, but it is possible, I suppose, that some of them could be striped ebony that's been dyed black. Striped ebony "feels" just like the black, but because it has brown stripes, can sometimes have an appearance similar to that of rosewood. I'm not suggesting that's the case with Ovation, because I don't know, but as certain tonewoods become more and more scarce, guitar manufacturers are constantly having to come up with creative and viable ways to compensate. |
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February 2006
Posts: 9
Location: Goshen IN | No won in the area has a black one which is what I want. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | As far as I know they don't dye the ebony, it's very hard to do. The good real black ebony is just getting harder and harder to find. As far as performance I don't think there's any or much difference between ebony and rosewood. Others may disagree and please do if ya'll feel that way. It's mostly a cosmetic thing that is bothering you, or so it seems. Still a valid complaint so good luck getting it resolved. Either way it's a good guitar. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | the elite t is the bottom of the USA guitars. I bet the nicer wood goes on the higher dollar guitars.
still it is a killer guitar with a great bang for the buck |
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Joined:
February 2006
Posts: 9
Location: Goshen IN | I don’t have an elite t I have a 1778LX Elite There is only one Elite Ovation nicer than mine other than Adamas and that it the C778LX. That is arguable but the point is it is not a low end guitar.
I think it may be a combo of dry and not sanded well enough. I may try some lemon oil. |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | A bit if reckless speculation.....
There might be some top wood that could rate a AA or even a AAA rating except for a flaw that is purely cosmetic. Those get used on the EliteT because with the textured top, you would never know. It's a good way to make a great instrument and get the most out of a increasingly harder to get wood. |
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January 2005
Posts: 167
Location: Waxahachie, Tx | Randoger, sorry to hear of your dilemma My recently acquired 1778LX has great Ebony very smooth (fretboard) almost no grain that can be only seen under very bright light and up very close.
I have seen a few members express their dislike for Ed Roman and his views but sometimes reading his stuff can be informative not saying I believe everything but some of it makes sense. one reason for upgrading was to have the Ebony fretboard, and Bridge, Oh yeah and the TRC ( I actually like the TRC different from the other manufactures) I know your not really wondering which wood is better but I thought this is just a nice article to drop here
From Big Ed's Site:
Benefits Of Using Ebony
1, Ebony is much harder and polishes up beautifully so that the neck feels smooth and slick. It's much harder and therefore you can get a better percussive tone when doing two hand tapping and hammer on's or playing without a pick.
2, Ebony reduces finger fatigue. If you play for hours your fingers will appreciate the smoothness. It's barely noticeable but the smoothness makes it so that you can play longer without getting sore fingers.
3, Cosmetically Beautiful, The Jet Black Ebony contrasts nicely with the binding and/or inlay material, also it effectively hides any filler for a much cleaner look.
4, Ebony is much stronger and much more stable. It helps keep your neck straighter and also protects it from breaking.
The complete article can be seen here:
Benefits of Ebony
What's funny is some of the comments about why large corporations don't use Ebony? Funny, Ovation may not be a large company but Kaman is. Still interesting reading. |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Randoger ... you ought to try conditioning the fretboard to see if comes in. I find that happens a lot ... especially if the guitar has been sitting for a while. Pure lemon oil is what I use ... give it a good rubbing in, then rub it off. Repeat this a couple or three times to see if it improves. What I also do (use your own judgement here) is buff the fretboard in between coats of oil with 0000 steel wool. It gives the fretboard a very smooth and shiny finish and also takes off grime and other impurities. You might find this does the trick for you. |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Mr Ed has his own agendas and regardlesss of his somewaht bizarre and in most cases unfounded statements (ebony reduces finger fatigue? Bollocks.) blindfold you wont tell the difference between ebony and good rosewood. Rosewood may wear a little earlier if you play in the same few frets constantly but it'll take a while. PRS is noted for only using premium materials and the vast majority of their guitars have rosewood boards as did most of Gibson's "golden era" production. Basically Ed Roman's ramblings are entertaining but ultimately extremely biased and misleading (AKA full of shit)
I agree absolutely with Bill, these days only the most expensive ebony is uniformly black. Lower grade ebony can show various shades of grey and brown in the grain. While this may be considered cosmetically inferior it's just as good in every other respect as the black stuff and perfectly acceptable on a moderately priced guitar. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | Originally posted by Randoger:
I don’t have an elite t I have a 1778LX Elite There is only one Elite Ovation nicer than mine other than Adamas and that it the C778LX. That is arguable but the point is it is not a low end guitar.
I think it may be a combo of dry and not sanded well enough. I may try some lemon oil. sorry misread the model number
as they say in the vernacular "my bad" |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Try oiling the f/b and then let us know. |
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February 2006
Posts: 9
Location: Goshen IN | After numerous very close inspections. The fretboard has scratches or grooves and ridges in it that run the entire length of the neck. It looks like a cores sand paper was used before the frets were installed. I would think a fine paper would be used as a last step to bring the neck to a finished product but my guitar slipped past that step? |
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Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 167
Location: Waxahachie, Tx | Randoger, I would contact MF set up a return and get another. I purchased a guitar from Music123 that just seemed to have missed the final inspection also, so I sent it back. Purchased another,( missed the return period) had to send that one back to the factory for a neck reset (new guitar neck reset?)shit happens I guess, I'm just a loyal Ovation customer I like the product I like the features but from my observation they have QC problems, send it back try another. |
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Joined:
February 2006
Posts: 9
Location: Goshen IN | Yesterday I went to the Guitar Center and compared my ovation to one on the shelf, the one on the shelf was very nice but mine has scratches on the fretboard. So today I called MF and arranged for an exchange. Just to clarify the fretboard is ebony and of fair quality. But in the sanding at the factory it was scratched all the hell. |
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Joined:
February 2006
Posts: 9
Location: Goshen IN | I received the replacement two days ago. It is much better! I used fender polish on the top and lemon oil on the fretboard. It is now perfect. It’s almost too nice to play! |
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November 2005
Posts: 4827
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by Randoger:
It’s almost too nice to play! Then play it real hard until it's not! |
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March 2005
Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | Glad it worked out. There are bound to be a few imperfections with as many guitars as they build. There is no such thing as too nice to play. Some of us are just not worthy of such a fine instrument. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Nice when it works out this way. |
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Ebony or not?
