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December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | When I got my 1537 it looked like this:
Then THIS happened:
After my initial emotions subsided, I sent it off to the factory. I got it back yesterday.
Although the factory did an exemplary job, at first I was a bit dismayed that the top had been replaced. The old top had some of the nicest spruce I'd ever seen on a guitar and it had aged to a beautiful honey color. I didn't think that the guitar would sound as good with a new top. The guitar was shipped to my office and I didn't have much opportunity to really play it until I got home. After spending just a few minutes playing it, I found that the guitar actually sounds better now. The volume is amazing and now the guitar has much more mid-range sparkle. It has lost some of the dark tones in the bass but overall I like it better than the way it sounded before.
The factory not only replaced the top with new wood binding and epaulets, but they fixed every scratch, polished all the frets, and removed 90% of the fingerboard divots. The action is perfect. The guitar looks brand new and plays wonderfully.
I'm thinking that the neck and bowl must have aged and developed more tone over time. It was obvious that the guitar had been played hard before I got it. This completely dispells the common myth that Ovations don't really get better over time like wood box guitars do. The tone of the guitar is not just from the top but rather from the whole body and the neck too. My 1537 had more string vibrations present in the neck than almost any other guitar that I've played. It still does. |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | great grain on the bridge too... |
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March 2007
Posts: 665
Location: Tychy, Poland | it looks great, i'm happy that you're glad.
I wonder what they do with old tops?
old one (IMHO) on this guitar was pretty salvageable and someone could make pretty decent guitar with your old top.
maybe there is possibility to aquire old tops? |
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March 2002
Posts: 15667
Location: SoCal | All I can say is wow... |
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August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Wow - what a difference! Even the epaulets look shiny and new.
Congrats Mitch! |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Very nice work from the mothership...a beauty!
Blessings... |
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October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | the new top has alot of silking in the grain. beautimous! |
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June 2004
Posts: 375
Location: Rocky River, Ohio | NICE !!
Did you send that in before the open house in May?
I remember seeing a 1537 in the shop, that looked like it had a new top on it...
I walked over to it and admired it. It looked brand new.
Enjoy, Ernie |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | The guitar arrived at the factory on April 27th. I don't think the guitar that you saw on the tour was mine. However, the factory appears to be putting new tops on old 1537's on a regular basis. |
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November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | I think I remember that when they put a new top on they replace the bowl as well? Maybe not in this case. |
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December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | The bowl on my 1537 is a bit unique in that there is no battery holder screw. The factory put a new top on the old bowl. |
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March 2007
Posts: 841
Location: CA | Wonder if you would be kind enough to divulge what this cost. Spectacular job, BTW. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | there were probably some structural issues with the old top.
Usually if they have to be replaced you wouldn't want it for much more than a cat-a-pullt launch. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | Originally posted by Mitchrx:
The bowl on my 1537 is a bit unique in that there is no battery holder screw. The factory put a new top on the old bowl. Yeah,
Those guys can be forgetful... In fact they forgot to put the battery holder, knobs, pre-amp, and pickup in mine :p :D :p :D |
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Joined:
May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
great grain on the bridge too... +1. I had to look twice because the first time I looked I thought they had carved out around the saddle. :eek: |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Mitch, the 1537 is a very special guitar. I feel blessed to own one, and I know you will enjoy this one. Very nice job on the resto. Of course, we have come to expect this from the factory. I think the repairs come out better than the original builds! Congrats! |
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March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Wow is the word that came to my mind, too. |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | I hope my 1537 never has to go in for a rehab, but if it does, it's good to know that it'll still be a winner when it comes back. Looks to me like they went for the very best top in the the joint to put on yours. Stick it in the front window for a little sunbathing and it'll be honey colored before you know it. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | Originally posted by Oddball:
Wonder if you would be kind enough to divulge what this cost. Spectacular job, BTW. $500 plus shipping. |
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November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | That's a good looking restoration, but it makes me wonder...just what is the guitar in an Ovation guitar? Part of me thinks that if you replace the top, you've replaced everything that makes a particular guitar unique. How much can you replace and still have the same guitar? |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Good question! To me, the "ovation" in an ovation guitar is the neck. The top and plastic bowl are more or less interchangable. But your left hand on the neck is the only part of the actual guitar that you really come in contact with to make music. I wouldn't think twice about chucking the body, but never give up the neck. Dave |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I had the opportunity to play and listen to this guitar, before it was sent to the mothership, and was quite blown away by the sound and tone that I was hearing! Based on looks alone [at that time], I was very deceived by it, because the sound was very nice. I can't wait to be able to have another opportunity to play this guitar once again, now that it's been fully restored from the factory. You definitely have a keeper there Mitch. :) |
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Joined:
March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | WOW x10!!! :eek: Spectacular work...and good to hear that it sounds better than ever too. |
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1537 back from Mothership
