|
|
Joined:
February 2007
Posts: 57
Location: North Oregon Coast | I bought my 1983 collector's series new and I've never plugged it into an amp, but recently I decided to maybe pick up a small practice amp and give it a try.
I always thought that the built-in pickup was passive, but someone in another forum told me that it should have a 9 volt powered preamp? Oh no, I've never checked it, I suppose this means that if there's a battery in there, it's probably all corroded?
I assume that for access to the electronics, you go through the soundhole, which is kind of difficult with strings on.
Another question I have is: if I have the electronics upgraded, will this provide better access to the battery? I have a Taylor Nylon String and the battery compartment tips out for easy access.
Thanks all! (my first post :) ) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Welcome Lunaray,
You should see a screw on the upper side of the guitar. If you reach inside you will find a battery compartment. Push gently on it while turning the screw about a quarter of a turn. It should come loose. Be carful as it has wires attached, long enough for you to get to the soundhole. Remove the battery and clean the terminals,(not sure what to use, some type of electrical contact cleaner Radio Shack?). Replace battery with a new 9V.
Reposition the battery compartment in guitar and aline the screw quarter turn back while again applying light pressure to the compartment.
It's not as big a deal as it might seem.
New Strings + New Battery = Awesome Ovation Plugged In Sound. 
 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2007
Posts: 57
Location: North Oregon Coast | Originally posted by Gospel Guitar Guy:
[QB] Welcome Lunaray,
You should see a screw on the upper side of the guitar. If you reach inside you will find a battery compartment. Push gently on it while turning the screw about a quarter of a turn. It should come loose. Be carful as it has wires attached, long enough for you to get to the soundhole. Remove the battery and clean the terminals,(not sure what to use, some type of electrical contact cleaner Radio Shack?). Replace battery with a new 9V.
Reposition the battery compartment in guitar and aline the screw quarter turn back while again applying light pressure to the compartment.
Hey thanks GGG, both for the welcome and the information, I probably have my instruction manual filed away somewhere, I'll look for it, and as soon as I get some new strings I'll check it out. I've been on a guitar-playing hiatus for about the past 10 years but slowly, I'm getting back into it. My fingers hurt! :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | "My fingers hurt!"
That's your punishment for the past 10 YEARS! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | still a good sign though. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 1138
Location: CT | Welcome Ray. Don't upgrade the pre-amp, it's not worth it. It's a nice sounding pre amp, and after a couple of tries it gets very easy to swap the battery. No need to remove the strings, just loosen the 4 bass side strings untill your hand can fit in. Nice guitar- I love mine. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | Originally posted by brainslag:
Welcome Ray. Don't upgrade the pre-amp, it's not worth it. It's a nice sounding pre amp, and after a couple of tries it gets very easy to swap the battery. No need to remove the strings, just loosen the 4 bass side strings untill your hand can fit in. Nice guitar- I love mine. Ditto, and the battery lasts a LONG time anyway ... a LONG, LONG time! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 1138
Location: CT | Oh, yeah. Forgot to mention that about the battery. Old literature says an alkaline battery should last about 2,000 hrs., and they ain't lyin'. I don't change mine every string change, or even couple of string changes - but rather every couple of years when a string change comes up. 9 volt batteries don't explode and leak the way 1.5v. batteries do, so it's ok to do this. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2007
Posts: 57
Location: North Oregon Coast | Originally posted by brainslag:
Nice guitar- I love mine. What's your serial number? :) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 1138
Location: CT | 1096 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2007
Posts: 57
Location: North Oregon Coast | Originally posted by brainslag:
1096 Mine is 907
Just changed the battery and I'm re-stringing her as we speak! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by Gospel Guitar Guy:
Remove the battery and clean the terminals ,(not sure what to use, some type of electrical contact cleaner Radio Shack If you have just a little corrosion use an ol' 'ink pencil' with the ink (course) eraser. If not, then use a regular pencil eraser. It'll take a little longer to clean the contacts.
If you have heavy corrosion then replace the contact strip. Heavier corrosion weakens the metal and at some point will not provide a solid connection.
If you use a contact cleaner insure that you do not get any on the git finish.
As much as I dislike R$ for gouging the uneducated, they are handy. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2007
Posts: 57
Location: North Oregon Coast | Luckily, there was no corrosion! In there for 24 years and no corrosion, imagine that!
It's kind of a mickey mouse way to mount the preamp/battery though, it took me awhile to get it screwed back in place. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I'll try to be helpful... When I changed the battery on my 1621 (which is mounted the same way) no-one had told me about removing that little plastic screw. Since I didn't know any better, I just reached inside and changed the battery.
Worked fine for me. Was alittle tight, but I have auto-mechanics hands.
(Y'know, with that extra joint for reaching in weird places?)
Anyway, the battery will probably last forever, so you will only change it once a year. So do it when all the strings are off.
[Here's where seven other guitarists tell me I'm doing it wrong!] |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2007
Posts: 57
Location: North Oregon Coast |
Anyway, the battery will probably last forever, so you will only change it once a year. So do it when all the strings are off.
Thanks neighbor (I see that you live in Portland), it'll probably last a whole lot longer than that, I rarely plug it in! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Lunaray, how far north are you on the North Coast? Just curious, I like to vacation in the Pacific City area. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2007
Posts: 57
Location: North Oregon Coast | Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
Lunaray, how far north are you on the North Coast? Just curious, I like to vacation in the Pacific City area. I live in a little place called Bayside Gardens, right next to Manzanita, though my mail address is Nehalem. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2007
Posts: 57
Location: North Oregon Coast | Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
Lunaray, how far north are you on the North Coast? Just curious, I like to vacation in the Pacific City area. I know where Colton is, I went to 4H camp there, eons ago! :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | Ah, the memories...we'd make a run to Manzanita for clams, then back to Rockaway for steamed clams and St. Pauli Girl beer. Leftovers were even good breakfast the next morning.
Had an agency that included Tillamook, Yamhill, Marion, and Polk Counties. Later, when I operated out of Vancouver (living in West Linn, used to take my wife and daughter down on the weekend to Rockaway, commute to Portland/Vancouver each weekday leaving them at the beach, come back after the 2nd weekend. We often did that whether summer or winter. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Lunaray:
I know where Colton is, I went to 4H camp there, eons ago! :D Fair enough. I know where Bayside is! :D Been through there many times. |
|
| |
1983 Collector's Series battery
