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Location: Fort Worth, TX | merlin666 - 2014-08-22 8:56 PM
How does it compare side by side to your cedar top Elite?
You definitely have an obsession about the fact that I owned a cedar top Elite! LOL. I was never able to fully get used to the idea of the cracked top, even though I successfully repaired it. It was still faintly visible and constantly fueled my OCD about having pristine guitars. I sold it for a small profit to an awesome picker who got his first Ovation and became a convert. My OFC benefactor who paid for a fourth of it was aware I was selling it and was cool with it. As for how this cedar top Balladeer compares to it, this one blows it away, as it does the other guitars I own. My fingerstyle learning has coma a long way but never sounded better than on this guitar. Here's a question for anyone who might know. Since his guitar has a bolt on neck, is it within the realm of possibility to swap out the neck for the five piece one I've had on all other O's? This one is one piece mahogany and while easy enough to play, doesn't have the aesthetics of the five piece. |
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Location: Texas | "fueled my OCD about having pristine guitars." "swap out the neck for the five piece one I've had on all other O's?" I don't think you give your"OCD"enough credit |
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Location: Utah | DaveKell - 2014-08-22 6:16 PM
it is indeed the guitar I have, except for the picture in one is not of a cutaway which mine is.
Guitar Center commissioned numerous custom models based on standard Ovation production models. The specs and details changed on the GC models even when the model number didn't change. I've seen a GC178LX which is the same as a 1778LX except it has the maple T neck rather than the 5 piece LX neck. BTW that specific guitar has been the best sounding mid bowl LX guitar when plugged into a professional venue PA. So the GC guitars are not inferior, just slightly different. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | FlySig - 2014-08-23 4:11 PM
DaveKell - 2014-08-22 6:16 PM
it is indeed the guitar I have, except for the picture in one is not of a cutaway which mine is.
Guitar Center commissioned numerous custom models based on standard Ovation production models. The specs and details changed on the GC models even when the model number didn't change. I've seen a GC178LX which is the same as a 1778LX except it has the maple T neck rather than the 5 piece LX neck. BTW that specific guitar has been the best sounding mid bowl LX guitar when plugged into a professional venue PA. So the GC guitars are not inferior, just slightly different.
We plugged it into a top line Crate acoustic amp at the place I got it and I couldn't believe the sound it made. Totally superior to the sound of the last Elite I had plugged in. It definitely is in no way inferior... the sound is incredible. Of course I've always been biased towards cedar tops.
Edited by DaveKell 2014-08-23 8:26 PM
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | A couple days into having a new (to me) Ovation and I have a few observations as I sit here awakened far too early from the pain I am disabled with. The thrill I get from having an O within easy reach hasn't dissipated a bit since getting my first one in 1975. It was the too long in coming realization of finally owning the model named after my long time hero Glen Campbell. I remember well how LONG it took to find out what that guitar was Glen played in way pre-internet days! It fascinated me and did not disappoint when I finally got one. Of course I weighed a good 70 pounds less then and had no issues with it sliding off my lap! (since remedied with simple addition of a strap). My latest acquisition, the GCS771LXC seems to have a factory installed non slip patch. I liken having received another O to the feeling I get when after a long road trip crossing back over the border into Texas... a special feeling envelopes you that you are back home in a legendary place that lives up to its hype. There is a movement afoot in Tejas to secede that I would like to see with Ovation, resurrected into an employee owned enterprise to carry on the tradition of uniqueness and innovation. Sure seems to me like a group of them should visit an investment banker with that proposal and rub Bender's face in their eventual success! Seems like it would be doable. Owning an Ovation is a different emotional aspect than any other guitar. Its glory days never faded for us in any measure. Preserving the ones that are left is easy since they were so well built and I'm sure thousands of the USA made ones are still out there under beds and in closets waiting to see the lights of a stage once again. I'm still blown away that after 35 years of marriage my wife commented for the first time on the sound of one of my guitars when she said "I love the tone of that guitar" when I was playing the new Balladeer special. I m planning to upgrade the black outline logo on the headstock by gilding it with 23 karat gold leaf to give it more class. Heck, since I have acquired the tools for pearl inlay work (transferring sign painting skills) I just might inlay a pearl logo into it! I have an expensive gigbag for it but will eventually track down the proper hard case. The strap, embroidered with a black and white tribal design my daughter got me for Christmas looks great on it. My wife said I need to expand my repertoire on it and am learning songs from the decade this guitar was immensely popular out of a 70's (predominantly) book you can download here: http://files.meetup.com/812439/Knuckledown.pdf . It's a 187 page compilation including lots of Cat Stevens and is guaranteed to be in the chords of the original recording. I printed it all out and have them in a ring binder now. I feel complete now with another Ovation but still have a goal of owning the new prototype eventually. I'll be ready to go to my grave happy when that day comes. So nice to be part of the fold again!
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Location: Texas | "There is a movement afoot in Tejas to secede " From Mexico or the US? |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | Can't believe this. One of the Conant guitars I sold went to a moneyed guy who felt he got an incredible deal from me. I told him about the Ovation I bought and how great it sounded played thru an amp where I bought it. He asked me if I had an amp..."no". This week a brand new Acoustic brand amp will be arriving at my door as a gift from him. I looked it up and it's more than I would have needed. I never cease to be amazed by the awesome people I meet online. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | amosmoses - 2014-08-24 8:51 AM
"There is a movement afoot in Tejas to secede " From Mexico or the US?
I refer to this state as "Tejas" because of what happened during my wife's 35 year teaching career here. Her first several years she taught classes full of white kids. Gradually, a few Hispanics showed up. Her last few years she was lucky to have any more white kids and had to take extensive training to teach English as a second language classrooms full of Hispanic children. It was fine by us though. Mexicans are industrious hard working people with an admirable family ethic and legendary work ethic. Last week my youngest brother married my wife's Hispanic teacher's aid of 22 years. Two of my kid's prom dates were Mexican. Personally I can't wait for the day the whole human race melts into a pleasing shade of light brown.
Oh yeah, and I'd like to see us secede from the U.S. We are currently the 26th largest economy in the world and have the defense plants that produce Lockheed Martin fighter jets and every military helicopter in use. Plus we're a very gun friendly state and we speedily execute our murderers and rapists as well. We'd make a great country all on our own. |
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Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah | Speedily execute murderers and rapists. How bout people who bad talk Ovations and call them plastic trash?? Is that not an equal offense?? |
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Location: Texas | LOL Dave. You are a trip. You obviously didn't do well in Texas History. Sorry, to put a dent in your racial profiling, that you have spent 35 years building but... The word Tejas, came from the Indians, a long time before the Spanish ever inhabited this land (errr, Texas). Maybe you can share your Indian views with us. How about their pleasing skin shade?
Edited by jay 2014-08-24 7:48 PM
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Location: Flahdaw | Incidentally, Dr Conant was a Texas history professor |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | amosmoses - 2014-08-24 7:46 PM
LOL Dave. You are a trip. You obviously didn't do well in Texas History. Sorry, to put a dent in your racial profiling, that you have spent 35 years building but... The word Tejas, came from the Indians, a long time before the Spanish ever inhabited this land (errr, Texas). Maybe you can share your Indian views with us. How about their pleasing skin shade?
Being from Indiana originally I'm better versed in that state's history. Gee, would it be the first time one culture appropriated a word from another? Tejas is the word used for period appropriate historical references in TEXAS. As for Indians, or Native Americans, I am related to the Kiowa tribe through a brother in law who is full blood. He had a hard time assimilating into our family at holiday meals. He said in his culture the women served the men plates of food first, then the old people, then the children and finally themselves. I liked that idea and told my wife to consider how much more us men would appreciate them if they did that for us. I barely ducked the plate in time. As for their skin shade, my bro in law and nephew are constantly pissed when Hispanics come up to them and speak spanish. Do you want to know about my black relatives too? (it sure is strange how far afield a thread can get at times?) |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | DaveKell - 2014-08-24 4:43 PM
Can't believe this. One of the Conant guitars I sold went to a moneyed guy who felt he got an incredible deal from me. I told him about the Ovation I bought and how great it sounded played thru an amp where I bought it. He asked me if I had an amp..."no". This week a brand new Acoustic brand amp will be arriving at my door as a gift from him. I looked it up and it's more than I would have needed. I never cease to be amazed by the awesome people I meet online.
The Acoustic amp arrived yesterday and has already changed my life. I know I'll be playing at least twice as long every day now. The cedar top Ovation sounds marvelous through this amp that was a gift from a happy buyer of one of the Conant guitars I had. It has four inputs and 16 built in effects that add a new dimension to my sound. I haven't been amped since i was 19 before I switched to acoustic guitars. This is waaay more amp than I would have bought for myself and is adding a whole new dimension to my playing. I had never before experienced an O plugged in. The pickup/preamp system produces a very faithful acoustic sound. Once I get a mic I can begin a new career as a singer/songwriter! I'm loving the recent change of events with guitars in my life. |
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Location: Flahdaw | DaveKell - 2014-08-28 5:25 AM
Once I get a mic I can begin a new career as a singer/songwriter!
Well, you got the diesel pickup, an RV, and a major disability. You could be the next country superstar! |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | darkbarguitar - 2014-08-28 6:23 AM
DaveKell - 2014-08-28 5:25 AM
Once I get a mic I can begin a new career as a singer/songwriter!
Well, you got the diesel pickup, an RV, and a major disability. You could be the next country superstar!
Cowboy Dave and the Beer Drinking Rodeo Band. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | She made her debut as a camping guitar this weekend. Sitting in my screen room playing attracted the attention of a nearby camper who came over to listen. He said he played guitar "a little when I have the time, which is mostly never". Apparently he had never seen an Ovation up close but was intrigued over something about it. He asked a lot of questions including "why would someone make a guitar from plastic / is it hard to hold onto / do you think it sounds better than a 'regular' guitar?". I invited him in to hold and play it but he sheepishly declined. He asked me to play again something I played earlier when he first listened to me from his campsite. "Could ya be more specific?". I finally figure out he was referring to the complicated chord progression of House at Pooh Corner. I asked him if he would sing and he swore he would if he could remember the words. I could have hit him with "I have a songbook inside with the words" but let it pass. His final comments were started with "I think I'd like to get one of those, I might play it more". I gave him the Reader's Digest version of the Ovation closing story and how only imports that often fall short are all that's left unless you get lucky. He left after assuring me he would be making an effort to track down a USA Ovation and said he wished they were still made in the US. Don't we all bro. |
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Location: Flahdaw | Sounds like you missed the perfect chance to sell him a Conant!!! |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | darkbarguitar - 2014-09-07 7:18 AM
Sounds like you missed the perfect chance to sell him a Conant!!!
Unfortunately they are all gone, that is until Dr. C decides what he will build next. I made a decent pile of money from them as well as receiving an Acoustic amp from a grateful buyer. I also had two comments about the pricing being waaaay too low. Both said they should cost well over two grand. I forwarded the comments to Dr. C and he said he is content with his material cost but said nothing would make him happier than for me to get those prices for them. Looks like soon I will have a decent budget with which to seek a cedar top Elite or an elusive 1537. |
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S771C Balladeer Special...
