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Joined:
October 2014
Posts: 19
| I'm going to be looking at an Ovation 1617-1 made in USA sometime between 1974 and 1979. Does anyone have any experience with this model? I believe the internal bracing would be a V shape, based on reading some earlier threads about this guitar.
TIA for any help you can offer. |
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Joined:
June 2012
Posts: 2316
Location: Pueblo West, CO | I recently bought a 1978 1617-4 project guitar and the top featured an A-brace pattern. (See: http://ovationtribute.com/Ovation%20Bracing/Ovation%20Bracing.html) |
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December 2006
Posts: 6994
Location: Jet City | interesting. I know 1619s had A bracing then, but I didn't think it was used on the 1617 until 79-80. My favorite ones are A-braced prior to the Kaman bar. It was a small window for the 1617 to have this, but the 1619s were configured this way from the beginning I think, until the introduction of the Kaman bar and the loss of the sexy carved TRC. Dan, was the one you had production or something you got from TJR or somewhere else?
Most likely the one in question is VT-11. |
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February 2014
Posts: 704
Location: moline,illinois | I have a 1977 legend 1117 that has the VT bracing so the changeover may have been in 78 if dan's has A bracing.Best to get the serial number so you can determine what year it was made and if you have an inspection mirror take it with when you look at the guitar so you can see the bracing pattern. |
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Joined:
October 2014
Posts: 19
| thanks for the mirror idea. I'll bring one along. |
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Joined:
June 2012
Posts: 2316
Location: Pueblo West, CO | Nope. As far as I know it's a production 1617. That's exactly what this is, or was, an A-braced pre-Kaman Bar neck. Of course, once I get done with it it's going to have the same brace pattern I used on my 1619. Here's the eBay ad:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221562920130?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
The serial number is 154266, which dates to the latter half of 1978.
Even though the ad showed the top missing, when communicating with the seller he mentioned that he had some of the top with the bridge still attached, which he kindly included with the guitar.
Here's a shot of the underside of the top showing the A bracing. What's interesting to me is the molded fiberglass joint reinforcement added at the factory. The other side had one, too, but that obviously got lost over the years. What makes it interesting is that it was molded using the same technique as the kerfing on Jay's #485 from 11 years earlier.
Edited by DanSavage 2014-10-30 1:02 PM
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Joined:
October 2014
Posts: 19
| Thanks for the suggestions and advice about a mirror. The guitar had issues and I knocked it back. |
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Ovation 1617-1 Thoughts/Opinions
