|
|
Joined:
February 2015
Posts: 70
Location: Western Sonoma County | I have a few Os. Two Legends whose thin neck profiles I really like. An Elite LX with something a little deeper. Even an iDea with yet another shape. I've searched the forums and only found cursory references to neck profiles. They're referred to as what I think is thin, V, and C respectively. Anyone have a more comprehensive description of the whats and whens of Ovation neck profiles? Just curious. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I vaguely recall a thread from a few years ago where we discussed this, but if you've already searched for "neck profiles" and didn't find it, I can't think of another way to look for it. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2015
Posts: 190
Location: SW Mintsoda | I think when the contour bodied O's came out (around '03 or thereabouts?) the neck profile changed to the C shape you mentioned. Can't speak from personal experience, because they never offered a Contour bodied lefty... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I think the first contour bowl and LX neck came out with the 05 Collector. The early Ovations had a different shape than the necks with a K-bar (early 80s??). The shape seems more round and might seem even more different because of the added weight of the K-bar. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | I like the soft v from the 90's the best... especially the oil rubbed necks |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Aussie James has a long neck elite with an oil rubbed neck. Much nicer than glossy necks, both appearance wise and to play (easier to slide up and down). |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2011
Posts: 402
Location: New Hartford CT | Until the CMS (a large CNC machining center still in use) came along in 93-94, all neck blanks were roughed out on the Richardson (a sort of Rube Goldbergeque converted gunstock machine) then hand carved to standard template profile gauge. The gauge had 3 profiles and each neck was checked at the nut, center and heel twice (during carving and then inspection) for accuracy. At that time a more aggressive V profile was the standard. Since the final profile was achieved via the human hand there was some variation from neck to neck within the given range of acceptability. The carver also had to contend with areas of problem grain and different types of wood. Carving the 2 pc walnut Adamas necks was challenging, that wood is hard as a rock and you really had to muscle the die grinder around to achieve a good result.
Neck profile philosophy was a pretty serious matter for some of the engineers and Ovation wanted a neck that made playing easier. A chunky or clubby feeling neck was the exact opposite of the desired outcome.
The CMS necks Damon referenced as his favorite retained the original philosophy, maybe a tad less V but still a fast feel and easy playability. The nice thing was every neck was identical and a lot of the manual labor that led to hand issues such as carpal tunnel were reduced or eliminated. Streamlined and ergonomic but some may feel that the slight variations created by a hand shaped profile of the early necks was a good thing too.
The entire neck was redesigned when the LX series came along, different truss rod system and definetly a flatter profile. One thing I don't care for on the LX necks is that confounded hump where the neck blends into the back of the headstock. Not sure why it is necessary, maybe for reasons of added strength in that area where there is a lot of stress. Also, IMHO, they kind of got away from the enhanced V profile, which lots of players loved because it can provide added leverage and easier playability.
One of the great strengths of Ovation guitars has been excellent neck profiles and they always did it right. There's nothing worse than a great sounding acoustic where the neck is too clubby and chunky, making the guitar difficult to play.
|
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2011
Posts: 887
Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah | Always appreciate your contributions and the fact that you were there and were a part of the process makes it all the more worthwhile and interesting!! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | FWIW, the LX necks are my least favorite. I would say the pre-Kaman are #2, #3 would be post Kaman Bar, and lastly the LX
I've also noticed that unless you have a higher end LX, the neck is more sticky... more of a matte than a gloss really. These are by far my least favorite. I'm speaking to the 1771 and 6778 for the most part, but unfortunately my 6773 has the same finish. I've contemplated sending it in to have it done right. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 1249
Location: Texas | Best neck...has to be the early hand carved necks. No comparison to any other neck Ovation has designed. Personally, other necks on later O's are just ok or a disappointment. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | Yep. That's where I find the K1111 RI falls short of that '68 I got. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 852
Location: Canada | That's some good info. My first Ovation was a late 90's early 2000s Balladeer with K-bar and I just loved the neck, but I let it go when I got a Legend LX. The LX has a neck I don't like nearly as much. Though it may need a neck reset and lower action. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2011
Posts: 402
Location: New Hartford CT | Those mid late 90's necks are excellent. I have a Millenium that is the best playing Ovation I have...and my collection runs back to '67.
I'm kind of a geek about this neck profile subject. Before Ovation let me carve a neck I had a meeting with Don Johnson. At that time he was the man on 'neck philosophy' and he had an educated view that he wanted carvers to learn and adopt. I thought I'd carve a few necks then get back to our toolroom but it ended up being 7 years and carving around 70,000 necks. At that stage you don't look at a gauge. You simply pick it up and feel it and determine if it's good or not.
The issue of finish...it's likely critical but as someone who handled the raw material, it was all about the shape. I never thought much about finish other than it saves a ton of money and time at the factory to simply apply a hand rubbed finish, without all those pesky coats of lacquer to worry about. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2015
Posts: 70
Location: Western Sonoma County | Thanks, that's the kind of information I was looking for. But for the ignorant among us...
What is a K-Bar neck? How does it differ from an LX neck or an Adamas neck? Am I right in saying the Legend necks are shallower? Is that what a K-Bar neck is?'
70,000 eh? Neck geek indeed!
|
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | jbblunck - 2015-09-23 5:01 PM
What is a K-Bar neck?
Aluminum channel with the truss-rod inside.
So the wood of the neck has to be "deep" enough to cover the K-bar.
|
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | Before K-bars, there was a regular truss rod, with a truss rod cover on the headstock. K-bars were introduced in the early 80s and the truss rod was no longer adjustable from the headstock area. The adjustment for the K-bar was at the other end, inside the guitar body. K-bars continued until the LX In regards to your Legend, it was before the K-Bar so yes, it is slimmer.
Edited by Damon67 2015-09-24 1:20 AM
|
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2011
Posts: 759
Location: Muenster/Germany | I recently bought a shiny early 90´s as-new Custom Legend Cutaway, a REALLY GREAT sounding guitar with incredible low action and awesome optics, but the neck has an extreme V profile. I prefer a similar to classic play hand position and this neck turned out to hurt my thumb badly so that I´m seriously thinking about selling this guitar. I have (and had) different OV´s but this one is the only one with this "problem". The best is the neck of my 82 Collector´s.
Neck profile seems to me one of the most difficult issues with guitars. I have 3 handmade guitars for which the luthier made individually created asymmetric necks for my hands and -of course- these are perfect. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2014
Posts: 1713
Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota | George Frey - 2015-09-23 4:12 PM
Those mid late 90's necks are excellent. I have a Millenium that is the best playing Ovation I have...and my collection runs back to '67.
I totally agree with the Millenium! It plays so easy, the entire Guitar is just a Masterpiece!
But as a standard, I like the mid 70's necks, before the K-Bar - maybe because I have smaller hands, but those feel like they were custom made for me! 
Thank You all for sharing the information and George, all of your experience, I always learn so much from these threads! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2012
Posts: 2333
Location: Pueblo West, CO | I prefer the pre-K-Bar necks. Thinner and lighter.
I also like the glossy finish over the oil-rubbed finish. Some day I'm going to put a glossy finish on the necks of my 1719 CL and my 1996 30th CE. |
|
| |
Neck Profiles
