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Joined:
May 2010
Posts: 95
Location: Vancouver Island, BC | One is available around here. I believe from the '90s. This I think I know: 1-7/8 nut, 14 frets. flat fret board, nylon strings and deep bowl (and please correct me if I am wrong, it's a 60 mild drive to see it).
I am a finger picker. 4 fingers, nails. Is this a guitar that needs to be amplified to sound good, or can it hold its own (OMA's old beater Folklore is my benchmark for sheer volume)? I have several 6 string Os, all much loved. This one could be different. Would like your opinion if you own one, especially compared to the deep bowl steel 6-strings.
Thanks friends, it's been a while....  |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | I have owned this model, as well as several other Country Artist versions. They are great plugged in. But in my personal opinion, Ovation braces the tops too heavily on their nylon string guitars and coupled with the shallower bowl they all seem to sound pretty dead when played unplugged. There are other brands of "cross over style nylon strung" guitars that you may want to look at before deciding. |
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Joined:
May 2010
Posts: 95
Location: Vancouver Island, BC | Thanks so much So. That is very helpful, and in line with my suspicions.
I will probably give this one a pass, but having never seen one of these, it stirred up some excitement!
Your input is much appreciated. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | I agree wholeheartedly with StandingOvation (Dave). I had a 1983 Country Artist cutaway. It had the most stunning top I've every seen on an Ovation and I'm still sorry I sold it. It looked great on the wall. But I've never been a fan of a shallow bowl or artist bowl nylon string. They are great if you are plugging in but very week acoustically. I've heard Glen Campbell play them acoustically and they sound great. But none of us are GC....... |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | I hate to follow the reference to GC, but I'll throw in with SO and moody. I had a Country Artist for a few years and thought it was weak acoustically. Although it had a narrower neck than the Classic, I kept the Classic. With a deep bowl, I prefer the sound. It may not sound like a traditional nylon string guitar, but I prefer the Ovation sound that the deep bowl gets out of those nylon strings. |
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Joined:
February 2016
Posts: 1802
Location: When?? | The only nylon O I've ever had is actually a C.. a 1988 CC-13.. but it says O on the headstock, so I call it an O because... well.. because it says I can. The construction is rugged, and it still plays and looks quite nice, but I believe anything more shallow on the bowl for playing it acoustically would otherwise teeter the projection over the edge of bland, and it can't be plugged in. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | What MIB said, but I'll go one step further. I've got a Dan Savage retopped 1113 with a torrefied addirondack top and braces. Killer sound..... |
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Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | I always loved the feel of the Country Artist neck and sometimes struggle with wider classical necks, so when I had the chance, I had the factory rebuild a busted CA with a deep bowl (and a redwood top). It's one of my favorites and the deep bowl certainly ups the volume. That being said, Dan Savage built a nylon parlor for me, again with the CA neck. It is crazy comfortable to hold and play, but is not a loud guitar at all. To be honest though, it has such a sweet tone that I don't really even think about it. It's one of my family's favorites. About the artist bowl though, maybe I lucked out. I have an 1122 that I bought to flip years ago. My wife liked the sound so much that she said she wanted it. "You don't even play guitar!" says I. "Maybe I'll learn. Keep that one." says she. I don't blame her. It's easily the best guitar I've ever paid less than $200 dollars for. It sounds astonishingly good and has way more volume that any artist bowl has a right to. Go figure.... |
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Joined:
May 2010
Posts: 95
Location: Vancouver Island, BC | That is a lot of good input, and seems like honest, unbiased judgment of the model from people who love Ovations.
For a while I owned a 1973 Artist bowl. It sounded kind of "dead", especially the low e and a, so not much bass.
I let it go, as I did not play it, although it had great action, and was undamaged.
You guys are saving me the gas and the GAS!
My C779LX is different, with good sound and sustain, but still not quite like the deep bowls. It came to me new in 2010 and is stunning in black.
Whish I could post a picture.... |
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Joined:
May 2010
Posts: 95
Location: Vancouver Island, BC | One more question your honor(s).
Nut width; is it 1-7/8 or 1-3/4? |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | 1 7/8"
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Joined:
May 2010
Posts: 95
Location: Vancouver Island, BC | Thank you, Sir. |
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6773 Country Artist
