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1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger

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mimmo
Posted 2021-04-05 4:00 AM (#555371)
Subject: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
June 2020
Posts: 111

Hi everybody

This is the guitar I am talking about:

https://www.leboncoin.fr/instruments_de_musique/1922182790.htm

The seller made me an offer and said that the guitar, the frets and whatever else is in great shape. I may pull the trigger, however searching for informations about this guitar, I have found an old thread in which someone stated that the lack of truss rod cover means that the neck is a two piece one  (rather than five) and that there is non truss rod.

I am asking for your knowledge, can you please tell me something more about this guitar? Is it a good Ovation or should I look for something else? (I am intrigued by the 1122 on sale on ebay right now and can't decide...).

Thanks.

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tpa
Posted 2021-04-05 6:57 AM (#555372 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 566

Location: Denmark
I dont think Ovation everr made a guitar without truss rod. Lack of truss rod cover means that the truss rod is adjusted from inside the guitar. Either a conventional truss rod or a Kaman bar neck which is a metallic structure with a "skin" of wood. Very robust but also heavier than a traditional wooden neck. Kaman bar necks came around in the start of the 80s and to my knowledge prevailed until appearance of the LX models. I dont know if the 1612 has the Kaman bar neck or conventional heel adjusted truss rod. But is surely has a truss rod.

http://web.archive.org/web/20100104102009/http://ovationguitars.com...

Edited by tpa 2021-04-05 7:09 AM
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mimmo
Posted 2021-04-05 7:12 AM (#555373 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
June 2020
Posts: 111

Very informative answer, thank you very much.

Any clue about the two- or five- piece neck? Any substantial difference? Thank you sir.
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Standingovation
Posted 2021-04-05 8:42 AM (#555374 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger



Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6197

Location: Phoenix AZ
This guitar has 2 piece neck. 1612 is deep bowl, 1122 is artist bowl.
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tpa
Posted 2021-04-05 9:59 AM (#555375 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 566

Location: Denmark
Maybe trivial points but preferably inspect the top/soundboard for flatness and cracks or repairs and the overall setup for a reasonable string height for playability, and finally electronics should work and pickup be original. Regarding the difference between 2 or 5 piece neck ... to me it is mainly aesthetics, like multilayer binding etc.
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mimmo
Posted 2021-04-05 10:32 AM (#555376 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
June 2020
Posts: 111

Thank you both for your replies, this helps me a lot.
For whatever reason I lean towards the 1122 as it is a pretty rare beast, even if the 1612 would make more sense in my O family.

Decisions, decisions...
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Weaser P
Posted 2021-04-05 1:59 PM (#555377 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 5330

Location: Cicero, NY
Unless I'm misunderstanding the goal, you should get BOTH! Problem solved.
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mimmo
Posted 2021-04-05 3:15 PM (#555378 - in reply to #555377)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
June 2020
Posts: 111

Weaser P - 2021-04-05 8:59 PM Unless I'm misunderstanding the goal, you should get BOTH! Problem solved.

 

I think you understood the goal actually! 

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tpa
Posted 2021-04-05 4:00 PM (#555379 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 566

Location: Denmark
As I recall the artist bowl it was very comfortable. Also since the two guitars are quite different in all aspects so ... Why not both. Make an album in the album section of the forum and post some pictures and impressions :-)
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Standingovation
Posted 2021-04-05 4:27 PM (#555380 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger



Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6197

Location: Phoenix AZ
If I'm not mistaken, I think the model 1612 was Ovations largest selling USA model overall. Probably for good reason.
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Love O Fair
Posted 2021-04-05 10:22 PM (#555381 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger



Joined:
February 2016
Posts: 1802

Location: When??
@Standingovation - >>>I think the model 1612 was Ovations largest selling USA model overall.<<<

I believe I've heard that stat before, too. It seems that the actual answer to that would simply calculate on the company's final log as to which USA model had the highest number produced and out the door since at this point there are obviously no new ones of any model left laying around unsold. Bound to be the 1612, with maybe the 1111 coming in 2nd. I only guess and speculate on that 2nd place standing since by the time thousands of players who initially ventured into the Ovation realm with the 1111 had played them for a few years probably then skipped over the 1112 when the 1612 came out in favor of upgrading to A//E. I'm just glad I wasn't one of them since my humble 1112 is still the mainstay pride of my Ovation fleet.

Edited by Love O Fair 2021-04-05 10:38 PM
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nerdydave
Posted 2021-04-05 11:10 PM (#555382 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
August 2011
Posts: 887

Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah
Standing Ovation knows everything!!
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nerdydave
Posted 2021-04-05 11:11 PM (#555383 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
August 2011
Posts: 887

Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah
He the go to guy!!
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mimmo
Posted 2021-04-06 3:48 AM (#555384 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
June 2020
Posts: 111

Once more, thanks all you guys for all the replies.

Quick update: I have tried to get in touch with the seller of the 1122, asking if it was possible to low the shipping cost (95 euros from Germany to Italy is way too much!) and he didn't came back to me to say no, simply he did not even consider my message. In my book, this means a big NO from my side. Sorry.

Let's see what the seller of the 1612 says...
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tpa
Posted 2021-04-06 9:31 AM (#555385 - in reply to #555371)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 566

Location: Denmark
For that amount of money you could go and get it personally - if borders are open. It does look to be a well kept guitar (the 1122).
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mimmo
Posted 2021-04-06 2:58 PM (#555389 - in reply to #555385)
Subject: Re: 1984 Custom Balladeer 1612 - I have a few questions before pulling the trigger


Joined:
June 2020
Posts: 111

tpa - 2021-04-06 4:31 PM For that amount of money you could go and get it personally - if borders are open. It does look to be a well kept guitar (the 1122).

 

Yeah, that would be great but the borders are a real pain in this moment, the beat option is buying online IMO.

The 1122 would have been a nice option, but the lack of answer to my message is a deal breaker.

No answer from the other seller (the 1612) maybe it's a sign from the stars?

 

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