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Location: SoCal | Bruce, two of the three reviews were not good...have you (or anyone else) played one?? |
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July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | BrianT made an interesting observation, one that I have been thinking for a time, also....Ovations generally don't have the "punch" of a dreadnought....the mid-bowls certainly don't!!! I've always thought of the mid-bowls as "000" in sound. The 2005-ES gets in the ballpark to a dreadnought, IMHO.
This may be why I like Ovations....I find I generally am not fond of the sound of Martin Ds, I prefer 000s and OMs. The only big-body guitars that I really like are Gibson jumbos, especially the SJ-200(showing my folk/trad/country bent, I guess). Gibby Js have a nice mix of solid bottom-end and defined high-end.
Martin does make a wide selection of below-$1000 guitars that sound good. My 000-16RGT was $930. Heck, even the Formica-bodied 000-X1 sounds decent. You have to give Martin credit, they have figured out how to make inexpensive wooden guitars, built in the United States, that sound good.
Roger |
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Posts: 274
Location: Maryland, USA | I am a huge Ovation fan, but I also have to admit I was bit under whelmed by the stock Legend and Elite LXs that I have sampled. I recently purchased a 2005 Collectors that has a unique bell-like tone to it, I think it sounds great, I recently put medium strings on it and it is even better. I also got to sample many guitars at the recent Ovation factory tour, and the one that blew my hair back the most (hands down) was the U681T, it was a tone monster! Then I would indeed love to play a U681T.
The reason that I still own and play Ovations are (1) superb playability and comfort, (2) Plugged in performance and ease of use, (3) great durability and road worthiness. But other than a few stellar exceptions (like the U681T), the average Ovation is not going to win an unplugged tone contest against the average Martin or any other higher end all-wood guitar for that matter. Exactly. They probably sound better plugged in with the preamp changing the bass/mids/treble. They are very comfortable, and they look roadworthy.
Also a think a stock D18 has a street price of about 1350, which puts it right in line with a 05C or 597 Adamas. A D28 can be had for around 1550 which is still below what a U681T will cost you. I wonder how the two guitars would compare. I got my D-18 for that price, but the seller was an older man in his 70's (he is still listed as an official dealer though on Martin's website), but he said not to tell any other dealer, as anything below $1500 and they would be on his backs. He only holds a couple Martins at a time, but apparently he sells enough to keep his franchise.
Martin does make a wide selection of below-$1000 guitars that sound good. My 000-16RGT was $930. Heck, even the Formica-bodied 000-X1 sounds decent. You have to give Martin credit, they have figured out how to make inexpensive wooden guitars, built in the United States, that sound good. Yes, I heard a Martin D-15 awhile back and was surprised it sounded so good. It wasn't my D-18, but I was impressed with its sound for such an inexpensive guitar. |
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Posts: 234
Location: Phoenix, AZ | Originally posted by Stephen P:
..... Hopefully in the future Ovation will make guitars with a booming bass. I don't know about you, but I get enough booming bass from the low-rider bouncing away next to me at almost every red light.
Personally, I hope Ovation never caters to a particular segment of the sound spectrum, but stays true to the entire sound spectrum.
P.S. If YOU want more bass, plug it in and adjust the amp and the onboard preamp to give YOU more bass. Then, you'll have comfort and the booming bass you require. |
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Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | I've always found a discussion on sound interesting. Many people think that the sound of Martin D series is what a guitar should sound like. Fine. My Deluxe Balladeer, my 1537 Elite, my Adamas I 12 string, etc, don't sound like Martins. They are not trying to sound like Martins. But I like their sound. They have their own voice and they suit me.
Ice cream.... |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Good point Paul. Bottom line I guess I also prefer the sound of my Ovations over Martins in general or I wouldn't have 2 Martins and 8 Ovations. |
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Posts: 604
Location: Tampa, FL | I remember when I first unboxed an Adamas I purchased last August. This was my first guitar since I sold an HD28 about six years ago. My first reaction was gross disappointment. The Ovation sound 'flat', thin, without the tonal quality my Martin had. ANd that was a very accurate first impression. Now a year later (almost) I find that I really like the sound of my Ovations. I like the eveness, I like the ease of use (although i've got something going on with my 2005 ES preamp that I have to figure out). All in all, I would have to agree with all that suggest there is a distinct difference between an O and an M (or any other guiatr for that matter) I just don't think there is a standard of 'better' that you can necessarily derive from this. There is also a distinct difference between my 2005 and my Adamas.
EDIT: I might also note that if you really want to know what your Ovation sounds like, you either have to play it through an Amp or in the bathroom. You real ycannot hear what the guitar sounds like while playing (a little disconcerting until you sort learn to live with the abstraction). I am rather surprised how well the preamp and piezo translate the Ovation sound when payed flat through a plain Jane stereo. That's my benchmark for what the Ovation sound is. |
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Posts: 651
Location: Australia | I thinks it's pointless to try and compare a Martin dreadnaught with an Ovation. It's apples and oranges.
They have almost nothing in common apart from the fact that they are both acoustic guitars.
The early post made by Jeff W pretty much sums up the Ovation tone and the Ovation design objectives which are also different to Martin. |
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Posts: 970
Location: Atlanta,Ga. | I dont think its pointless to compare Martins to Ovations or to other guitars for that matter.After all they are both acoustics and thats what guitar shoppers will do when they go to music stores, "compare" acoustic guitars.
And lets not forget that many years ago Ovations goal was to copy the sound of who? "Martin". They tried to match the sound of a D28 and Jim Richards prewar D-45.So, its not pointless at all to compare. |
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Posts: 119
Location: Georgia USA | Originally posted by Old Applause Owner:
Although I'd love to know what you would think of a cedar-top S771 Balladeer (sold only at Guitar Center---but I think they are pretty much gone now).
Roger I work near two GCs, and they both still seem to have plenty. I have been to play them, especially before ordering my s771. They are nice, but once I saw the tear drop burst, I had to have it. (It's now a special order - $100 extra). |
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Posts: 651
Location: Australia | Originally posted by samova:
I dont think its pointless to compare Martins to Ovations or to other guitars for that matter.After all they are both acoustics and thats what guitar shoppers will do when they go to music stores, "compare" acoustic guitars.
And lets not forget that many years ago Ovations goal was to copy the sound of who? "Martin". They tried to match the sound of a D28 and Jim Richards prewar D-45.So, its not pointless at all to compare. You miss my point.
My comments are aimed specifically at Stephens original post where he says he was dissapointed that the Ovations he played didn't possess the "booming sound" or "bassy ring" of his Martin Dreadnaught.
Of course we all compare guitars, my point is that you can never expect a smaller bodied fibreglass round backed guitar to sound like a larger bodied flat backed all solid wood guitar no matter how much you compare them. |
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Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Sam:
It's true that Ovation was using Martins as a benchmark, but they ended up with somethng different. Kinda like stealing licks from somebody. By the time you learn them, they are different than what you were trying to steal. |
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Posts: 274
Location: Maryland, USA | I probably was being a little too hard, because the O's I played weren't meant to be Dreadnaughts.
Next time I go to GC (hopefully soon), I will keep playing them and doing everything you guys told me about them, I'm sure I will appreciate their softer sound.
ANd one day, I hope to play a really deep bowl so I can get a dreadnaught sound out of one of those oh so comfortable rounded backs.
EDIT: To JeffW
I believe you said that Martin's have a thinner sound up the neck. I played past the 5th fret quite a bit, I didn't hear my D-18 letting up. But like I said, I will replay the Ovations to see what you mean.
Thanks again guys |
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May 2002
Posts: 651
Location: Australia | I came across this and thought it was interesting :
"Our sonic goal is not to imate the X-braced dreadnought.The fundamental frequency of the resonating chambers, bracing patterns and roundback contribute to the characteristic Ovation sound"
David Bergstrom - Ovation
(Guitar Player Nov. 1993) |
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June 2005
Posts: 274
Location: Maryland, USA | Just so you know, I played a Legend LX (forget the number) at GuitarCenter today, and was very pleased with it.
However, my next guitar purchase (I finally purchased a new amplifier for gigging) is hopefully going to be a Les Paul.
Maybe in a couple years, we'll see ;)
Still waiting to try out an Adamas. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Stephen P.
Just so you know, I've been readin' your posts. |
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Posts: 274
Location: Maryland, USA | Glad to know you care Jeff ^_^ |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | :cool:
More Music. |
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July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I may be getting off the subject with my reply, but I happen to like both Ms and Os. Mine may not be the top of the line that most ppl. post about (e.g. M D18, D28; O Elite, Legend, etc.), but I'm quite happy with it. Because of the unique sound, tone and playability from both guitars, I use it to my advantage by choosing which guitar to use given the song I plan to play or practice with.
Got my balladeer in a local music shop by accidentally trying it out (and falling in love with it!), while taking my niece's flute in for repairs. What's more, this O gave an admirable tone that was immediate, and it does not need to "open up." This O already sounds very good as it is, but it comes to life even more once it is plugged in (I currently use an Ibanez Troubador TA35 amp for it). I have been told that the top of most O's have the tendency to crack below the bridge. I only hope that is not the case. If this is true, is there any way to prevent it?
As for my M, at that time, I had to choose between the DM or the D15 (given the dough that I could afford to pay for). Even though the D15 was an all solid mahogany construction, I was not happy with its initial nasal-like tone, and I didn't seem to have the patience to wait for the guitar to "age" and "open up." As for the DM, while it's made from a spruce top with laminated mahogany back and sides, the nice tone I got from it was instant and immediate -- even fresh out of the box. It didn't take me long to make the decision.
Peace,
Gil |
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I played two Ovation Acoustics Today
