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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 6
| Hi,
This is my first post here and I have some questions about my Ovation Ultra GS Electric Guitar.
I was wondering what the market value for this guitar is.
I've had this guitar for probablly 20 years just sitting in my closet but recently took it out again due to my reinterest in learing to play guitar. My thought was to sell this on eBay and get one of the newer models but I didn't know what these were worth.
Guitar is in great condition with very little usage on it with everything original and has the original case that it came with. It has sun burst (light brown(yellow) color inside and darker brown color outside) color on it and I think it's model # 1418 (GS3-J Ultra GS).
Thank you. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | Welcome SixShooter.
A good barometer of market value are eBay sales.
There is one on eBay now, Ultra GS on eBay
Opening bid is $250 with a BIN of $400, but no bids yet.
Maybe the snipers are waiting for the last minute.
Your auction is over tomorrow morning let's see what it sells for. |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 6
| Hi Noah,
Thanks for the reply.
My guitar looks different than that one and maybe even better shape but I guess that could be a good indicator of what it could go for.
Just curious what is so different about these Ultra GS? Since I'm pretty much a biginner I guess I can't tell what makes a guitar really unique from others than just looks alone. New guitar I was looking at was Schecter C-1 Elite (Amber color). |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Ultra's typically go on ebay for between $150 and $250 depending on shape. The one on ebay now is overpriced...but you never know. I will be surprised if it sells.
Sixshooter, the Ultra GS is a good guitar, probably better than the Schecter C-1 Elite that you are looking at. Like most Ovation solid bodies, they are vastly under rated and under appreciated.....hence the low value on ebay.
Just my opinion, but as a decent guitar player myself, I would much rather be playin the Ultra GS. If you take it to the local shop and have a good setup done on it, you will have many years of happiness together. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | SixShooter, New is not always better. If it feels good, play it.
What does the Schecter have, or do for you that the Ultra GS does not?
The Schecter is eye-candy, but beauty is in the 'O'-of-the-beholder. |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 6
| stephent28,
Thanks for that insight. What do you mean by "have a good setup done on it"?
Only reason I was even thinking about Schecter C-1 Elite was the look of it. I just saw it and was very impressed with it's styling and look. Also the neck felt little thinner which is good for my smaller hands.
In case you are intersted I did post some pictures in Gallery on the advice of Noah. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | A 'good setup" means having the guitar cleaned, the pots sprayed out, the neck relief checked and straightened as required, the frets polished and the intonation setup properly for the gauge of strings. This should run you about $75-100 dollars but will make the guitar play as good as it can.
I would recommend putting either 10's or 11's strings on the guitar. Any lighter or heavier as a beginner and you will experience problems. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 9
| Hi SixShooter,
I own a Schecter C-7 (7-string version of the C-1) as well as an Ultra GP. I've never played a GS, but if it is anything like the GP I would highly recommend staying with the GS.
There is a massive difference in tone between the two. I recommend this basic test to compare the guitar you have to the one you're interested in:
Strum a few chords on your GS while it's not plugged in and listen carefully to the body of the guitar. Can you hear and feel a resonance? Or does the body barely vibrate, resulting in a "dead, dull" sound? Then go to a shop and try the same with a C-1.
A highly resonant body (which can be heard when the guitar's unplugged) is the sign of a good electric guitar. This was a test recommended to me a few years back by guys in the old HarmonyCentral forum, and it's proven to be a useful tool.
My C-7's body barely resonates at all when I do this. However, with the same test the GP sounds alive, with the body resonating highly.
If you don't like the GS's sound, you can always change the pickups, which will also alter the tone. But it's always better if your starting point is a good guitar body.
My suspicion is that your GS is highly undervalued, as others here said, due to lack of publicity in the market. You likely have a very good guitar, one which is probably worth keeping.
On a completely separate note, if you're buying new I'd recommend a guitar other than the C-1 due to my experience with its cousin, the C-7. If you like the look of the Schecters, I'd consider saving up for the non-"Diamond Series" version of the same guitar by Schecter. The C-1 is a "Diamond Series" guitar which use lower grade parts (avoid guitars with "Duncan Designed" pickups). However, the non-"Diamond Series" Schecters are signifcantly more expensive, I'd guess around $1200.
I've tried many pickup, tunings, and string combinations in my C-7, and I've never been nearly as satisfied with its sound as I have with the GP.
BG |
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Ovation Ultra GS 1418
