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Beautiful Elite 1537 Sunburst For Sale``

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batemdp
Posted 2018-12-17 3:28 PM (#546143)
Subject: Beautiful Elite 1537 Sunburst For Sale``


Joined:
February 2018
Posts: 6

Location: Fountain, CO
Hello all! I am a happy new member here at the OFC.

I have an Elite 1537 Serial #301788 that was owned by my cousin prior to him passing away. I wish I could keep it and play it but, alas, I am no musician. It deserves to be with someone who will cherish it and play it, give it life.

It has only been owned by my cousin right from the start. My Aunt (his Mom) worked for Kaman in the 80's and she bought it as an employee for a sweet price. It has always been kept in the original Ovation hard case when not being played.

I just recently had a former authorized Ovation Service Center replace the battery and strings, cleaned the frets and board, adjusted the action, dressed the fret ends and setup. The only blemish I see on this beauty is one small area of the epelettes is broken off. The damage is about the size of a dime, maybe a nickel.

It comes with the original Ovation hard case. After the research I have done, I believe $1400 is a fair price for such a beauty. That standard ground shipping. If you are within 1 state of Colorado, we may be able to work something out to meet for delivery, etc.

Thanks for considering. Please let me know if you have any questions.



(New Ovation Full Pic.jpg)



(New Ovation 1.jpg)



(New Ovation Bridge 2.jpg)



(New Ovation Bridge.jpg)



(New Ovation Label.jpg)



Attachments
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Attachments New Ovation Full Pic.jpg (52KB - 1 downloads)
Attachments New Ovation 1.jpg (59KB - 3 downloads)
Attachments New Ovation Bridge 2.jpg (64KB - 2 downloads)
Attachments New Ovation Bridge.jpg (68KB - 0 downloads)
Attachments New Ovation Label.jpg (60KB - 0 downloads)
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elginacres
Posted 2018-12-18 11:22 PM (#546170 - in reply to #546143)
Subject: Re: Beautiful Elite 1537 Sunburst For Sale``


Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 1609

Location: Colorado
Check your M box. Team - I hope to check it out - for any and all concerned. Professor - and Stephen - you guys up for a short road trip?
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elginacres
Posted 2018-12-18 11:23 PM (#546171 - in reply to #546143)
Subject: Re: Beautiful Elite 1537 Sunburst For Sale``


Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 1609

Location: Colorado
Finger board looks like Moody has been playing Gs and Ds again.
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moody, p.i.
Posted 2018-12-19 11:27 AM (#546181 - in reply to #546171)
Subject: Re: Beautiful Elite 1537 Sunburst For Sale``


Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15651

Location: SoCal
elginacres - 2018-12-18 9:23 PM

Finger board looks like Moody has been playing Gs and Ds again.


And C's......
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ProfessorBB
Posted 2018-12-19 4:08 PM (#546183 - in reply to #546143)
Subject: Re: Beautiful Elite 1537 Sunburst For Sale``



Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881

Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains
Mark, you can always swing by on your way home. Could be a nice one!
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elginacres
Posted 2018-12-23 11:27 PM (#546237 - in reply to #546143)
Subject: Re: Beautiful Elite 1537 Sunburst For Sale``


Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 1609

Location: Colorado
Okay folks this will get long winded here, but I just got the opportunity to spend an hour or so with David and the 1537-1. Everything about this guitar except the price is correct (it is a little low) - and real nice. The short: someone here needs to buy it - $1,400 is a little low frankly - not BFLG low but a little low. Why did I not buy it? - those of you who know me will understand my response: "I already own one guitar". I think closer to 2K would be the top end I would list it at, then take a little lower. Now for the stuff folks always ask.

1. He had it looked at by a guitar tech here in Colorado - and thankfully he found one who knows Ovations - just a little dressing on the tips of the frets, set the action I would say at a playable medium height - works for strumming and finger picking. Solid volume unplugged - not thunderous - not timid - cuts through the mud.- Decent sustain - You know - like a 1537.

2. Best I can tell everything is original - why? a) The weight is right - these 1537s are solid and real heavy guitars. b) The tech didn't screw with the floating finger board - aka - the spacing is correct - feels right. c) The burst is still there on the back of the neck - oh so tastefully subtle. d) the neck is a full high gloss lacquer/varnish - Tupperware you would love it. e) the triangular inlays are correct. f) a lotta finger oil stains on the 3rd fret - that's fine - good juju. g) Bridge looks right - nut I think is right - felt like 1 and 11/16, didn't feel like like 1 3/4. Some one tell me if this is original or not. I have been on a lot more 1 3/4s lately, though #43 is I think narrower than 1 3/4. Any who - nut matched neck matched frets and feel.

3. Acoustic Tone - holds true to the multi-hole design and tone - a real nice flexible tone with flat picks, finger picks, + bare nails. I played (almost embarrassingly poorly) Jim Croce, Hoagy Carmichael, Garth Brooks, and Les Mis. stuff - guitar holds up across genre's. Best is the brilliant highs heard above the fifth fret - something that these guitars have always been known for. Picture Glen's solo on Gentle on my Mind from his Caledonia days.

4. Plugged in: only used mono - do not have the set up or cabling for stereo - never used it in the past...you can assume it works - all strings had solid electronic output and tone. Played it through an L1 Series 2 system - eq on the Tonematch flat. Classic 2-knobber set-up - never seen knobs this old in such good condition - don't think they are new - but they could be. I would bet it was hardly ever played electronically - not enough grime in the grooves on the knobs for it to be any other way. I know I would't care. Again - when you sweep up the tone knob to a brighter setting - this is real shine of this guitar. With strings finger muted electronics seemed quiet. As volume knob was ramped up - small amount of cackle during turning only - as I always expect with the old two knobbers, nothing two squirts of Cramolin would not cure for a bit. Jacks were tight. A good solid click when the cable inserts. Battery sits snug - thank *** there is a man hole cover.

5. Other aesthetics: It was tuned a half step low - I brought it up to A440 (sorry you 432 crowd folks). It held tune fine for the hour I had it. Machines worked fine. Harmonics at 12, 5 and 7 sparkled. I cannot guarantee it, but I would bet a C note it had EJ 16s on it. A little light for my personal taste - but they sounded nice and crisp. Actually that speaks well for the guitar tech - not knowing what he had - tune it a little low, keep the tension low for a bit -Neck looked fine - though I never know exactly what to look for - I do know it was not bowed, and there was no skew (twist). Fretwear - not an issue at all - heard a little buzz on the high notes on the E string - but - it was the player - not the guitar! Do not see evidence of bad humidity problems - which can crop up in Colorado. I suspect this guitar has been cased for years in at least reasonable and stable humidity. End pin and strap pin were both tight.

6. Case = period correct - even has the 2 keys no one ever uses. As usual the strap that holds the top at a 90 degree angle is broken. Latches work - no major punctures. Inside is good for cats to climb in and roll around in. Seems lighter and smoother brown than the ones either I have or had -kinda tan - rather than deep brown. Interior is the rustish velour - sometimes I have seen purple.

7. No real issues - but here is what I saw - two very slight lacquer or varnish cracks - one dead centerline - moving toward end pin - the other about the G string (every pun intended) about 2 inches long - thinner than a hair - gotta look to find them - zero evidence they are anywhere near wood - I suspect they have been there for decades and stable for decades - like most of our 35 year old guitars. The bowl is in remarkably good shape - usually you see chipping, smudges, even belt rash - if there was any I did not notice. Missing small (smaller than a dime) lower epi inlaid veneer piece - I wouldn't care - but likely this can be addressed in an hour by the likes of Mauvais Beal or Dan Savage....As a player - I would just leave it...someone wants to match a splinter of veneering, go for it.

8. Bottom line: Great example of some of the best work Ovation can and did do - I tip my hat to what you and your daddy did Beal. If you sit around the circle of the picking parlor with folks and their D28s, J 45s, and Collings CJs, this one holds up, at 25% of the cost - looks great too! Nice tobacco ish burst.

The seller David is a nice guy, I trust him. Real geniune - he will treat you and the guitar well. Given the history this was bought by and kept in a Kaman employee's family the whole time - it needs to stay in the family - and life is moving on for his family - and he cares enough to see that stays with at minimum the OFC folks. If it is still available when I get back from working in South America - then NAMM end o in January - if it is still around - I will pick it up - but if I ever then sold it - I would want 2K for it. I would bet if he lists it outside the OFC, his reserve will be higher - and the resultant sales even higher. At 1400 right now...it is priced appropriately for the right person who has always wanted one of these. Our old friend Gator I think always said the minus 1s sounded best.
Cheers, Mark
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elginacres
Posted 2019-09-30 8:39 PM (#549972 - in reply to #546143)
Subject: Re: Beautiful Elite 1537 Sunburst For Sale``


Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 1609

Location: Colorado
I helped out the guy and his mom who is ill and has bills (Former Kaman employee) and bought it from him. I am happy to move it for zero profit to a member here - PM me to work out the details - I will ship it CONUS, if international - we gotta talk more, pm me if you want a couple more pics. I have been playing a lot out of town - but can get SWMBO to take a few more. Let's keep it in the family - I am beginning to really like this guitar.
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hwebster
Posted 2019-09-30 10:57 PM (#549973 - in reply to #546143)
Subject: Re: Beautiful Elite 1537 Sunburst For Sale``


Joined:
June 2005
Posts: 488

Location: California
Nice guitar. Someone here should get it.
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elginacres
Posted 2019-10-01 11:15 PM (#549979 - in reply to #546143)
Subject: Re: Beautiful Elite 1537 Sunburst For Sale``


Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 1609

Location: Colorado
I neglected to say - $1,100.00 Shipped CONUS.
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