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Location: Hawaii | Aloha all,
I've just aquired one of these and is one of the best guitars (if not the best, I'll be sure in about a month) I played yet. I can't find any history on this model. #1657 is not on any reference list so far as I can see. Anyone know when this guitar was made and maybe it's worth?
Mahalo (Thanks) in advance,
Bobby B |
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Location: SoCal | Ok, lets see if we can figure this out. I'm not familiar with the model number so what does the guitar look like?
Man, it's quiet here today. |
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Location: Hawaii | Ah, okay, it's an Ovation of course. Gold keys, stamped with the Ovation stamp. Has a deep textured bowl, which is brown. Top is a nice spruce, stained an orangejish brown see-thru stain. The inlays on the fret board are fancy diamond shaped crosses with, one on 1st fret, two on 3rd, two on 5th, two on 7th, one on the 9th, three on the 12th, one on the 15th, two on the 17th, and one on the 19th, 20 frets in all. The shapes differ slightley form the 9th fret on except for the 17 fret, which is the same as 1-7. Confused? okay, then skip it. The top has a strip of white and a stip of herringbone around it's perimeter. The mosiac is a glued on the sound hole type with abalone leaves and herringbone design. It has a volume control and it's a tone control is built in on the same knob. The bridge looks walnut with two nicely carved leaf designs on it's wings. It think that's about it. Oh, and the label says A Kaman Music Product "The Anniversary Ovation" 1657
Manufactured in the USA by Ovation. :rolleyes: :cool: |
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Location: SoCal | Ok, I found the guitar listed in a 1980 catalog (you can tell I don't feel like working today). It's got a hand picked sitka spruce top, A bracing and a deep bowl. The rosette around the soundhole is fancier that the standard Ovation rosette.
The catalog says that it comemorate's Ovation's 10th year, but it seems to me that it's a few years late on that.
Regardless, it's one hell of a guitar. You should be very happy with it. I shouldn't offer this, 'cause I don't have the time, but if you'll give me a couple of weeks, I'll scan what's in the catalog and email it to you. |
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Location: Scotland | Being the eternal optimist I went to the Northwest guitar show in Manchester on Sunday, just in case there were any Ovation bargains to be had. There were 4 Ovations in the entire place, a '77 Matrix that had seen much better days, A particularly nasty Ultra, an early Elite with case for a very reasonable £499 and an Anniversary. The Aniversary was absolutely pristine, natural spruce top which had really darkened, not a mark anywhere, original case, very tasty guitar. Dealer was asking £750, about a grand $US I guess.
Paul |
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Location: SoCal | Paul
You shoulda bought the Elite! |
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Location: Scotland | Yeah I know, but I've just built a house extension to incorporate my new recording & teaching studio & my good lady is counting the pennies. The Elite was a later Op24 rather than a 2-knob, it had a few dings but felt & sounded great, as far as I could tell in the less than ideal surroundings of a guitar show. Last time I was in London the same dealer had a blue Adamas 2, cased, for £700. Still kicking myself for letting that one go.
Paul |
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Location: Hawaii | Whoa! moodyp! You is da man. I was kinda hoping it was made in 1967, but, 1980 is cool two. You're right it is one hell of a guitar. Sounds and plays REAL good and LOUD. Yeah, I would like to see a picture of it if you can scan it. I really appreciate it. Does anybody else have this Guitar? I got this guitar in a trade. I traded a Taylor 714 for this and a Solid Top Takamine (which I'm selling on consignment).
Mahalo again,
Junior Member,
bobbyb |
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Location: Scotland | I have one in the studio right now. It originally belonged to Alan Clarke, onetime keyboard player with Dire Straits, who gave it to a friend of mine. My buddy has gigged it so hard for the last 8 years or so, that the top caved in. It's been repaired & seems stable but to be safe I've set it up as a high-string guitar & it's been retired to studio duties. I've borrowed it to double some rhythm parts. It's a lovely instrument. Just about every one I've seen has been finished in a dark red stain. This one is natural. They're basically a Legend with a different rosette, fancy inlays, carved bridge & truss-rod cover. They were made for 4 or 5 years so they're aren't particularly rare. Very cool guitar
Paul
[ May 08, 2002: Message edited by: Paul Templeman ] |
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Location: Hawaii | My guitar don't have a truss rod cover. Adjusting is done thru the sound hole. 4 or 5 years huh? uh Allright, cool. Anyone know how I can find out what year mine was made?? |
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Location: Scotland | Try the reference section on this site, just to the left, right here.
Paul |
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Location: Hawaii | Nothing specific there though. The serial # seems to fall in the 1982 range. But the model # can't be found in this listing. Also being called the "The Anniv..." I was hoping it was made in 1967. But, I guess not huh? Okay I'm awake from my dream now. Anyway I'm going to play with it now. Bye... |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | The "anniversary model" was a celebration of ovations 10 years of guitar building..1966-1976..The only funny thing about this model is it did not get produded until 1977(as far as i can tell)and only made it in the catalogs in 1978..It was built until 1981.."That was one long anniversary"..It was a great guitar and one of ovations better efforts.They probably made the until 1981 because they were very nice looking and sounding guitars..They were offered in six string only and came in two finishes (natural and antique brown).The antique brown was actually more of a reddish stained top..They were offered in electric and non electric.The distinct faetures of the guitar were,snowflake inlays on ebony fingerboard,multi layered headstock overlay(same as adamas II),herringbone bound body and herringbone design inlayed on rosette(same rosette as 1991 collectors edition).They also had carved bridge,deluxe gold tuners.Some early ones had the carved trus rod cover as well and some had no trus cover at all.It was a transition period where ovation stopped using trus adjustments at the headstock.So, some anniversary's had beautiful carved trus covers and some did not.I have two of these(both finishes) and just love the sound and look of this guitar..You could find these a few years ago for around $400..I bought my first one 6 years ago for $275..Lately i have seen them at guitar shows and other guitar stores for $600-$900........There was also a custom ordered 9 string annivesary built.I have seen it on ebay.Also, there was aspecial custom owners manual for this guitar.The cover of the manual says "The Anniversay".Much nicer than the generic ovation owners manual that were given with regular production ovations.Well, thats all i can remember about this model...Hope this helps....
[ May 08, 2002: Message edited by: samova ] |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Bobby, i know you were hoping it would be a 1967 model but ovation only began putting electronics in its guitars in 1971..So,it would be hard to find early ovation with factory electronics ..Also a 1967 would have the five point bridge,early ribbon rosette and shiny bowl.. |
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Location: Hawaii | WOW. Thanks Samova. I appreciate your knowledge. I'll be looking for a natural also. By the way, what gauge and brand strings you use on yours? |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Bobby, i have always used the adamas 1818 strings on my guitars..Recently i have tried the martin SP's and they seem to sound good as well..But i mainly use adamas strings.... |
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Location: NJ | from a reliable source:
This model came out in 1976 commemorating our 10th anniversary. We offered
it until about 1983 it went for 995.00 then. This one has herringbone body
binding, carved bridge, abalone snowflake fb inlays and a carved rod cover
and came in a couple of colors a reddish reversed sunburst, natural and an
orangey reverse sunburst. |
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Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Al, the redish stain model was actually called antique brown in the catalogs and from the catalogs and price sheets that i have it only lists this model in two finishes..Natural and antique brown(red stain).I have never seen or heard of an orange reverse sunburst nor does any of the catalogs mention a third finish?I know that some of the natural ones aged nicely to an orangy finish and looked nice, but sunburst?? HHHMMM.....OOHH well maybe there some custom ones done?
Also, some did not have the trus cover at all..
[ May 09, 2002: Message edited by: samova ] |
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Location: NJ | Sam
I know you have an extensive catalog collection and I do not. All I did was ask a reliable source and posted the informated given to me. I am not as familiar with the minutia of the model as you are. |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Originally posted by alpep:
orangey reverse sunburst.
I wonder if this is a sortof mistake/fade color. I have seen an occastional old Ovation this color. I have a Typhoon this color, and I have seen a couple of round-backs like this, but I have not seen a reference to it in the Catalogs.
I wonder if this is like the blue/green fade phenom I read about recently? |
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Location: Hawaii | wow cool. what gauge strings you use? I would like to try Medium Gauge. I'm wondering if the guitar can handle it.
[ May 09, 2002: Message edited by: bobbyb ] |
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Location: Shelton, Washington, USA | Bobby, I use mediums on all of my O's. Have for years. They all seem to work just fine for the type of work I do. I'm sure your O can handle the mediums..... the question then becomes which sound do you like better? The other guys here can probably get a little more technical than me, but when I'm playing unplugged, to me it feels/sounds like there's more meat to the sound of the mediums compared to lights. I like the sound of mediums better..... but that's just me.
[ May 09, 2002: Message edited by: Jiminos ] |
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Location: NJ | when I set up guitars for customers especially if they are younger I use lights all my personal gutars have mediums. I think they give a fuller tone and actually are louder acoustically. I figure if I cannot play at least medium guage strings at my age I might as well quit. |
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Location: NJ | I play with lights
(I feel like such a wimp!). |
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Location: UK | I prefer lights, as the barr chords on meds always seem to buzz :(
I knew a guy years ago who played nothing but blues, he used a custom set up and the 1st string was im sure a 16 gauge, he`d bend `em like mad, but NO ONE else could play his damn guitar, just like playing cheese wire, i tried once and it hurt big time :eek: |
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"The Anniversary" model 1657
