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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 6
Location: Colorado USA | I have just "aquired" a mint Ultra GS with dual humbucker pickups, locking trem, etc., dated in the mid 80's, does anyone have any info on this solid body guitar? Web info is very scarce, I paid $150 for this and love the look, feel, and sound, plus the fact that it is a seemingly obscure guitar...always the need for something different! Hey that's why we crave Ovation's right?? |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7248
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | You might search this message board for Ultra GS, also you could visit The Ovation Solidbody and Storm Series Collection for some mroe info. |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 93
Location: Canada | Mid 80s guitar made from Korean bodies (Samick)and necks and assembled in the US with either Kahler or Wilkinson trems, Dimarzio PAF pickups. Bodies made of plywood. Ovation denies ever making these so don't bother asking them for any info or advice on them. All that aside it's a fine playing instrument. |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 93
Location: Canada | Just out of curiosity, you stated locking trem. Does either the Kahler or Wilkonson trem actually lock? I have two GSs both with Kahler trems and they don't seem to lock. |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 6
Location: Colorado USA | Rory, the trem is a Kahler and does indeed lock. Hard to tell if this is original or not. I understand these instruments we inconsistent in quality but this one looks to be very good. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7248
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Just to clarify, the "the lock" being referred to is on the headstock, above the nut. They take a little getting used to, but with a Kahler they are so necessary. Set the "fine tunes" in about the middle with the lock released. Tune the guitar normally and warm it up a bit to stretch the string. Re-tune and a lock'em down. After that, the fine tuners work great and at least for me are so much easier to access on the fly. These guitars came in lots of configurations, but for what they were, they rocked. |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 93
Location: Canada | I apologize. I thought the lock meant that the trem could be locked in a fix bridge like a hardtail. I have several Steinbergers with a locking trem which means the trem can actually lock down and not move at all like a hardtail. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7248
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Something made me think that's where you were going with the Locks. I've had a few locking trems myself, but I find with the right adjustment a Kahler Flyer stays put when you need it too. They can actually also be "locked" by sinching up the tention adjuster (little whole next to where the arm goes in). |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | were they really ply bodies? i have one with a humbucker and 2 singles. really not a bad guitar at all, but doesnt compare with my ukII's |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7248
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Ply with a REALLY THICK finish. I thought / think they are fine guitars. If they are cared for, they last, but they are not sturdy enough to beat on. I have several, and a few that have been stored and cared for, still rock. |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 93
Location: Canada | Yup, ply bodies. I had one a friend and I tried to work on to refinish but after hours of sanding, we found out it was a ply body and decided to cut an entirely new ash body and tried to immitate the routing as well which went quite well. The routing was not exactly the same (not as deep). It was finished in a silver and the top flat portion of the headstock was also sprayed silver. Sad to say it was left with my friend who eventually sold it many years later in a garage sale in near mint condition. Moral of the story: never lend your friend a guitar and expect it back.
On that note, if anyone has seen this guitar, please let me know, I'd love to get it back.
I've had several GS' since then but never went all that fancy to give the beast a new body again. |
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Ovation Ultra GS
