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Joined:
December 2009
Posts: 686
Location: Route 66, just east of the Cadillac Ranch | For those of us that didn't get to see it at this years NAMM...
Ovation Yngwie Malmsteen Signature Viper |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | Ouch! |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | For those who didn't get to see it at this year's NAMM ...
It is a really nicely crafted USA Ovation guitar. Yeah, the f-holes are definitely non-O-like, and the scalloped fretboards are not my cuppa, but the colors are really nice in person (the Ferrari red is striking and the White Pearl simply glistens). The neck is all of the things we love about New Hartford neck, the fretboard and headstock are pure Legend, and the guitar just screams high-end craftsmanship through and through. But maybe most importantly, these guitars just FELT right ... holding it them your hands (both the -63 and -68 incarnations) let's you know this is done right. Hat's off to the folks in the factory for coming through with a really nice example of what they can do.
Being the owner of an EA Viper from 15+ years ago, I was ready to find all kinds of reasons to pooh-pooh this guitar. Holding it in my hands? I couldn't. It even made me want to find a way to play it for a long while to see whether this scalloped fretboard thing is something I would like.
Just my wooden nickel. Your coinage may vary.
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | Anyone have a clue what it would be like to fingerpick using a scalloped fretboard....hard to get used to? |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Do these new Vipers retain the string through body bridge construction? |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | No idea with fingerpicking, but I have a Peavey Falcon Active with a scalloped fretboard. I bought it over the phone without the modification being disclosed. Needless to say, I flipped out and was ready to scream bloody murder (It was the big guitar mega store we all know and love)... But before I did that, I figured I may as well goof around with it. It felt a bit odd at first, but I warmed up to it pretty quickly and next thing you know I was really starting to like it.
I still screamed at the store, but I decided to keep it. I totally understand why Malmsteen digs scalloped fretboards, I get it. It's one of my favs to shred on.
I don't know what it would be like with thicker strings and on an acoustic though. I'd love to try one, but would be hard pressed to buy one sight un-seen/touched |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 1249
Location: Texas | My thinking is until you get use to using the same amount of pressure, you are going to be at risk of pitch change, which, imo, would be fairly noticeable fingerpicking.
At that price, geared to a specific crowd, this has to be one of those guitars (like the nylon EA) that Ovation makes a couple times a year for pre-pay order. I mean Malmsteen already has a strat out there for half the price I think.
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Joined:
February 2012
Posts: 58
Location: Triangle area, NC | It says mahogany body but the pics show that composite look/texture. Why go over it and not let the beauty of the wood show? Is it functional (durable, sound enhancing)? |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7232
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I am looking to get a scalloped fretboard on my next guitar for one main reason, and that is to break a bad habit I picked up.
Somewhere along the way I started pressing harder than needed on the strings. There is no reason for the string to actually touch the fretboard. As soon as you touch the fret, your're done. Touching the fretboard must be muting the strings out, and in my case I was flat out bending notes sharp. It only happened/s with my pinky finger and the one next to it. I think over-compensating because I have to reach, I was pressing to hard.
Anyway... a scalloped fretboard breaks that habit in a heartbeat.
I played Damon's Peavey and it took about a second to really like it. I fingerpick a little and I would think it would be easier. Malmsteen does fingerpicking on his. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | One of the YM68's on display had a different preamp with added functionality. Sliders replaced with little knobs. I did not think to get a photo of it and I cannot find any info on the net. |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 1249
Location: Texas | My only complaint about the EA is that sprayed on back to match the "Ovation Look". Otherwise you would have had a beautiful instrument like the Gibson CE. I believe someone that posts here has a fully natural EA...beautiful.
I thought Malmsteen was a monster speed picker. Not sure about ever seeing him play a song finger picking. I just do not see many (serious) finger pickers choosing a scalloped fingerboard to perform with.
Here are a couple of tunes that one might choose fingers over pick, if so inclined...well, except for the shred part(which he tends to gravitate to).
doesnt choose it here
nor here
I cannot tell if he has scalloped the Viper or the CE. My bet is no. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15676
Location: SoCal | Jonmark had pictures up somewhere of his Viper from which he striped that "bowl paint" and it turned out beautifully. Jm, where are those pics? He even had pics that he took along the way while he did the dreaded deed.... |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 1249
Location: Texas | Not sure this is it, and I cannot get to the originating page through google, but
THIS
Compared to:
this
found this beaut...which is a
2nd?
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | jay wrote:
My only complaint about the EA is that sprayed on back to match the "Ovation Look"...
...I believe someone that posts here has a fully natural EA...beautiful.
That would be Jonmark Stone's EA...
More pics Here... |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | ProfessorBB wrote:
Do these new Vipers retain the string through body bridge construction?
I discovered that they do. In addition, different from the EA models, the neck is gloss, which many of us prefer. |
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Yngwie Malmsteen Signature Viper
