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1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish

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MWoody
Posted 2012-08-09 7:48 PM (#457576)
Subject: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987

Location: Upper Left USA

Just received the fruits of my bottom feeding late night log-on efforts! A Shiny Bowl Balladeer #1096 showing age but not damage. Got the guitar and a hard shell case for less than the price of a new case... oh, yeah!

Pictures are in the appropriately titled Album and you can see where the "Ribbon-ette" has lifted and a few signs of age have occured.

It's headed back to Mother for some well needed care!



Edited by MWoody 2012-08-09 7:49 PM
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SOBeach
Posted 2012-08-09 8:38 PM (#457582 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: RE: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish


Joined:
April 2010
Posts: 823

Location: sitting at my computer

You definitely scored on that one. IMHO

I'm really interested in seeing the "after MS" visit pics.

Hope to some day send my 1617 off for a little TLC too... nothing major, fret wear, typical finish crack on back of neck below headstock, a couple of tiny "D'oh" dings on the top. Not too bad for nearly 40 yrs.  

 
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jay
Posted 2012-08-09 10:08 PM (#457591 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: RE: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 1249

Location: Texas

"Pictures are in the appropriately titled Album"

I guess the only places I looked were innappropriate. I can't find em!

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MWoody
Posted 2012-08-09 10:31 PM (#457592 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987

Location: Upper Left USA		I like the way you think...

http://www.ovationfanclub.com/megabbs/photos/photo-thumbnails.asp?a...
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marenostrum
Posted 2012-08-10 3:57 AM (#457597 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
August 2007
Posts: 1008

Location: Tuscany, Italy		Very nice guitar. I like early model and I bet this will sound and play fantastic. Good score !
Seems to be a book matched top with a full mahogany neck (no maple strips on it).... right ?
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MWoody
Posted 2012-08-10 8:05 AM (#457600 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987

Location: Upper Left USA		Full Mahogany Neck and the "Two Board" top, yes! So this was the Second issue series?
When examining it and tapping for loose braces, etc. I got a feel for the sound and it was exciting.

I had to overcome the urge to start fixing it myself and had it packaged for Mother in less than an hour.
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jay
Posted 2012-08-10 8:52 AM (#457607 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 1249

Location: Texas		Mike, #485 has the same neck as yours, with 3 planks. #1911 has a 5 piece with 3 planks. I have begun to think that they just made them with what was available that day.
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moody, p.i.
Posted 2012-08-10 1:44 PM (#457620 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish


Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664

Location: SoCal		Jay, I think you're right on the tops. As to the neck, seems to me this is the second example seen without the 3 pieces in the middle. For some reason that strikes me as very unusual......
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marenostrum
Posted 2012-08-10 1:47 PM (#457621 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: RE: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
August 2007
Posts: 1008

Location: Tuscany, Italy		Jay you are right. Mine is #345 and has 5 pieces neck and two pieces top ....
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MWoody
Posted 2012-08-10 3:51 PM (#457624 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987

Location: Upper Left USA

From Dave's www.ovationgallery.com This is where it all started in 1966. The original Ovation Balladeer (later known as the Standard Balladeer) was Ovations very first model. Very early prototypes had a traditional shaped peghead and HERE is a photo of me playing "Old No.6", the oldest surviving prototype. The earliest production samples had an elongated truss rod cover with the name Balladeer engraved on it. Later the standard truss rod cover was adopted and the name Balladeer was scripted down the middle of the peghead. The inlaid rosette was a chain-link design with a small bunch of grapes depicted at the 4 o'clock position. The first rosettes were a black background, but early on was changed to off-white. The 5-piece neck, multi-ply body binding and the 5 point rosewood bridge were standardized, as were the Kluson tuners. Shown below are a 1967 and 1968 Balladeers, both with 3-piece spruce tops. Later examples switched to the more traditional 2-piece top. He also has a Registry but the site looks a little dusty...



Edited by MWoody 2012-08-10 3:53 PM
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MWoody
Posted 2012-08-16 8:08 AM (#457851 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987

Location: Upper Left USA		Just left Ohio...
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MWoody
Posted 2012-08-18 11:46 AM (#457940 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987

Location: Upper Left USA		Now in the hands of Mother... er, John.
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MWoody
Posted 2012-08-21 7:38 PM (#458074 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987

Location: Upper Left USA		Well, the first prognosis wasn't so good. Let's see what a week in the East Coast humidity can do...
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MWoody
Posted 2012-10-09 9:10 PM (#460209 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987

Location: Upper Left USA

She's ba-a-a-a-a-a-ck!

 

http://www.ovationfanclub.com/megabbs/photos/photo-thumbnails.asp?albumid=43&useralbum=2043

 



Edited by MWoody 2012-10-09 9:11 PM
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MWoody
Posted 2012-10-10 7:48 AM (#460237 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987

Location: Upper Left USA

Somehow they were able to refinish the top and maintain the original-ness (my request). I'll put some better pictures up later.

http://www.ovationfanclub.com/megabbs/photos/get-photo.asp?photoid=594



Edited by MWoody 2012-10-10 8:06 AM
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moody, p.i.
Posted 2012-10-10 9:33 PM (#460284 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish


Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664

Location: SoCal		How's the sound? I'm envious...
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marenostrum
Posted 2012-10-11 11:57 AM (#460294 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
August 2007
Posts: 1008

Location: Tuscany, Italy		These early X braced guitars are f a b u l o u s.
Congrats !
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MWoody
Posted 2012-10-11 1:56 PM (#460296 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987

Location: Upper Left USA		Sounding very Josh White Shiny Bowl - ish and very similar to my Balladeer 1112 (1974?).

Loving it!
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sowen246
Posted 2012-11-01 12:55 PM (#461411 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: RE: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish


Joined:
April 2012
Posts: 3

Location: Athens, Alabama		Hi, I just picked up a 1967 shiny back (#1354). It's in decent shape, 3 piece top, 5 piece neck. Has the 'Ovation stress crck below the bridge, but not too bad, more of a surface crack with lacquer checking (not near as bad as my '73 Balladeer), and some more checking along the joint where the heal joins the neck. Very smooth though.

The neck is wonderful feeling and the frets show minimal wear. The sound is really good - way better than my newer Celebrity series.

The case is an old black fiberboard with red 'shag' interior - is that original?

I bought this from the wife of the original owner, who had passed away several years back, leaving this to sit in the closet.

So, I have 2 main questions: What's it worth? And how do I go about getting it redone as you have in this post (and what kind of $$$ are we looking at)?



(3K23Mb3F65E75U35J3cau8639701e2c9f14a9.jpg)



(3kd3I83La5Ic5Ef5Hecauac595bae02651a3e.jpg)



(3Gf3I93m35Ia5L55F9cau42a8749d95851e23.jpg)



Attachments
----------------
Attachments 3K23Mb3F65E75U35J3cau8639701e2c9f14a9.jpg (25KB - 1 downloads)
Attachments 3kd3I83La5Ic5Ef5Hecauac595bae02651a3e.jpg (45KB - 0 downloads)
Attachments 3Gf3I93m35Ia5L55F9cau42a8749d95851e23.jpg (28KB - 0 downloads)
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sowen246
Posted 2012-11-03 3:12 PM (#461502 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: RE: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish


Joined:
April 2012
Posts: 3

Location: Athens, Alabama		Here are a few more pictures of #1354 after I got it home and cleaned it up a bit. The sound is amazing - big, boomy, bright, and far better than any of my other acoustics, with the exception of my Taylor K14, but it's really close!

It plays great, but the action is a touch high for my taste. I checked the truss rod, and there's this odd brass nut there, seems to be 1/4, but I can't get a socket to fit well. Any advice? Seems odd to make such a crucial feature out of a soft metal.

Fret wear is minimal, the neck is slick and fast (I wish the action on my EA68 Viper was this good!)

There is a crack at the base of the neck heal, but it is smooth and my only be a stress crack in the lacquer. There is a fine crack below the bridge, but it dosen't bother anything.

There was some mention that this may not be the original bridge, but I see no evidence of it being changed. If it has, it was done well and many years ago.

All things considered, I am very happy with it for the $200 I gave for it in a local trading paper!

I'd love to hear some comments, and related info, thanks!



(1967 Ovation 001a.JPG)



(1967 Ovation Headstock rear.JPG)



(1967 Ovation Bridge.JPG)



(1967 Ovation Label.JPG)



(1967 Ovation Shiny.JPG)



(1967 Ovation Case.JPG)



Attachments
----------------
Attachments 1967 Ovation 001a.JPG (82KB - 2 downloads)
Attachments 1967 Ovation Headstock rear.JPG (43KB - 3 downloads)
Attachments 1967 Ovation Bridge.JPG (49KB - 1 downloads)
Attachments 1967 Ovation Label.JPG (57KB - 3 downloads)
Attachments 1967 Ovation Shiny.JPG (64KB - 1 downloads)
Attachments 1967 Ovation Case.JPG (66KB - 1 downloads)
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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2012-11-03 3:20 PM (#461505 - in reply to #457576)
Subject: Re: 1967 Balladeer, from Scoop to Re-Finish



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR		If the action it too high at the 12th to 14th fret, adjusting the truss-rod will have no effect.
You would need to lower the saddle.

(If your string height is good at the 12th fret, but bad at 6th, then you use the truss-rod)
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