DubfromGA - 2014-04-27 8:51 AM

Quick backstory: My 14 yo son and I have recently started taking lessons. We are having a blast together. He's playing a new electric and acoustic that I bought for him....I'm playing a new electric that is iconic from the days when I was 14. Add to that two new amps and lesson costs and I've strained my fun money for a while.


I really wanted a new acoustic and had more difficulty zeroing in on the one I wanted....but finally made the decision. It's going to be a little while before I'm ready to shell out the funds for it, though.

A friend whose played for years texted me yesterday while I was at work. He said he'd been over to a guys house in response to a CL add for some nearly new wireless systems. He said the guy was selling three different acoustics, amps and other gear.

One of the acoustics was an older model Ovation that he was asking very little for. My friend played it and thought it make a good one for me to use in the meantime. It also came with an Ovation fitted hard case.

I picked the guitar up on my way home from work yesterday.

It sounds great when amped and feels really good in my hands. Looks aren't bad either, according to the wife. I also like the cutaway.

Good looks are a plus because she'll not gripe if I leave it on the stand next to my main leisure chair. Sure will be nice to have in arms reach so I can practice the chords and exercises my teacher has me doing. Side note here: I thought I had strong hands until my lessons began. I can't get over how bad my left thumb burns when making chords. It's funny because I'm known for having a crushing handshake and towering over most people. My instructor is a foot and a half shorter than me, yet has me about to cry "Uncle" by the end of the sessions. It's getting much easier, though.












On to my 3 questions.......


1) The string height is significantly higher than my sons new acoustic (I love the feel of his) and I have to address this in order for this guitar to stick around and be of use for me.











It's Sunday and the guitar shops are closed and my buddy will be tied up most of the day. Will some minor tweaks on the truss rod perhaps bring the relief down and close to the realm of where I'm hoping to get it?




2) I also don't care for the strings on it. They feel more like cables than strings. We're running (.009 - .046) on our new electrics and my son's acoustic has (.012-.052) which feel okay. Since I'm going to have to make adjustments to the guitar anyway....can you recommend some good strings that feel good....especially with a beginner in mind? The stings on the Taylor's I've tried feel really, really nice to me.



3) What else can you tell me about the guitar?




Age?


If I'm not mistaken....this thing was made at a time when I was almost my son's age. I had a buddy back then who started playing at that time and his Ovation seemed eerily similar.





Anyway....sorry for the long post. I was very enthused to get a guitar that, if set up properly for me, could meet my immediate needs as one that I can keep at arms reach and grab it when desired to work on my technique and hand conditioning. There are no worries if it gets bumped or nudged by the dogs, vacuum cleaner and etc as I have very little in it and can certainly get my cash out of it when the time comes to upgrade later on down the road.