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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | I have a Custom Legend that as far as CLs go, is kind of a "plain-jane" cosmeticaly (although still a very cool guitar!).
According to the serial # it was built in 1975, so I assume it's a fairly early example. I'm just wondering if anyone here knows anything of the evolution of the Custom Legend design, and particularly, if what I have is something of a rare bird or just one of many.
I've searched the "History if the Ovation Guitar" book, and couldn't find anything in the text to help me, but there are a couple of pictures of this style CL. The guitar pictured on p.53; with the caption "An Ovation catalog from the early seventies" shows the distinctive detailing quite well. There's also a pic on p.116 of Joan Armatrading playing a CL like mine.
For those that may not have a copy of the book to refer to, here's a discription of this guitars distinctive features:
-Gold (not inlayed) HS logo.
-Non-carved, walnut truss rod cover w/ diamond shaped abalone inlay.
-Non-carved bridge w/ diamond shaped abalone inlays on each "wing".
-Mother of pearl (not abalone) rosette.
-Black deep bowl w/non-stereo electronics.
Also, the pearloid tuner buttons are more rounded in shape (like the ones on the classical style tuners), and the abalone trim around the top is dark and non-reflective.
Anyway, I'm not trying to figure out value or anything like that, just some history. Thanks in advance, and sorry for the lengthy post.
Jeff |
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Joined:
April 2003
Posts: 2503
Location: Fayetteville, NC | Jeff,
I'm not sure, But someone here has Got to have some insight on you CL. Sounds Like a Great Guitar. Anyone here have any answers for Jeff on this Guitar?? |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Does the lack of response mean I've stumped the panel...? :confused:
Still hoping someone can offer a little background on the guitar I've described.
Jeff |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | McCartney's were like this & I've seen the same guitar on dealer publicity. You have a very early CL, very cool, but no more valuble than any other CL from the era. Guitars develop aestheticaly as they are in the line and 20 years from now someone may ask "Hey how come the epaulettes on my Elite aren't inlaid" The used guitar market is not driven by rareity but by demand & bullshit. You have a very uncommon Ovataion, but the bottom line is that apart from a handful of us here, no-one cares. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | Temp's right in his assesment of the value of the guitar.
Didn't somebody on the board once say that McCartney's CL was the very first one built? |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | his wasn't the first built, far from it.
If I recall the diamonds are right. What did it have for binding? They were experimenting with petrolium-based non-real abalone that could be put on in one strip. While bowls were made I don't think a full guitar was. The look didn't get it.
I guess a good question would be if It's an A brace? |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | W-2,
The one I have does have an A brace. It also sounds like mine may have the one-piece petrolium strip in the binding, as it's darker and more uniform looking than the other abalone inlaid bindings on other CL's. It doesn't have that "reflective" quality to it like the others I've seen. Did any of those experimental CL's make thier way to dealers?
Jeff |
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The First Custom Legends
