|
|
Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Well, I acquired my 3rd Ovation today-- a CS 257 Deluxe. I know-- it's not an Elite or an Adamas, but it's an epaulet guitar and it's a damned fine axe, and it's going to be a working guitar. I have this thing about taking a Rolls-Royce out on the freeway when a Lexus will do. The 257 blows the doors off my Ibanez (which had been my Lexus up to now). I guess this will be my main performing axe; I'll tune my Fishman-equipped Balladeer to "double dropped D" (a'la Neil Young)and the Ibanez to open "G" (a'la the Stones), and use the 12-string for variety here and there. The OP-30 preamp is incredible!
I have infrequent G.A.S. attacks. I bought my first Ovation (the Balladeer) in 1971, my second one (a Pacemaker 12-string) in 1974 or '75, and this one today (we won't mention that little Ibanez aberration a couple of years ago). Neat thing is, I bought all my Ovations from the same music store and the same guy! He was just a kid like me in '71, and I was one of his first sales. Now he's the district manager. He's always treated me well-- thrown in a hard-shell case free on all three guitars-- and given me a really good price. If I ever buy another "O," I'll look him up.
Unless he retires first! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Congratulations, Rick! I'm sure it will serve you well! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Great story. I can't even remember where I bought my first O in 1977, but I still have it. I'm pretty good at remembering what I paid for anything, though. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Got my first acoustic guitar (Ovation Balladeer)from a piano store in Houston called BROOK MAYS. They had a small section off to one side that had amps, guitars, basses, and drums....but over 90% of the building was pianos.
It is also where I used to get my local concert tickets before big business (like asswipe Ticketmaster) took over. It was great. You could walk up to the front desk and the salesguy would whip out a few stacks of tickets and you could pick your seats.....and if you were really good friends, he would usually hold back some kick ass floor tickets for you. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | I was exposed to an Ovation Nut at a young age. The trend continues.
Congrats! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | Stephen, where was Brook Mays and when did you buy it? I bought my first Ovation in 1972 from Parker Music, out on the west side.
Rick, great story. Ovations, not matter how much you spend on them, are meant to be played out. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2004
Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | There's several Brook Mays in Houston. They are still a piano store and still just like you describe them except maybe for the ticket part.
I hadn't been in one for decades until last year, then happened upon one and got a great deal on Ernie Ball electric strings for three bucks a set. Didn't think much of their guitar selection though. I was shopping for an electric at the time and didn't even notice if they still carry Ovations or not.
What part of Houston did you live in? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2004
Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | The Parker Music in Memorial City Mall? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | Yup. In 1972 it was this narrow little store. Ovations were in the display window and then back in the store, on the back left wall. I remember standing in front of the front display window after the store had closed and just thinking that Ovations were the coolest looking guitars I had ever seen.
There were some terrific jams in that store. I took lessons there for about a year.
Last I saw (about 21 years ago) the store had moved into a huge area. Didn't look nearly as inviting. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2004
Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | Yeah, I remember how narrow it was. That was back before I even had any thoughts about playing guitar, but my sister took classical guitar lessons there. I was just a kid and used to work at the movie theatre there. So obviously you're much, much older than me.
:D :p |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | Hell son, look outside. See the dirt? I'm older than that (at least my kids make me feel that way).
By the way, if you remember Parker Music in the old store, then do you remember the Town & Country Six Theaters, on West Belt? I used to be the head usher there. So treat me with respect..... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Wow....Parker Music...sure I remember them but with my limited driving range they were far away.
I used to live in Glenbrook Valley which was very near Hobby Airport. Brook Mays was located on the Gulf Freeway off of Airprot Blvd (and I can't believe that I remembered all those names or that Moody grew up in Houston also)!
Anyone remember Milby Park and the great free Sunday rock bands....and the trail through the woods were all the dealers had the tables set up offering their various smokes and dopes??? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
Hell son, look outside. See the dirt? I'm older than that Then I know you remember nickel bags and two dollar matchboxes! :cool: |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I also used to ride my bicycle on the big mounds of dirt that later become the 610 Freeway. Wow, haven't thought about that for years.
Moody, what high school did you grad from? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | I bought my first Ovation in 1972. 12 string Pacemaker. I still have it and except for having the frets dressed once and the saddle reset to improve the intonation, it still sounds great. I also put a Martin thinline pickup in it in the eary 80's when I started to play out again.
Ovations are a workhorse and can take a lickin' and keep on pickin'. :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2004
Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
Hell son, look outside. See the dirt? I'm older than that (at least my kids make me feel that way).
By the way, if you remember Parker Music in the old store, then do you remember the Town & Country Six Theaters, on West Belt? I used to be the head usher there. So treat me with respect..... Hah, yes I remember those little things. I was pretty much the only usher, but we had a humongously big balcony, which was never open because the theatre was so big they could never come close to filling it. We had a big winding stairway leading up to it that filled half the lobby. On slow nights I used to sneak up there with snack counter girl. :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2004
Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | Originally posted by stephent28:
I also used to ride my bicycle on the big mounds of dirt that later become the 610 Freeway. Wow, haven't thought about that for years.
Moody, what high school did you grad from? Now, YOU are older than dirt! When I was a teenager in high school ZZ Top released their first album with a song called 'Master of Sparks'.
"Out in the stix, on Hiway 6...".
Highway 6, back then was a two lane asphalt road with absolutely nothing but cow pastures and a very old but small graveyard with a single overhead light. Now its 3 and 4 lanes in each direction and nothing but subdivisions and strip shopping centers.
I spent most of my Friday and Saturday late nights back then out in the stix on hiway 6. There used to be a spillway at Barker dam where everyone gathered.
I'd bet Moody went to Westchester. I went to Memorial but was from one of the poorer families there. I never spent much time on your side of Houston but I remember that big Brook Mays sign on the way to Galveston. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Wow You guys have been busy while I was out working in the yard. This is GREAT! This is what I love about the OFC-- when folks get rollin' and telling personal anecdotes, and connecting with people from the old hometown. On some level, all of us can relate. I can see more than one person out there smiling and nodding as they read these, remembering similar fond memories of their own-- or maybe not so fond, but falling into the "we'll laugh about this someday" category. Well, "someday" is today! I'm sitting here recalibrating my amp for the CS 257. Man, this is a BEAUTIFUL guitar, and it sounds great. Mark in Boise, it looks like this is the nutmeg color you described. Gorgeous top!
When I got my first Ovation in '71, the Balladeer, Ovations were still considered a really "radical" instrument. We used to play a couple of the local folk clubs back then, even though we were acoustic rockers in the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young vein and not folkies. I would get the evil eye from more than one folk "purist." In later years, they would throw up their hands in horror at pickup-equipped guitars and refuse to plug you in, putting a guitar mic on you instead. People are funny..... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Oh, I forgot-- Moody, you have a good point about "Ovations of any kind are meant to be played out." Maybe someday I'll treat myself to an Adamas or an Elite. Right now, though, I'm enjoying the new arrival. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Ovation Loyalty???
Guilty...guilty to a fault perhaps.
Got my sixth a couple days ago. I've never sold one of my Ovations. It has been suggested that I "broaden my horizons" and not dismiss the wood box models out of hand. I have played as many quality wood box guitars I could get my hands on. A couple days ago I again spent some time with the Doyle Dykes model Taylor. It's very, very nice...but it won't ever come home with me.
Obsesive?...perhaps. But it is a healthy, logical obsession backed with reason. My Ovations have been good to me and they more than enough varieties than I will ever need. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | Congrats on your new guitar! :)
Ovation Loyalty? Hmm... as far as I know, I will always be loyal to Ovations, but somehow the Os doesn't like me much :( Since purchasing my one and only O, the others that followed were non-Os ... *sigh* perhaps, someday the odds will work in my favor ... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Thanks for the congrats, Gil, and to everyone else who offered good wishes. Funny thing is, I can feel G.A.S. pains growing the more I play and enjoy this new guitar. I thought it was supposed to work the OTHER way around-- buying one was supposed to curb the urge. I find myself, in the words of John Fogerty's "Fortunate Son," wanting "MORE, MORE, MORE, Y'ALL!" |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Rick, check out the pics of my daughter's 247 in my gallery. I love the big smile on her face when she got it at Christmas.
Brad, my wife suggested once that I was obsessive and should try something else. So I took that as permission to get an Adamas. I even have a witness to that conversation who now has 2 Ovations. I hope to start the Adamas line with a Ute. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | Westchester, class of '73. But I didn't grow up in Texas. I just went to high school and college there (Austin). I came from California and moved back after college. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Punk kid. Colby, class of 71. |
|
| |
OVATION LOYALTY
