"A 1281 with three humbuckers, no "Preacher" on the pick guard and split coils. Is this a legit Preacher custom order or a non-factory mod?"
It was not a production model in this configuration. How it came about will only be known by the person that ordered and/or built it. Is there any way to tell from the serial number?
no except for a serial of x001 to x010 -ish means it was a prototype for the model. If the persons who actually built these guitars respond, it may very well live up to the subject title.
Agreed, but that is not likely to happen. How accurate was the Ovation record keeping on serial numbers?
To my knowledge they only kept track of "range" of serial numbers per year as outlined in the FAQ and there are contridictions to that. The only other records would really be if someone mailed in the warrantee card.
Is there a reliable resource to identify how these guitars shipped?
In a box ?? Not sure what you mean in this question. Probably changed over the years based on rates and service. Are the urelite necks favored and if yes, why so?
Never saw a Urelite neck, ever. On an estimated percentage basis, how many Viper III sold with humbuckers?
The average would likely be 0%. To my knowledge, maybe two guitars, but probably a couple more... but then you asked "sold" and I'm not sure they were actually sold. They were built. Was that Viper III a custom order or a prototype? It was a Viper III and legit model How do you identify an Ovation prototype? The serial number of a true prototype is in the format of x001 and only ranged as far as we know to x010. The urelite body having a wood neck is strange, how often was this done.
The only Urelite body in production was the UKII. There were a few, like maybe 3 - 5 Urelite Viper bodies made as experiments and configured. To my knowledge, there never was a Urelite neck. If this IS a one off, what markings would it have?
It would likely have a standard serial number on the neck plate with no reference that it was a one-off. Now having said that, we have seen scribbles under the bridge or in the pickup cavity that relate to color, or maybe who was making it or a date or something, but they was no standard. More likely any notes or other markings on the inside only happened if the tech was working on more than one guitar at a time that was similar and he wanted to keep them straight with never an idea that anyone would actually see the info in the future. I'm assuming that it wouldn't be a prototype unless it didn't have a production serial number
Do I need to explain what happens when you assume? Seriously.. ANYTHING is possible. Where did Ovation mark the Preachers?
If you mean serial number, same place as all the USA solid bodies... the neck plate. I'm hoping to get this axe for under a K, is that an irrational number?
Some might say paying more than 1K is irrational. Read the "how much is my guitar worth" in the FAQ. the neck has the standard 1281 dots and all the pickups are passive so it's likely not a deluxe custom since those had 'active' electronics.
Actually it's likely not a Deluxe because there was no such thing. There was a "Preacher Deluxe" which was NOT a "deluxe" model of a Preacher... it was a model called Preacher Deluxe that shared very little with Preacher other than basic body silouette. Were the rail pickups on the UK II too wide to fit in this body?
All of the standard solid body USA pickups (single, humbucker and UKII Rails) are interchangeable with some minor exceptions. The original Toroidal Breadwinner pickups obviuosly won't fit. It's worth mentioning that the Viper III (the real Viper III) middle single coil pickup was wound different. Still all the same size... just thought that worth mentioning. What was the original spec for the Preacher pickup cavity?
Big enough for a pickup to fit? I guess I don't understand the question. How did Ovation route the Preacher bodies?
With a router? Again, maybe I don't understand the question. Was there any difference between the Preacher deluxe and standard humbuckers not attributable to the FET circuit?
No Does anyone have the schematic to what is presumably an FET gain stage on Preacher Deluxe?
I'm sure someone does. I may someplace. Keep in mind the pre-amp was NOT a boost. It was indeed a pre-amp that focused more on tone. The early ones actually had the "0" in the middle of the tone with + and - numbers or Treble bass I think as well on some, but later they just used 0-10 markings. Not really sure if Preacher Deluxe ever had the zero in the middle tone controls, but the Deacon and Breadwinner did. The pre-amp worked the same regardless... counter clockwise boosted bass, and clockwise boosts treble. Unlike a standard tone control that just cuts the highs to make bass. The volume side did go through an FET, but it didn't boost. Just kept it clean, in theory. How many leads do the Preacher Deluxe humbuckers have?
If memory serves, I have seen two, four, and five with the latter just being a soldered ground, the four being combined outside the pickup casing and the two where the two coils were bridged under the pickup casing. Bottom line, a humbucker has 4 leads regardless if you see them or not. If the pickups on the UK II were no larger than the ones on the Preacher why wouldn't it be entirely possible to order a Preacher with them?
8I don't see why it wouldn't be possible. The brochures describe both the Viper and Preacher pickups as having 10k turns around Al-Nico magnets:
True Did they use the same coil profile, wire and magnets and if so, does that indicate the humbuckers had twice the total wire?
I have no idea (or could I even care). Ovation was very tight lipped about how the magnets were wound. My guess is that a 10K turn humbucker has two singles wrapped 5K each... but I have no basis for that other than if marketing heard there were two coils each wrapped with 10K turns they would be shouting it from the rooftops as such. How many lead wires were on the Preacher humbuckers? How many on the UK-II?
In the true sence, there must have been 4 as they are humbuckers, but.... as mentioned above.. how many we see outside the casing may differ, but the electronics don't change. Would the UK-II humbuckers fit in the Preacher without modifications to the cavity or pickguard?
yep I have heard the Viper pickups considered relatively 'hot' for their day, can you name a common pickup that sounded very much like it?
To my knowledge there wasn't a similar one. By messing with the selector, volume and and tone, and of course the amp the Viper can sound like a tele, strat or Les Paul.... only some might say better than any of them. It's subjective. But I played pretty heavy rock with a Viper and while I ultimately replaced the bridge pickup with a humbucker, the stock pickup did a pretty good job. In fact it's the only single coil pickup that gets along EXTREMLY well with Rockman effects that were designed for Humbuckers due to the high gain stages. Ditto for the Preacher pickups.
I never liked the Preacher Pickups without the pre-amp...eg.. My Preacher has Viper pickups in it. That being said, they have a unique tone. I liked the Preacher Deluxe and Deacon sounds, but found them limited in range for me. They did what they did... sounded great and all that... but unlike the Viper pickups than can take on different personalities, the Preacher style humbuckers always sounded like they sounded. A good sound.... better with the pre-amp I think due to added range... but overall... their own sound.
So I think I have answered allof you questions, so here are mine.. Why so many questions? As you stated, "it's a a 1281 with three humbuckers, no "Preacher" on the pick guard and split coils." Or in other words an Ovation Preacher style guitar with no "Preacher" on the pick guard and split coils." Based on your comments it's probably not a prototype and not a production model obviously so it's either a custom order or something someone put together with spare parts either at the factory or not. You will never know unless they have some documentation with it, or as you mentioned earlier, someone remembers building it. That's it.. It is what it is. As far as what to pay for it... I guess that depends on how much you like it. I refer you to the "How much is it worth" section of the FAQ. | 
The definitive Preacher thread?
