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There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....

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Patch
Posted 2014-02-27 3:32 PM (#482616)
Subject: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226

Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent		As some of you know, John Budny showed me around the factory last summer so I could take some background shots for the calendar. I remember him saying he would not have much time, so I shouldn't count on more than an hour.

About 20 minutes in, he led me into the, for lack of a better word, "museum" room. Then, simply because there is a God, John got paged and had to leave me there.....for well over an hour! By the time he got back and finished showing me around, I had been on site for nearly four hours.

I suppose I could have taken more pictures in that room, but honestly, it wasn't long until the musician in me said "ENOUGH with the photography already! Time to play!"

It was like playing through a bit of history.....

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Patch
Posted 2014-02-27 3:36 PM (#482617 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: RE: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226

Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent

Let's start in mid '65.

Charley Kaman wasn't thinking "round" right out to the gate. Guess what number this body is?



This was followed soon after though with a level of radical that did the 60's proud! I give you.....#3!

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Patch
Posted 2014-02-27 3:40 PM (#482618 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: RE: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226

Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent

Not long after, the first complete Ovation guitar was built, round back and all. Now Bill Kaman had something to learn to play on.....




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Patch
Posted 2014-02-27 3:45 PM (#482619 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: RE: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226

Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent

Other ideas came and went, and every single one sounded pretty darn impressive....












Edited by Patch 2014-02-27 4:12 PM
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Patch
Posted 2014-02-27 3:49 PM (#482620 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: RE: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226

Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent

Then Charley got crazy-creative and dreamed up the Adamas. And by many accounts, he kept the very best one for himself. This particular instrument sounds AWESOME!





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Patch
Posted 2014-02-27 3:56 PM (#482621 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: RE: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226

Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent

Some of the neatest things about the room are the developmental guitars kept there. It gives some ideas into the creative process involved in getting a new model to the market.


For example, Ovation was fooling around with carbon fiber guitars much earlier that anyone else. They proved to be too costly, but did lead to a short run of guitars known as "Q". Very.......Good.......Guitars.





And here is some insight into the development of the VXT hybrid Electric....







Edited by Patch 2014-02-27 4:23 PM
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Patch
Posted 2014-02-27 4:02 PM (#482622 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: RE: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226

Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent

I have to say that it is almost surreal to play one guitar after another that spans a range of nearly fifty years of very good design. In that same room were some of the best Adamii available today, including an Adamas mando. (I want one badly.......)

I'm telling you right now; if I ever get to spend quality time like that in there again, I might never make it back out......









Edited by Patch 2014-02-27 4:26 PM
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Patch
Posted 2014-02-27 4:15 PM (#482623 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: RE: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226

Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent

And now things have come full-circle, and some of the most cutting edge guitars on the planet now keep good company with some of the best traditional builds of the modern era.


That place in New Hartford? It's worth a visit......



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TAFKAR
Posted 2014-02-27 4:33 PM (#482625 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2985

Location: Sydney, Australia		Drool. Did you die, go to heaven (with your camera) then get resuscitated?
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AstroDan
Posted 2014-02-27 4:41 PM (#482626 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....


Joined:
March 2010
Posts: 486

Location: Suisun City, Ca		The rosette on the early Balladeer and Charlie's Red slot-head... Wow!
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BanjoJ
Posted 2014-02-27 6:09 PM (#482629 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: RE: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
September 2012
Posts: 811

Location: Thredbo, NSW, Australia		Thank you very much Patch for sharing this with us. I'm envious.


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Weaser P
Posted 2014-02-27 6:50 PM (#482630 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....


Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 5330

Location: Cicero, NY		As any of those who were fortunate enough to go through one (or more) Tours will tell you, it's a phenomenal hands on room full of history, innovation and excitement matched only by the talents and expertise of the people like Mr's Keller and Budney (and not just a few more) that allow you to see first-hand the magic that players like all of us have enjoyed immensely over the years.

As a side note, I enjoyed my first trip through a Smithsonian Museum this past Fall and it really made me smile to see an Adamas (1581 I believe) behind the glass.

...but THIS room was much more fun. Nice work, Patch.
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Designzilla
Posted 2014-02-27 9:52 PM (#482633 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....


Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 2150

Location: Orlando, FL		Patch, thanks so much for sharing these amazing photos! It must a been in incredible experience!
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MWoody
Posted 2014-02-27 10:57 PM (#482634 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987

Location: Upper Left USA		Will they be hiring a Night Watchman anytime soon?
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Tony Calman
Posted 2014-02-28 1:54 AM (#482635 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 4619

Location: SoCal		amazing, even a banjo. thanks for sharing the pics. seeing #47 at NAMM and your pics show how great the work done on the 47RI that some of us have.
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cliff
Posted 2014-02-28 10:44 AM (#482640 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....


Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842

Location: NJ		I'd give some Major BodyParts for Q#10 (My All-Time Favourite Ovation) . . . .
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SOBeach
Posted 2014-02-28 12:10 PM (#482641 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: RE: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....


Joined:
April 2010
Posts: 823

Location: sitting at my computer

Cool. Thanx for that Patch.

  

Tony Calman - amazing, even a banjo.

omg... how'd that get in there?!  Smiley

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Darkbar
Posted 2014-02-28 12:10 PM (#482642 - in reply to #482640)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 4535

Location: Flahdaw		Hard to believe that let you play them when you visit.
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Beal
Posted 2014-02-28 12:21 PM (#482643 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127

Location: 6 String Ranch		the early small body was made for Buffy St Marie but she never got it.
The early Balladeer with the diamond and snowflake inlays was one I bought out in LA. you can see where the bowl was cut open and then patched.
Everyone thinks that #49 was his fav. Then why was #49 at the factory and #35 was at his house?
Nice that they are keeping that room in tact.
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rick endres
Posted 2014-02-28 1:17 PM (#482645 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....


Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616

Location: cincinnati, ohio		Patch - this is MAGNIFICENT! Thanks for the inside peek.
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Patch
Posted 2014-02-28 3:44 PM (#482649 - in reply to #482643)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226

Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent
cwk2 - 2014-02-28 12:21 PM


The early Balladeer with the diamond and snowflake inlays was one I bought out in LA. you can see where the bowl was cut open and then patched.




TA-DAAAHHHH!!

Boy, did I take a lot of pictures that day...

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elginacres
Posted 2014-02-28 9:36 PM (#482658 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....


Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 1609

Location: Colorado		Isn't there a Q at the fillin' station in Florida?
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marcnorth
Posted 2014-03-01 1:52 AM (#482660 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....


Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 9

Location: Indianapolis , Indiana		That's really cool, nice pics.
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marenostrum
Posted 2014-03-01 3:16 AM (#482661 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
August 2007
Posts: 1008

Location: Tuscany, Italy		Thank you Pacth !!
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arumako
Posted 2014-03-01 8:27 AM (#482663 - in reply to #482616)
Subject: Re: There is a VERY DANGEROUS room at the factory in New Hartford, CT....



Joined:
October 2012
Posts: 1034

Location: Yokohama, Japan		Goodness gracious Patch! I thought I died and went to heaven...when I came too, I was scrolling through your post on Ovation Fan Club! Just fabulous. What a magnificent history Ovation has. Thanks for sharing part of it with us!
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