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1990 L717 Cream-White

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leonardmccoy
Posted 2016-02-03 4:13 PM (#521875)
Subject: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2015
Posts: 287

Location: Katmandu

Today I have struck a bargain on eBay for an L717 with a cream-white finish. As the serial no. implies (#419757), she was made in 1990. Apparently, she needs a proper setup but should otherwise be in good condition. I will know more once she arrives.



Edited by leonardmccoy 2016-02-03 4:16 PM
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arumako
Posted 2016-02-03 11:43 PM (#521879 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
October 2012
Posts: 1034

Location: Yokohama, Japan		SWEET! Dumb question, here 'cuz the pic is pretty obvious, but is that a lefty?
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leonardmccoy
Posted 2016-02-03 11:54 PM (#521880 - in reply to #521879)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2015
Posts: 287

Location: Katmandu		Yes, sir, it's a lefty through and through.

Edited by leonardmccoy 2016-02-03 11:55 PM
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leonardmccoy
Posted 2016-02-04 12:36 AM (#521881 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2015
Posts: 287

Location: Katmandu		Does anybody have the technical specs for the L717 (materials, scales, neck shape, hardware)?
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Damon67
Posted 2016-02-04 1:52 AM (#521883 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6994

Location: Jet City

http://www.ovationguitars.com/guitars/archive/view/1717-legend

Same guitar, just right handed
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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2016-02-04 3:15 AM (#521884 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR		That is a NICE one.
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leonardmccoy
Posted 2016-02-04 10:41 AM (#521893 - in reply to #521883)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2015
Posts: 287

Location: Katmandu
Damon67 - 2016-02-04 1:52 AM

http://www.ovationguitars.com/guitars/archive/view/1717-legend

Same guitar, just right handed

Thanks a lot.
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Nancy
Posted 2016-02-05 4:25 PM (#521926 - in reply to #521893)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2014
Posts: 1713

Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota
leonardmccoy - 2016-02-04 10:41 AM

Damon67 - 2016-02-04 1:52 AM

http://www.ovationguitars.com/guitars/archive/view/1717-legend

Same guitar, just right handed

Thanks a lot.


Stupid Question, but one I have been wondering for a while, on a non-cutaway like this, how do you know it is a Lefty, and what are the actual differences?? They look just like a Right Hander... Thanks in Advance!

GORGEOUS Guitar Leonardmccoy! Fantastic shape, and unusual color!

Edited by Nancy 2016-02-05 4:26 PM
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Mark in Boise
Posted 2016-02-05 6:33 PM (#521931 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White


Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12755

Location: Boise, Idaho		The saddle is slanted the opposite direction. That's the only way I can tell, but there may be others, like the cuts in the nut sized for the larger strings on the opposite side.
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leonardmccoy
Posted 2016-02-06 2:13 AM (#521943 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: RE: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2015
Posts: 287

Location: Katmandu		A hard tell would be that a lefty noncutaway has all the electronics on the opposite site. Then, as Mark's mentioned, there's the saddle that's slanted in the opposite direction, and the nut slots also need to be carved differently in terms of width and height so as to accommodate the reverse stringing. The sidedots are on the opposite site of the fretboard as well.

But most importantly, if it's a factory-made lefty the model no. ought to reflect that:



I will have her in my hands by the end of the coming week.
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leonardmccoy
Posted 2016-02-06 11:30 AM (#521954 - in reply to #521943)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2015
Posts: 287

Location: Katmandu		She arrived!

The good: in terms of appearance, though a bit smelly still, she's in remarkably good shape for her age (26). The electronics seem operational. I have already had full success in removing the tape on the headstock, and the adhesive underneath, (with a hair-dryer, cloth, and some cooking oil) the previous owner put there, much to my dismay, to shield the headstock from bumps when playing with his band. After removing the tape the headstock showed itself to be in immaculate condition.

The bad: the neck is warped quite a bit. Unfortunately I don't have an Ovation-specific allen key (9834-0) at hand to adjust the truss rod right away and to check whether the neck is still operational. I have ordered a new wrench, which I would need anyway for my other Ovation, and some new strings (Daddario EXP16), since I have only had new Gibson J-200 strings lying around, which with their silk-wrapped ball ends are usually a little too thick for the slots in Ovation bridges.

No doubt I will treat her to a professional inspection come Monday. If everything works out, she'll be treated to a professional setup plus everything else that is doable and needs to be done. Should she turn out a dud due to the neck, she'll be returned.
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Nancy
Posted 2016-02-07 8:58 AM (#521982 - in reply to #521954)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2014
Posts: 1713

Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota		I hope that everything is fixable for her! Please keep us posted? It kind of takes some of the fun out of a new/old one, when you find things you didn't expect, but it sounds like you know just how to bring her back to her Former Glory!

And Thank you Bones (LeonardMcCoy) and Mark for the information on the Lefty, that helps me understand!
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leonardmccoy
Posted 2016-02-08 1:24 PM (#522022 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: RE: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2015
Posts: 287

Location: Katmandu

Thanks for the kind words, Nancy!

As for the L717, I have had her inspected today by my luthier. There is a serious problem with the neck in that neck relief is perfectly adjustable up until the 14th fret by ways of simply adjusting the truss rod. However, the neck piece mounted on the guitar (14th fret onwards) falls off flat compared to the rest of the neck, so that string height gets increasingly larger beginning with the 14th fret and the higher you go up the cane. Naturally, this makes playing in the upper frets more difficult as you require more strength to push down each string.

L717 neck

L717 neck: I've tried to visualize how much the neck drops off after the 14th fret.

My question for our Ovation experts: Is this phenomenon a rather common occurance with older Ovations (this one was made in 1990)? The reason I'm asking is because certain guitar brands, such as Martin for instance, are rather infamous for such a "neck drop" even on brand-new models.

I'm thinking hard about whether to keep or to return her. Should I pose that question to someone specific who may be able to help me with that? My luthier said that that kind of neck issue wouldn't be easily fixable and is a serious argument for returning her.



Edited by leonardmccoy 2016-02-08 1:26 PM
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Damon67
Posted 2016-02-08 1:38 PM (#522023 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6994

Location: Jet City		Do you return it? I guess that depends on your playing style. Do you play on/beyond the 14th? It's a non-cutaway, so there's not easy access up that far anyway.
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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2016-02-08 4:00 PM (#522027 - in reply to #522022)
Subject: RE: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR
leonardmccoy - 2016-02-08 11:24 AM

My question for our Ovation experts: Is this phenomenon a rather common occurance with older Ovations (this one was made in 1990)? The reason I'm asking is because certain guitar brands, such as Martin for instance, are rather infamous for such a "neck drop" even on brand-new models.

Quick answer... Yes.
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jay
Posted 2016-02-08 4:04 PM (#522029 - in reply to #522022)
Subject: RE: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 1249

Location: Texas

I'm confused...which is the norm for me...

Is it a L717 or a 1717 Legend? Being white, I didnt know if it was a different code, or an all together different model.

 

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leonardmccoy
Posted 2016-02-08 4:19 PM (#522030 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2015
Posts: 287

Location: Katmandu		Thanks a lot, guys! You have been very helpful with your advice.

I have been playing Ovation on and off for years but I was unaware that such a hunchback in the fretboard may occur on older Ovations.

And so I have made up my mind: I will keep her, because, other than the hunchback in the fretboard, she's a darn fine guitar back to front, and I'm not operating that much beyond the 14th fret anyway, especially not on noncutaways. I may even decide to get her re-fretted which is costly to say the least; in any case she's getting a new bone nut since the current one, which isn't an original, was so loose that it just fell off when cleaning the fretboard...

Concerning the situation I also inquired with the seller, who's a guitar-playing southpaw just like me, and we agreed that I get half of the purchasing price refunded which is rather generous of him (she came with the OHSC).

Edited by leonardmccoy 2016-02-08 4:31 PM
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leonardmccoy
Posted 2016-02-08 4:33 PM (#522031 - in reply to #522029)
Subject: RE: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2015
Posts: 287

Location: Katmandu
jay - 2016-02-08 4:04 PM

I'm confused...which is the norm for me...

Is it a L717 or a 1717 Legend? Being white, I didnt know if it was a different code, or an all together different model.

 


She's an L717 Legend, which is the lefty version of the 1717 Legend.



(l717 label.jpg)



Attachments
----------------
Attachments l717 label.jpg (64KB - 0 downloads)
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Mark in Boise
Posted 2016-02-08 5:44 PM (#522034 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White


Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12755

Location: Boise, Idaho		I was going to go home and check mine tonight. I suspect the majority of them have the "drop off" issue, although I've never tried to measure it. I don't play much at the 12th fret or above. I wouldn't want it the other way, with the fret board curling up on the bottom end. I've had 2 Ovations, including the LAV Koa, that have hump at the 12th or 14th fret.
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jay
Posted 2016-02-08 7:21 PM (#522038 - in reply to #522034)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 1249

Location: Texas

I share the same experience as Mark. My CL Anniversary had a bump around the 14th...didnt affect a thing, but it bothered the hell out me.

 

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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2016-02-08 8:17 PM (#522039 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR		Reminds me of the buzz at the 15th fret of my Orange Flame T.
It bugged the hell of of me, and I eventually fixed it.

I am not sure why it should bother me...
I never play anything that high on the fingerboard.
(oh yeah... Sweet Child of Mine which I never play)
But it just dinged my OCD button.
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leonardmccoy
Posted 2016-02-13 4:06 AM (#522132 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: RE: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2015
Posts: 287

Location: Katmandu		Here is just a quick follow-up on the L717. It's a very happy ending!

I gave the top a good rubbing and polish, and put conditioner on the fretboard; she now looks almost like new. I left the perfectly cut nut, which fell off during cleaning, as is, since even when loose it won't ever slip out of the accommodated nut slot, and many expensive guitars have the nut loose or only semi-fixated.

I re-adjusted the neck to allow for just the right amount of relief. The truss rod nut was buttery-smooth to rotate. String action is nice and low. Since I couldn't find any Adamas strings to buy anywhere, I went for .012 D'Addario EXP strings, which sound like what you would expect from coated strings (higher longevity, less brilliance).

While the hump in the fretboard remains until she is refretted, she's in overall marvelous condition for her age and begging to be played.



(l717cream.jpg)



Attachments
----------------
Attachments l717cream.jpg (31KB - 1 downloads)
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leonardmccoy
Posted 2016-02-13 6:34 AM (#522133 - in reply to #521875)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2015
Posts: 287

Location: Katmandu		Does anybody know what kind of bracing the 1717 uses? Are there any schematics?
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Nancy
Posted 2016-02-13 8:39 AM (#522135 - in reply to #522133)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2014
Posts: 1713

Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota		Gorgeous Guitar!!! I am so glad that everything turned out so well for you, and she got a really good, caring home! It is fun doing the Buff and Shine, you know every little nuance of them after doing that, and it kind of forms a bond for you both! You will have great time playing this Beauty! Congratulations!!
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Damon67
Posted 2016-02-13 12:47 PM (#522138 - in reply to #522133)
Subject: Re: 1990 L717 Cream-White



Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6994

Location: Jet City

leonardmccoy - 2016-02-13 4:34 AM Does anybody know what kind of bracing the 1717 uses? Are there any schematics?

 

A

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