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January 2005
Posts: 640
Location: boulder | Hey all,
I have to break my summer promise to not post (don't ask-I am still addicted to computers and guitars), because Al sent me a guitar today.
Now, I don't think of myself as an expert on ovations, even if I have had the good fortune to own more then a few nice ones. (Heck, I am still trying to figure out why ya'all give moody a hard time about three chords-like there is actually more!!) what I mean to say is, I just love ovation and adamas guitars. To much in fact, which is why i have a room full of guitars and no cash in my wallet. (hence the constant selling)...
But here is why I post....tonight I played one of the best, if not the best, production models from the ovation factory. Not a flaw on it, looks schwing, and sounds like an old jazz/blues joint. This puppy growls...very rich, balanced sound-nice mixture of koa wood and contour bowl along with 12 frets to give this ax a clean full woody tone. (to my ears).
If i had to pick one Ovation (not adamas mind you) acoustic-electric, this is it. This is the one. (with all due respect to the other 30 0dd ovations I have owned).
Many thanks to Al for putting this together and for the factory for putting out a beautiful instrument.
#11 KOA-OFC
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Sheshhhhhh....thanks Mike. Just what I needed. Another reason to come out to your house in Boulder when I should be working! ;)
Looks like a real beaut! |
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March 2004
Posts: 1388
Location: Paris/France | Congrats Mike, it's a so beautiful guitar!!!
J :) |
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July 2005
Posts: 354
Location: Flushing, MI | Wow, that's gorgeous! |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Congrats :)
Vic |
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February 2005
Posts: 212
Location: France | Congratulations Mike!
Tom |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Nice one Mike.
This model has kind of slipped under the radar, but your impressions match my own almost 100%. Believe it or nor a few people who have heard this guitar were not impressed, because it does not have that jangly treble "ovation" sound. But THAT is exactly what I love about it (and dislike about the usual roundback sound). This guitar has some real "guts". I could not put my finger on the word to describe the sound, but you nailed it. It has a "jazzy/blues" kind of sound. VERY nice indeed.
Glad to see that you got one. These are rare, and definately one of Ovations best ever.
Dave |
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December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | Beautiful! These never fail to inspire GAS. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | just a quick commment
these are not production guitars they are custom orders.
I have a few 12 fret guitars unspoken for that have not yet arrived.
the 14 fret ones should be here shortly!!!!!
can't wait!!! |
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July 2005
Posts: 3411
Location: GA USA | I'm just glad I have people like you to live my dreams through. That is a beautiful instrument. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Fine, Fine Ovation Mike! Congrats! Got to love the Slotheads!
:rolleyes: |
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September 2004
Posts: 1180
Location: Vermont USA | It's been said before but I'll say it again Nice.
Pauly |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Hi Mike. Only a dozen of the original 12 fret Koalas are being made, and two (so far) are in Colorado. Way to go. I'm still not totally enamored with the contour bowl, but the rest of the guitar is stunning. Just wait until you play it out in public! |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
I'm still not totally enamored with the contour bowl I agree. Nothing feels as good as a nice rosewood back/sides.
Dave |
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December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | Awesome Mike! |
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December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | Originally posted by alpep:
...I have a few 12 fret guitars unspoken for that have not yet arrived... :confused: Mike has #11... and #12 of 12 is on the truck. Did they make or ship them to you out of sequence? |
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September 2004
Posts: 1180
Location: Vermont USA | Posted by Dave "I agree. Nothing feels as good as a nice rosewood back/sides."
Dave do you own a Collings?
I played one once before and I never forgot how well it's playability and tone were.
Pauly |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Paulcc1:
Posted by Dave "I agree. Nothing feels as good as a nice rosewood back/sides."
Dave do you own a Collings?
I played one once before and I never forgot how well it's playability and tone were.
Pauly Yup, I own a CW-28 Clarence White sunburst (one of 8 in existence). Came from a good home. It is the standard to which all my other guitars are measured ... and all come up short.
Dave |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Nice guitar. Good sound hole configuration.
It will be interesting how the 14 compares to the 12.
I didn't like the contour bowl at first but I gotta say that I like it better than the original now.
Dave, I think Mahogony back and sides have a slight edge over rosewood. |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Absolutely gorgeous guitar. |
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September 2004
Posts: 1180
Location: Vermont USA | Dave I was looking for a picture of the Collings I found everything else only took about half an hour.
Pauly |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Originally posted by Mauvais Beal (cwk2):
I didn't like the contour bowl at first but I gotta say that I like it better than the original now. Wow... that's pretty strong endorsement!! |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | After 36 years with the deep bowls, everything else (on the acoustic side) feels odd. Tuppy makes a good point on the Rosewood, although I only have the Tak EF75 as reference, and its right up there with the deep bowls in comfort, but still, its face doesn't roll back and look at you like the deep bowls. |
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February 2002
Posts: 1817
Location: Minden, Nebraska | Very cool! Will I have opportunity to throw some money in its case if I'm strolling Pearl Street mall? |
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November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Just lovely.
Mine has become my day to day guitar. I love it. I'm still experimenting with which strings to use, although right now I'm thinking that plain old Ernie Ball cheapos sound the best. But I've still got a bunch of other brands to try, so we'll see.
It took a little fiddling, but I've got to where I think the VIP might be the slickest thing ever. I leave mine set on image #2, with the image slider sitting at about 35%-ish. I pull the bass slider down just a tad, and leave the mid and treble sliders flat.
With that, I get an effortlessly good signal into the board that sounds clean and natural and has only a slight (but desirable) piezo edge to it. Just enough to cut through, but not so much that it distracts.
I'll be interested to hear the 14 fret version. I'm curious how much of the goodness of these Koalas is a function of the 12 fret neck. Dave's right...these don't have the expected jangly Ovation sound. They are much darker and richer than that. "Jazzy/Blues" sounds about right.
And in addition to all that, these things look killer. |
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I have to say
