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| Hey, all. Just found this forum-- I love Ovations. I am in the IZ of Baghdad, and I brought my beloved Ovation CC67 - "sounds great but isn't so valuable that I hesitate to travel with it" - with me. Since arriving here, alas, the 67 has fallen on hard times... I discovered a few months ago that the internal pickup was failing... took it apart, redid the wiring, put it back... crackle crackle crackle...
So I bought a decent Dimarzio and popped in the soundhole. Not the same, but good enough for the just-dicking-around-with-friends playing that I do.
Then I started playing some music with folks here in a band of sorts. Now, as you might guess, there are five million guitarists everywhere you go, including the IZ of Baghdad. But-- no bassists! So in the spirt of a new hobby and adding something unique-- bought an Ovation CC074 a-e bass a few months ago. I love it. After twenty years of six strings and chords, playing the bass is just fun and relaxing. Not that I am a world-class bassist-- those guys work too hard. But I can lay down a solid rhythm line AND make a lot of great rock and roll faces on stage. Nice. The only problem is that the bass is SO FREAKING LONG. I think I need a stool to rest my elbow on when I am playing high on the neck-- my arm gets TIRED... I don't know if a short person could play the thing-- huge! But it looks really cool-- almost no one has ever seen an acoustic electric bass...
So the group I sit in with here -- "Sonic Surge" -- played on Thursday night. I was requested to play six strings on "American Pie." So, earlier that day (this is where I get back to the tragedy of the CC67) I sat down to restring her... to get her show ready.
Sigh. For the first time I ever, a tuning peg stripped. The G-string. Wasn't even near the right pitch yet, and it gave way irreparably. Figuring I could maybe sort it out a little later, I continued to the B-string. SAME FREAKING THING. So, having never had a tuning peg fail on me ever, I suddenly had two fail at the same time. Any thoughts on whether it is purely coincidence or whether there might be some other factor? Dust is a problem here-- could that be fouling up my pegs?
So, alas my friends, I borrowed a six string for American Pie, which went off horribly and we cut short (which for that song means less than ten minutes, ha ha) for other reasons...
But the real question is how easily I can replace the tuning pegs, and how cheaply?
Or I may just buy another Ovation guitar and have it shipped here, too, because the CC67 has had a good life with me for ten years now, but is showing her age: Failed pickup, tuning pegs, numerous big cracks in the finish... but she still sounds gorgeous (to the chagrin of other guitarists here with much more expensive kit!). So we'll see...
One more question-- I have been eyeing the new VIP-5 preamp. Are the Ovation preamps interchangable-- if I bought a guitar with say, an OP-20 preamp, could I theoretically just drop in the VIP-5 sometime, or will it not fit or work?
Cheers, thanks in advance for your thoughts. I will keep rocking out in Iraq...
Jeff |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Someone here will answer your questions and probably help ship one out to you.
I want to know what IZ means. |
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Location: big island | Z=zone, not sure about the "I"
for a moment, i was wondering how he knew Braddah IZ and what he had to do with baghdad :D
welcome to the OFC, JC! in a few hours when some of the more guitar-handy folk on this forum wake up, i am sure you will get exactly the info you are seeking.
mahalo for all you do over there!
lanaki |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Oh, yeah. Sorry, I'm so rude. :(
WELCOME!! :D |
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Location: ranson,wva | as for the machines,if you just want something to throw in it ive got a new set of grover locking rOtomatics that i will donate to the cause. for the preamp. i dont think a vip will interchange with a op-20 but i could be wrong.....jason |
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Location: big island | IZ= International Zone |
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Location: ranson,wva | you beat me to it randy..lol jason |
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Location: big island | i had to google it :D |
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Location: big island | jason,
are you an insomniac or do you work graveyard shift? |
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Location: ranson,wva | just up early randy...in my former employment i worked 10pm to 7am...so im used to the hours..lol jason |
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Location: Minden, Nebraska | It shouldn't be hard to get a replacement tuner, but upgrade if you can in order to avoid it happening again. Jason has offered a solution.
A replacement pickup should be available. Contact Ovation customer service.
Welcome to the club. Are you U.S. military, or a contractor, or... ?
Be safe! |
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Location: Orlando, FL | Nice Jason!
JC, I had a feeling someone around here would have some machines to send. If I had a set I would gladly donate.
Take care JC, and thanks for your service! |
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| Thanks to everyone for the welcome and the info.
Paul B-- I am a contractor helping to rebuild the government infrastructure. So I don't claim to be as brave as our gals and guys in uniform. But I do buy them dinner and drinks over here whenver I can (um... I mean only dinner since they never break the rule that forbids them to drink, wink wink...).
Jason S-- you are the man. I have your email and will respond to that.
Peace,
JC |
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Location: ranson,wva | jc,they are on the bench at home. ive got to put the bushings back on behind the knobs because i had diferent knobs on them when they were on a reso that i parted out. they are your, but im away from home right now till the end of the week but i do have my laptop with me so the email is no problem...jason |
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Location: Minden, Nebraska | JC - Buy some drinks for our friends at Blackwater and Halliburton, too, and perhaps you can suggest Ovation guitars becoming standard issue for the field. ;) |
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Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | Originally posted by Paul Blanchard:
JC - Buy some drinks for our friends at Blackwater and Halliburton, too, and perhaps you can suggest Ovation guitars becoming standard issue for the field. ;) Why does someone always have to make some political hay out of almost every phuquen thread?
That was in bad taste for our guest, IMO. |
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| No offense seen or taken (but thanks for the concern, Goober!).
IMHO, the folks from any of the companies here whom you might take political issue with, are NOT the people they have working here. The folks I work with from all the companies (and of course the military folks) are all top-notch good people.
The Blackwater guys especially are great. They move me around the city in armor as necessary, and are always professional, polite, and have always (so far) got me back to camp with no new perforations to my body! And I always thank them profusely for that.
Cheers.
JC |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Goober, goober, goober ... they screwed up your order at Starbucks this morning, huh?
Politics be damned, I think Halliburton is an A+ company. I've been using one of there briefcases for the last 10 years and love it.
Dave |
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Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | I make WAY better coffee than Starbucks. And no, I'm quite jolly this morning Dave. Just an observation from someone that has become pretty apolitical. And, the commment did seem rather uncalled for. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | We are all guilty of inappropriate comments every now and them.
Fortunately, most members ignore them and they quickly fade away down the thread. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Speaking of coffee (thread hijack in progress), BIG THANKS to Lanaki for sending me a nice gift bag of KONA COFFEE from Hawaii. I brewed some up this morning - mighty fine stuff. Sitting here wearing the HULA DADDY t-shirt, sipping the Kona with a ukulele sitting at my knee. Looking outside at 75 degree blue skies. Life is very good. Dave |
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Location: Up North | I'm enjoying a cup of Kona as well, also sent from Lanaki with his History of Ovation book. First real spring-like day up here. Almost out of coffee, thanks again for a taste of the islands Randy. |
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Location: SoCal | You guys are wimps when you won't talk politics early in the morning! I, for one, think we oughta be talking about why the hell Lincoln won't fire Grant and get a real general in there!
No wait, wrong war.... I gotta go get more coffee....Randy, can you send me some??? Already brewed??? I need it this morning.......
As for Ovations in the battlefield, they need to issue one specially made like the one I had built. The hell with lyrachord, mines got a kevlar back on it. Kinda sucks up the tone, but it will stop most small caliber weapons. I know because I already had somebody take a shot at me. Of course, it was in church and they didn't like my playing...... |
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Location: Marlton, NJ | Ditto on the coffee - I'm drinking it out of my big Hula Daddy mug - courtesy once again of Randy! |
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Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | Oh stop it, Moody. Before you know it, all the Jesus....whoops!...I forgot. Sorry to step on your toes, pal. ;)
Religion, politics....no no. Guitars and sex, yes. |
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Hello, comments, and a question or two.
