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Location: Buffalo,NY | Last fall I sauntered in to my local guitar store and was looking to buy a twelve sting. I certainly wasn't looking for an Ovation as I had been conditioned by one of my guitar playing friends to believe that Ovations are "toy guitars " that sound like they are made out of plastic. I'm over 50 so this opinion was given to me back in the original Glenn Campell Show days.
So I had never even bother playing an Ovation until now because I had convinced myself, based on bad advice, that Ovations were no good.
I see this Ovation Hanging high on the wall and it really looked great so just as a joke I decided to give it a try. So I tune it up and away I go, just playing it acoustically;unbelieveably it actually sounds good, I mean really good. So I call the shop owner and one of the sales people over and say something like:"listen to this 12 string and tell me if I'm loosing my mind because it sounds great to me and I know that Ovations don't sound good". They said that not only do they sound great but try plugging it in. So I did and I couldn't really make it sound bad; it sounded full bodied and jangly and everything I wanted in a 12 string. So I buy it for about $900 new. I look inside the guitar at it's label and it says that it's an 1858LX Elite. So I think that's pretty cool and I go home and start playing and really enjoying the guitar . This was last September or October(2006).
So I am really proud of myself for discovering how good Ovations sound and actually buying one. I decide to go online and learn more. I find info about Ovations and their new LX guitars with the dual truss rod system,new composite material and Op-Pro preamp. So I go back to my guitar and see that it has no truss rod cover (let alone an LX one)and an OP-40 preamp .
So I'm confused so I send Ovation an email and ask about this guiatar and give them the serial number. They assure me that it left the Factory with an OP-Pro pre-amp and that the store must have switched it out. So later that week I take it back to the store and complain and they tell me to leave it and they'll have their Kaman Sales rep take a look at it. He looks at it and sends it back to Ovation. As it turns out, the guitar I got was an 1858 ,but not an 1858LX. It had somehow been mis-labeled at the factory. It is now past Xmas and the salesman asks me what I want to do. I said I paid for an 1858LX , so that's what I wanted. He gives this instruction to the factory and they say they weren't making any at the time but would put a rush on mine. I just picked it up about a week or two ago.
Fortunateley I have lots of guitars and this whole ordeal was carried out on very friendly terms. But now I have my 1858LX now and I'm loving even more now that I lowered the action. It took me a while but now I'm an Ovation owner.
Regards,
Tom
ELECTRICS : 2006 PRS CU 22 12 String Ch. Sunburst; 2004 PRS Hollowbody II McCart Sunburst; 2005 PRS Modern Eagle 20th Ann. Charcoal, 2005 PRS CU24 20th Ann.Artist Blue Matteo,; 1997 PRS Santana 1 ,Sunburst ; 1965 SG Special - White ; 1963 Fender Strat- sunburst ; 1964 Gretsch Country Gent-dark walnut ; 1998 Gretsch Country Classic Jr. ; 2001 Gibson ES-335 - natural ; 2004 Gibson Firebird - white ; 1966 Fender Electric XII ; 1989 Fender Strat Plus Deluxe - greyburst ; 1969 Fender Tele- Blonde ; 1969 Fender Esquire - Blonde ; 1969 Fender Tele Bass - Blonde ; 199? Jackson Randy Rhodes V - black ; 199? Peavey Wolfgang - cognac burst ; 200? Gretsch Duojet 1957 RI - black w/bigsby ; 2005 Gibson SG Special - black ; 1968 Vox Sidewinder Bass- cherry ; 1965 Silvertone amp-in-case 2pickup - red sparkle; 1965 Hagstrom I(powder blue)
Amps:
1965 Pro Reverb,1966 Vibrolux Reverb, two 1968 Super Reverbs, two 1968 Vibrolux Reverbs,1968 Princeton Reverb, 1968 Deluxe Reverb, 1968 Bandmaster Reverb, two 1969 Bandmaster Reverbs, Vox AC15 2x10, Vox AC15TBX, Marshall DSL 401,Mesa Boogie Mark IV, 1964 & 1965 Ampeg Gemini 1's ; 1970s Ampeg V4 ; Vox AC30CC1 ; 1965 Gibson Falcon |
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Location: GA USA | We have a winner! Welcome aboard, Doc! |
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Location: Munich, Germany | Welcome Tom. And congrats to your new guitar.
BUT: There is still a lot to discover. Looks like you haven't played a Deep Bowl Ovation. Or a Deep Bowl textured Top Adamas. Try one of these acoustically - maybe you wish to get rid of some of your old acoustics.
For example, I had an old Takamine 341 "Springsteen" model, sounding good, looking beautiful, that I have sold to a friend, because it just could not get in touch with one of my deep bowls.
Kurt |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | It's always fun to watch someone take their first step... not knowing it's of the deep end.
the 12 string LX's are very sweet sounding guitars. There are a couple of them floating about round here...
and as Kurt sez... Oh, there's more tasty flavors for you to try... |
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Location: Warren,Pa. | Welcome Tom!
I'm down here just a little south of Jamestown. Really exciting story you have. Let me invite you to bring your new LX to the Factory tour in May. We'd love to check it out in person (and meet you of course). It's such a blast...hope you'll consider it.
John <>{ |
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Location: SoCal | Doc, welcome to the club. You're definitely going to need to come to the OFC gathering in May at the factory in CT. But be prepared because Ovations can be very very addicting. I predict a bad case of Ovation G.A.S in your future..... |
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Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Just curious, Tom. Do you think the LX version sounds better acoustically than your original 1858?
Welcome to the OFC.....GOOD GRIEF, I just noticed your menagerie of guitars and amps. Wait here while I go get my wife to see this, so she can see how lucky she is..... :D
(I have 11 guitars and 6 amps)
Roger |
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Location: Buffalo,NY | Whoa, just got back from the Philharmonic. Outstanding performance of a Mozart violin Concerto and Mahler's 5th Symphony brought down the house !
Thank you all for the welcomes and the warnings about Ovation GAS. I have lots of guitars so i'm not cured of GAS(as there is no cure)but the need to acquire becomes less frequent when I discover one of my guitars that I haven't played in a while !
Old Applause Owner
Just curious, Tom. Do you think the LX version sounds better acoustically than your original 1858?
Welcome to the OFC.....GOOD GRIEF, I just noticed your menagerie of guitars and amps. Wait here while I go get my wife to see this, so she can see how lucky she is..... [Big Grin]
(I have 11 guitars and 6 amps)
Roger Roger,
I never really had them at the same time to A/B compare. I know that the original 1858 sounded great acoustically .
Show your wife my pedal collection , too. I couldn't fit all this stuff in my signature !
Pedals:
ADA Flanger w/RI Foot pedal(Vintage),Analogman Stereo Chorus, (2) Analogman ,Bi-Comprossors,Analogman SunFace(NKT 275),BJF Honey Bee Overdrive,Boss Line Selector LS-2,Boss Equalizer GE-7,Boss PN-2 Tremolo/Pan,Boss Power Supply PSM-5,(5) Boss Chromatic Tuners TU-2,Boss DD-20 Giga Delay,Boss Metal Zone MT-2,Boss BF-1 Flanger(Vintage),Boss DM-2 Delay,Boss Delay DM-3,(2) Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble,Boss Bass Chorus CE-2B,Digitech Whammy II,Digitech FX-17 Wah/Vol,Digitech Bass Driver(X-Series),Digitech Jam Man,(5) Ernie Ball Volume Pedals,EH Screaming Bird Treble Booster,EH Small Stone Phase(Vintage),EH Big Muff PI(Vintage),FoxRox Captain Coconut II,Fulltone ’69 Fuzz,Fulltone Clyde Wah,Gibson Maestro Fuzztone (FZ-1A),Hermidia Zendrive,Hermidia Mosferatu,
Ibanez CS-9 Stereo Chorus,Ibanez TS-9 RI,(2)Ibanez TS-9DX,Ibanez TS-9DX Keeley Mod,Ibanez TS-9 Analogman Mod,Ibanez TS-9DX Analogman Mod,Ibanez Original TS-9(Analogman upgrade),Jim Dunlop Crybaby Wah,Keeley 3-Way Rat,Keeley Rangemaster,(2) MXR Distortion+ (Vintage),MXR Phase 100 (Vintage-Script),MXR Dynacomp (Vintage-Script),MXR Noisegate Linedriver(Vintage),MXR Micro Flanger(Vintage),
MXR Loop Selector(Vintage),MXR Power Converter(Vintage),Paul Cochrane Timmy,
Peterson Strobo Stomp,Peterson VS-II Virtual Strobe Tuner,Pro Analog Dual Drive,Radial ToneBone Classic Distortion,Time Machine Boost,T.C. Electronics Stereo Chorus,Vox Big Ben Overdrive,Whirlwind Selector A/B Box,Teese RMC-3 Wah,Teese Picture Wah
Regards,
Tom |
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Location: New South Wales, Australia | Welcome Tom. Congratulations on the purchase. Down here in Australia I've got two guitars and one amp. My wife keeps saying to me..."why do you need two guitars?"......if she only knew :) |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Tom, welcome. So, do you live in a warehouse? You probably pay more for strings than I pay income tax.
Oz. DON'T go down the slide guitar/alternative tuning road.
It'll drive you nuts with only 2 guitars. Trust me, I know. (My missus thinks ONE expensive guitar is too many) |
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Location: New South Wales, Australia | I'm right with ya Muzza. Mine thinks new carpet is more important than a new instrument.
That slideguitar/alternative tuning road is very tempting though. |
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Location: Buffalo,NY | ozwatto and muzza ,
Thank you for the welcomes.
I have always told my wife that the reason I so many guitars is because God said I can only have one wife ! She seemed to buy that with out too much fuss. However when ever I make a purchase I usually make sure that she gets to buy something she wants as well(for at least $25-50). Since she knows each of my guitars only costs about $200, she is happy with this.
However, and I really feel bad about this, I have become the master of sneaking guitars and amps into the house. Once they are in my finished basement with the rest of the stuff they can be displayed and used with out fear as they blend in when you have a lot of stuff.
To be quite honest about it, I don't really understand why she would get upset because I still have less than 40 guitars !
Regards,
Tom |
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Location: Simpsonville, SC | Since she knows each of my guitars only costs about $200, she is happy with this.
:D :D ;) ;) |
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Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Tom.....NOW I feel better.....none of my guitars has ever had to be sneaked into the house. My wife knows all that I have and roundly what they cost. In fact, she bought me two of the most expensive ones, the Melissa Etheridge Adamas 12-string and the 2002 Collectors.
Due to room, though, I am in a "one-in, one-out" policy on guitars, so I have to want something pretty badly to dispose of something to get it.
Roger
1976 Applause AA14-4
1981 Ovation Glen Campbell 1118-1 12-string
2001 Adamas Melissa Etheridge MERB1598 12-string
2002 Ovation 2002-AC Collectors
2003 Ovation 1777-NAT Legend
2004 Fender American Stratocaster
2005 Ovation 2005-ES Collectors
2005 Ovation 1771LX-CCB Balladeer
2005 Fender Mexico 70s Reissue Stratocaster
2006 Fender Japan '62 Reissue Stratocaster
2006 Fender Jimmie Vaughan signature Stratocaster
2005 Vox Pathfinder 10
2005 Roland Cube 30
2006 Crate Taos acoustic
2006 Fender Blues Junior
2006 Fender Blues Deluxe
2007 Vox Pathfinder 15R |
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Location: SoCal | I'm going to show my wife the list of guitar and equipment that you guys have. She's going to start wondering why I have so few..... |
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Location: Buffalo,NY | BegginJM,
With some of my vintage electrics it becomes obvious that they are lower in price because they're so old and worn . Like the '64-65 Gretsch Country Gent:
Or the '65 Gibson Sg Special :
And the '63 Fender Strat even has some chips of paint missing, so it's quite obviuosly not worth very much :
Regards,
Tom
ELECTRICS : 2006 PRS CU 22 12 String Ch. Sunburst; 2004 PRS Hollowbody II McCart Sunburst; 2005 PRS Modern Eagle 20th Ann. Charcoal, 2005 PRS CU24 20th Ann.Artist Blue Matteo,; 1997 PRS Santana 1 ,Sunburst ; 1965 SG Special - White ; 1963 Fender Strat- sunburst ; 1964 Gretsch Country Gent-dark walnut ; 1998 Gretsch Country Classic Jr. ; 2001 Gibson ES-335 - natural ; 2004 Gibson Firebird - white ; 1966 Fender Electric XII ; 1989 Fender Strat Plus Deluxe - greyburst ; 1969 Fender Tele- Blonde ; 1969 Fender Esquire - Blonde ; 1969 Fender Tele Bass - Blonde ; 199? Jackson Randy Rhodes V - black ; 199? Peavey Wolfgang - cognac burst ; 200? Gretsch Duojet 1957 RI - black w/bigsby ; 2005 Gibson SG Special - black ; 1968 Vox Sidewinder Bass- cherry ; 1965 Silvertone amp-in-case 2pickup - red sparkle; 1965 Hagstrom I(powder blue) |
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Location: south east Michigan | Tom.... you old Jedi Master!!!!
Mrs. Tom... "Tom... where is the receipt for that guitar??"
Tom...with a slight hand gesture... "You don't need to see the receipt"
Mrs. Tom... "Nevermind honey.. I don't need to see the receipt."
:D
Tom my friend.... you're gonna fit in here real nice. |
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Location: south east Michigan | Tom
We're driving from Michigan to Hartford for the Factory Tour/Jam in May.
Be in front of the Hard Rock Cafe at Niagra Falls about 10:30 am. We'll pick you up there. |
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Location: Buffalo,NY | Slipkid
Tom
We're driving from Michigan to Hartford for the Factory Tour/Jam in May.
Be in front of the Hard Rock Cafe at Niagra Falls about 10:30 am. We'll pick you up there. Slipkid,
Thank you for the kind offer. I won't be able to make it unfortunately. Do these tour take place every year ?
Regards,
Tom |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Yep..
Well for the last five years anyway.
There are a ton of photos in the gallery section.
The best photo album to look at is under the name.. Phil Wong.
There is even a 2 disc DVD available showing the events of the last Tour. |
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Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | Dr. Tom.. I will be happy to take those beatup, old, no-name, pieces-o-junk off your hands for ya! Heck, I will even give a hundred for each, so that your loss isn't so bad :rolleyes: |
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Posts: 5332
Location: Bluffton, SC | Wow, welcome aboard, Dr! You have some great stuff in your listings - O's, Tak's, Taylor's - very nice. Question for you on the Tak TAN15C - is that the tube model? I was playing one here in Syr not too long ago and, though I've always been a fan of the Tak's, that one really impressed me after warming up a bit. |
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Location: Buffalo,NY | BegginJM
Dr. Tom.. I will be happy to take those beatup, old, no-name, pieces-o-junk off your hands for ya! Heck, I will even give a hundred for each, so that your loss isn't so bad [Roll Eyes]
BegginJM,
Here's a few more pices of junk I'm storing as you never know when you might need kindling if we loose power during the winter:
1969 Telecaster,1969 Telecaster Bass and a 1969 Esquire
This one has a funny lookin headstock so it must be pretty inexpensive:
A 1966 Fender Electric XII :
This guitars even has holes in it which I'm sure detracts from it's usability :
Should I stop or can you take more punishment ?!!!!!
Best regards,
Tom |
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Posts: 12762
Location: Boise, Idaho | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
I'm going to show my wife the list of guitar and equipment that you guys have. She's going to start wondering why I have so few..... Be sure to let us know how this works, Paul. It didn't work for me, but maybe I shouldn't have started by introducing my wife to Witko. |
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Location: Buffalo,NY | Weaser P
posted March 18, 2007 02:17 PM Wow, welcome aboard, Dr! You have some great stuff in your listings - O's, Tak's, Taylor's - very nice. Question for you on the Tak TAN15C - is that the tube model? I was playing one here in Syr not too long ago and, though I've always been a fan of the Tak's, that one really impressed me after warming up a bit. Weaser,
The TAN 15Cis indeed the one with the Cool Tube preamp. The TAN 15C is also the one with the cedar top. It is very warm sounding acoustically and the Cool Tube preamp is the best I've ever heard. I've been bugging Takamine at their website ever since I bought this guitar about when they will release the CoolTube preamps as an accessory. They still won't do it yet. Fortunately I was able to find one on Ebay and have put it in to one of my other Tak's. Nothing like the Cool Tube IMHO. When I bought this guiatr I was not planning to buy anything; but once I heard it, I just had to have it.
Regards,
Tom |
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Trials and tribulations of becoming an Ovation owner !!
