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Forums Archive -> The Vault: 2004-2005 | Message format |
jbob30 |
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Joined: August 2005 Posts: 13 Location: Missouri | I have a Celebrity Deluxe model CC257 which I have had for many years. I don't know what year it was made. The electronics on it have a bass treble and gain, nothing else. I love the guitar and want to keep it, it sounds great acoustic, but the sound of it plugged in is aweful!! :( Very "thin" like a AM radio. I have tried strings, batteries, LOTS of different amps, every setting known to man, still the same. I would like to try different electronics, but need advice on what to try and what will fit. I don't mind cutting the body bigger to fit other controls in it, as long as they will fit and look factory when finished. Any ideas?? :confused: THANKS!! | ||
Standingovation |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 6197 Location: Phoenix AZ | What do you plug it into? You may want to try an external pre-amp in the chain. Dave PS - Welcome to the club. | ||
MWoody |
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Joined: December 2003 Posts: 13986 Location: Upper Left USA | Send a picture of the preamp you have. If the saddle/piezo is the wide kind this may work: Preamp on eBay Keep your eyes peeled and there may be a replacement out there. | ||
jbob30 |
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Joined: August 2005 Posts: 13 Location: Missouri | Standingovation: I have tried LOTS of different amps. Fender, Marshall, Peavey, Gallien-Krueger, Line 6, Austin, etc. and a Avalon tube preamp in my recording studio. None of them sound great, the Avalon pre sounded the best, but still not like it should. (Thanks for the welcome!!) MWoody: I'm not sure if the saddle/piezo is the wide kind or not?? It measures about 1/8 inch wide. Here are some pictures: Thanks for the help! | ||
jbob30 |
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Joined: August 2005 Posts: 13 Location: Missouri | Any other ideas??? | ||
Standingovation |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 6197 Location: Phoenix AZ | Pickup is thinline. Not the best. I don't recognize the pre-amp? Is that the original Ovation pre-amp? Did you try by-passing the pre-amp and wiring direct to the jack, then to a good external pre-amp? I think you need to get this existing pre-amp somehow out of the equation. Dave | ||
cliff |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 14842 Location: NJ | I agree with MasterWitko. That pre-amp looks suspicious . . . . | ||
williamfriggle |
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Joined: April 2003 Posts: 183 Location: Denver, PA USA | My question would be, these amps you are trying, are they designed for acoutsic guitars, or electric? Electric guitars amps are very heavy in the mid range. To get a truely good acoustic sound you need an amp designed for acoustic guitars. Bill | ||
Waskel |
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Joined: February 2005 Posts: 11840 Location: closely held secret | I've never seen that pre before. I've also never seen Ovation put one on that overlaps the binding like that. Dave's advice is good - try wiring the p/u direct to the jack. | ||
Markthemagic |
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Joined: June 2004 Posts: 95 Location: Monroe, Ohio (Cincinnati) | Your list of amps that you have tried all look like electric guitar amps. There is a big difference between electric guitar amps and acoustic guitar amps. Have you tried your guitar with an acoustic guitar amp or directly into a PA system? Many of the bigger guitar stores have acoustic guitar amps set up so you can try your guitar with them. A good way to sell an acoustic guitar amp in my opinion. | ||
jbob30 |
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Joined: August 2005 Posts: 13 Location: Missouri | Thanks for all the replies!! You say the thinline is not the best. What would it take to change it to the other style? I assume cutting the groove wider and changing the saddle? As far as I know it is the original pre-amp, but I am not the original owner, so I am not 100% sure. The part where it looks like the pre overlaps the binding is just the tuner I put on it. That is not part of the pre-amp. Most of the amps I have tried are electric guitar amps, but I have tried several amps made for acoustic guitar. I have friends with Ovations, and they sound great in my current rig, much, much better than mine. I have also played their's and mine directly to a P.A. Their guitar sounds great, mine does not. And I have recorded Ovations through my Avalon tube pre in my recording studio. I can get an awesome sound through it----except for mine!!! What I really think it is going to take is newer/better pick-up/pre-amp. Any ideas on what would be the best pick-up/pre-amp to use in this guitar?? Where can I purchase the newer electronic's, and will they fit? Like I said in my original post, I don't mind cutting the guitar as long as when it is finished it looks like it belongs there. | ||
jbob30 |
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Joined: August 2005 Posts: 13 Location: Missouri | Any other idea's??? | ||
cliff |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 14842 Location: NJ | buy a USA model. | ||
jbob30 |
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Joined: August 2005 Posts: 13 Location: Missouri | That's real helpful. Thanks :rolleyes: | ||
Slipkid |
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Joined: September 2003 Posts: 9301 Location: south east Michigan | Please don't be put off by the short answer. You could try to fit current up-grades into you guitar, spend alot of money, and still end up with something less than hoped for. You might concider Cliff's answer..... abrupt insensitive crude ill-mannered childish And just plain rude....However......He's right. | ||
moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15663 Location: SoCal | He is right. You get what you pay for. Luckily, there are USA built Ovations on ebay for $4-$700 that are outstanding guitars. I would consider something like that. | ||
cliff |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 14842 Location: NJ | Aphex makes a stompbox called an Acoustic X-citer (I believe John (Strumming-12) uses one with much accolades). Y'could try one of them. Or else try following MasterWitko's advice and go "direct out" to a better outboard pre. To me, going through the time, EXPENSE and aggravation of routing/cutting a Celebrity for a different pickup/preamp just isn't worth it. The analogy of "polishing a turd" comes to mind . . . but then, being abrupt, insensitive, crude, ill-mannered, childish, and just plain rude, . . . what th'F(&^@ do I know?? . . . | ||
jbob30 |
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Joined: August 2005 Posts: 13 Location: Missouri | Thanks again for the replies. I realize my guitar is a cheap one, and you are probably right it does make since to go with something else, BUT I really, REALLY like this guitar!!! Also you are probably right if I were go direct out to a good preamp it might sound good, but if the pickup is not a good one either, then your analogy of "polishing a turd" would apply to that also. Plus I would have controls on the guitar that didn't work, that would drive me NUTS!!!! This guitar plays exactly like I like, and sounds great acoustic. So I do want to keep it, even if it doesn't make since. Plus I enjoy working on things (I have built a couple of custom show cars) so the time spent routing/cutting for different pickup/preamp would be enjoyable for me. So what I am trying to say is, I want to give it a try. But I still need to know the answer to my original question. What Ovation pickup/preamp do you guys think sounds best, (I would like to keep it a factory, Ovation style), and where can I get them?? THANKS!!! | ||
tpa |
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Joined: December 2004 Posts: 563 Location: Denmark | I had a Celebrity CC024 also with a thinline. It wasn't bad. The main annoyances were that (a) is was very sensitive to picking noises (b) it was humming sensitive. The preamp was OP-20. You should consider removing the strings, saddle and pickup for inspecting the electrical connections and checking that the pickup seat is OK under all strings. You can find a description in the manual page 6. The second reference provides some good technical considerations which may also be of help in trouble shooting. http://www.ovationguitars.com/img/OVmanual.pdf http://www.fishman.com/uploads/products/documents/118.pdf | ||
Bluebird |
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Joined: May 2002 Posts: 1445 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Keep in mind that if the preamp is not original, chances are the pickup is not the oem Ovation thinline either. I have on thinline equipped Ovation that I run directly to the output jack and then to a LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI. This sounds wonderful live. However, for recording, I would try straight miking or double dtracking with a mike and blending the two sounds together. Wayne | ||
moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15663 Location: SoCal | That's that cheesy shiny plastic guitar, isn't it Wayne? | ||
Bluebird |
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Joined: May 2002 Posts: 1445 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Yes Paul, but it is that vintage shiny cheese that sounds vastly superior to some of the newer cheese! Wayne | ||
moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15663 Location: SoCal | Agreed. | ||
jbob30 |
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Joined: August 2005 Posts: 13 Location: Missouri | Thanks again for all the replies, I do appreciate them. But none of them have answered my origianl questions!! I have asked the same basic questions three times before, so I will try to rephrase them, maybe that will help!! 1. What Ovation pre/pickup do you like best? (This question is an opinion, so I know you can answer it...everyone has an opinion!!) 2. Where can I purchase these parts?? (Maybe you haven't answered this question because you don't know???) Thanks again!! | ||
moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15663 Location: SoCal | 1. OP 24 OP 50 OP Pro -- all with original pickup 2. Ovation Customer Service. That's as clear as I can make it. | ||
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