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Location: SoCal | Alison, it was made in Moosup (pretty certain that Nick Macklin told me that all 1537's were built in Moosup -- when production went to New Hartford, the guitars became 1718's), in 1983, K-bar and all. May have passed thru your hands. You probably labeled it, accurately, great......
Edited by moody, p.i. 2014-06-27 3:43 PM
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Well cool then! Did you buy it new? If you did and you still have the paperwork, my inspection number was 75. And I am definitely the one who chose the wood for the top, and also inspected the bowl and the neck before it was all put together.
And not to embarass you, but Nick's last name is Mackin - no "L". His wife Ariel worked in the office. They were (are) both nice people. It blows my mind how all these memories have been flooding back lately. I can't remember what I had for breakfast yesterday but I can remember stuff from 30 years ago. Not that I'm getting old or anything... |
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Location: New Hartford CT | This is an interesting topic. My Dad and I had a company that supplied Ovation with every single tension rod, nut and washer they ever used between 1968 to when the composite graphite system appeared on the LX series. At that point we lost the job.
I have right in front of me detailed invoices from around the time we moved the business to Winsted CT around 1974. Prior to that the records are gone. But the count rose every single year up until 1993-4 or so. The absolute peak we ever saw going to the NH plant was about 40K units/year but typically more along the lines of 20K units/year or less. If you work through the serial numbers it does make sense. this would include various types of t-rods whether for a classic or K-bar style. There were also several different lengths of t-rods of course. Once Ovation switched over to the k bar system in the late 70's the majority of t-rods we sold were the hook version to be inserted within the k-bar alum/zinc casting.
I thought Moosup made all the Applesauce guitars back then...only found out about the black-op renegade 1537 team through this forum. But if I'm not mistaken...most of of the roughly 700K? USA Ovations were produced in NH. But I'm always learning things here, it was so long ago.
This was the era of mass production and they had it down to a science. The guitars being produced during these days were mostly stellar. I only prefer the pre-k/bar models because all things being equal, the guitar is lighter. But the k/bar itself has some hidden advantages, I've played models that I swear sounded better due to the k/bar style neck. Resonance.... |
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Location: Flahdaw | In a way it's too bad that all the folks responsible for putting together Ovation guitars for all those years aren't members or consistent contributors here on the forum. There should be an effort to try to get them to join this group, by anyone (Alison for example) who IS a member that might stay in contact. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | When I first started in 1977 we only made Applause and Matrix, but within the year if memory serves, we also started making Balladeers and Legends. As a matter of fact, I distinctly remember inspecting some Patriots that didn't get put together during '76. So SOME of the patriots were actually put out in '77. We also made the first UKII's. Probably ALL of them were made in Moosup. One of my fellow inspectors, Rob McCloud, was a FANTASTIC guitarist on an electric. He was a really cool guy and funny too. When he played the very first UKII, he was freaking out at how good it sounded - actually danced around a little bit and had us all in stitches.
Back then, the bowls were made in Moosup too. The first Shallow bowls (they call them mid-depth now) were made there, then later they came out with the supershallows.
I like both necks but I think if I had to choose just one I would choose the K-bar. Maybe it's because the heavier neck DOES give a better sound, but it might also be because after playing anywhere between 50 and 80 a day for over five years, I kinda got used to them. As a matter of fact, the neck on my 2077LX that I'm always raving about is quite a bit beefier than most guitars. ALMOST feels like a K-bar. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Bob, I have talked to a lot of them about it. One of them is a member here and "outed" me when I first joined. (He could tell by my screen name and wrote, "I think I know this person".) He reads but seldom posts. I haven't even been in touch with him since I heard about the closing. Shame on me, but just like when somebody loses a loved one, I don't know what to say.
How about it Dave? Are you there? Talk to us. |
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Location: New Hartford CT | There were many great people that made Ovation what it was. Bob McCloud is in that group; there are numerous unsung heroes that made this company outstanding and without peer. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | I still can't get used to calling him Bob. There were a bunch of Bob's working there then so we called him Rob - or (don't mention I told you) Robbie. And sometimes we called him "the little guy". I used to be close to 5'10" before I got old and shrank. One time we were all goofing around (I guess there was a reason they called us the animals in the guitar shop), and Rob pretended to be really scared. He ran at me crying, "Protect me!" and he jumped into my arms and I carried him away.
When they closed Moosup they offered ALL of us a chance to go to Korea and get things started there. Rob was the only one who took them up on it. From there he went on to become one of the key people at Ovation. I'm proud to know him.
My Dad had a lot to do with it too. He came up with the designs for a lot of the machinery used in making O's. None of that stuff had been invented because it was such a different design. I remember one time they wanted to figure out a way to get rid of hand sanding and buffing so they could do more tops at once. One of the guys insisted it couldn't be done because any fixture that would hold a bunch of bowls (with tops already attatched) wouldn't be able to compensate for the diffent heights of the tops. (Some had higher "arches" than others, some were perfectly flat, as any wood guitar). Dad made a fixture that would hold five bowls, and each was cradled with springs underneath so when the gigantic buffing wheel passed over them they would "wobble" to meet the wheel.
Jim Ricard was head of R&D when I worked there. THAT man was a certified genius! Honestly, you could bring up ANY subject, even if it had nothing to do with guitars, and he could give you in-depth information about it. No matter what the topic, he was well read and interesting, yet he never acted like a know-it-all. He just shared his enthusiasm and made us all want to go out and learn more.
There are SO many people who were totally dedicated to Ovation. It was partly because of the guitars, and mostly because of Charlie. He treated his employees like family and we all loved and respected him. |
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Location: Pueblo West, CO | CanterburyStrings - 2014-06-27 1:21 PM
Dan, it would be great to see you. September is beautiful in the Hills. My shop is open Mon.-Sat. from 10AM to 6PM. Come early in your trip so I can point out some sights you might not hear of elsewhere. As a matter of fact, when the time gets closer shoot me a PM. I usually take Sundays off starting in September so if you come down on a Sunday I can actually play tour guide.
Sounds good. As we get closer to travelin' time I'll be in contact. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Alison and Geostorm98, your historical accounts and recollections of your personal experiences at the factory add a lot to these forums. Thanks so much for sharing them with us. |
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Location: south east Michigan | I'm waiting for someone to write a "spill the beans" book. |
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Location: Flahdaw | Or a "spill the cashews" book
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Location: Atlanta, GA. | I wanna hear more about Cliff and the Llamas too. |
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Location: Utah | 
Edited by FlySig 2014-07-01 8:51 AM
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Location: Utah | Oh never mind. Posting pics to this forum exceeds my technical abilities. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | FlySig - 2014-07-01 7:51 AM
Oh never mind. Posting pics to this forum exceeds my technical abilities.
I saw the pic in your album, though. We used to have a Toyota like that, but without the llama option. |
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Location: Jet City | FlySig - 2014-07-01 6:51 AM Oh never mind. Posting pics to this forum exceeds my technical abilities. a little help... 
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Location: Texas | That is actually a Volga, isnt it? In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better.
Edited by jay 2014-07-01 11:23 AM
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Location: Boise, Idaho | amosmoses - 2014-07-01 10:17 AM
That is actually a Volga, isnt it? In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better.
I really didn't recognize the car and have no idea what a Volga looks like, but we had a Toyota Cressida that sort of looked like that back in the late 60s. Ours didn't have the decorations on the side or the llamas on top. |
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Location: Flahdaw | amosmoses - 2014-07-01 12:17 PM
In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better.
Making them dress up in little girl school outfits is not treating them "a little better" |
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Location: SoCal | Mark in Boise - 2014-07-01 9:30 AM
amosmoses - 2014-07-01 10:17 AM
That is actually a Volga, isnt it? In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better.
I really didn't recognize the car and have no idea what a Volga looks like, but we had a Toyota Cressida that sort of looked like that back in the late 60s. Ours didn't have the decorations on the side or the llamas on top.
No llama pretty well states that you grew up poor...... |
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Location: sitting at my computer | Mark in Boise - Ours didn't have the decorations on the side or the llamas on top. IIRC, ya had to special order the 'Machu Picchu Explorer' upgrade package to get those. |
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Location: NJ | ". . In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better . . . "
but, Did y'EVER bring 'em to a GuitarFactory?? . . . . |
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Location: Tennessee | cliff d. - 2014-07-01 12:09 PM ". . In Texas, we treat our llama's a little better . . . " but, Did y'EVER bring 'em to a GuitarFactory?? . . . . 
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Location: New Hartford CT | Great picture
Nothing like seeing the old guard going to an OFC gathering. Is that John Budny on top of the station wagon with his coworkers? |
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Ovation USA production statistics/history in numbers
