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Location: Sydney, Australia | Got it, thanks.
The ea68 can be stripped  )
http://www.jonmarkstone.com/vipers.html |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | Hiya guys, the OP here.
I've noticed some EA68's have the serial number at the back of headstock, whilst on others there is none there.
Why is this??
Also, the same model is available with the 'plastic' tuners and some with metal ones.
cheers
Doug
Edited by kavalero 2014-08-18 7:11 PM
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Location: Tennessee | The earlier EAs had s/n on paper labels inside the body cavity; same sorta deal as the standard acoustic line. Sometime in the late 90's, Ovation took to stamping s/ns on the back of the headstock on all their guitars.
As for the tuners, I have no clue. Mine has Shallers.
BTW, there are Korean versions of these guitars. The best way to tell them apart ( for me anyway) us that the USA models have string through body setup, and the Korean models have the pinless bridge like the standard acoustics.
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Location: Sydney, Australia | stonebobbo - 2014-08-19 11:56 AM
As for the tuners, I have no clue. Mine has Shallers.
BTW, there are Korean versions of these guitars. The best way to tell them apart ( for me anyway) us that the USA models have string through body setup, and the Korean models have the pinless bridge like the standard acoustics.
Wow, thanks for the great info, didn't know they made them in Korea as well (which I wanted to avoid at all cost).
Herewith one with the plastic tuners
http://www.lostartvintage.com/Categoryinfo.aspx?categoryid=10&categ...
Edited by kavalero 2014-08-18 9:26 PM
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Those are "Pearloid" tuners.
They are fancy.
And yeah... They are plastic.
But Fancy Plastic.
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Is this me or the action on this one appears a bit high?
Or all EA68's are like that??
 ($_57VIP.jpg)
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Location: Texas | Here is one I use to own, and although out of focus, you can see they are similar. Played like butter...very strat like. 
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Location: Sydney, Australia | The OP here ..
... looks like I bought the guitar.
Any recommendations with strings; I play 10-48 on electric but have little experience with acoustic geetar strings.
Which brand would you recommend, thanks.
;-))
Edited by kavalero 2014-09-04 2:15 AM
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | 12-53 (actually 0.012-0.053)
Since you use relatively heavy 10's on an electric...
12-53 should feel just right.
edit-- Oh! Brand ... D'addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze will be a good start.
Edited by Old Man Arthur 2014-09-04 2:48 AM
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Location: Tennessee | I like lighter strings on the EA-68. I'd go with 10-46, especially since you like to play electric. As you strings, there are 100 opinions for every 50 people. Personally, I like DR Sunbeams.
Enjoy your Viper.
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Location: Indiana | I use extra light 10-47. |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | Well, its been a while since my original post (the OP here). A while ago I've got the ea68 and was very nappy with the guitar, especialy when pluged in a good amp or a PA. Couldn't stand the lack of dots on the fret-board, so a luthier did a good job. Here she is 
Edited by kavalero 2015-08-25 8:28 AM
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Location: SW Mintsoda | So, did you end up getting the Korean made one (someone mentioned they had the same bridge as standard O's - no string through body...)? |
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Location: Jet City | 360Ovation - 2015-08-25 7:17 AM So, did you end up getting the Korean made one (someone mentioned they had the same bridge as standard O's - no string through body...)? The one above is string thru FWIW, the best playing Ovation acoustic necks in my opinion, are from this era. I like the lack of lacquer on the neck. I have several... The Book, R869, EA, Mando, Longneck, etc. Some non-Ovations too. |
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Location: Indiana | The celebrity viper has a different bridge and thinline pickup. No string-thru. Chunkier neck profile, too. |
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Location: Texas | Jonmark...totally different neck...5 piece for the EA...it even had a different shape where it ended at the body. Maybe the CV/EA Shadow preamp was the only thing the two shared in common. |
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Location: New Hartford CT | My shop supplied Ovation with all tension rods up until the new LX neck came along. The pre K bar neck rods were 3/16 dia cut to the proper length dependent on model of guitar with a 10-32 thread on one end. The anchor for the other end involved milling a 3/16 groove into pre cut 1/2" x 5/8 x 1/4thk steel blocks. We'd Cut off the 1/2 x 1/4 block material in 5/8 lengths and line hundreds of them up in a custom 3 row fixture then gang mill them all at once...then the blocks were tumbled to deburr. After that they were ready to go into a welding fixture where we'd weld about a dozen tensions rods to the anchor blocks at a time it took about a day to weld 500 rods so we'd be at that several times/year considering they sold 10 or 20K guitars/year.
The K bar (die cast zinc aluminum casting fitted inside the neck) neck did away with the welded anchor in favor of a hook in the 3/16 dia rod which fit into a hole in the K bar. Of course Ovation also changed the adjustment nut location at that time, from the headstock to inside the bowl, eliminating the need for a TRC. I must have manually bent at least a 2 or 3 hundred thousand k bar style tension rods...I still have all the fixturing we used at my shop. Let's just say that bending those 3/16 dia rods around a drill blank in our custom made fixture was old school.
We did a lot of hand work back then...just to produce some tension rods!
Edited by Geostorm98 2015-08-25 4:50 PM
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Location: Texas | Fascinating George! What was the real reason Ovation went with the Kbar setup? Was there a flaw in the original TR design that needed addressed or was the kbar superior in some way or was it a time/cost savings move? I know that kbar O's seem heavier. |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | 360Ovation - 2015-08-26 12:17 AM
So, did you end up getting the Korean made one (someone mentioned they had the same bridge as standard O's - no string through body...)?
Mine is made in USA .. (would never buy a guitar made in Korea).
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Location: New Hartford CT | amosmoses - 2015-08-25 6:48 PM
Fascinating George! What was the real reason Ovation went with the Kbar setup? Was there a flaw in the original TR design that needed addressed or was the kbar superior in some way or was it a time/cost savings move? I know that kbar O's seem heavier.
jay, the original tension rods with welded anchor had no design flaws I'm aware of but I think beal would have the best explanation of why they went with the k bar...far as I know it was designed to enhance neck stability and provide a stronger attachment to the bowl. The casting itself is very light weight but most people feel that the necks are a tad heavier. Some prefer pre k bar necks and others have noted how Ovation necks with k bar are incredibly stable and hold tuning like no other. I really have no preference and am more interested in the neck profile...I don't like clubby feeling necks.
Apologies to the OP for getting a little sidetracked.
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Location: Sydney, Australia | .
Guys, I have tried many string manufacturers and gauges, but the guitar still feels a bit stiff, especially on bending, the 3rd string in particular.
What are the opinions on installing a set of electric guitar strings, ie. Ernie Ball Slinky 9 - 46 ?
Cheers!
.
Edited by kavalero 2015-08-28 1:17 AM
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Experimentation is Good.
The piezo pickup would likely work with Electric Strings...
But the "intonation" of the saddle is set-up for a Wound "G" string.
It will only cost you about $6 or $7 to find out.
Otherwise, there are Silk-n-Steel strings.
Martin FX130 Silk and Phosphor strings.
There are D'Addario EJ10... 80/20 Bronze 10-47.
All of which have lighter tension.
But none of which will feel like Ernie Ball Super Slinkies.
Remember, this is an Acoustic guitar... albeit a Chambered-body Acoustic-Electric.
I understand that you are used to electric guitars.
So you can put Electric Strings on it. It might sound tinny.
But you can change that with appropriate amplifier gymnastics.
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Location: SW Mintsoda | That 3rd string is problematic... I've never found a wound 3rd string (acoustic or electric) that bends well compared to an unwound G - but unwound G's on acoustics always sound "wrong" (tinny?) to me... YMMV |
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Location: Tennessee | kavalero - 2015-08-27 11:16 PM . Guys, I have tried many string manufacturers and gauges, but the guitar still feels a bit stiff, especially on bending, the 3rd string in particular. What are the opinions on installing a set of electric guitar strings, ie. Ernie Ball Slinky 9 - 46 ? Cheers! . Try some acoustic strings that are 10's. 12's feel too heavy on my Viper ... I ended up settling on DR Sunbeams 11's. Sunbeams have a lighter feel to me because of their round core (vs. hex). |
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Location: Indiana | Agree with bobbo. 10-47 works best for me on my Viper. |
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USA Ovation - which one to buy?
