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Location: Central Oregon | I decided to bid on the 1612 Custom Balladeer. The more I looked at it the better I liked it. I don't know the serial #, but it comes with a brown case. Can anyone tell me what year they quit making the brown cases? Or do they still make them in brown? The guitar looks to be in excellent condition with one small crack in the finish. I'm trying to figure out it's approximate age.
tia,
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Dating a guitar by it's case is a little sketchy. Better off to wait until you know the serial number and that will nail it down. Dave |
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Location: Central Oregon | I'm not really trying to date the guitar by the case. I'll find that out soon enough if I win it. Actually I'm more interested in dating the case :)
I see mostly black ones, so I'm guessing the brown ones must be older?
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Location: Las Cruces, NM | They have to be, all I've ever seen is brown and I haven't looked ata new one in years. |
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Location: Central Oregon | Well, I'll know more about the 1612 CB & brown case in a week or so, I just bought it for $361. I've never played a deep bowl & I'm really looking forward to trying this guitar out. I expect it will be loud as hell :)
I'll go put a picture from the ad in the gallery....
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Location: SoCal | good job... |
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Location: Las Cruces, NM | Nils
Looking forward to hearing about your guitar, sounds like one great deal.
Bailey |
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Location: Central Oregon | Guys-
I think it's going to be a great deal.
The best part is, to finance the USA 6 string O mission, I started by selling ten video tapes about building control line stunt models for $150. Overnight.
Then I found an old turkey platter that used to belong to my mom out in the storage shed. We never use that sort of stuff (my wife has a lot going for her but she breaks things like that, she a Corel kind of girl :) ). So I did a little research & found out it was called Wedgwood "clytie" flow blue. I put it on the bay with a $50 starting bid hoping to pick up another $100. That old plate just sold for $431.35!! I am astounded. I'm also glad it didn't get chipped clunking around out there in the shed! Even with shipping & insurance my total for the 1612 should be under $400. This is almost too good to be true. I'm getting a new (to me) guitar & almost $200 to boot. I sure hope this all goes smoothly :)
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Black cases replaced the brown ones in 1981-82.
Wayne |
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Location: NJ | Nils;
You're gonna LOVE that guitar!!!
I've got the same guitar that I bought new in '76, it's my main gigging guitar and it's STILL a great-sounding workhorse. Enjoy!!!
Yeah, my boss is a HUGE collector of Wedgewood plates and such and I just don't "get" it.
(But then again, he doesn't "get" my passion for guitars.) To Each His Own, I guess.
Great Guitar! Great Deal!! Congrats!!!! |
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Location: Central Oregon | I paid for the guitar with PayPal just now, so if I'm REALLY lucky it might arrive by the end of the week. Now I have to go wrap the tar outen that there high dollar plate! Wish I had a dozen more of those things! Thanks for the info on the case Wayne. I'll keep you all posted on the new O when it arrives. Hot Doggies!
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| As previously noted, it is almost impossible to date guitars by their cases, as the cases are easily interchangeable. A later model case does not necessarily mean that the guitar is a newer model; however, an older model case may indicate an older model guitar.
I believe that the different types of Ovation molded cases were discussed on a previous thread, yet for those who may have missed the previous posts, I will recap the details regarding the brown molded Ovation cases, of which there were at least three generations:
Following the black tolex Geib cases with blue and yellow linings that ended in about 1968-69, the first brown molded case had a very narrow neck with a ribbed "foot" underneath the headstock end to support the case. There was These cases were heavier than the newer cases, and do not work with many guitars with newer electronics because they do not have the proper cut-out for the control knobs. This case has a wide (about 1 1/2" inclusive) aluminum band that joins the top to the bottom, with a black fabric strip in the middle. It was available from about 1970 through 1976-77 or so.
The second generation case (of which yours appears to be, Nils) was the same color, but it is a wider case with cut-outs for knobs on the
top left and top right (left handed), as well as cut-outs for knobs mounted on the left side and
right side (left handed). This case also has a wide aluminum band that joins the top and bottom, with a black fabric strip. These cases were available from about 1977-81.
There was also a third generation brown case that is more rare, and is really a transitional model between the brown and the black cases. This last case was a shade darker of brown, and does not have the wide aluminum band nor the fabric, but rather the two narrow aluminum bands found on the black cases. This case is essentially the first generation black case in a brown color. I have only seen this case with guitars made in 1982, although they may have been available before or after that year.
To my knowledge, this sums up the different varieties of Ovation brown molded cases, although it is possible that I am forgetting one. |
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Location: the BIG Metropolis of TR | Hey Bob,
Here's one of the transitional brown cases with the narrow aluminum bands - Guitar is a '89
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2565017859&category=47064]
. . . .
Mike :cool: |
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Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | My 1975 Custom Balladeer has one of the narrow neck brown hardshell case. It is in great shape, and I remember when I first saw it that I thought it was small. It also appears to have a metal OVATION logo that kind sticks out a little. |
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Location: Scotland | The very early cases with the narrow necks get very brittle with age, plus the foam filling seems to shrink. I have a couple of Deacon cases where the outer shell is falling apart & the foam is disintegrating. I had a bunch of instruments to bring back from my recent trip visiting with Mr Moody. One was a '60's GC 12. I flew out with a very early brown case & because it was empty I checked it. It came out wrecked. I've checked later brown cases without a problem, but it appears that on the early ones the foam shrinks & when the case gets a whack it just cracks & falls apart. Having said that I really couldn't care less about the cases, they are totally expendable, if the airline is going to wreck something, and they'll try their best, better it's the case than the guitar |
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| Upon re-reading my post, it is evident that the time-frames offered are in error, as I myself have several brown molded cases that were original to guitars purchased in the mid-1980's.
The second and third generation brown molded cases were available, perhaps through the end of the 1980's, and it is quite possible that the case pictured with the 1713 is from 1989.
It appears that there may be a connection between the change from the blue label to the white label, and the change from brown to black cases. However, that may just be a coincidence.
Although catalogs are not the definitive dating tool, my 1985 catalog shows a brown molded case, while the 1991 catalog shows the black case. |
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Location: Scotland | I would suggest there were basically 2 "Brown" cases. The first were the "narrow neck" type, then the slightly bigger less-textured brown cases which had the cutout for the original Adamas control knobs. These second brown cases are the best in my opinion & my stage guitars go out in these cases because I think they are more robust than the cases they came in. After the brown cases there is no consistency. I have several black cases & they all appear to be sourced from different manufacturers. I do not think there is any correlation to the guitars and cases whatsoever |
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Location: the BIG Metropolis of TR | I beleive the last of the brown cases were in '89 (as the 1713) My '84 Country artist has the narrow band brown case and my '90 Legend 12 string has the "new" black style!
. . . .
Mike :cool: |
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Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | Paul T you are right about the older brown cases. I just went look at mine and I noticed that it is cracking where one of the hinges attaches. It seems very brittle at that point. I guess it would be hard to repair. Oh well, it did its job for a long time. I just wish I hadn't looked at it so closely. (LOL) |
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Location: Scotland | We may have 2 different definitions on "narrow" here. As far as I remember the early brown cases had a bulge at the base of the headstock end. The second brown cases had cutouts on left & right sides for the Adamas 2-knob controls and oval indentations for the mono/stereo output jacks. There was a deepbowl version & shallowbowl version, the Shallowbowl version lacked the wide black-tape covered aluminum rim (Country Artist = shallow bowl) The Brown cases seemed to be pretty consistent, the later black cases seem to vary. |
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Location: Scotland | Paul, forget about it. I got really pissed when I picked up my case from the carousel in Houston, then I thought, "who cares" it's like bitching about a scratched crash helmet after a motorcycle accident. |
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Location: SoCal | The last two brown cases that I've gotten in - one the black band and the other is what was called the "transition".
Both in very good condition but what I don't understand is that the metal hardware is pitted - looks like it has been stored in an unheated shed. Yet the surface cleans up well with Armour All and the inside is spotless. Oh well...the guitars were in great shape, that's waht is important. |
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Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | My old brown case has the buldge under the headstock end, and two long strips on the bottom of the case. Did Ovation itself produce these first hardshell cases? Kim Keller told me that if I would have had a new top put on my Custom Balladeer, it would not have fit in this case. |
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Location: Central Oregon | This is interesting stuff. Thanks. I posted the picture of the case that was in the ad in the gallery. It's a close up of the logo. That spot appears to be in good shape :)
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Location: sc | Hi Nills
wanted you to know that I've owned a 1612 since 1987.( Got it used) Its a tremendous guitar. Very powerful full bass sound. My church bought me an Elite 6868.(wish it were an Adamas) Great guitar but I prefer the 1612.
The only draw back is tha its heavy.Mine is a very durable brown case. I've traveled many places with it. Actually a kid hit it with a hammer years ago and it still never really caved in! Great buy! |
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Brown cases
