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Location: San Francisco, CA | Is the top solid wood or laminated (like other fancy wood used in many collector's edition)?
Is ash good tone wood?
Al has a beautiful one for sale. It's more expensive than 2001. What is the secret in 1992 collector's edition? |
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| They are indestructable. |
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Location: San Francisco, CA | Is it laminated - like 1998 - 2002 collector's edition? |
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| Ralph,
I own two 1992 Collectors, and according to Ovation literature, the top is laminated peanut figure tamo ash, although it is very difficult to tell when viewing the guitar from the inside. It has the Quintad bracing pattern and a 1 11/16" nut.
The secret of the 1992 model is the fact that it was an acoustic designed to play like an electric. The first 1992 I bought is the easiest playing Ovation that I own, and it does play like an electric. For this reason, I purchased the second. However, set up with the same strings and set-up, the second guitar plays more like a Stratocaster, which I have always found to be difficult to play. It has good tone, but it definitely doesn't play like "butter", as the first one does.
I have played several other 1992 Collectors, and have discovered the same results: some of them play great, some do not. I have absolutely no clue as to the difference, as most models look almost exactly alike. The only difference in looks is that some have a reddish tint to the wood instead of the "honey sunburst" color that is more common.
Bob Frith |
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| Additional information from the 1992 Ovation Information bulletin states:
"The 1992 Collector's Series has several unique features, including a new neck finish and rare Tamo Ash figured top. This 10th anniversary edition of the collector's model will surely be coveted by the serious player and collector alike.
This new neck finish (Urethane Wiping Oil) helps make this model play super fast. It feels like a natural oiled finish yet has the durability of urethane.
Ovation selects this figured wood top (Rare Tamo Ash) for both beauty and sound characteristics, Tamo Ash comes from the northern coast of Japan and the rare peanut figured top actually has a long tradition of religious significance in certain segments of this ancient culture."
Also, from a review by Alan Paul in Guitar World magazine from April, 1992:
"The neck and body are thin and comfortable, the fingerboard smooth, the frets jumbo, and the cutaway allows for easy access to all 22 frets. The action is consistently low and fast up and down the neck, with no slow spots or stumbling blocks ...
Acoustically, the 1992 Collectors Series sounds rich and full, combining the kind of deep, warm bass response that is all too rare in acoustic/electrics with a clear, ringing treble and mid-range, while maintaining a 'woody' sound. In short, the unplugged guitar is easy to play, feels comfortable right out of the case, and sounds like a 'real' acoustic guitar -- a very nice, expensive acoustic guitar. Which is exactly what it is.
But the 1992 Collector Series is most impressive when plugged in. Though you could find comparable or better acoustics for the price, you will not find an acoustic guitar that can be amplified as simply or effctively. Most importantly, the instrument maintains its acoustic integrity when amplified.
The Ovation 1992 Collector's Series is the perfect acoustic guitar for electric players. It's easy to adjust to, and has an excellent, crisp sound and virtually limitless equalization capabilities when played through a PA." |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | I think the redwood C-Series of just a few years ago was solid (and of course the spruce). All the rest are panelmasters. |
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Location: SoCal | Panelmaster? |
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Location: Scotland | Plywood. Doen't matter how pretty, rare or exotic the outer layer is, it's still just plywood.
You can make perfectly good-sounding guitars out of laminated woods, I just think that if the collectors editions are supposed to be unique guitars which offer something a bit more special & exclusive than regular production instruments, then using laminates, regardless of how nice they look, just isn't on. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Yes. I agree that it is possible to make a good sounding laminated top guitar. Adamas is an example that comes to mind. Dave |
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Location: Scotland | You can't really compare a carbon composite laminate to an all-wood laminate. The high strength-to-weight ratio of carbon fibre makes it a completely different animal. I was referring to the use of conventional laminated woods on expensive limited-edition instruments. |
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| hello gentlemen, this particular discussion is extremely interesting to me; I would like to see a comprehensive list of the solid-wood top guitars that have been produced by Ovation Instruments. It stands to reason that a early solid-top which was played early and often would produce an incredibly beautiful tone.
thanks, steve |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Actually the panelmasters sound just fine. Remember this brace and sound hole placement was designed on a ply top.
Panelmasters were discussed at length many months ago. Must be a senior moment paul. |
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Location: SoCal | Senior moment? |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Well I have them and that's what my wife and dog call them. It must have been a year ago and this went on for a few days of posts. Anyhow no disrespect intended.
DJ (Don Johnson) dubbed them panelmaster. It became the exotic top wood laminate du jour in creating the C-Series after a while when marketing couldn't come up with anything new. I wanted to kill the series so my opinion didn't count. It was like Willie Nelson trying to figure out who will be on his next albun, "Let me see, who haven't I sung with yet......."
It was, Time for next years Collectors, what wood haven't we used yet????? How about African-bearclaw-burl-spalted-brazilian-byrdseye-amazonian-curley-swamp-hard-ash-soft-wood. NO? Martin's already using it? Shit! How about a red cherry cherry reverse burst bla bla bla.......
Yes I'm being a bit cheeky but it wasn't far off of that. |
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Location: SoCal | Cheeky?
C'mon Bill, can't you feel a gentle tug on your leg? Feel lucky your wife calls it a senior moment (even tho' we're both far off from those). My wife calls it "being a man". I suspect that she means it as an insult. |
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Ash top in 1992 collector's edition
