|
|
Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1196
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | Hey everyone. Last week I picked up a 1975 Custom Balladeer. This is one tough guitar. It had been kept in someones car trunk for along time. He only took it out to play it at various functions, and would just keep it in his old Toyotas trunk. Now it gets very hot here in Louisiana, and the old guitar shows what it has been through. The top is warped with the soundhole somewhat sunken in. The wood on the sides ot the soundhole lifts up to form a kinda ridge as the side of the soundboard joins the body. It has cracks in the top, but they don't appear to go into the wood. The bridge is nice and secure, and looks like it is on well. On the back of the neck, you can feel that the center maple stripe is coming out alittle. I guess the heat caused the neck to expand and contract at different levels. I talked to John Bundy about it, and he said I can send it in and see what they can do with it. My question to the group is, can a warped top be fixed? Should I just leave it as it is? I must tell you that the guitar sounds incredible. When I got it the strings were rusty, and the action was horrible. I just removed a shim, and tightened the truss rod a bit and it plays much better. I am debating if I should send it back to Ovation are not. It is such a great sounding guitar that was never really taken care of. It also has one of its wings missing from the side of the headstock. Does Ovation fix this also? She is old and warped, but damn she sound good! I am just glad the case protected her the best it could...Paul Hebert |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15686
Location: SoCal | The warped top can be replaced. But if it plays fine and sounds great, I'd leave it until you have to do something. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | if it plays fine then play it the warped top has nothing to do with it.
you need to ask budny about the headstock when you had him on the phone my guess is no |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1196
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | Al, you are right about the headstock. I had so many questions about the top that I forgot to ask him. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 613
Location: Zion, Illinois | I bought an Aniversary guitar this year for $190. The top is very warped and sunken in, but its one of the best strummin' guitars I've ever owned!
Bradley |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Just an opinion here from an old and twisted and warped picker, if the action is acceptable and the sound is good, play that thing. It is sort of like the sports cars with their original checked paint and worn seats, ORIGINAL can never be replaced. You might have something that came out of the factory and changing might make it look better but sound worse. (Take a look at those prewar acoustics that everybody wants so bad, my buddy Bill had a Martin that looked like cats had used for a scratching post, but it had the unmistakeable bluegrass sound. Just a dumb opinion.
Bailey |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1196
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | Well the old Custom Balladeer leaves for the Ovation factory tommorow. Kim Keller and I went over just about every part of it on the phone, and I think the top can stay like it is. I want to have some fret work done on it, and a new pickup put in. Everyone who has played this guitar comments on how good it sounds. I hope Kim and the guys can give it a new lease on life! |
|
| |
HOT HOT Custom Balladeer
