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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 10
Location: Mechanicsville, VA | OK, so I'm noodling around with my '79 Custom Balladeer (1112-4) last night and came up with a pretty cool chord progression and lead hook. I decided to get a quick recording of it before I forgot. I got out my BR-8 and ran a 1/4" cable from guitar straight into the BR-8 and start working on the recording. Well while I'm recording the rythym track I was doing some muting with my right hand on the bridge and all of the sudden crackle, pop, Hummmm.... in the headphones. I could make it stop by pressing down on the saddle strip, but over the course of a few hours, this happened several times.
Here's my question. Other than restringing and cleaning, I've never even attempted to remove the saddle to access or see the piezo's, how hard is to remove the saddles or should I go staight to an Ovation repair center?
Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Kurt... |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | It's pretty simple:
Remove/loosen strings so you can get your hand inside through the soundhole.
Follow the wire to where it goes through the top to the underside of the saddle.(Note: this wire goes up through the bottom black plastic "pin" thats on either side of the piezo array)
G-E-N-T-L-Y push the wire up to get that "pin" (and saddle) to start to lift.
G-E-N-T-L-Y lift the saddle (and both "pins") up/out of the guitar. (Note: underneath the saddle you'll find a shim(s). Make a note of how many are there and DON'T lose them! If you were at all "pondering" the possibility of lowering your action, now's the time to remove one (if there is one) and "experiment". Again, just DON'T lose/misplace it!).
Unplug the pickup wire from the preamp assembly and remove saddle.
Follow proceedure in reverse with replacement saddle.
Never disassembled saddle down to piezo level, so this is pretty much the the extent of my saddle experience. - I found it easier to just get a whole new assembly from Al and replace the whole thing.
Hope this helps. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | The piezos are set in some kind of silicone rubber, so that's as far as you'll get. In the unlikely event that it's a problem with the piezo elements it'll be best to replace the whole thing as Cliff suggested. It could be down to a problem at the point where the cable exits the pickup assembly, so check that. |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 10
Location: Mechanicsville, VA | Thanks guys,
I've just printed this e-mail and I will go through this exercise tonight and see what I can see. Hopefully it's in the external wiring and not the saddle itself.
If the whole saddle needs to be replaced what's the best source? This guitar was originally acoustic only. I sent it to the Ovation factory to have the Optima electronics package added and not void the Lifetime Warranty. Would I be better off doing this myself or having it done back at the factory? I don't want to void the warranty.
Kurt... |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Which pickup did they fit? There's 3 possibles, the original wide Ovation pickup, which is the one Cliff & I were referring to, the Trubalance or the CP100 thinline. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | If it were me (and it once was), I'd just contact either Ovation's Parts Dept. (or a reputable source here), obtain a new saddle and D.I.Y. |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 10
Location: Mechanicsville, VA | Hey guys,
I'm not sure, the only way I know to describe it short of seeing pics, is that it seems to have fit into the original bridge slot and looks like the saddle that's shown in the original owner manual that I got with the guitar. (Yep, I've still got it.)
I'm going over to the Ovation Web-site and see if there are any reference pics.
Back in a minute.
Kurt... |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 10
Location: Mechanicsville, VA | I'm back.
I opened the Owners Manual .PDF and the first saddle configuration pictured looks like as best I can tell.
Anyway, I'm getting ready to head home, so I'll check back in tomorrow and let you know what I find.
Kurt... |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | If the bridge hasn't been re-routed to take a much wider saddle, then the pickup must be a CP100 thinline. I Don't know a great deal about these, except that they're as good as anything else out there. They're standard issue on a lot of the imports & have been used on several USA models including Adamas SMT's, Balladeers, Elite Specials & the '97 collectors. I'd contact the factory about this one. |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 10
Location: Mechanicsville, VA | Well,
I had a chance this weekend to re-string and clean my Ovation. While I had the strings off I used the techniques described above to remove the saddle from the bridge, and darn it one of the two leads going into the bottom of the saddle is broke.... :mad:
There's just a very small hole there and nothing that I can solder or fix it with, so I guess I'll be buying a new pickup saddle.
Thanks for your help and suggestions, I guess I'll have to play the Takamine or Taylor untill I can get this fixed.
Kurt... |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Talk to the factory, this sounds like the pickup may have been faulty to start with, they should pretty much last a lifetime. |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Correct this problem, don't play the Takamine or Taylor.Exposure to second rated instruments might cause you to lose your appreciation of quality guitars. |
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Crack, Pop, Hummm.... HELP!!!
