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Joined:
April 2002
Posts: 51
Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas | Does anyone have a strong opinion about the differences between the older Elites? The 1537, I think, is the non-cutaway and the 1547 is the cutaway version. I'm looking at a 1547 and I am wondering about the sonic differences between the two and whether, apart from the cutaway, there are any real differences in the two (assuming a similar year of production. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 119
Location: Philadelphia, PA 19107 | The Elite 1537 (I own one) is the very first production Elite introduced in 1983. It is the so called "Ovation Adamas Elite" . The purely acoustic mode was the 1337. The Elite 1537 represents the acoustic/electric model. Non-cutaway! I have seen it in 3 colors: natural (-4), sunburst (-1), black (-5).
Mine is natural:
http://mail.med.upenn.edu/~elias/1537.jpg
and
http://mail.med.upenn.edu/~elias/elite.jpg
Specs: Top: Sitka Spruce hand picked (or AAA grade), Top Bracing: Quintad 2, body: deep bowl (brown color), body binding: multi laminate wood purfling, number of frets: 22, neck joins body at 14th fret, neck: 5-piece maple/walnut laminate, with kaman bar, fingerboard: walnut with maple quasi-triangular inlays. Tuning machines: gold plated Scaller-type. Electronics: the same as the Adamas: Built-in mono/stereo acoustic electric pickup and FET-preamplifier. Uses six piezoelectric transducers located directly beneath Derlin saddles. The STEREO feature is wired so that, when used with a stereo cable, the output of strings 1, 3, and 5 goes to one channel, and 2, 4, and 6 to the other. Separation of left and right channels is achieved when used with a STEREO amplifier/PA or two individual amps (use stereo Y-cable). The preamp has separate Volume and Tone wooden-knob Controls, both mounted at the waist of the Elite (as in Adamas).
Sound: This is the very good part! As good as this guitar sounds in the electric mode, it sounds just as good if not better in the acoustic mode! It produces a full, even tonal range. The Elite is warmer sounding to the ear that the original graphite faced Adamas (due to the wood top), with no compromises in high end response!. Due to the wood-top it produces a more complex warm sound, with lots of volume, very good bass, nice separation, sustain and presence. The guitar is a killer! Personally I believe that the introduction of the Elite was one of the most successful experiments. It proved that the Adamas design (multi-holes) works as well (if not better) with the traditional wooden top Ovations.
With regard to the Elite 1547 you got me. I have never seen the model "1547". If it exists, as you claim, then this should be the first Elite cutaway. Same specs as above but with the cutaway. I have checked with my Ovation catalogs, but I was not able to find the model 1547.
May be Bill, Sam, Al or someone else has more info.
My guess is that the sound of the 1547 should not differ that much from the 1537.
The cutaway does not seem to affect the sound output. Due to the decreased internal volume of the bowl, the guitar yields no noticeable reduction in overall sound output.
[ May 03, 2002: Message edited by: elias ] |
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Joined:
April 2002
Posts: 51
Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas | Thanks, Elias. I appreciate your posts to my questions. The place that has the Elite I'm looking at told me that it was a model 1547. it is supposed to be a 1983 year model, but I'm checking on that. I'm trying to discern if it has the same features as the 1537, so that it would also be considered the spruce top Adamas. If anyone else has any info on this I'd appreciate it! |
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Joined:
April 2002
Posts: 51
Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas | Elias... BTW, I looked at the pics of your 1537 and it is breathtaking! A beautiful top, with nice straight, tight grain... Absolutely beautiful! I can imagine the sound is just superior... |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | Guys,
I saw an Elite cutaway that was identical to my 1537 except for the cutaway. This was at a Guitar Center in Hollywood CA. At that same time and in the same store there was an Elite 12 string (non cutaway), but the exact 12 string version of my 1537. It was major work to keep the credit card off the counter, but at that time I was still paying for my Adamas 12 string ("Big Blue"). I've always, a bit, regreted not getting that Elite cutaway, but my 1537 would have been a bit miffed if I had brought the 1547 home. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 119
Location: Philadelphia, PA 19107 | Thanks Morse!
Indeed the sound of the 1537 is amazing! In many aspects I find it to be better than my Martin D-42. It has higher volume (output), equal if not better sustain, not that much of overtones (rings and bells) yet very rich and woody of course! Very good separation, better balanced than the boomy Adamas, and excellent presence! |
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Elite 1537/1547
