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September 2006
Posts: 143
Location: Shotley Bridge, Northern England | Having read Enfant Terrible's post about the Ovation we would like to see, I sat and thought about the replies. Are we all by definition unconventional because we like Ovations? Do we all appreciate the unusual and oddball in guitars? Is that why we like 'O's? Might our taste in electrics, as well as acoustics, add some more to the debate on the way forward for our beloved Ovations?
I'll start: I like pointy guitars, so explorers, icemen, firebirds and Vs are bread and butter to me. Oh, and doublenecks too.
But they have to be well made and play well. Flamed maple, body binding, exotic woods, gold hardware and ebony boards with block (or split parallelogram inlays) are in for me.
So, I would argue, I'm unconventional in my electric and acoustic tastes...
like the rest of us...
Does this mean that the roundback will always be a minority preference?
No matter how well it plays...
HW |
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Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 217
Location: Snåsa, Norway | Don't know if my electric is unconventional, but I found it the same way I found my Custom Legend many years ago: it sang to me at once i got it in my lap, and I loved that song! So I choose with my ears and hands, not the eyes! |
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December 2001
Posts: 7210
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Did someone say pointy????
http://www.mosercustomshop.com
:) |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | In the late 70's (or was it the early 80's) I saw Dave Mason, Al Dimeola and Bruce Springsteen, all live and they all used ovations. And I just thought the sound was great.
Later I saw the clash, Buddy guy and some local country bands, and they all played a telecaster, and I said, well that's it for me.
Basically, I guess these guys made a great impression on me and it just got ingrained into me. I don't know if it means if i'm "unconventional" but I just like it.
So I would say NO. |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4809
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Nah, I like the Balladeer et al in the Ovation line because they look more like a normal guitar.
Flametops and MOB blue beautys may look a little flashy but, like the girl with the stick-on nails, ain't comin' home with me.
Other than that, my likes in guitars leans more toward sound and feel; not always in that order. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 143
Location: Shotley Bridge, Northern England | ohhh Miles, they're a bit nifty!
If rather difficult to balance on your knee and play
:)
HW |
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July 2002
Posts: 1900
| If they made a Strat with a neck as slick as a Deacon I'd play a Strat, but until that happens... |
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Joined:
March 2004
Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | I only play conventional mainstream guitars.
Stratocaster
Les Paul
Ovation acoustics. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7210
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Actually the key to most all of Neals designs is that they are very easy to play. If you look at what some consider the "king" of pointy guitars, the BC Rich Bich, if you ignor the points and draw a line around the edge... it's a standard guitar shape. You will notice almost all but the "V" guitars have a place for your knee that is perfectly balanced. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I prefer the looks of a Jaguar over everything else. Having cut my callouses on surf music, a Jaguar is what we all aspired to someday own, preferably in white just like Carl's, but also in any one of the other wild car colors of the early models. That said, I still prefer playing the Strat, but the lines of the Jag are sure pretty (IMHO). Others say the Strat design is simply what an electric guitar is supposed to look like. The pointy models all came after my preferences had been well established. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | I'll admit to being unconventional, unusual and oddball, but tend to like semihollowbody guitars and dislike the pointy ones. I don't even care much for the strats. An ES335 is my idea of what an electric should look like, possibly since an acquaintance got one when I first became interested in playing guitar and my first guitar was a Univox ES335 knockoff.
I suggested to my friend that he buy a Rich Bich for his wife for Christmas, but he didn't think she'd appreciate that. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10581
Location: NJ | I can own almost any guitar I want these days, I play what feels right to my hands and sounds good to my ears regardless of the name on the headstock. |
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Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 122
Location: Tucson, AZ | 1968 Telecaster
1978 Ovation Balladeer
1986 Tele(DIY)clone
2002 ES-135LE
2004 Ovation EA68 Viper |
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Joined:
March 2003
Posts: 555
Location: Wooster, Ohio | Either you are a Gibson person or a Fender person. To me it was always a Les Paul on the electric side. Never liked Fender. Only guitar where where the pot controls were purposely put there your pick would hit them. Did Leo really play guitar?
Steve |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13983
Location: Upper Left USA | Yes, kind of.
After coming here and catching the Ovation bug I launched on to some of the solid bodies. Being an acoustic and a chord player I leaned toward the Deacon necks and heavier strings.
I would like to learn how to play the solids. |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Speaking of telecasters and Kaman, from the book "The Fender Telecaster":
... CBS informed Bill Schultz in July 1984 that Fender would be put up for sale on the open market. A few serious coproarte buyers such as KAMAN Corp ... were the first to bid for the company, but in November 1984 CBS accepted the principle of a management buy out led by Bill Schultz ... |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 370
Location: Isle of Man, UK | Play very little solid electric these days, but of the Elecs I have (2 Strats, 1 Tele, BW, Deacon, and a Guild Brian May), it really just depends what mood I'm in as to which one plays best.
I've never ever got on with Gibsons, though. It's just one of those things - they're not me. I like the look of them, but never really felt right playing one.
Life's rich tapestry, eh? Isn't it great.
JB |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | As far as what's considered conventional or unconventional, I think age plays into it as much as anything. I was just 8 years old when I saw my first Ovation (in the hands of one Glen Campbell), so I hadn't time to form any real opinions as to what was "conventional" or not. I got my first O in 1971 and have been playing them ever since, so to me they're pretty conventional. My tastes in electrics definitely lean towards the more traditional, with Strats and Les Pauls topping my list of favorites. My favorite Ovation electrics were/are the Storm Series, mainly for their tone and traditional looks. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4025
Location: Utah | I definitely fall into the "Form follows function" camp, plus throw in some nice workmanship. I'm not into bling for the sake of bling, but nice little touches like a flame maple body are something that I appreciate.
For me then it is about sound, feel, playability, and price. My only electric right now is an Ibanez SZ520 Flame Maple. Thrift was a significant factor in buying an electric, and this guitar was a great value.
Which all seems consistent with my appreciation of Ovations. They are not the trendiest bling encrusted avant garde instruments. They are not the most traditional either. They are great sounding and great playing instruments with nice workmanship, all at a fair price. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | I’m not that proficient of an electric player (tho, I wish I was).
Being an acoustic player for so long, I have a tendency of “overgripping” chords & pulling notes out of tune.
I’ve been trying t’make a conscious effort of learning the nuances of playing electric.
I’ve been practicing with an old DuoTone that’s Wintering at CasaCliffy, and it works out pretty well.
Being that I’m predominantly an acoustic rhythm player, I’ve strung the DuoTone with strings that are slightly beefier than what a “lead” player might use, and using the piezo pickup I can play using a sound/feel that I’m somewhat “used” to, . . . but when I’m feeling a bit more “confident”, I just have to hit the micro-switch and kick in the humbuckers (or use both).
I also like that the chambered body isn’t so heavy on my aged spine (especially at gigs).
Mercifully, I have not subjected a lot of people to my electric playing . . . |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Mitz, did you see this \'97 ? |
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Do the electrics we play indicate our acoustic tastes?
