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June 2006
Posts: 106
Location: UK | I live out in the valleys of Wales so just popping into a local guitar shop to try a few guitars isn't really an option so any advise is greatly appreciated.
I'm interested in buying the Ovation Country Artist but wanted opinions from others. I was also looking at the Yamaha APX5NA which is a classical design with a neck (nut) width/neck length (14th Fret body joint) similar to the the Country Artists.
I know this is an Ovation forum but anyone have any opinions on the Yamaha ? or indeed any other nylon stringed guitar with similar features? (narrower neck than usual classic guitars ?) |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Axcontrols,
Welcome to the OFC.
I have played both and own a Country Artist.
I like the sound of the Yamaha but like the Ovation better.
There are several other brands that are now offering a narrower 14 fret neck on a nylon string guitar. I believe Martin makes one.
My opinion is the Ovation has a lot more Bang For The Buck than the others. :cool: |
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Posts: 972
Location: PDX | I own a CA 1674. Plugged in, it has a great tone. But unplugged, well, to my ear it sounds dead. It doesn't have that mellow nylon sparkle. I haven't played the Yamaha, so i can't give a comparison.
I guess what i'm saying here is that if you plan on playing amplified, the Ovation has a quality sound. But, if you don't plan on amplification, the tone of the CA may disappoint you. Too bad you can't play them before you buy, that would help.
FWIW
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gh1 |
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Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | Ovation 1773LX. Only 12 frets to the body, but a cutaway. 1 7/8" nut. Mid depth bowl. LX neck and bracing. Really good acoustic sound. Really great plugged in sound.
I owned a 1674 and agree with the assessment that they don't sound very good acoustically but terrific plugged in. I wanted both and got it with the 1773LX.
What's "52mm"? |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | I'm guessing NeckWidth . . . |
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April 2006
Posts: 972
Location: PDX | 52mm is just a bit over 2 inches, and roughly 0.114 cubits.
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gh1 |
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March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | I have an old Country Artist and have grown to like it, although it does sound weak acoustically. Although I agree it sounds much better plugged in, I never plug it in. Maybe I've just gotten used to it.
I have not been impressed with the sound of most other classical guitars, including some of the Yamahas. I don't think I've ever played the model you are talking about, but I haven't played any 12 fret nylon Yamaha that sounds as good as the CA. They sound too small to me. The CA sounds a bit bigger. To my ears, my 1713, with a 12 fret neck and a cedar top and deep bowl has a much better sound than most any classical guitar I have played, with the exception of a $3000 Rodriguez or something like that. Those are my preferences. |
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Posts: 106
Location: UK | Thanks for all the replies. Please keep them coming. The more info I have will help me make a more informed decision.
Most of the time I play unplugged. I just plug it in occasionally when I'm learning some new tune and want to play it back to myself.
Here in the UK the Country Artist is part of the celebrity range (Made in Korea ?)
It's a mid depth. The item/code is CC049S
All the codes you're mentioning CA1674 and 1713 don't appear anywhere ? Is there a US Built Country Artist which is different ? |
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March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | You need to speak with Paul Templeman regarding what's available in the UK.
The guitar you are talking about is not what everybody here is talking about. The CC049S is made in Korea. The guitars we are talking about are all U.S.A. built guitars and are much superior.
Go to the Ovation web page and look around a bit. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Ovation 1773LX |
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April 2006
Posts: 847
Location: Munich, Germany | You have to look for a 6773 Artist (used to be Country Artist), that is the US-Model, new with the LX-Features or NOS (new old Stock) without. Description are easy to be found on the Ovation homepage.
Maybe you should consider to try a Godin Multiac Guitar. They are known as very good nylon guitars, acoustic and amplified, but I never played one,
I have one of the pre-LX Country Artists, and the acoustic sound really is not top-of-the-line, but I love the playability - and it still sounds better than some other nylon acoustics I have played - with a wonderful neck width, 48 mm (moody, never seen 'Pulp Fiction'? That is the metric system!). |
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Posts: 106
Location: UK | Thanks. Found it.
Hang on... Let me pull up a sheep and sit down for a moment... Here in the UK the price of the 6773 is around £1500 pounds meaning if I add a bag or case I'll be looking at the wrong end of $3000 USD.
I also read some reviews of the 6773. Apparantly, when unplugged, it's 'unbalanced'?(wound strings overpower the unwound strings) |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | 1773LX |
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June 2006
Posts: 106
Location: UK | Thanks Stephent. That's the 2nd time you posted that so I guessed you were trying to tell me something. I never noticed that the LX series also had a 1 7/8ths nylon. Thanks.
However to buy a 1773LX here in the UK I'd be parting with $3000 USD. I believe that's around double the price you'd pay in the USA.
Maybe I just need to order online from the USA. Having said that I'd still get hammered for UK import duties. |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Ax, The Celebrity CA and USA Country Artist 6773LX-4 are both available in the UK. If you are interested in either email me and I can check stock with the distributor and get back to you with a price. It won't be as much as $3K USD |
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June 2006
Posts: 106
Location: UK | Paul, I just wanted to thank you for getting back to me with that UK price information (via email) Being honest with you, even the more than execellent price you mentioned for the US Built guitar is still above my budget.
You've been more than helpfull and I really don't want to take up any of your time so please don't spend any more time on it.
One thing I would like to add to the thread though (for anyone else reading this thread) is that on the ovation website it shows the celebrity CC059 (S/Shallow bowl) whereas all the celebrity country artists I see in UK sites refer to the CC049 (Mid Bowl) which I can't find anywhere on the ovation website ? Is the CC049 maybe an old (or new?) model? Would the CC049's mid depth bowl mean it had a better unplugged sound than the shallow bowl guitars ? |
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Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | To me, the midbowls sound better than the SSBs. I can't answer your other questions. |
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Which classical under 52mm ?
