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December 2001
Posts: 7211
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I'm trying to assemble a list of ultra common questions we see here and the answers. If you have a Q and A that you've seen a lot and your think should be on this list, just add it like the one below to this thread. PLEASE, lets try to keep this thread on track/subject. Thanks.. it will make it easier to use the info later.
EXAMPLE:
Q:What is my Ovation guitar worth?
A: This is probably the most frequently asked question, and the hardest to answer. There are so many factors involved in pricing a musical instrument. Is is collectable? Is it rare? Is it popular? It is highly recommended that you check some online resources such as www.ebay.com. To find out how much an instrument, similar to yours, has recently sold for. Check "completed items." Other online resources include www.gbase.com and www.guitarlist.com. Your best bet, unless you need it appraised for insurance or other reasons, is to try and ask yourself "How much is this instrument worth to me?" More value related resources include the "The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars" and "The Blue Book of Electric Guitars" both edited by S. P. Fjestad and available in paperback by Gurney Brown. There is also the software version "The Book of Guitars" by S. P. Fjestad. from Blue Book Publishing, Inc. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Q: What Strings Do You Use/ Sound Best?
A: Go to the 'Search' function and type in "Strings". You'll be busy with hours of commentary.
Like this:
by Lisa Sharken
"As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the string, the bigger the sound."
No question, strings are an essential part of the sound of a guitar. With the exception of a rare few, the majority of players will agree that their guitars sound noticeably better with new strings. Though it's no secret, this fact is frequently overlooked and taken for granted. Changing strings is probably the cheapest and simplest way to improve your tone. So if you're not entirely happy with the sound of your guitar you may want to consider trying another type of string before replacing pickups, or blaming the amp or your new bass player, since different strings may give your guitar an entirely new sound and feel. Remember, the string is really where the sound of your guitar begins. It's the vibration of the string that initiates everything else.
A string is constructed of a core, the center around which the windings of the string are wrapped, and the windings, the wrap of wire around the center core. The core is usually either round or hexagonal in shape, while the windings come in three shapes: round-wound, half-round (which are also known as polished or ground-round wound), and flatwound. Roundwound is the most common of all string types and produces the brightest and clearest sound. A half-round string is constructed from a round-wound string that has had the outer round wrap ground or burnished down to create a more even and flatter surface. The smoother surface allows the hand to glide more freely with less squeaking as it moves across the string, and are generally not quite as bright as round-wounds. Flatwound strings have a completely smooth outer wrap to provide the sleekest and most fluid surface for effortless sliding without squeaks. Flat-wounds produce a flat and dark sound and are most frequently used by traditional jazz players.
Let's take a look at the differences between some of the materials used to manufacture guitar strings and the characteristics of their tone. What are some factors about the string that affect tone? The first is the alloy, which is the type of metal used in the string's construction. Material used for the windings on electric guitar strings must have stronger magnetic properties to be capable of working in conjunction with the guitar's pickups. For plain strings, Swedish steel is the most commonly used alloy for both electric and acoustic. However, strings made for acoustic guitar do not need magnetic properties since the tone is not created with a magnetic pickup. They do however, require strong resonant properties to project the tone and work in conjunction with the wood of the guitar.
Here's a general run-down of some of the most commonly used alloys. I've already mentioned nickel plated steel, which produces a bright and warm sound and is favored by players of acoustic and electric guitar since it has excellent magnetic properties. Pure nickel is another alloy which is experiencing a bit of a "come back" as of late. It is not quite as bright as the NPS. Pure nickel is what most strings were made of back in the 60's. The resurgence of surf music and 50-60's music is causing the come back of the pure nickel. Stainless steel is an alloy commonly used for electric guitar strings since it has good magnetic properties and produces a very clear and bright sound. One advantage of stainless steel is that it's more resistant to oxidation than NPS or nickel. It's a favorite of pedal-steel players. Chrome is much flatter sounding than nickel or stainless steel and is commonly used for flatwound electric guitar strings since it also has good magnetic properties. It's also often preferred by jazz and blues players. For acoustic guitar, the most popular alloy used for wound strings is bronze, which produces a bright, crisp sound. Phosphor bronze is the second most popular choice and produces a bright, but is slightly warmer and darker sound than bronze. Another common material is brass, which is brighter and more metallic sounding than bronze. Brass seems to work well to brighten up characteristically dark and muddy sounding acoustics.
Of course, we can't forget about the gauge of the string, the actual thickness, which is measured to 1/1000th of an inch. The gauge of a string affects the amount of tension the string creates and how difficult it will be to press down or bend. Heavier strings have more tension and are somewhat harder to play on, however they do produce a stronger and fatter tone than thinner strings. As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the string, the bigger the sound.
As you can see, there are several factors about strings themselves that effect their sound. It's the result of those characteristics of the strings working together with the qualities of the guitar's wood, and the magnetic properties and tonal qualities of a guitar's pickups that truly define the instrument's voice. But it all begins with the string. Experiment with different kinds of strings; it's the simplest modification you can do. And remember, if you change strings, you may have to readjust the setup of your guitar to accommodate for the differences, especially if you change your string gauge. Happy stringin'. |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | For an FAQ section the answer should go something like...
"Ovations leave the factory with xxxxx brand strings. Members have their own personal choice which they will be glad to share with you if asked. The best way to find your brand fits your style and ears is by trial an error. Hopefully by the fifth change out you'll have your answer." |
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August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | example...different lables and headstock designs,what years had witch |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | What are string tubes?
Read all about them by using the search function and then contact Tupperware directly for purchasing, pricing, and shipping information. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 803
Location: Avondale, AZ | "Have you ever killed a thread?"
Don't ask. |
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Joined:
March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | "Are the newer OP series preamps interchangeable without changing the can?"
:D |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | Q:What's the difference between a center-sound hole, multi-sound hole, and Adamas in voice?
A: Early center-sound hole Ovations (Balladeers and Legends) were modelled after early dreadnaughts of famous manufacture. Ovation was the first guitar company to mechanically model and graphically record the frequency spectrum of a guitar, then, ask people what they liked about the sound, and make guitars that people said sounded good based on scientific and mechanical principals. The Adamas multi-sound hole guitars were the first to use a composite soundboard and truley different bracing patterns previously unavailable to further enhance the voicing of a guitar. These improvments led to the multi-soundhole wood topped Elite Models. Where the center sound hole guitars have a typical reverse bell-curved frequency map, the the Elites have a much more balanced map. Much like a mic'd guitar run through a very good compressor. The Adamas guitars simply have a broader frequency response, with allot of audible harmonics.
For my next trick..
Q:What's the difference between a CVT, SMT, textured top, and unidirectional top Adamas? |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by mtnbikerfred:
Q:What's the difference between a CVT, SMT, textured top, and unidirectional top Adamas? A: Textured tops sound better. |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 972
Location: PDX | Why does Ovation xxxx?
or Why doesn't Ovation xxxx?
A: This board has no affiliation with Kaman Music, the makers of Ovation and Adamas guitars. Therefore we haven't a clue why they do the things they do. May we suggest that you contact Kaman Music directly and let us know what you find out.
_____
gh1 |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4820
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Q- I see a lot of different round backed guitars around from different places in the world. Are they all Ovations?
A-? |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | What are the pros and cons of the different bowl depths?
Which string gauge is recommended for Ovation guitars?
How is it that Ovation guitars are so much more inexpensive than other "top" brand named guitars, but play and sound as good or better?
How can I eliminate fret buzzing?
How should I store my Ovation Guitar?
Where can I get good repairs done on my Ovation guitar?
What is this "GAS" that everyone refers to on this site? |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | ... What are the recommended ways to clean and perform maintenance on my guitar?
Is a humidifier recommended for my guitar? |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | ... What is a good price to ask for my ____ model guitar?
What is considered a good price for a ___ model guitar?
These could be linked to a used instrument price list. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | Q: How do I adjust the action on my Ovation?
A: First, check the action as recommended in the Ovation Owner's Manual. If you want to lower the action, remove the strings and carefully remove the saddle. If you have a model with a preamp, reach inside and gently push up on the wire under the bridge to push up on the saddle. If you have more than one shim under the saddle, remove one and try the action. If you want it lower, remove all the shims. If you get string buzz, put a shim back in.
See other questions and answers on string guage for related issues.
That's an attempt at one that I asked and a summary of some of the answers. |
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | Q: How do I adjust the action on my Ovation?
A: First, check the action as recommended in the Ovation Owner's Manual. Actually, 1st would be to take it out of the case :p
Sorry, in one of my moods again :D |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4820
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by stephent28:
What are string tubes?
Read all about them by using the search function and then contact Tupperware directly for purchasing, pricing, and shipping information. This is what I found while looking for string tubes. Think I'll look some more!
web page " target="_blank" title="http://images.marketworks.com/fullView.asp?id=10127388&fc=0&img=http://images.marketworks.com/hi/54/54351/d.jpg">">http://images.marketworks.com/fullView.asp?id=10127388&fc=0&img=htt... |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Q: How do I upload pictures to my Photo Gallery?
A:
1. Click on "Member Access" on the left side of your screen (if you don't see "member access", you need to click on the "Ovation Fan Club" link at the bottom of your screen, or type http://www.ovationfanclub.com in your browser).
2. Click on "Photo Gallery".
3. Click on "Gallery Utility".
4. Click on "Upload Photo".
5. Fill in the fields.
6. Pick the photo you want to upload (When you click "browse" you are looking at the files on YOUR computer).
7. Click "Upload".
NOTE: File size is limited to 100k. Larger images will be rejected. Maximum pixel width is 500. Images wider than 500 pixels and smaller than 100k in size will be resized.
Q: How do I post pictures in a thread?
A: The image needs to be hosted somewhere on the internet. Your OFC photo gallery qualifies.
1. Right click on the image you wish to post, choose 'copy image location'.
2. In the position in your post where you wish to place the image, type , then type ) . (If using 'Full Reply Form" you can position the cursor and click on the "Image" button, then paste the image location in the box. This will insert the  )
To get the location of an image in your gallery,
1. Go to your gallery.
2. Click on the thumbnail of the picture you want to post.
3. Right-click on the large version, choose "Copy Image Location". |
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March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Good one, Waskel - that one truly needs to be on the top 20. |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | At least now I know where to find it next time someone asks. I should write one on how to do quotes... for Schroeder.
Oh, and one on how to do links as well. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7211
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | This is working out good. If people know the answers to some of the unanswered questions, please feel free. I will eventually take this stack of Q & A and put it into it's own forum category so it's all searchable. Also try to cover as much as possible of the topic if you can. As example the "How do I adjust the action" question... although straight forward, if someone is actually asking that question, the first part of the response should be.. "Insure the action is what needs adjusting" You'd want to check the neck relief and angle BEFORE making ANY adjustments. |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | How do I check the neck relief and angle before making any adjustments? |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Q: I'm in the rough, 150 yards from the green with a large tree blocking the way. If I hit a high fade I may be able to clear the greenside bunker and make the green without going off the back.
What Ovation should I use to sing about this? |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | any black one. |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Q How and when do I humidify my guitar?
A First get a hygrometer to test the humidity of your guitar case. You can look at places like first quality music or musicians friend to find a hygrometer to your liking, plus searching the internet.
If the hygrometer reveals that the humidity is less than 40% you need to put in a humidifier. Again visit a place like first quality music or musicians friend, plus other places to find one to your liking. If possible, you want to keep the humidity under 60%, but this a harder varible to control, but is also less of a threat than not enough humidity. |
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OvationFanClub Top 20 Q & A
