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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 2
Location: England | Hey Guys! I'm new to this group. 33 yrs old & live in the UK. Have had a 1111-1 Balladeer ever since I graduated 12 years ago and still love Ovations to this day.
This started for me in the early 90's when the Jovi were well in their prime and I happened to see a replay of an MTV awards performance (don't know the year) by Jon & Richie playing Wanted Dead or Alive as well as living on a prayer acoustically all alone on a big big stage and musically blowing all the other acts away. Magic!. Luckily I had the VHS video on "rec" at the time and I've pretty much worn the tape down to nothing since (and I don't lie, it brings tears to my eyes to watch it even now!).
Anyway, Richie was on a doubleneck, and I've always wanted one since. Ruled out an original US made custom despite the reports of them on Ebay as I'm afraid of fraud and have a family to feed, but.... and please forgive me if this has been asked before... all the Celebrities I've seen are 6 string below and 12 string on top. This is different from most of the custom made guitars. Is there a technical reason for this?. It's not just that I'm wanting to emulate Richie (Jimmy Page is just as much of a dude and he's used a custom ovation on the Unledded album with 12 on top and 6 below), but doesn't it make more sense that the 6 is on top to allow the more delicate fingerwork to be more in sight???? Maybe a discussion point there....
OK next question, has anyone swapped the necks around on a double neck Celebrity??. I'm an engineer, and it looks to me like it can be done...
Many Thanks. Looking forward to your comments and please feel free to stop by for afternoon tea if you're ever in the Queens land! (North East UK).
Stu. |
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Joined:
March 2003
Posts: 555
Location: Wooster, Ohio | I have the Celebrity doubleneck and enjoy it. Richie I believe likes the 12 on the bottom, I believe "normal" is the 6 on the bottom. To me I like the six on the bottom, it just feels right to me. Richie must have his reasons, so we can wait for his post. If you swap necks you would have to swap bridges as well. I think that would be a job not worth the effort.
Steve |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | Welcome, Stu. Many of us have guitars older than you and bought them when we were adults. I had to go down the hall and have someone from the next generation tell me who you were talking about. |
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Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 1234
Location: Tidal Mudflats of Virginia | Hi Stu,
Having played both versions, the 12-top/6-bottom & 6-top/12-bottom, I prefer the 6-top/12-bottom.
This is because at a full arms reach, all I have the strength to do is bar chords on the low end of the 12-string.
With the 6-top, my arm has a nice bend and I have much better speed on the higher frets.
To me, it would seem "possible" to reverse the necks on the celebrity but I don't know if the bracing would hold the strain. I think you would be setting yourself up for stress cracks in the finish or worse, the top itself.
Good luck whichever way you go, I LOVE having both the 6 & 12 option readily available when playing.
Tim |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 2
Location: England | Thanks Guys - that's a good set of views, I guess I can just buy one and try it with the 12 on top first. Just need to find a good one now (probably from the states as they're pretty much twice the price over here!!).
Steve, are you happy with the sound and quality of your Celebrity??
Stu. |
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Joined:
March 2003
Posts: 555
Location: Wooster, Ohio | I have the Japanese version which has a curly maple top. I assume it is the same guitar as is sold here except for the cosmetics. I like it. I think that it is very comfortable for a doubleneck. I think the 3/4 bowl is a great innovation for this guitar which is big enough with two necks. Acoustically it is ok. Better than I thought it would be for a Korean Panelmaster. Electrically is it really pretty good. I had to have my necks professionally set up and that made a huge difference. I have a Yairi acoustic doubleneck as well and I think that acoustic doubles are great. They open up a lot of possibilities, I would not part with them.
Steve |
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Double neck Celebrity
