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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | This last weekend I was watching video I made of the old Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour from when TNN re broadcast it several years ago. I keep finding myself drawn back to several episode from the first year of the show. And I finally decided it's because of Glen's signature Deluxe Balladeer.
The tone of that guitar is just flat out wonderful. It's a deep bowl, and since there was no pickup at that time, it was played into a mic (and often there was no mic in front of the guitar).
In the second season of the show, Glen's playing his Artist Balladeer, with the mid depth bowl. And while it has a lot of treble and mid range, the bass is just lacking. The acoustic sound is not there.
One of the issues that I'm going to talk to Ovation about on Friday is the possibility of bringing back the deep bowl in the LX series, using the new, lighter material. I just have to believe that the sound (acoustic) would be incredible. |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 799
Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | You can actually tell that much from an old taping that was mixed for a 3" speaker? Wow! You're good! ;) Remember that a lot of the time starting the 2nd season, Glen was going direct with his Artist that had a Baldwin pickup. Sometimes, it wasn't even miked, but if it was, it was mixed with the pickup.
I taped all those shows, too. I think the pickup was the main difference.
Also, I hate bass. LOL! |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | Goob:
One of the things I really like about my DB is the balance of the guitar. It doesn't have the overwhelming bass of a Martin, but has so much more than almost any other wood topped Ovation. And it rings out more than my 1537. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | Yes!
Take all the electoral votes from my part of Washington when you go Paul. The chads are all cleanly cut and the path should be apparent.
Ovation has shown their prowess with electronics and in moving toward thinner bowls has made a more comfortable instrument. The compromise has been that they have stopped pushing the acoustic envelope that they exploded in the late sixties.
There are a few Artists today that are demanding that their instruments be more acoustically responsive as well as visually stimulating.
The line is moving again because of O's efforts. Keep pushing. Make the parts available so that the custom market at least can expand. With the Customer support you have this will be the next wave!
My other guitar is a soapbox! Peace. |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Paul,
I'm intrigued by the fact that Glen, whom Ovation credits with coming up with the idea that led to the smaller atrist bowl, has consistantly used deep bowl Ovations for most of his career. Even during much of the time when Ovation was marketing the artist bowl model that bore his name, Glen was using Legends, Custom Legends, Adamases and Elites. In fact, for all intents and purposes, he stopped using his signature Artist model right after the Goodtime Hour left the air. It would appear that maybe Glen himself wasn't too keen on the sound produced by the artist bowl.
Jeff |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | Jeff, that's a damned good point and one that Ovation should take to heart. |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 799
Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | Paul, I was partially playing devil's advocate. You know me a little by now....stir the pot. LOL! I, like you, believe a lot of the early shiny bowls are some of the best sounding guitars I've heard. I agree that deep bowl Ovations do not have the overwhelming boomy bass of say a D-35.
That said, the best sounding *recording* guitar I own is an early GC Artist. It purrrrrs with all the right harmonics into a good Neumann 47.
Did you know that Dean Parks used a regular Artist to record Steely Dan's famous "Aja" album with? He used one on a bunch of stuff in the 70's and 80's.
I do know that Glen's favorite recording guitar on the Jimmy Bowen-produced stuff (Reunion, etc.)was an A-braced Legend, no pickup. Never saw him play a Custom Legend, though.
I'll wait and get me a deep bowl LX when you get one. You've convinced me. Heheheh! |
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Joined:
April 2003
Posts: 557
Location: Burbank | Hey just as bit a of trivia, Al Dimeola recorded his Elegant Gypsy album with a 1627, back in the early 80's before the AD model. |
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Mid v. Deep
