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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 3
Location: Athens, Ohio, USA | Dear fellow Ovation Caballeros
I have an old Ovation Matrix 1132, No. 148552, which makes the old Lady just a little younger then I am... Unfortunately, she is not exactly in ...shall we say "mint condition"?! There are two slim temperature cracks in the finish, but these don't go through the wood. About these I do not worry, my main concern is that several of the frets have to be changed and this is why I am addressing all of you who share my appreciation for Ovation Guitars.
Say I want a whole new set of Jumbo frets on that guitar, what am I looking at, pricewise, roughly, gimme a give or take(for frets and the craftmanship)?
Also, how much do you think this baby is worth (as a Grad student I have to ask that question, I am sure I am not the only student with bills to pay here on that site)? Judging by how rarely one finds a Matrix on E-Bay there shouldn't be too many out there, right?
I hope you guys can help me out
Best always, Ira Kane |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3604
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Welcome, Ira! Actually, Matrix models are a bit more ubiquitous than you might expect. AND, does your particular guitar have the foam neck and aluminum fretboard? If so, you're screwed, when contemplating a fret job. Otherwise, I would expect a well-done refretting job, on a wood fretboard, to be in the neighborhood of, say, $100.00. Being a former graduate graduate student myself, I suggest you would on your thesis or dissertation, get a good payin' gig, and buy an Adamas. Just play that Old Lady til she drops. Biologically, they respond better with age, anyway!! |
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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 3
Location: Athens, Ohio, USA | Thanks Man, even though I am a little confused with what you told me... Yes, the guitar does have an aluminum neck, but what about that foam? The back of the neck is wood, and the top part is aluminum. The color is coming off, but that I don't mind.
So is there no chance to get the frets changed? I mean, the world will keep spinning, the guitar sounds so ueber-sweet, but I am sure I don't have to tell you that. I just thought that changing the frets might make it even better / add to its value...
Talk to you soon
Ira |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3604
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Well, Ira, it's debatable. The fretboard is cast as one piece of material, so to give you enough relief for releveling the frets, you really need to mill the fretboard BETWEEN the raised fret "wires". You still with me, Ol' Boy? This is no casual endeavor you're contemplating. Maybe some of our other members have different suggestions for you, but this is what I surmise. In a related thread, there is a discussion about replacing these "disposable" necks with ones from old Balladeers. You might be able to use other model necks, also. |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Ira, with the aluminum neck a fret job in not in the cards, sorry. |
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Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 7
| I have a Matrix I got in The 70`s. It`s got such a beautiful mellow tone, I wouldn`t give it up for anything. It`s got more cracks than a NYC sidewalk. I`m told you can`t do anything about them because the wood is dyed and if you try to refinish the top, the color will just smear. Maybe rather than trying a new fret board, you might try lowering the strings. That`s what I did to stop the ringing when it started. I also use #10 Martins, they sound great on mine. |
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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 3
Location: Athens, Ohio, USA | Thank you all for responding to my question so fast, I appreciate and value your input very much.
As stated earlier, the guitar (still) sounds and playes like butter, so if I cannot do anything about the way she looks that's fine.
Maybe I should just reconsider my attitude towards the old Lady's outer appearance... My left leg is scarred from a motorcycle accident, but I still wear cut off pants in the summer and don't care that it looks like I got beaten up by the Terminator...
Talk to you guys very soon, all of you have a nice day
IK |
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Ovation Matrix 1132
