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Joined:
February 2009
Posts: 78
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA | MWoody: I sent you a private message, I figured out how to send it but im not sure how to check if you replied, maybe something will pop up and say new message?
G8r: the 1537 is electric right? On the ovationguitar product page it shows 2 knobs but doesnt mention a preamp. I went through his albums and in the for sale album is a 1537 with a -4 with those same knobs, a photo of the backside looks like it has 2 holes where it could be plugged in? |
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Joined:
October 2007
Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | Merc,
I'm going to add and suggest something here. I was a huge fan of Taylor guitars that goes completely against the "Thinking" of some long standing members. I still enjoy my one Taylor.
Paid $1100.00 for it new back in 2002 I now own my 2077lx, 1758-1 Elite 12 string and a 1112-1 Custom Balladeer (and a 1778Lx). All bought used and for less then then what I paid for my Taylor Combined!
For Tone and volume the Legend and Elite blow away my Taylor as there is very little Bass response fron my "Woodbox" as these guys refer to them. My point is, it's not about Name recognition or How much you spend. It's what sounds/feels "right " to you.
Now the other point I want to make is that just because "Top Artists" don't play Ovations doesn't mean anything. Go over to the Ovation "Ning" site and listen to some of the Audio/videos of members here. If I could play half as good as them I'd be happy. They choose Ovations because the Ovation makes the music "speak"!! In my opinion these guys are not far behind talent wise as some of the big names your instructor is talking about. These Guys and Gals here KNOW what they are talking about.
Don't let anyone talk you into anything you don't want. Like others have said, It's what you like not what an Instructor tells you just because he is your "Mentor" of the moment.
Ok I'm done ranting. Good luck and what ever you buy, ENJOY PLAYING MUSIC. Thats really what this is about!! |
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Joined:
August 2008
Posts: 121
Location: Maine | Originally posted by 2ifbyC:
merc,
Within your $500 limit, you can find a used US made Ovation that will far surpass any Celeb you will find. I'm sure that some will chime in on my suggestion...
And welcome to the Ovation ' "We'll assist you in spending your money but not lead you astray" We'll assist you in spending your money but not lead you astray' Hive Mind! Iffy, are you a US Senator or Congressman perhaps? |
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Joined:
October 2008
Posts: 639
Location: NW of Philadelphia | Merc,
First.. Welcome to the asylum. If you haven't noticed, the inmate rule here.
As to the Celebs being crap. Not quite true. I have two 6-string O's, a Celeb and an Elite-T. Two VERY different guitars. The Celeb plays well for what it is, a low end Ovation. It sounds and plays nice, but when compared to the Elite-T, its no contest. The Elite sounds, plays and feels THAT much better.
The Adamas is a whole 'nother level up.
The best advice is to keep looking and playing guitars until you find one that picks you. You will know it. The For Sale section here, craigslist.org and ebay are your best bets in finding something used. With the For Sale section here being the most reliable source.
Happy hunting. |
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Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Merc - yes the 1537 has a stereo pre-amp - that's why you see 2 jacks in the bowl. One jack is mono only. When you use a special stereo cable with both jacks you get strings 1-3-5 out of one stereo channel and strings 2-4-6 out of the other channel. Interesting, but few people use it. That was a design asked for by Jesse Colin Young of the Youngbloods. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1112
Location: NW Washington State | Mercury-
If you think your teacher is a good guy and won't lead you astray, then his advice is worthwhile. It's also possible he's helping out someone else he's known longer by selling you an overpriced guitar. If your teacher is pressuring you, it's a bad sign. You'll have a better feel for this than we do.
Before you agree to buy any guitar, check out the prices for the same model online. Online stores like Musician's Friend and Sweetwater are good for checking prices. List or suggested retail prices mean nothing- find out what they really sell for. Remember that a used beginner's guitar should be MUCH cheaper than a new one these days- the market is slow. Again, don't be in a hurry, there are lots of good guitars out there for very reasonable prices. Keep playing your electric until you find the right one.
-Steve W. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1112
Location: NW Washington State | One more thing, a Korean made Ibanez is probably a lot better than a Chinese made one. Hard to imagine that a Chinese one would be worth $300. If there's no label, don't take anyone's word for it. |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Merc,
It is obvious that you have received some realy good advice here, some of which comes from some very experienced players. I too would be a bit leary of an instructor trying to push another student's guitar on you (probably so the other student can buy an upgrade)
There's really no reason for you to have to make a decision yet, since you already have something to practice on. I would take time to hook up with some of the OFCers in your area to be able to see/feel/and hear USA Ovations first hand. One more thing ... If you are making comparisons of guitars in a music store, make sure they have fairly new strings on the guitars. An old set of strings will make even the best guitar sound dull. Good Luck |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Hi Merc. I haven't read all the threads here, and maybe it has already been said, but our advice to beginners is always to buy the best quality used guitar you can afford. It will provide you with an easier playing, better sounding, and much more satisfying instrument to learn on, and it will most likely hold its resale value in the event you decide that guitar playing is not for you. If you buy cheap now, and you keep playing, you may come to regret it later on. However, if you buy quality now, chances are, you'll keep the guitar into the future, even as you buy additional guitars. First guitars tend to become our sentimental favorites, so it is best to have something worthy of the sentiment. I was 8 years old when I started playing and my first guitar was a pawn shop Christmas present in 1959. My dad paid $25 for it. Even though it was pretty much worthless and alost unplayable 15 years later, I still lugged it out to the desert for evenings around the campfire. |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | 36 years later, I still have the first acoustic guitar I ever bought. |
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Joined:
February 2009
Posts: 78
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA | Thanks for the advice everyone, I will have to try diff guitars out and hopefully have other people play stuff for me also so I can hear what it sounds like when played by an experienced person. It didn't sound like my teacher was trying to push the students ibanez on me, he simply said his suggestion would be to not get an ovation and to check out his students ibanez. I try to play every day and when I hit notes just right and get that sound I was going for it just makes me want to keep playing, so I def. want to invest in a really good sounding guitar that I can keep for a long time, and like professorbb said I'd like to take it camping and play around the campfire also, we go at least a few times each summer... |
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Joined:
February 2009
Posts: 78
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA | . |
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Joined:
February 2009
Posts: 119
Location: New York | Originally posted by mercury187:
G8r: yeah my birthday isnt until August so yeah it would have to last at least until then Wink Wink! I think you know what to get Merc for his birthday Gator! |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by Wagonmaster:
Iffy, are you a US Senator or Congressman perhaps? Nopper, my backgroundt is too 'clean' to qualify. Besides, I enjoy the real world!  |
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Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Originally posted by Hossman21:
Wink Wink! I think you know what to get Merc for his birthday Gator! Yeah, if I still had my old Legend:
It was (still is) a 1981, AAA top, ebony fretboard, had no finish cracks - just a couple minor dings - and an absolute tone monster. Wound up selling it for $500 before the economy went south. That's the kind of guitar I keep thinking about when someone wants to get their first Ovation. Hard to beat. Only reason I sold it was SWMBO's 1-in-1-out rule when I got my 1619. |
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Joined:
February 2009
Posts: 78
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA | G8r: nice looking guitar you posted there! So that special stereo preamp you were talking about works just like normal if your using a regular guitar cable? Do you have any recordings of anyone using the special cable or does it pretty much sound the same? Sounds like a very interesting idea...
BT717: Thanks for all the info in your post.. |
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Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Originally posted by mercury187:
So that special stereo preamp you were talking about works just like normal if your using a regular guitar cable? Yep. Just plug into the jack labeled "Mono". I don't have any sound samples of it. Maybe The Youngbloods' "Get Together" was recorded that way? |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Alagoas, Brazil | Welcome Mercury. All the advice here is nice, as well as your teacher may be well intended, BUT, I think you must have in mind that it is your hard earned money AND you deserve the absolute best it can buy.
My $.02: Go to the stores in your area, take SWMBO whith you and try LOTS of guitars, EVEN those you have no money to buy.
Don´t worry about your player skills. You are there to spend money, so you are running the show already. Just sit and play. Ask your wife what she thinks. Play both plugged and unplugged. Take your earphones along and try using them. Spend the whole afternoon in the shop.
When I got my guitar I told the salesperson that I wasn´t buying it, I would just try it because it was raining and I couldn´t go anywhere right then. She said "fine" and made a good profit from a lousy day.
Good salespeople will be nice to you even if you make it clear that you are there only to try the guitar. They know that, sooner or later, if you are satisfied, you´ll be back.
Good Luck, and welcome again.
Miguel |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Alagoas, Brazil | I also did a fast search on GuitarCenter and found all these nice O´s:
http://used.guitarcenter.com/usedgear/details.cfm?listId=105068080
http://used.guitarcenter.com/usedgear/details.cfm?listID=104891062
http://used.guitarcenter.com/usedgear/details.cfm?listID=105043539
http://used.guitarcenter.com/usedgear/details.cfm?listID=105030705
http://used.guitarcenter.com/usedgear/details.cfm?listID=102852547
http://used.guitarcenter.com/usedgear/details.cfm?listID=104942455
All of these are under 500.
Miguel |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | MWOODY ,
How beat-up is that 1537 ?
Vic |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | This Beat up
And I have a nicer one too! |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Miguel,
Now that's contributing to the effort! Great job...  |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | MWoody ,
PM sent.
Vic |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by 2ifbyC:
merc,
Within your $500 limit, you can find a used US made Ovation that will far surpass any Celeb you will find. I'm sure that some will chime in on my suggestion...
And welcome to the Ovation 'We'll assist you in spending your money but not lead you astray' Hive Mind! I secound that |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by mercury187:
whats a US made ovation? Celeb is that bad? USA made guitars are proffessional instruments
made with a lot of hand work & top grade materials.
They sound a lot better than Celbs.
Celbs are imports and a lot of guitar for the money.
They are beginner/novice instruments. |
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looking at getting my 1st ovation
