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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 38
Location: Hopkinton, MA | Hi, I've just found the site and joined.
Prior to buying a couple Ovations over the last month, I've owned a 1969 Guild Studio 302 semi-hollow archtop electric that I've owned since new. I've also got a Schecter C-1 E/A electric that I recently picked up used.
I own a 2000 S771 Balladeer and just picked up a hurting 1990 1862-4 Balladeer custom. I'm looking for information on the 1990 model, which has a natural finish color. I'm suspecting that it has been refinished at some point as there is a very thick, shiny clear coat on the face of this guitar. Am I right about that? If so, I'll be looking into removing this and applying an appropriate finish. This finish has several large cracks. I do not know for sure if it's just in the finish or into the wood. The guitar sounds very good.
The guitar neck also is mounted in such a way that the strings are very far from the finger board near the sound hole. This is not a tension rod issue as I've completely loosened it to no avail. I've removed the neck and as a test, put some shims at the front of the neck (thin cardboard) and bolted the neck back in place and this improves the string height quite a bit near the sound hole. I'm able to tune it and play but would like to properly fix this problem. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks for any help.
jack |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Jack, do a little research before you go crazy. I'm impressed you removed and reset the neck, but Ovations have shims under the saddle that you can take out. Generally, that's all you need to lower the action.
The finish, until recently, was a very thick polymer. Lots of them cracked, although I have several that don't have any cracks.
Welcome to the board. Read up on some old posts. You'll learn a lot. |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Post some pics. It'll be easier to understand what you're saying. |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Jack , Welcome to the Board ,...and , that was Solid Advice Mark gave ya`.... :)
Vic |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 38
Location: Hopkinton, MA | 
Maybe my pics will show some of what I'm talking about. This is where it sets now. I pulled the saddle and there are no shims. This currently has (shown...hopefully you can see) the thickness of 3 playing cards at the face end of the neck so when bolted back in place, it tilts it out quite a bit from before. One pic shows the finger board above the face especially on the high E side. I do plan to restring this tomorrow anyways (picked it up tonight) with lighter strings....so I don't want to finalize what I'm doing yet. My S771 is strung with D'Addario EXP26 Phosphor Bronze Custom Light (0.052-0.011) and I love how it plays. It's all very temporary and undoable on this 1862 right now. This was a $100 craigslist guitar that I bought so I could leave it at work and not worry that it's going to get stolen.
I don't have pics of the initial setting but would say that the strings at the sound hole of the finger board were a good 1/4 inch plus off the last fret.
I have been reading a bunch and will continue to do so. Thanks for any help.
jack |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Welcome Jack!
Although we cannot be sure without pics...
But, Yeah... that really is the original finish! :cool: [probably]
Oh! There are the pics :p I type slow. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Go to Ovation Guitars and check on manuals. It will show you where the setup should be at the 12th fret. It does sound like you had a neck reset problem, where the head pulls toward the body. It doesn't look too bad in the pics, so maybe the lighter strings will be good enough for you. |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | The pictures are n`t too clear , but I guess that Mark has a point here , there seems to be a problem with the guitar , how that occurred...??..dunno..
Vic |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 1817
Location: Minden, Nebraska | Welcome to the club!
I agree with Mark, which is surprising since he's an attorney. Seriously, it isn't rare that an Ovation may need a neck reset to address the problem you describe. Given the 'street value' of an #1862, it's dicey to spend $200 on having that done, especially when it has the ubiquitous finish crack problem.
Imho, if you are able to shim the neck adequately to compensate for the skewed neck angle, enjoy the guitar for what it is. |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 38
Location: Hopkinton, MA | Originally posted by Paul Blanchard:
Imho, if you are able to shim the neck adequately to compensate for the skewed neck angle, enjoy the guitar for what it is. At this point, that's what I'll do. I feel that it's better than a $99 Guitar Center special kind of guitar and will get a good amount of use.
I have a 7 year old son who switched from piano after a year (he really wanted to learn guitar but the music center convinced my wife to start him on piano). He switched at the beginning of the year and I've already upgraded his $70 3/4 learning guitar to a little martin. I also have an 11 year old son who's picking up stuff from me and learning at home. Having 3 guitars on stands surrounding the TV has really encouraged them to just pick one up and try stuff out. I do the same.
My guitar playing has actually been dormant for 20 years and I picked it up again after finding lessons to play songs and leads on youtube. It's certainly cheaper than my "other" hobby. I instruct drivers on the racetrack.
jack |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | On the older Ovations (pre-LX) wasn't it typical for the fingerboard to curve away above the 12th fret?
John <>{ |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 38
Location: Hopkinton, MA | At this point, it's curved up because the neck is now tilted from the shims I've inserted. I have not yet glued it back in place. I want to re-string it first, then will dry fit it again, probably adjust what shims go in, adjust the rod and when it seems about right, pull it back apart and glue it in place....and hope it's right.
jack |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Welcome Jack. Will trade guitar set up for race car driving lessons. |
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July 2005
Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | Welcome to the club, Jack. Glad you're playing again. |
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 38
Location: Hopkinton, MA | Originally posted by Mauvais Beal:
Welcome Jack. Will trade guitar set up for race car driving lessons. Hahahaha!
It's a deal! I instruct at Lime Rock and NHMS (formerly called NHIS).
Me last year in my toy car:
jack |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Jack, the truss rod is just for warp or bow in the neck between the head and body of the guitar. Be gentle with that.
Keep checking around for good guitars for the kids. I got my daughter a beautiful Celebrity Deluxe a couple years ago that she loves and both of them have been promised my hand me downs.
The track hobby is way more expensive. My wife bought me a couple days at PIR a couple years ago, but that didn't pan out so I got the Ute instead. |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by Jack FFR1846:
Originally posted by Mauvais Beal:
Welcome Jack. Will trade guitar set up for race car driving lessons. It's a deal!
That MIGHT be considered a factory reset
AND
reinstate the lifetime warranty on the guitar!
;)
Welcome aboard Jack |
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October 2007
Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | Welcome Jack from one New England member of the OFC to another!! Good luck with the guitar and on the track. |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | 'It' happens. This is what needed doing on a brand new 2005ES...
This guitar IS (eventually) going back to Connecticut to be repaired under warranty.
If your guitar is just going to be a work beater, I'd put something a little harder and more supportive than cardboard under the heel and just enjoy.
It might also be worth while to angle the neck a little more than it currently is so you can put another shim or 2 under the saddle. That will improve the 'break angle' which, I would imagine, is quite low if there aren't ANY shims under there.
Oh, and welcome. |
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