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Joined:
May 2013
Posts: 8
| First I have to thank everyone on these boards for all the great information and resources you guys put out here. I only stumbled on this site a few months ago and found the enthusiasm for Ovation guitars contagious. All of a sudden I have not one but two Ovations- my '79 UK2 (see electric forum, or my album), and the cool survivor '87 Collectors below.
I only got the '87C 11 days ago, found on Craig's list locally here in CT for $300. Great player, I was amazed at the tone and feel of the neck. The frets were fine, action very good as is, and I went for it even though he told me the electronics didn't work- he didn't have a battery around and no amp, but when I got home, just popped in a battery and works fine!
The guy had been in Hawaii for 10 years, and the latches on the original case are all rusty, and this probably contributed to the finish cracks and what appear to be two cracks in the top (lower treble bout)- which do not go all the way through, not visible from inside. Bracing all solid. Also, this is an 'FRG'- factory reconditioned with that label inside, and interestingly the guitar seems to have no serial#, or the ink disappeared- the label says "number _____ of 1000".
So I've already brought it myself up to the 'Mothership' since I live here in CT- met with John Budny last Wednesday, and what a gentleman! We went over the options, including replacing the whole top, which would for me ruin the point of having a vintage guitar with the aged wood and look. They also would have to replace the epaulets with different new ones. So what they will do is sand down the top as much as needed to repair the finish cracks, they can't do a full strip without removing and thereby ruining the old epaulets. They will replace the bridge which is coming up a bit- they do have carved walnut replacement ones still! And John says they will of course polish and set it up to perfection.
Here are the quick pix I took before I whisked it away to the Mothership- will post the 'afters' once it's back home-
 
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Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | I looked at that one a couple of weeks back I think. I passed on it since it needed the work and since I already have an 87C or 3.
I bought one several years back that was in even worse condition and opted to customize the rebuild. It turned out great!
So congrats! You will be floored by what the good folks at the factory will hand back to you. |
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Joined:
January 2011
Posts: 344
Location: Italia, Zianigo di Mirano (Venezia) | really congrats....azz,only 300 $ |
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Joined:
June 2005
Posts: 489
Location: California | JB is a great guy, let us know how this project turns out. Hope the cracks are thin enough to allow the sanding process to work.
We love pictures! |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12754
Location: Boise, Idaho | I paid a lot more for the one I got and it has a similar crack up by the end of the fretboard. I tried sanding it down and buffing it out, but I couldn't go deep enough to get it. Those finishes were thick! The 87 Collectors are among Ovation's best. After the repairs, you'll still have less into it than what its worth and you won't always be thinking about whether you should get those cracks fixed.
You UKII has the original pickguard, knobs and fewer dings than mine. You did well there, too. |
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Joined:
April 2010
Posts: 823
Location: sitting at my computer | Congrats cb, Both are really nice guitars. (imho) Ya did good! And sending the '87C to the MS will make it even gooder!  IIRC the FRG status may be why there's no serial number. Try a search through the archives about that. Enjoy 'em and may your enthusiasm (and collection) grow! |
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Joined:
May 2013
Posts: 8
| Yeah, I thought the lack of serial # may have been because of the FRG status. I asked John Budny at Ovation about that and he just shrugged, basically he wasn't sure if that was regular practice or not that year. Somewhere in the forums I ran across a thread where someone had a serial number that was actually higher than the supposed # of guitars produced- and the theory was that some FRGs took up some some #s but they made sure they made the total amount of regular guitars anyway, and ended up with say 1200 serial numbered guitars instead of 1000. So that year maybe they numbered the FRGs. Anyway, I may never know for sure, just makes it more interesting.
And by the way, the guitar comes with a name- there's a small gold oval metal plaque on the headstock between the strings that says "Stephie"- I presume an earlier owner. The guy I bought it from had it for 20 years and got it from a shop so didn't know who Stephie was. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | The best guitars always have a story...... |
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87 Collectors refurbishing
