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Joined:
January 2012
Posts: 29
Location: Michigan | Hi, I'm Mike, and I found this great site while looking around for information on my new find, a 1970s Legend in Sunburst. I actually do not have it yet, but will by the end of the month. It's going to need a little fret work - a problem at the third and tenth fret on the high "e," but it of course sounds wonderful and the top has no cracks and it overall looks worn but wonderful. I think it is a 1977, which is cool because that's the year I started playing guitar. My goal is to one day own an Al di Meola model, as he has been my favorite jazz guitarist since the "Elegant Gypsy" days (that album blew my mind, quite frankly - I still remember hearing it for the first time; I don't think he used his Ovation on it, but, as of late, I am watching the 1994 Montreau concert he did with Stanley Clarke and Jean-Luc Ponty -- Rite of Strings -- and love watching him play his signature model in that video). I did own an Appluase a long time ago. My sister-in-law gave it me after she tired of learning to play. I had that for a long time - it was the one with the all aluminum one-piece neck with plastic headstock and neck covering. Loved that guitar, but, like most of them, the strings wore right into the frets. I do have one question - the one I'm getting, marked 1117-1 on the label, has a dot and diamond pearl inlay pattern that begins on the third fret as opposed to the first. It seems like most I see of the Legend have the 15-pearl pattern which starts on the first fret - do you think I have a replaced neck or an earlier model? I have seen some Legends that look like mine, but the specs say it's supposed to have that pearl 15 markers. Also, the tuners are all silver, as opposed to gold, but I am assuming that 30+ well-played years justwiped the gold plating right off. Any thoughts on that? Makes sense as the headstock logo silkscreen (or is it a decal) is barely visible. This guitar was well-played, that's for sure. Mike |
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Joined:
April 2010
Posts: 823
Location: sitting at my computer | Hi Mike,
Take a look at this one over in the OvationTribute.com gallery.
Deluxe Legend 1117-4
It has the dot diamond inlays starting on the 3rd fret and silver tuners.
Maybe the Deluxe has faded away along with the logo on yours. |
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Joined:
April 2010
Posts: 823
Location: sitting at my computer | oops, my bad... should've typed that link as
Legend 1117-4 with Deluxe Balladeer neck |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | I have an 1117-4 (from 1969?) that is similar to the one linked right above ... the serial number is about 100 higher, and it has the 9 piece dots and diamonds fretboard inlays, but no "deluxe" imprint in the headstock. However, I think this was referred to as a Deluxe Balladeer before they put the Legend name into the mix. It does have the original chrome tuners.
Most Legend models seem to have the 15 piece that start with one on the first fret, but I know that a number of Legend models had the 9 piece dots and diamonds similar to what they put on the Deluxe Balladeers. I think the LX series were all that way but can't be sure of that. |
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Joined:
January 2012
Posts: 29
Location: Michigan | Thanks for all the help - I appreciate it. Mine has a metal ID tag, not the paper one, but not being in possession of it I don't have the serial number as of yet. When I pick it up I will follow up on this. Again, thanks. Don't think it has the delux logo on it - by the way, if the tuners are Grover Rotomatics, does that mean they were replaced? Mike |
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Joined:
January 2012
Posts: 29
Location: Michigan | The tuners say Pat. Pend. and USA on the rear of the tuners. No little Ovation logo on the tuning machines. Is that a bad sign? |
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Joined:
January 2012
Posts: 29
Location: Michigan | Sorry to keep adding to this, but just did some research and those would be early US rotomatics and seems Ovation was using them back in 1966? Thanks, Mike |
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Getting a 1117-1 Legend
