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June 2004
Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | So I bought a used 1993 1719 Custom Legend a couple of years ago from a dude on ebay. When it arrived, I opened the case to find an instrument that had been rode hard (harder than the seller's description of course..."excellent used condition"). The guy played a lot of bars with it and it smelled like a sewer. He was also an obvious neck strangling, cowboy chorder cause the first five frets were really worn and there were divots in the fretboard. The fretboard was humping at the body, the binding on the treble waist had popped lose and he must have been using a metal pick and a horrendous strumming technique because the top finish was deeply scarred (not pick flutter, but deep gouges in the finish) all the way from the sound hole to the bottom on the lower bout. My wife said the scratches added "character"...yeah, right. BUT, it sounded magnificent and was a real player and for $350, I felt like I had still gotten a fair deal. The stench went away after a couple of months of airing out the instrument and case. That was two years ago.
Finally, last month I decided to give Kim a call and send the old lady back to the mothership for some TLC. So I sent it in, got the estimate for the requisite repairs (which was an amazing good deal) and read Kim's caveat that he didn't know if they could buff out the scratches in the top, but that they would give it a throw. Well, a month later UPS delivered it to my house and after I let it sit inside for a few hours to equalize, I opened the case. OM MY GOODNESS - it was beautiful, just beautiful! The mothership did it again (like I should be surprised...) - they took a scarred up old lady and made her a princess. It looks new, like a brand new Custom Legend with the sound of a 15 year old played-in top. The scratches are completely gone, the frets are perfect, the fretboard is divotless, the binding is repaired, and thanks to a neck reset, the fretboard hump at the body is gone and the action is perfect! Now she sounds great, plays great and looks like a brand new axe. Those folks in New Hartford are absolutely AMAZING! I know you all at the mothership read this board, so thank you! Thank You, THANK YOU!
I know you ladies and gentlemen like pics, so here are a few of the finished product that I couldn't resist posting. They don't do it justice, and I'm really sorry that I didn't take some of the "before" shots so you could see the transformation. Enjoy!
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November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Wow - all I can say is Wow! Absolutely beautiful. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15652
Location: SoCal | Wow. The guys in CT are just amazing..... |
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June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | Originally posted by worshipleader:
[QB] The guy played a lot of bars with it and it smelled like a sewer.[QB]
Now it must smell like a brand new guitar!! Cool!! |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4025
Location: Utah | Originally posted by worshipleader:
The mothership did it again (like I should be surprised...) - they took a scarred up old lady and made her a princess. Can I send in the wife? Hell, can they turn a scarred up old man into a prince? |
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August 2004
Posts: 709
Location: Germany | Great, it really looks like a new guitar. I love the bling look of the natural top Custom Legends.
I also know what a great job the service department can do. They made a perfect Josh White rebuild for me a few months ago. Currently my Adamas II with a new custom neck is on the ride back. Well, Xmas is coming up again. Hope Santa Claus delivers it in time ....
Karl |
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June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Absolutely beautiful. The deep bowl, non-cutaway Custom Legends are very special guitars. Here's wishing you many years of ministry and enjoyment with it. |
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December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | What a nice guitar! Ovation factory service is the absolute best.
One of the things that doesn't get mentioned much about these older CL's is the quality of the ebony fretboards. This one looks like mine. The grain is so dense that the wood looks and feels like slate. I doubt that it can ever wear out. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | When you said you sent the old lady back to Connecticut, I was thinking the same thing as Flysig was. They just had an old CL for sale locally for $850. It was in good shape, but not as good as yours is now. Beautiful job. |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | My favorite. Deep bowl, non-cutaway, natural finish.....Yummy! ...and with BLING! |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | OT, don't ya just hate having to wait for the guitar to "acclimate" before you open the case? Even being the patient(?) person that I am, I have a tough time doing it. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Robbie, that's absolutely beautiful!
(This also adds weight to my theory that the factory basement is filled with either pristine NOS guitars, which they send out under the guise of being 'repaired' or 'refinished', or they've developed some kind of guitar restoring nanotechnology - their work is just too good!). |
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April 2006
Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | I'm inclined to think that "Princess" vastly understates her new appearance; in my mind, she looks much more like the "Empress" she really is--I can't wait to see where the place of honor is for her in the new decor! Stately, regal, and her rosette reminds me of a tiara. She's beautiful, Robbie--I'm so glad you sent her north; she deserved it.
--Karen |
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October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | wonder how one of these would hold up in hawaii's environment? she is stunningly beautiful and oh, so shapely. |
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January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | Holy Schnike! That is phenomenal. My '74 1117 Legend got similar treatment. You get a seasoned top with all new bling and finish. Yahoo! |
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September 2005
Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Beautiful Instrument! That is one of my favorites. That was a good move in sending it in for the makeover. You could never buy a new guitar for that investment price. If I had the spare cash I would own one of those just to be able to look at it.
Bryan |
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November 2004
Posts: 1374
| Beautiful! congratulations! I can't wait till mine come home... when I last checked with John they were still waiting for the tops to be completed.
I hope they look as nice as that!
Glenn |
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November 2007
Posts: 24
Location: Huntington Beach, California | She's an absolute beauty. Exactly what I have been searching for myself. Its good to know if I find one in less then great condition what the folks in CT can do. Enjoy!
Jeffeman |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Very, very nice! Enjoy! These are great guitars! |
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June 2004
Posts: 375
Location: Rocky River, Ohio | Did they re-clear the top?
looks awesome.
I've said it many times, I would almost rather send a used guitar to Kim and john than buy a new one. |
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January 2007
Posts: 146
Location: Japan | Anyway we could get you to post a couple before pics? |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | Originally posted by Akami:
Anyway we could get you to post a couple before pics? Sorry, I was a spaz and forgot to take any before pics. I hate it when I do that. If we have a tour next year, I'll bring it along :) |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | That's STUNNING! And I though my Custom Legend 1759 looked nice...
Would it be impolite to ask what each repair element cost?
I have a 1561 that had a rough life prior to my overpriced aqu$i$tion. The top, body and neck is near mint but the neck adjuster is missing and the supporting brace is cracked. She needs surgery but I'm not sure if my 'medical funds' can bear the cost.
TIA |
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My 1719 Comes Home...the Mothership Does It Again!
