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Location: Warren,Pa. | Any opinions from the experts on which one puts out a "bigger" sound? I'm looking at having a Cedar-top O made, and I have good experience with the deep bowl cutaway, but frankly I've only played the contour in the acoustic room at GC and I wasn't impressed.
John <>{ |
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Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | John, I have a 2005 Collectors with the deep contour bowl....it seems VERY sensitive to string age and quality. If the strings on the one you tried at GC were the usual old and dead ones they specialize in, I wouldn't hold that against it.
IMHO, you should decide on the basis of which bowl shape works better for you in playing. I think the sound will be fine with either.
The cedar top wood will make more difference in the sound that the bowl selection between regular deep and contour deep. I had a S771C Balladeer and the sound was very CRISP.
Roger |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I think the deep bowl puts out a bigger sound but the contour bowl is awfully nice. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | It's a tough call. I've never been able to play the EXACT same guitar type with the only difference being the bowl. Usually the guitars being compared also have different bracing so that really gums up the works. My CL deep bowl for example has A brace, my CL contour bowl ha sX brace. You would think the guitars are similar except for the bowls, but they are not. And they sound different.
Within the same design guitar (I assume your cedar guitar will be an LX with X brace) if there is a difference in sound or volume, I would say that it is pretty slight. The rationale on buying deep bowl vs. contour bowl for me would not be based on sound. It would be based on comfort. And in this regard I am a HUGE fan of the contour bowl.
Dave |
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Posts: 178
Location: New York, NY | Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I have seen, the contour bowl is a cutaway but the deep bowl is non-cutaway (see models 1711, 1717, 1718, etc.). Unless they can do a custom made deep bowl cutaway. |
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Location: SoCal | Al DeMiola model is a deep bowl cutaway. But it's the only one I can think of..... |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Deep bowl is available in cutaway or non-cutaway.
1767 is legend deep cutaway
1717 is legend deep
1768 is elite deep cutaway
1718 is elite deep
1769 is custom legend deep cutaway
1719 is custom legend deep
Some of the special ones like the '87 Collector and Book Elite are also deep cutaways |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | The contour bowl offers more cubic inches of airspace than a mid-bowl but a tad less than the old fashion(?) deep bowl.
But I think the contour bowl shape does compromise the "dish projection" feature of a bowl.
I was looking for chance to bring this up.
When we were up north "leaf-peeping" and waterfall gazing an umbrella was required because of the rain.
I was amazed how when tilted properly, the umbrella amplified the sound of the waterfall. When I got back to work I tried the same thing with a rectangular cardboard box about the same size. I did not get anything near the effect I got with the dish shaped umbrella.
I know it's the strings on the bridge that drives the top more that any other feature but this umbrella thing says a lot about how vibrations (aka: sound) is focused by a dish / bowl shape.
I think the contour bowl is a compromise. I think, all else being equal, you give up some sound qualites for some sort of percieved comfort in holding it. I think it's more of a responce to marketing critics than a quest for improved sound.
I think I put enough "I thinks" is that last paragraph to be clear on the idea that this is just what I think. |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | My brand loyalty to Ovation is what's killing me here. I was SO moved by the sound of the Taylor GS Cedar/Mahogany. A close 2nd is the Seagull I used to own. One is $2,000 and the other is $500 and I'd take either one except for the fat neck on the Seagull.
What I want is an Ovation that does THAT to me. I need the sound more than comfort. I'm planning on doing this to my 6778LX NEB..."repairing" the bowl that I drilled all those holes in by replacing the top/bowl with Cedar top/deep bowl. It'll have the STD Elite LX neck, OpPro w/XLR, gold hardware, and an acoustic-only bridge/saddle with K&K P/U's underneath. I want Bass only soundholes and I'm thinking of leaving them unadorned (no eppaulet trim). Not sure what to do about binding yet. I think I at least must have white plastic around the outside to make the neck look like it belongs.
Does it sound like this will be nice when it's done?
John <>{ |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Brand loyality is great, and if you can maintain it while only slightly compromising your goal than all the more power to you.
However, there is a flip side of it called customer loyality. And a lot guitar building decisions are made based on the bottom line, and not your loyality. A guitar builder wouldn't think twice about discontinuing your favorite model or color. Or changing something significant about their product to increase sales.
It's a business and they do what they have to in order to turn a profit. And you're the customer and you do what you have to to achieve your objective. If you can be brand loyal, that's obviously the best of both worlds. But if you're head over heels for a different guitar (even a Taylor) that makes you happy, I say go for it. Life is too short to make compromises.
Your idea for a custom referb of the Elite sounds interesting, but it's almost a whole new guitar. Personal opinion - if it was me I would order exactly one of Al's 14 fret KOA special blowhole guitars, but have it built with Cedar instead of Koa. That would be a pretty interesting guitar and one that I've actually been thinking about myself.
Dave |
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January 2007
Posts: 146
Location: Japan | Originally posted by stephent28:
I think the deep bowl puts out a bigger sound but the contour bowl is awfully nice. I've seen pictures of the contour back but never held one yet and keep wondering what kind of difference it actually makes.
Are there any of you who have a preference for the round back as opposed to the contoured ones? |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I might own a contour bowl someday but I think the deep bowl will always be a favorite. |
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January 2004
Posts: 1225
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | Originally posted by Tupperware:
It's a business and they do what they have to in order to turn a profit. And you're the customer and you do what you have to to achieve your objective. If you can be brand loyal, that's obviously the best of both worlds. But if you're head over heels for a different guitar (even a Taylor) that makes you happy, I say go for it. Life is too short to make compromises.
Well said. |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | The FD/1614 (FD body with my 1614 neck) that the factory made up for me is without a doubt, the best sounding Ovation I've played. Deep bowl, cedar top, minimal electronics to take up air space. I really think it takes away from the sound when they stick that big OP pro can in the side of the body. |
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Deep bowl cutaway or Contour bowl?
