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Location: Boston MA area | I may have posted this on the wrong board, so I wil repeat it here:
My son has an Ovation Model 1863 classic guitar and for some strange reason he wants to put steel strings on it. I advised against this but he told me that he saw Ovation classicals in a guitar store with steels on them. Plus he is stubborn and will not listen to his father.
My questions are:
1. Can steel strings be safely put on this guitar?
2. If so, what is the heaviest guage one could use?
I have serious doubts about this, but maybe someone here knows.
Thanks |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Ovation nylon strings are built somewhat heavier than regular classical guitars. You'll be fine with silk and steel strings. |
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Posts: 13
Location: Boston MA area | Thanks Paul. But my son wants to put steel 13's on the guitar. I am afraid he will be sorry.
Some people have to learn the hard way, I am afraid. |
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Posts: 13
Location: Boston MA area | The guitar does have a truss rod, but I am afraid the bridge will lift and or the sound board will warp.
If you think this is a bad idea, say so, and I will show him. |
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Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | He may have seen a Folklore, which some people think is a classical, but is actually built for steel string fingerpicking.
If he's a teenager or anywhere up to 30, he'll never listen to you anyway, but he'll listen to a stranger on the internet. Tell him I said he'll be sorry and that the 1863 wasn't made for steel strings. Better yet, buy him a Folklore so he can have one made for steel strings. He would probably like something with a little narrower neck and a radiused fretboard anyway if he is going to use steel strings. |
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Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | Here's a visual for Mark's post.
The guitar on the left has Ovation's traditional classical guitar tie-on bridge. It is strung with a set of hard tension nylon strings.
The two guitars on the right have Ovation's string-through bridge and are strung with Phosphor Bronze strings.
Some may mistake the guitar in the middle as a classical guitar, but it is steel string fingerpicking all the way.
As Paul said, silk and steels, but if your son wants to do 13's, silk and steels probably will not do it for him.
I'm sure the 13's will give him a rush until the bridge pulls off or the top bows-up too high.
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Location: Tychy, Poland | yeah, and the bridge may go flying, even killing him on the way. |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Apart from the previous post`s Solid Advice,even when it does not break right away,the Sound will be all "WRONG"..
Vic |
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Posts: 1138
Location: CT | Wrong sound?? or just different? Hmmm... I'm coming up with an idea... |
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Location: East Tennessee | Noah,
Is that center one a 97 Collectors? |
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Location: NJ | If he won't listen to reason, start rehearsing this phrase:
". . I f@ckin' TOLD you so!! . ." |
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Location: CT | Yes, 97 Collector. |
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Location: Nîmes, south of France | Nice Viper Noah .
Is your 97 WN ?
1946Dodge, i would not put steel strings on a 1963. |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Originally posted by brainslag:
Wrong sound?? or just different? Hmmm... I'm coming up with an idea... Brainslag,
What`s the X-periment about,tell us the secret,do tell,I`m Curious.. :)
Vic
..mix SilkySteels with Nylons..What..??.. |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | He could put on an electric 10 set if he wanted.
Acoustic 13, WRONG.
It will void the warrentee. |
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June 2006
Posts: 13
Location: Boston MA area | Thanks you guys. I told him what you said and he conceded. I'll put some high tension nylons on it.
I guess my 40 years as an engineer and an amatuer guitar player didn't do it for him.
By the way, I have 2 Ovation Deacons a 6 and a 12 string. I love them.
It is too bad they arent made anymore because they are very unique. And if you can find them, you dont have to pay shitloads of money for them.
Like Fender Jazzmasters and Jaguars which are going for way too much money now.
I hope for our sake, that discontinued Ovations stay reasonably priced.
I also saw that Schecter is making pseudo clones of Ovation Lyracord acoustics now.
What do you guys think of those?
Thanks again for the help. I really appreciate it and I am sure the Ovation Classical will too. |
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Posts: 567
Location: Denmark | Bridges for nylon and steel are compensated differently. |
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Steel strings on an Ovation Classical Guitar???
