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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 30
Location: Montreal Canada | I am a student in mechanical engineering in my 3rd year. We have a presentation to make in a class called "process and manufacturing"
I chose the topic called "unconventional methods of production in mechanical systems"
I want to do a presentation on the ovation LX model and focus on the fact that it uses a plastic bowl. So I will need some information from you, if you are willing to give me some info. If you are uncomfortable answering here you can send me an email
1) Plastic bowl
-How much time does it take to create the plastic bowl as opposed to the standard wooden one?
-How is the bowl created, by molding?
-Is the sound different because the reflected waves were deflected by a material with non wood properties?
2) Neck
-I noticed the neck had 2 sets of carbon reinforced plates. Any hints why 2 and not one thick one?
3) Pickups
-As far as I know, there is a different pickup for each string and another device that picks up vibrations from the board. How do you combine these two elements?
How long does it take to create an ovation guitar as opposed to a normal guitar?
Thank you! |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Boy, I'd think that you'd want to contact Ovation directly. We're just the fan club, not engineers.
You have to go to school at least three years to learn how to drive a train? |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 30
Location: Montreal Canada | Before sending this to ovation, I will wait here for a bit to see if people know something about it. But sending it to ovation is a good idea. Thanks moody |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Your welcome. So what kind of train to you want to drive when you're outof school? |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | geka, I am a mechanical engineer of nearly 30 years experience; I'll have a try at your questions even though I work on cars and not guitars.....
1) I'd guess a half-hour (including clean-up from the mold) as opposed to a DAY (absolute minimum, IMHO). Yes, the bowl is molded. The sound is very likely different, there should be more return due to the less sound-absorbant material. The angles of incidence of the sound waves will be different as well, due to the bowl shape.
2) I'd guess the two plates are tuning for a specific frequency response. Two thin plates are very different than one thick one.
3) The frequency response of the elements is simply additive. You use the pre-amp and your amp to tailor it to your taste.
My guess (and it is purely that) is that it takes about half the time to make an Ovation compared to a quality wood-body guitar.
If anybody knows better on any of this, jump in, I'd like to learn, too.
Roger |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 2177
Location: the BIG Metropolis of TR | The reason for 2 carbon fiber plates (strips) is for balance,alignment and stability.
There is a channel routed down the center of the neck for a dual-action truss rod and the carbon fiber strips are placed on either side of that channel for added strength and rigidness. |
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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | The bowl isn't made in the Ovation guitar factory. They're contracted out to a company in Ashtabula, Oh (where we're told they used to manufacture body panels for Corvettes). So if you call John or Kim they can tell you what a bowl costs, but it's probably hard to say how LONG it takes to make one. They're not made of plastic. They're a fiberglass/resin product. They're injection-moulded. The process has gone through a few changes through the years. From what we heard on the factory tour, the injection-moulded bowls are lighter weight (especially now with the GS bowls),and there isn't the material waste that there used to be with the old laid-up fiberglass bowls. I've also heard people with many years of Ovation experience say that the sound from the old-style bowls was better than with the newer bowls. I know I gave you more info than you asked for, but what the heck...it's free (and maybe some of it is correct). John <>{ |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Here's some advice:
Go to amazon or ebay and buy "the book"
And no more weed for the rest of the semester! |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | You need to get a hold of "The Book" as well as the "05 Tour DVD" that is in the OFC Store.
Then hang out at Samova's house for the weekend and pick his brain while you do lawn chores and such.
Please avoid the words "plastic" and "normal guitar" because Sam has connections and they know where concrete is being poured every other day. |
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Ovation engineers and luthiers Please help
