Quality-wise how good are the lower line Ovations?

[-=MYK=-]

Iwas thinking about gettin one or something:confused:

[LDF]

To answer that question, you'll have to find someone who has actually played one....

 

 

I'M NOT THAT SOMEONE!!!

 

But seriously I'd consider another guitar. Ovations are fine when plugged in, but they suck unplugged. And they look even worse.

[darkest_fugue]

lower end ovations blow hot and cold....theres a new celebrity in my local music shop that looks totally cool with its on board tuner cool paint job and elite style soundholes but its 900 euros for a korean acoustic??....im sure it would be cheaper in the states but i wouldnt go near it...i used to play in a band and they used to do hour cabaret spots here and there playing simple covers for tourists....i didnt bother lug in my own acoustic i just played their beat up applause and despite it being really cheap and somewhat damaged it was fine plugged in and was comfortable to play....if you want an ovation try to pick up an older second hand custom legend....they go quite cheap because they just arent popular but they sound and look great...i have a 1981 custom legend and ill never sell it...even if something happened to it and it became unplayable id hang it on the wall because its so damn decorative...also people complain about ovations sounding {censored} unplugged....my legend is a deep bowl non cutaway and youd be hard pressed to find a louder unplugged guitar...you either like ovations or you dont....i think ill just always have a soft spot for them...especially the older ones

[GN-Nick]

Quality wise?

 

Probably the same crap shoot that you get with any lower end foreign made guitar. If you look hard enough you'll find one that you wonder how it made it off the assembly line without falling apart and another one that is amazing.

 

I agree with fugue, go find yourself an older used one. If you are looking for acoustic sound get a deep bowl.

 

I've got an American made solid top '68 Custom Balladeer that is one of my favorites. I paid $300 for it in excellent condition with a case.

 

If you are considering one, check out:

 

www.ovationfanclub.com

[BMCS]

Originally posted by GN-Nick Quality wise? Probably the same crap shoot that you get with any lower end foreign made guitar. If you look hard enough you'll find one that you wonder how it made it off the assembly line without falling apart and another one that is amazing. I agree with fugue, go find yourself an older used one. If you are looking for acoustic sound get a deep bowl. I've got an American made solid top '68 Custom Balladeer that is one of my favorites. I paid $300 for it in excellent condition with a case. If you are considering one, check out: www.ovationfanclub.com

 

+1

[tiger roach]

I had an Applause for a long time, it wasn't a bad guitar. It had a nice piece of wood on top and sounded pretty good acoustically. On the other hand, the action was pretty high and it was a beast to fret. (I don't recall going to the trouble to have it set up though, perhaps it could have been better).

[dave251]

The biggest problem I"ve seen with the lower end Ovations(imports) is the quality of the neck joint. It's just a mortise and tenon that's been glued together with epoxy. If the fit was tight, and the glue mixed correctly....pretty durable. But I've had several come across my bench that had to have the necks reset...

 

Not inexpensive, and a PITA.

 

Tone is entirely subjective....action and playability can be tough to accomplish, even with the best Ovations due to the pickup system design and neck/body angle.

 

If you REALLY like the Ovation design, don't let these caveats discourage you. But there are many other options available.

[bsman]

 

Originally posted by dave251 The biggest problem I"ve seen with the lower end Ovations(imports) is the quality of the neck joint. It's just a mortise and tenon that's been glued together with epoxy. If the fit was tight, and the glue mixed correctly....pretty durable. But I've had several come across my bench that had to have the necks reset... Not inexpensive, and a PITA.

 

 

 

+ 1

 

I had (well, have) a Celebrity Deluxe that was a nice guitar (especially plugged in) until the neck decided to do a big dip. It ain't worth the bucks to fix it. If I were gassing for an ovation, I'd save my pennies and buy one of the US models and take a pass on the Korean models, because Kamen do not stand behind their Korean Ovations.

[blackpig]

I've got a Collector's Edition from 1986. The bowl is shallow and it lacks volume unplugged, but in the studio it's great miced up. Cool paint job, great build quality and cost about

[-=MYK=-]

Don't look like I'm getting away from spending mucho bucks on a new one, or a decent price on a older used one then, that's alright. I really like the sound, and I like the playability of most of the Ovations I've come across. They feel like my electric, but with the acoustic sounds and the body is comfy for me.

 

I might not get one thought, regular acoustics sure are tempting as well.

 

 

Thanks for the words everyone!

 

You guys always come through with answers for me in here!

 

 

Best wishes

 

 

Michael:)

[roryfan]

I suspect a lot of people who hate Ovation and Applause guitars have only heard the shallow bowl versions, which are bound to sound weak unplugged. The deep bowl versions have the volume of air under the soundboard as an equivalent all-wood flat-backed acoustic (AWFBA). In my opinion they sound way better than many AWFBA's in the same price range. Some cheap wood can sound worse than well-engineered combinations of wood/plastic/metal.

[darksun]

i have an ovation balladeer 1612 which i got second hand, it has a deep bowl and sounds great to my (inexperienced) ears, made in '81, looks nice too- lovely sunburst finish:thu:

[kwakatak]

 

Originally posted by roryfan I suspect a lot of people who hate Ovation and Applause guitars have only heard the shallow bowl versions, which are bound to sound weak unplugged. The deep bowl versions have the volume of air under the soundboard as an equivalent all-wood flat-backed acoustic (AWFBA). In my opinion they sound way better than many AWFBA's in the same price range. Some cheap wood can sound worse than well-engineered combinations of wood/plastic/metal.

 

 

You may have a point there. One of my uncles had one that had great clarity but inadequate bass response (IMO of course). I don't know if it was a shallow bowl or a deep bowl, but considering that the guy was a 300+ pound Texan I'd hazard a guess that he was looking for something with a smaller cross section when he bought it!

[guitarist21]

 

Originally posted by roryfan I suspect a lot of people who hate Ovation and Applause guitars have only heard the shallow bowl versions, which are bound to sound weak unplugged. The deep bowl versions have the volume of air under the soundboard as an equivalent all-wood flat-backed acoustic (AWFBA). In my opinion they sound way better than many AWFBA's in the same price range. Some cheap wood can sound worse than well-engineered combinations of wood/plastic/metal.

 

 

I like the sound of the deep bowl Ovations but the original poster was planning on getting a low-end one, most likely an Applause. I've not owned one, but I've heard a few horror stories about poor construction and the lack of durability. I'd say be careful and definitely play it before you buy it, making sure there aren't any obvious problems.

 

Ellen

[recordingtrack1]

I have an Ovation Celebrity that I bought as a beater for my 7 year old for $125.00. Even came with a hardshell case. It is a CC 057, has a shallow bowl and it is MIK. I'm not sure what the guff is about how they sound unplugged. I kind of like it, though it doesn't have a lot of bass. The action on it is ever so slightly too high but not bad at all.

 

I have played a few Ovations in the past that were really poor but I got lucky on this one.

 

The great thing is I can let my kid bang around on it and if it gets broken, who cares.

 

RT1:thu: