My Ovation Matrix adventure

[Frets99]

I'm usually in the electric guitar forum but I also do a lot of duo gigging with an acoustic guitar. Spent the last two years hosting an open mic in Holliston. My main axe was Washburn D10S. I used a GC seymor duncan maverick performer soundhole mic which I love and highly recommend. It's warm and to my ears transmits a true guitar sound.

 

This summer I was at a flea market where I ran across an old (80's) Matrix guitar made by Ovation. The neck is aluminum surrounded by some kind of polymer. Mine has a rosewood neck. The action was horrible. Like it had been left in an attic for years. But the sound was amazing. It was being sold for $75 with an ovation brown hardshell case. I figured the case was worth it. I looked at my wife and told her to say, "Happy Birthday!".

 

Had it set up by my favorite guitar tech and I couldn't believe how well it played or sounded. I was in heaven. A/B'd it against my Larivee D02 and Washburn. It is headstock and neck above them. I still love the tone from the Washburn, but I let the Larivee go... and I loved it.

 

The electronics were poor however. Tried different potentiometers but it was just too piezo screechy for me. It sounded great with the soundhole pickup but I wanted it to be self sufficient. I had a fishman put in and I can't believe how good this guitar sounds.

 

I will play this guitar at any and all gigs. I am amazed that for $300 I have this amazing guitar.

 

I don't know if you guys have any experience with the Matrix by Ovation. But I'd love to hear from you.

 

[Frets99]

On the Right!

 

[Frets99]

anyone else use an ovation?

[suprswd]

you sold a larrivee for that?

[Highway_61]

You're not going to get too much support here. Not many Ovation fans in this forum.

I love my Ovation. It has the OP30 electronics. Excellent playing and sounding guitar.

[Hudman]

I have owned 2 Ovations over the years. They sound great plugged in. They are favored by electric guitar players due to their slim necks and low action.

 

They don't sound like a traditional acoustic unplugged (IMO). That's why most people in acoustic forums don't like them.

[Frets99]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm just a fan of good guitars. Best acoustic I ever played was a Taylor my friend had. Right up behind it was a Bourgeois (sp). Pretty expensive guitars. For my budget, my favorite players are this Matrix and the Washburn D10s I mentioned earlier.

 

The Matrix has a substantial neck. Not slim. I was just impressed at the quality of sound. I have had blind A/B tests with guitar friends and their guitars and the Matrix was consistently picked as the overall best sounding guitar (acoustically) My Larivee was perfectly fine. It was just that this guitar sounded better. Articulate, with a nice soft chime. Great for finger picking. Louder or as loud as the average dreadnaught strummed. Complex tones. Nearest comparison for me is with some songs it reminds me of a church organ.

 

These two guitars give me all the tonal quality I need acoustically. There is something of a clip of my Washburn through the seymour duncan maverick performer soundhole pickup on my site called "Drinkin about the Future" if anyones interested.

 

I don't have a bias wood versus plastic. I just know a good gutar when I hear one.

[Brant Rate]

I just purchased an old Ovation Matrix off Reverb & was looking around online for any forums, info, etc...

[earthmapper]

     I purchased an Ovation Matrix while on vacation last month. I was to understand the shallow bowl Ovations sound terrible unplugged.  This model however was a deep bowl and sounded marvelous. I plugged it into my Fishman amp and it sounded even better.  I did some research after I arrived home and discovered, I had purchased a 1977 Deluxe Baladeer.  It is what I consider a great find at $280.00.

[jerbob1121]

On 4/15/2006 at 8:03 PM, Frets99 said:

anyone else use an ovation?

I've played Ovations for forty years. I have a Legend 12 string that plays like butter. The secret to Ovations is to get the action set correctly. They tend to be set very high from the factory 

[onemansband]

I have had a Matrix model since 1998, purchased damaged at a guitar show (Denver) for 25.00

 Bridge was pulled up from top, and needed to be reset, adjusted, etc. My favorite luthier, Dan, did phenomenal work for the repair, and the aluminum neck is still playable, comfortably, and sounds strong, and delicate too. No electronics on it, but my intro to a line of guitars I never expected to love (4 Ovations later)!DeeWhy :)