Someone talk to me about Ovations

[Cougarbruin]

Do they all have to be plugged in to get a decent sound? Not really ACOUSTIC if they need an amp.

 

Help me out here.

[BMCS]

I've had 3 super shallow bodies and they'll sound thin and not very loud unplugged, but plugged in they sounded great.

I never had a mid or deep bowl model. Just holding them made them feel uncomfortable to me.

There will be a little difference in the mult-soundhole models vs. the traditional soundhole models as well.

Try a few out. I loved mine and should have never sold the Elite. I still miss it:(

[Terry Allan Hall]

Years ago, I owned and toured with two "Glen Campbell Models" (basically fancy Balladeers) - a six and a twelve-string, and they sounded pretty good acoustically...they were deep-bodied, so had much better bottom than the mid and thin-lines do.

Usually, I was mic'd (Shure SM-57, most of the time), as well as plugged in, and the combination always sounded pretty good to me.

And, as BMCS mentioned, they were weird to hold onto, until I moved the bottom strap button.

[digitalsnipe]

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall Years ago, I owned and toured with two "Glen Campbell Models" (basically fancy Balladeers) - a six and a twelve-string, and they sounded pretty good acoustically...they were deep-bodied, so had much better bottom than the mid and thin-lines do. Usually, I was mic'd (Shure SM-57, most of the time), as well as plugged in, and the combination always sounded pretty good to me. And, as BMCS mentioned, they were weird to hold onto, until I moved the bottom strap button.

 

 

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I had the Glen Campbell 6 (1973?) without p/u. Didn't know they were offered with a p/u, quite actually. I had it for about 8 months and traded it. For fingerstyle it was pretty good but the sound was muted when compared with a wood guitar. I also thought it was lousy for strummimg. Mine had a black rubber patch bonded to the bowl at lower waist so it stayed pretty steady on the leg. The round, deep bowl made it wobbly to hold when playing standing up. It was the sound that steered me back to a wood guitar.

[alan814]

I have had several Ovations over the years and actually liked them quite well. I really don't know why I got rid of them but I did. I prefer the deep bowl as they have a fuller sound (I didn't worry about plugging in). I gave my last one (a Balladeer) to my son. It was a great playing, sounding guitar. Sadly, I am pretty sure he has gotten rid of it. I have to agree though that since going back to a wood guitar, I do like that better.

Alan

Psalm 95:1

[GN-Nick]

try this one:

http://www.ovationfanclub.com/cgi-bin/ubb/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi

[jyd59]

Originally posted by -Bong- Do they all have to be plugged in to get a decent sound? Not really ACOUSTIC if they need an amp. Help me out here.

 

 

No, they don't necessarily need to be plugged in to sound decent. The deep bowl models have plenty of bottom and they sound pretty good unamplified. Not a bad guitar to play live with as it can take a beating. I own a Custom Celebrity shallow bowl and it does need to be plugged in to sound good but that's how I usually play it, and it's pretty comfortable.

[rockfan]

Have to be plugged in to sound good.
Never liked them myself.
It's a plastic acoustic, really.

[GN-Nick]

Ignorant.


Is a CA plastic? Is a Rainsong Plastic?

Neither is an Ovation. The back is a very strong fiberglass composite.

They have solid wood tops with wood bracing, and carbon weave tops similar to Rainsong or the composite top CA.

The deep bowls have excellent sound response very much like an all wood guitar. The shallow and super shallow are better if plugged in.

Ovations aren't everyone's cup of tea, but try one. You may like it. Trust your ears.

Don't let supposed experts steer you away.

[rockfan]

Originally posted by GN-Nick Ignorant. Is a CA plastic? Is a Rainsong Plastic? Neither is an Ovation. The back is a very strong fiberglass composite. They have solid wood tops with wood bracing, and carbon weave tops similar to Rainsong or the composite top CA. The deep bowls have excellent sound response very much like an all wood guitar. The shallow and super shallow are better if plugged in. Ovations aren't everyone's cup of tea, but try one. You may like it. Trust your ears. Don't let supposed experts steer you away.

 

 

LOL.

Calm down.

Plastic, fiberglass. I doesn't matter.

It's still not wood.

The only reason people buy that POS is because they can't afford a better quality acoustic.

[darkest_fugue]

i have a 1981 ovation custom legend...its a deep bowl non cutaway and its pure quality...beautiful spruce top stereo output as well as mono and its dripping with abalone and carved walnut...it holds its own plugged or unplugged against my 10 year old takamine EN10c which in my opinion is the series that sounds best out of most taks

[GN-Nick]

Sorry, I should've said "ignorant troll".

[blackpig]

I've got a 1986 Collector's Edition. Shallow bowled and lacking in volume and bottom end, but try a shallow bowl through a couple of decent mics in the studio. It has a crisp, dry sound not unlike my Lowden s25. Great for Gypsy Jazz.

[fantasticsound]

Originally posted by rockfan LOL. Calm down. Plastic, fiberglass. I doesn't matter. It's still not wood. The only reason people buy that POS is because they can't afford a better quality acoustic.

 

 

Whoa! I think you'll find CA and Rainsong composites are in the upper $$$ amounts of fine Taylor and other wood acoustics.

 

I've played Rainsong and CA acoustics (the CA's were backstage during a week of reheasals for Tim McGraw in 2003 and, more recently at Gruhn Guitar) and they are both wonderful, though I felt the CA's were head and shoulders above the Rainsong instruments I played. They are the touring musician's acoustic because they sound great acoustically, plugged in, and don't react to extremes of temperature or humidity.

 

As for Ovation, I've played some that sounded like good, wood instruments, but they were few and far between and you can't gauge their quality on price. Some of the best were standard Balladeers and some of the worst I played were top of the line Adamas'.

 

I do know my cheap, Celebrity six string from the mid 1980's never sounded good and the action was terrible. Plugged in it sucked, too.

 

So while I wouldn't say they all stink, and I don't believe they're bought by people who "can't afford a fine, wood instrument", I'm not a fan, either. Especially in today's market of high quality, low price wood instruments I doubt I'd ever purchase another Kaman guitar, Celebrity or Ovation.

[worthyjoe]

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall Years ago, I owned and toured with two "Glen Campbell Models" (basically fancy Balladeers) - a six and a twelve-string, and they sounded pretty good acoustically...they were deep-bodied, so had much better bottom than the mid and thin-lines do.

 

 

 

I'm not generally a huge fan of ovations but my uncle has older balladeer-type guitar like you describe and the thing plays like a dream and sounds awesome.

[FingerBone Bill]

What I've yet to hear is someone seriously say that an Ovation sounds BETTER than a wood bodied guitar. - Some say the better ones can sound as good as a traditional acoustic but that's not the same thing.

You may have your reasons for wanting a Tupperware