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December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | I know that I get excited and motivated when I see pictures of completed or in process Projects from board members. I want to share a few and open myself to suggestions, comments, lessons learned and enthusiasm.
I got this Viper on ebay and wanted to make something more lovely out of it. It was worked hard and needed a little renOvation if you will.
I did a trial set up to get the wood pick guard cut right and took some pictures to share.
Viper
Viper
more Viper
Viper again
even more Viper
Yet more Viper
Yup... you guessed it!
Viper |
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October 2004
Posts: 180
Location: Chicagoland | Thats beautiful.
When I look at the Viper on Ovatiosn website, it cleary is meant to sound like an aucostic. Was the Viper once meant to be an electric, or am I missing something here? |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Ovation once made a solidbody guitar called a Viper, that was definitely an electric. Here's a page from the Ovation website on the older model:
1271 Viper
In the early 90's, Ovation revived the Viper name, albeit in a design meant to be acoustic in nature, with a carved mahogany body, spruce top, and piezo undersaddle pickup. That's the one you see on the Ovation website:
EA68 Viper
They are both outstanding guitars. |
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Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | P.S. Mike: Nice looking project. Can't wait to see the finished product! |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | You're doing much more work than I did on my Projet Viper. Looks great, though! Can't wait to see the finished product! |
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Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | Great looking job so far Mike. The wood pickguard is going to look really nice. Betcha get a lot of second looks when you get it done.
/\/\/ |
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October 2004
Posts: 180
Location: Chicagoland | Is that last one a before picture then? |
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December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | Yes, I wasn't familiar enough with the web host to get them all in sequence.
What you couldn't see is several hard dents.
My discovery today as I wiped it down with alcohol was the original stain/tint was coming out. I will bleach (again) or be forced to stain it darker. |
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Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | MWoody
As the owner, and lover, of an originally brand new Viper that I bought in the 70's and still play, I love your project. You are bringing new life to a great guitar that had apparently been neglected and abused. What kind of wood is the body, have you determined that since you removed the finish??
My son just lent me a Pignose G40V amp, and my Viper just screams through it, so does my '66 Fender Mustang with Seymour Duncan pickups.
The Viper is like a diesel Mack truck, it makes any amp dance and hauls a big load.
Bailey |
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | Thanks Bailey!
I believe it is Ash. May be that Basswood which I don't know much about. |
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January 2003
Posts: 1498
Location: San Bernardino, California | I think the woods used on the vipers were: Ash, Alder, Mahogany(rarely) & Spruce(really rare). |
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Location: Las Cruces, NM | Looking at the pictures, I would guess Alder, Ash as I remember it is finer grained, definately not Spruce or Mahogany. I worked in a sawmill in Ohio when I was in High School and used to be able to tell the species from the appearance of the boards, that was over 50 years ago so I have lost some of the ability. I remember Ash as being fine and straight grained, Alder in Ohio did not grow to very big size and was very seldom logged. Ash and Mahogany are probably a little to dense and heavy for solid bodies, I have seen on the internet Mustang Board a 60's Mahogany Fender Mustang but they are very rare also, I suspect they were special made for some reason as, again, they are very heavy. Maple also shows up on a few Vipers, I believe, also too heavy for comfort.
Hickory would be the greatest density possible as it is used in shovel handles etc and is tough as nails, never heard of it being used as a solid body guitar but, if it was, you could use it to dig ditches between gigs when the money was not coming in. Wipe it off, polish it a little, go and play your gig on Saturday, and get right back to making money digging ditches on Monday. Hickory is TOUGH.
Vipers Rule!!
Bailey |
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December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | I will probably be upgrading to the dark Tung Oil due to the tint bleeding from some of the end grain. I am sure that Bill or whomever did selection back in 74 or so knew in a second which ones to paint clear and which need to be black! I am trying to go natural with a piece that was sunburst.
I believe it is an alder body. It should take stain real well. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | Trying to make good use of a Federal Holiday. Thank you Vets and Vet Supporters!
The Viper body is a dark cinimmon brown now with a first coat of dark and 3 successive coats of pure Tung Oil. The neck now sports Abalone inserts and is drying from its first coat of Tung oil.
Got to cut a new veneer pick guard do to the color change, got a figured bubinga in the mill.
A little fret dressing and an Ovation onlay for the headstock and we be there.
Pictures are in the camera! |
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Location: Las Cruces, NM | Can't wait to see them Maestro. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | Update:
Bathed in Dark Pure Tung Oil
More Coats, add a new Onlay
Add abalone inlays and dress the frets
Install Pick Guard and Adamas knobs
More to follow... |
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February 2004
Posts: 171
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma | That thing is a beauty!.... Great workmanship!.... I'm very impressed... If I could only stop playing golf and my guitars I'd probably have the time to do something like that.... Great Job!...
Gerald |
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Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | VERY NICE!!
And Viper all the way, you have made that wood a thing of beauty.
Bailey |
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Location: south east Michigan | Awesome |
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Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Impressive! |
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Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | Very nice Mike. The wood pick guard looks really classy.
/\/\/ |
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Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Very nice... Absolutely beautiful!
Jeff |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Wood pickguards add more than gold hardware I think. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | Thanks all. And I'm having fun too.
I like the grainy wooden look myself. The Pics of the Jim Messina Deacon were an encouragement.
Question: Is it sacriligeous to renovate an Ovation? I want to know what the OFC consensus is.
Also - Should the pick guard screws be black or chrome?
Thanks |
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Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | I don't think it's sacriligous to renovate an O, especially if it's in need of renovation. I wouldn't sand the finish off my Viper, but...that's just 'cuz I'm lazy. :p I think the dents and dings give it character...mojo, if you will. At least that's the pitch.
Screws? I think they should be chrome, but only because the pup rings are chrome. That being said, the black looks fine in the pics. Whatever floats your boat.
Your pics motorvated me to restring mine. I had planned on it, but, well, it is the weekend and I'm being lazy. Anyway, took the old junky strings off, tore down the bridge (I think I posted about my issue with the bridge previously), rebuilt and restrung. The tipped over saddle issue is gone, so the strings are evenly spaced. I showed my oldest son how to check neck relief, and explained the difference between relief and bowing and why you might want one and not the other. He didn't stick around long enough for setting the action and adjusting the intonation, though. =(
My only problem is that the adjustment screws for the pups seem to pull right through the cage, so I can't raise/lower them. Very annoying. I may have to put some small nuts on those next time I restring it.
These Vipers are the cats pajamas. I dunno why they're going for so cheap. Compared to the [Gibson && Epiphone] Les Paul Juniors I've noodled around on at Guitarget and the local mom and pop...there is no comparison. The Viper blows them away. I really have a hard time with the 2 octave neck, though. |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | If it is sacrilege to renovate old Ovations I stand at the gates of Hell with no chance of redemption. Well come to think of it, restoring Ovations may have nothing to do with that anyway. :eek:
I did send my Viper back to the factory earlier this year to have a refinish done. It looks fantastic, the crew did a great job on it. There a picture of it in my gallery. I also replaced a neck on my Ultra (did that one myself) when the urelite neck developed a bow, and with no truss rod, it was game over. |
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May 2002
Posts: 651
Location: Australia | What a great job. I love all the wood fittings, very classy.
It reminds me a bit of a Les Paul from the late 70's. It was called "The Les Paul" and it had rosewood pickup surrounds, pickguard and knobs and was hiddeously expensive.
....I'd take the Viper... |
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Viper Project Pics
