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Posts: 68
Location: Morristown, NJ | a friend of mine has one of these that he doesn't use - and he wants to sell it... i guess he only plays 12 string guitars now or something.
anyway - i know these guitars are supposed to be great and it plays and sounds great but has some issues...
there is a crack in the soundhole area - he says it's just the plastic (mother of pearl) or whatever and can be glued but it looks to me like there's wood under it that is also cracked. its only happening in a small area near the corner.
also, the preamp doesn't work (op40, i think) and he says its cause the battery is dead but i'm not sure if i believe him... and how the heck do you even change the battery in there?? by unscrewing the unit?
other than those issues, the guitar seems great.
so my question is - how bad are these issues and how much (if anything) should i offer him for it?
i currently have a Celebrity and i'm looking to upgrade to USA model. |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | drift,
I'll go out on a limb here and say that I've seen 'em range from $315 up to $650 recently. Please note that the upper ranges are/were asking prices.
A decent, not perfect, one on eBay went for $315. A real nice one at $499 didn't sell. Obviously not the best time to sell many models.
If I recall correctly, there is an external quarter-turn dzus fastener for the batt box. Batts are the most common 'tronic issues with gits that just sit for ages.
As to the damage, closely inspect the interior to see if the wood is split all the way through. Even if it is, it can be repaired.
Given that you can get the git at a 'comfortable' price, it would be a real nice step up, considering it's a deep bowl, A-braced, Sitka spruce AA top, from the Celeb
Hopefully others will chime in with more definitive help/advice... |
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Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | Drift, I own a 1767 but mine has an OP-24. The only thing about the guitar I don't like is changing/getting to the battery. It's a "pain" ,BUT, once done, no other issues. Great tone, and a "boomer"!! If he is a "friend" he should replace the battery for you and allow you to play it to make sure that IS the only problem
with the "electronics". As far as the crack goes Iffy's suggestion should be followed. If it is only the Rosette, you can get a replacement thru the Mothership. |
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Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Ditto what they both said about the crack. You can use a mirror to look inside to double check and if it is close enough to the edge of the sound hole you can also run your fingers across it to double check. The rosette having a crack is not a big deal. Mine did and was a bit loose. I just superglued it back together and fogot about it. You can still see the crack, so if that would bother you, a replacement might be the way to go. Just beware the original might
not come off too cleanly. For me it was just easier to glue the old one back down. If you get a bit excess glue just wipe it off with acetone or nail polish remover.
Iffy nailed the price--$350-400 range sounds fair with a case (actually a great deal, but in todays market...)
Changing the battery can be a bit of a pain as it wants to push out as you are trying to slide the door closed. I just hold the battery down with a popcycle stick and slide the door shut. You don't have to do it very often.
Check for fret wear and if there is some and any buzzing you might have to have the frets dressed which would be in the $75-100 range. Not a big deal really but a consideration. Let us know how you do. PS. I love my 1767. I would never sell it.
There is another one for sale on the board, I think the price is dropped to $575. It is a beauty and worth every penny of that.
http://www.ovationfanclub.com/cgi-bin/ubb/non-cgi/ultimatebb.php?ub... |
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Posts: 68
Location: Morristown, NJ | thanks guys - the cracking is definitely right near the hole - so here is my last question - underneath the rosette is there wood? because if there is then the wood under the rosette is cracked because the crack goes all the way through but only DIRECTLY under the rosette...
he wants 275 for the guitar and it comes with a hard case so sounds like a deal right - lets say the wood is cracked under there though? then is the guitar shot or what?
neck and frets are in great shape. |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Give him $250 cash, grab the git and case, and run away giggling like a little girl! Then take some pics and brag a bit here. 
Just stabilize the crack and then wear that puppy out!
Good luck... |
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Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | What Iffy said!!! |
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Posts: 68
Location: Morristown, NJ | just offered him 225 and he wants me to come pick it up tonight - i'm a little iffy buying a guitar that is cracked and doesnt work when i plug it in - i hope you guys aren't steering me wrong... |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Drift, bring a battery with you and see if the electronics work. If not, offer him less. As far as the crack goes, check it out, but even if the wood is cracked, it probably doesn't affect the sound. The very best sounding wood-top Ovation I ever heard is my old 1617 Legend and if you want to see some BAD cracks, just check out the photos on my ning page. Unless you are looking to sell it, the crack should be no problem at all. And if you ARE looking to resell it, let us all know. Someone here will probably buy it from you. |
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Location: Morristown, NJ | ok - thanks guys - i'm going for it. |
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Location: New Hampsha | $225
With a case?
Even as acoustic only with a crack it's a great deal. |
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Posts: 68
Location: Morristown, NJ | yeah - supposed to get a case with it - original he tells me - i will let you all know tonight. good to hear that though. let's see what happens. |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by drift:
i'm a little iffy buying a guitar Hey, that's my line!!!
Go get her... if in decent condition, the case alone is worth near half of what you're payin'. |
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October 2009
Posts: 68
Location: Morristown, NJ | ok - so i bought the guitar for $225 cash... the wood is not cracked under the rosette... looks to be in decent shape - the case is missing one of the buckles (female) piece.
there are some other cracks in the guitar but nothing that looks like it goes through the finish... i will post pics soon.
serial number is 423208 so looks like 1990. |
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October 2009
Posts: 68
Location: Morristown, NJ | oh yeah and still no idea about the preamp - need to figure out how to get that unit out to check the battery... there are 4 small screws on each corner - do i unsrew them?
does anyone know where i can bring this thing to get fixed? somewhere in nj? not sure if I trust GC. |
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Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Post a picture of your preamp. There should be a slider opening next to the controls. Slide open the door and the battery should pop up. That how you change the battery. You dont have to take out the 4 screws. |
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Posts: 3969
| Originally posted by drift:
oh yeah and still no idea about the preamp - need to figure out how to get that unit out to check the battery... Pictures of all pre-amps are on Jerome\'s tribute site .
Instructions for battery replacement are in the FAQ . |
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October 2009
Posts: 68
Location: Morristown, NJ | mine has the screw, not the compartment.. the whole battery unit is disconneted from the guitar and in the case - so that needs to be replaced or reattached. that's the only major problem with the guitar that i see so far. |
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| As long as the wires from the battery holder to the pre-amp are intact, it should just simply be a matter of reaching in and holding the battery compartment in position and turning the screw clockwise about a 1/4 turn to secure it. There should be a layer of foam on the top of the battery compartment that comes in contact with the side of the guitar, to eliminate any rattling. If the foam is gone or deteriorated just replace it with a bit of the thin self-stick door/window foam insulation you can get at a hardware/home improvement store. |
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Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Ooops gator beat me to it :)
OK its different than mine but the same as my 12 string. From the FAQ section of the board:
Q: How do I change the battery on my pre-amp?
A: A lot depends on the model pre-amp. The older pre-amps with just one or two knobs (stacked or separate) on the side or top of the guitar will have a separate screw, usually in or near the waist, that holds a metal battery compartment. On round-hole Ovations, you'll need to loosen or completely remove the strings, reach inside the guitar, grab the battery compartment, and with the other hand turn the screw about 1/4 to 1/2 turn to the left. The battery compartment should then come loose, and you can pull it out of the sound hole far enough to slide the top open and replace the battery. Make careful note of the battery pole orientation before you take out the old battery, and make sure the new battery goes in the same way with respect to positive and negative terminals. Just follow the removal procedure in reverse to reinstall the battery compartment. |
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Posts: 3969
| Originally posted by twistedlim:
From the FAQ section of the board: I remember writing that... |
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October 2009
Posts: 68
Location: Morristown, NJ | im playing the guitar now - sweet! |
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December 2009
Posts: 3
Location: Sault Sainte Marie, MI | I have a '79 Ovation Custom Legend 1767. I leave the battery slide cover off the guitar. To change the battery, I loosen the lower strings and reach into the sound hole. I have very large hands and once you get used to doing this (after dropping the battery several times) it's not that bad. Cracks are nothing to worry about...my guitar has several finish cracks.....cracks into the wood can be glued at any time. Ovations are work horses....mine has been rock solid and is a 30 year old guitar. Even if the electronics don't work....it's easy enough to purchase a replacement unit. I upgraded my guitar to the OP-24 several years ago. |
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Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | Great story. If you want to make your battery really easy to change, contact the factory about getting an externally opened battery box. If you're willing to cut the side out for the OP24, then the battery box is a snap. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
If you want to make your battery really easy to change, contact the factory about getting an externally opened battery box. Totally agree! TJ had the MS do that to the '97C that I adopted from him. Sweet set up. |
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Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | And a hearty welcome to you Banshee! Does your name indicate your singing prowess? In that case, maybe we should form a band. While no one has yet compared my voice to a screaming banshee, it HAS been compared to fingernails on a chalk board! :D |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by CanterburyStrings:
maybe we should form a band Ya'll need a croakin' frog for some way out (of) harmony...?
Banshee, welcome to the Ovation Family! Hang around and we'll find ya some 'brothers and sisters' for that CL.  |
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October 2007
Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | Originally posted by 2ifbyC:
Originally posted by CanterburyStrings:
[qb]maybe we should form a band Ya'll need a croakin' frog for some way out (of) harmony...?
Hey, I resemble that remark! |
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Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I agree with Banshee. To replace the battery in my 1651 Ltd, I just loosen the two middle strings to allow my full hand access into the cavity, grab the battery holder, loosen the screw, and pull it out just enough to clear the sound hole. After nearly 30 years, you get pretty good at this. However, if the battery box is not attached to the guitar, you've got more work to do. I don't know of this requires resoldering or if there is an 1/8" plug for the battery box that just needs to be reinserted into the preamp. |
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October 2009
Posts: 68
Location: Morristown, NJ | Just wanted to say thanks again to you all... I love this guitar... to me it's perfect cross between acoustic and electric guitar.. it's the only acoustic that i've ever been able to play with a pick - if that makes sense. I can easily play barre chords - the action is AMAZING - i couldn't be happier..
oh - i had the battery pack replaced and soldered at a local repair shop for $50... one last problem the bass control arm just fell off the preamp - not sure how (or if) i'm going to fix that... |
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Legend 1767 question