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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | It's a long post, stick with it to the end to hear the (hopefully) happy ending...
I'm smack in the middle of the most convoluted and complicated trade I've finagled thus far; involving four instruments in four cities in three states with shipping that will cover thousands of miles. (The 'Ol Trader is gonna be so proud.) It involves one OFC'er buying, another selling, a chain store, and another instrument forum you rarely hear about when discussing Ovations. The cool thing is, if it all works out, it'll be a pretty much even trade for me. You'll all have to tell me if you think it was worth it.
The instruments I sold went off with only a minor hitch involving a buyer who wanted an “inspection period.” Then the first snafu droppped from the rafters of an AZ Guitar Center. Here I spend a week fiddling and negotiating for a fairly rare instrument, then (I kid you not) it takes FOUR phone calls (one each on Fri, Sat, Sun, and finally Mon) to get someone to take my credit card info and actually ship the instrument! Go Figure?! Then I pay for 3-day express shipping so the thing will get here without roasting/freezing on a truck all weekend, and the salesperson FORGETS to tell his shipping guy!!!!! I'm expecting a delivery on a Thursday, but when I check the tracking number I see "On time with a scheduled delivery of Monday."
T’was a bad day to run out of Bushmill's.
When it got here, it had a BIG OL' finish crack right down the lower bout from the bridge! According to the saleperson, there were no cracks at all, just three dings. I found the dings, no worries there. The manager wasn’t in that day, so I took pictures and sent them to the factory for a repair estimate.
After nearly a month of regular phone calls, things are looking up! I cannot fault the continued effort of the store manager in any way. When I sent him the above picture, he immediately admitted that the guitar was NOT in that shape when it left his store. He contacted his regional office who advised him to have me return the guitar for a complete refund including shipping. Once I explained to him the history of this instrument, I informed him that I would prefer to have the guitar repaired and even provided the estimate from Kim Keller at Ovation. Long story-short? After numerous conversations, I heard from the manager: He had personally contacted Kim to verify what had been said thus far. Kim vouched for me and told him that the guitar really needed to be examined in person for a definitive estimate. So with the approval of the Guitar Center main office, I headed out to the factory and left the guitar in their capable hands. They will coordinate any repairs with GC directly. (Hopefully, GC won't balk if the repair turns out to be more than the original estimate.)
Sounds like a LOT of effort eh? And it’ll probably be two months before I see the repaired guitar. But those of you in the know will understand why I think it’s worth it all once you see the pics below. (Hopefully we'll eventually come to call these the "before" pictures.) And I still have one more instrument to be shipped to me. Can you imagine the cramps I’ll get from crossing my fingers after this?! And in the interest of providing a clue to those unfamiliar, not to mention maintaining a questionable reputation for bad puns, let's just say that if this all works out OK, it'll definitely be one for the "Books."
BTW, I've a new bottle of Bushmills now. 
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Location: closely held secret | Shweeet! |
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Location: Brighty in Blighty | In a word...
-- edited for content --
When you get tired of it let me know. |
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Location: closely held secret | I'm tired of it. I was tired of it before I got halfway through it.
Dweez, very inappropriate for a public board with members consisting of both ladies and yutes. |
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Location: Brighty in Blighty | Maybe but let me put this to you, they are just words. The internet and life has much worse, much, much worse. Don't kid yourself otherwise.
I didn't mean to offend, please tell me why women or youngsters should or would be offended, I don't get it. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Um Patch - KNOCK, KNOCK. I live in Arizona. Why didn';t you ask me ot go pick it up for you ?
Oh well, I'm sure the repair work will be done first class. You might want to ask them to gloss the neck and headstock to match your mando !!! |
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Location: SoCal | While it's at the factory, pay some extra to have them gloss the neck and headstock. Trust me on this, it'w well worth it. Ask Mikey or Toby. In fact, Toby could point you to some pics of before and after.
These are great guitars. You're ultimately going to be very happy with your choice.
Is the crack thru the wood or just in the laquer? |
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Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by dweezil:
Maybe but let me put this to you, they are just words. The internet and life has much worse, much, much worse. Don't kid yourself otherwise.
I didn't mean to offend, please tell me why women or youngsters should or would be offended, I don't get it. 'There's lots of worse stuff out there'. C'mon, Dweez, that's such a sophmoric argument.
The dog does his business on the lawn. Is it ok to bring it in and spread it on the carpet?
No, because it's unpleasant and we don't expect or desire to see it in our living space. |
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Location: Brighty in Blighty | Praps - I still don't think that women and youths would/should or could be offended but this is getting well off topic.
It's a lovely guitar, nice one Patch. |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by dweezil:
I still don't think Ya could of stopped typing right there!
Sorry Patch... |
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Location: Brighty in Blighty | Dang! |
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Location: Brighty in Blighty | I'll like to add fibber, fibber, ftang, ftang, ole, biscuit barrel
Oh and 1537 posts! A significant Ovation number :)
Next up 1758 then 1881. Maybe I need to go and lie down |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Originally posted by Gallerinski:
You might want to ask them to gloss the neck and headstock to match your mando !!! Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
While it's at the factory, pay some extra to have them gloss the neck and headstock. Way ahead of you guys. :cool:
Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
Is the crack thru the wood or just in the laquer? John and Kim say it's through the wood, although they didn't look through the access port on the back. I've asked Kim to let me know what the final decisions are when the conversations with GC are done. Considering what I paid for the guitar (Trust me Dweez, you don't really wanna know. ;) :p :D ), I doubt the home office would spring for replacing the top. That repair would exceed the amount of purchase easily.
Originally posted by Gallerinski:
Um Patch - KNOCK, KNOCK. I live in Arizona. Why didn';t you ask me ot go pick it up for you ? I appreciate it Dave. And don't think the thought didn't occur. Oddly enough, I've found quite a few good bargains in AZ. Go figure. |
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| VERY sweet Patch, congratulations.
Sorry to hijack for a moment, but...
Dweezil - it matters because numerous people, men and women included, have raised this issue before on more than one occasion. Yes, there are far worse things on the Interwebs, and you're more than welcome to seek them out. BUT NOT HERE. This is a guitar forum, read by Kaman/Fender Corporate, whether you want to acknowledge that or not. I'm sure they'd be less than pleased to let their children participate in a guitar discussion board that included inappropriate language. I don't even know what you wrote, but the fact that Miles edited it out speaks volumes.
Sorry Patch, big congrats again, that is one SWEEET guitar. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | While it's at the factory, pay some extra to have them gloss the neck and headstock. Trust me on this, it'w well worth it. Ask Mikey or Toby. In fact, Toby could point you to some pics of before and after.These are great guitars. I've known about this for several weeks now as I am part of the process for Patrick involving the CL 12...But let me put it like this:
If I had to keep only one Ovation 6 string, it would be the Book Elite I got from Dave...nothing else comes close to the quality of sound and playability that this guitar posesses...absolutely awesome guitar! I absolutely love the gloss neck and GC TRC...mojo in spades...You have to hear this guitar to believe how great it sounds...
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Intresting enough, I notice that my Book does not have the two dot inlays on the bridge like Paticks does...not sure why...
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Location: Chehalis, Washington | Might have had the bridge replaced somewhere along the way maybe? |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Wow, sorry for the huge pic...I had both up and obviously copied the wrong one...talk about up close and personal...oops... |
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Location: NJ | dweez
keep it up
you will get a vacation |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | When it comes to bling, unless you have something custom made, the Book Elite is Ovation's finest offering. I know of none other that includes inlay all around the headstock. Dave's (now Mike's) is special because of the glossed neck. Everyone should have a Book Elite! |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
Intresting enough, I notice that my Book does not have the two dot inlays on the bridge like Paticks does...not sure why... Good eyes Mike. I don't know why either, but the cover of the book shows a guitar with the inlays...very interesting....
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | professorBB wrote: Everyone should have a Book Elite! ...
I totally agree... Now when is someone going to do the right thing and buy me one??? :) |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Is the Book Elite's bracing the same as the 1537/1547? Does it have the additional ply in the top? |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Patch:
Originally posted by MusicMishka:
Intresting enough, I notice that my Book does not have the two dot inlays on the bridge like Paticks does...not sure why... Good eyes Mike. I don't know why either, but the cover of the book shows a guitar with the inlays...very interesting....
I bought the BE new and go look at my website - It HAD dots. No question about that, the camera don't lie. But I guess it's a pretty well know fact about the bolt on bridges, how they tend to deaden the tone in the upper frequencies due to lack of mass and the presence of the bolts. More so in ebony, but true with Walnut and rosewood as well. Ever wonder why higer end guitars don't have bolted on bridges. Anyway, discussed it with the boys and we determined that a totally glued on bridge would probably take a "good" elite and make it a "cannon". So that's what we did, and the sonic results are stunning.
Moody, Mike, and several others have commented about the sound of this specific guitar and "it's got to be the gloss neck". I've played along and even tried to attribute it to the GC truss rod cover. But now the pictures are out I guess it's time to fess up. Sorry, boys the magic of this guitar is due to the abcense of bridge bolts.
There you have it. |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Originally posted by bvince:
Is the Book Elite's bracing the same as the 1537/1547? Does it have the additional ply in the top? I have this vague memory of someone here asking how this guitar compares to the 87 Collectors. As I recall, Mauvais Beal basically said they were the same guitar with slightly different trim.The Ovation site gives the bracing for the 87C as Quintad, so I guess the Book Elite is as well, but I don't know off the top of my head what the bracing is on the 1537, and I can't go take a look right now. If no one answers this, I'll try to get a peek later on.
All I know is this one sounded a fair cut above even with the dead GC strings on it. I can't wait to hear how it sounds when I get it back. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | And that makes perfect sense; letting the top vibrate more naturally w/o the addition of the mass of the bolts is GENIUS!
Who Knew? |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Originally posted by Gallerinski:
But now the pictures are out I guess it's time to fess up. Sorry, boys the magic of this guitar is due to the abcense of bridge bolts.
There you have it. Time to give Kim a call....
That'll be about the fourth time this week! The poor guy's gonna start avoiding me soon. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Look Ma, No Bridge Bolts...
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Kim just called back, Mine will have no bridge bolts either. They had already made that call actually since the bridge will come off for the repair anyway.
Now for the next news. The crack does go through the top, GC center will pay for the crack to be filled and cleated, then refinished.
Kim asked if I wanted to kick in a little more and have the top replaced entirely. I'd love to, but I'm not sure I can afford it. I'm already paying to have the neck and headstock glossed, and finances are a little thin. But I love the idea of getting a virtually NEW Book Elite in a couple of months. I told Kim I'd let him know on Monday.
It's looking like I'll have to get back in the horsetrading saddle quickly, so if you guys see anything I have for sale, you'll know where the proceeds will be going. :rolleyes: I would have about two months to come up with an extra $600 or so. So it's time to get out the cowboy guitar and play Back In The Saddle Again. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Have Kim put on a carved Custom Legend bridge like the 87 Collector. That'll be the most special Book Elite of all. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | I'd say keep the old top. It adds to the mojo to collect natural wear and tear. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | With a new top, is it still an original Book Elite, or rather, a custom guitar incorporating a mix of parts from an original and some new updates made to resemble the Book Elite appointments? To some, this might make a difference. To others, maybe not. |
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Location: SoCal | As long as it's got the gay looking outies, it's a book elite.
Seriously, it's the build configuration that makes it a specific model, not necessarily the original components...... |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | KEEP THE TOP !!!
Ovation is using all that left over cheezy balladeer wood these days. You want the real deal. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Keep the top: here is a pic of mine with the repair from the inside and you cannot see the repair from the front of the guitar (High Detail Pic from page one of this thread)...
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Is it possible for the moderators to shrink the monster images?
Please. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Al don't know how and Miles has a "Day Job"... :rolleyes: |
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Location: Portland, OR | My 1118 had a similar crack and it was repaired at the factory. Never sounded better when I got it back but you can still see the crack, particularly if you put a flashlight inside. It's now been probably 20 years since that work was done. It will be in my estate. |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Decision time!
After due consideration over the holiday weekend, and considering that this instrument will be paired with a book mando that has already been customized, and taking into account Kim's assurance that a replacement top "will be AAA+ spruce, generally the best we have in house", I gave the go ahead today to put a new top on it. Now for the waiting....and the frenzied trading as I try to raise the cash for the repairs before they're done. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
Look Ma, No Bridge Bolts...
Just looking for that Education... |
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Location: SoCal | Originally posted by Patch:
Decision time!
After due consideration over the holiday weekend, and considering that this instrument will be paired with a book mando that has already been customized, and taking into account Kim's assurance that a replacement top "will be AAA+ spruce, generally the best we have in house", I gave the go ahead today to put a new top on it. Now for the waiting....and the frenzied trading as I try to raise the cash for the repairs before they're done.
A new top means a new bowl. You gonna keep the original electronics or upgrade? I did that with my 87C and now have the only 87C with an OP Pro in it. I love it! |
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Location: south east Michigan | See if they have one of the old foil labels sitting around.
Like A.J. might say... Sydney or the bush! |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
You gonna keep the original electronics or upgrade? I did that with my 87C and now have the only 87C with an OP Pro in it. I love it! The thought occurred, along with a fair bit of longing, but the truth is that I can't afford that upgrade. Something tells me though that I won't be feeling disappointed when the guitar gets here.
Still trading to pay for it though. Let's see....at the moment, I just sold one, one's on hold for an OFC'er, and another is still for sale. Considering the market right now, expect a few more offerings in the near future.  |
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Location: South of most, North of few | Glad I could help you out Patch. I wouldn't change any of the original specs of the guitar if I were you. New top,...ok, changing the preamp, labels, bridge, no. |
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Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
While it's at the factory, pay some extra to have them gloss the neck and headstock. Trust me on this, it'w well worth it. Ask Mikey or Toby. In fact, Toby could point you to some pics of before and after.
These are great guitars. You're ultimately going to be very happy with your choice.
Is the crack thru the wood or just in the laquer? 2nd that on the gloss neck |
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Location: SoCal | Originally posted by Trader Jim:
Glad I could help you out Patch. I wouldn't change any of the original specs of the guitar if I were you. New top,...ok, changing the preamp, labels, bridge, no. Jeez T.J., I've got an 87C that's had the neck replaced as well as the body and electronics. The only thing original on it are the label and tuners. I guess you'll never buy it? Of course, that would presuppose that I'd ever sell it.
Which I wouldn't...... |
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Location: On the Coast - Halfway between SF & OR | T.J., You bring up a point I've been pondering; I have a '67-'68 standard balladeer and would like to have an A/E version. First thought is to send mine to mother and have an old-style preamp installed. Would you? Or would you sell the standard and purchase a different A/E? |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Probably depends what your goal is.
If you just need something with good electronics to gig out with you could pick up a complete a/e guitar for what you'll pay to have your SB upgraded.
On the other hand if the SB is "the" guitar and it's just killing you that you can't gig with it, then go for it. |
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Location: South of most, North of few | Fletch, in the case of a standard balladeer, I wouldn't think twice about adding a factory type pickup (stacked tone and volume). You would have to use a thinline pickup under the saddle instead of the wider piezo. I've done that to an 1115 to make it a 1615, and it worked out nice.
Paul, I wasn't saying it was wrong to replace the body, top, neck, tuners, electronics etc... just that if it's such a limited availability model as an 87C, I would just replace them with period and application correct items. |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | I meant to finally bring closure to this thread when I picked up my guitar last Friday. Most of you have seen the new thread I started with yet further proof of the factory's stellar capabilities, but here's the link just in case.
Patch\'s New Book
I just thought this was an interesting thread that deserved a complete ending. I first purchased the guitar in March (Started this thread about a month later.), and here it is almost October. That's almost 6 months worth of trading at the OFC swap-meet. I may be crazy, but I'm persistently crazy. And that doggedness (woof) has netted a unique, sweet sounding and looking instrument.
In short, it was DEFINITELY worth all the effort. Thanks everyone who commented on both threads.  |
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GAS just doesn’t get any more complicated than this!