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Location: Phoenix AZ | Anyone else experience this ...
For years and years we've all heard the complaint of non ovation players that they don't like them "becuase they slide off your knee". And we all poo-poo it saying stuff like - I've been playing Ovations for 20 years and NEVER had one slip" ...
Well THAT's just the point. For decades I played nothing but Ovations and they never ever slipped off my knee. But for the most part over the last few years I've been playing other guitars and really don't play my Ovations much and have sold a lot of them off. So the last few days I've just picked up a few to play and Wooops, there they go slipping right off my knee. I swear I'm holding the guitars always the same, but appearently not. There must be some subtle way of holding an Ovation that becoems second nature to us, and over the last years it's worn off for me. Maybe just a mm here or there, but it's really obvious.
Once I was aware of it, no problem holding an O was no problem again. But at first attempt, being "out of practice" it slipped like crazy. Not that it matters, but I can symphesize with people trying an Ovation for the first time. It is different and it does slip. Not to us who play them all the time, but to a newbie yes.
Anyone else who bounces from wooden guitars to Ovations experience this ???
Toby |
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Location: Location Location Location | a little gorilla snot ought to take care of that. |
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Location: NJ | It's because you changed your name . . . |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Can't say that I have noticed it but to be truthful it seems lately I play the wood boxes sitting down on a chair/stool while with the O's I tend to either stand with the strap or slouch down on the couch. |
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| I've noticed it on occasion, but I haven't played one type over the other for an extended period. I try to play a different one every day so they don't get stale. |
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Location: Citizen of the Galaxy | I thought I was the only one with this problem on the board. I've watched the board for a while and thought I'd jump in. Ovations do slide but if you want to play them, you learn to live with it. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | TANSTAAFL - Citizen of the Galaxy
Welcome to the board and are you related to
Jeff W - Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bubble·OrionArm·MilkyWay... |
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| Welcome - Heinlein was always a favorite. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | How big did your gut get when you were recovering from your Achilles tendon surgery? Maybe it's pushing the guitars of your knee. Mine still sit up on my thigh, but I don't have any wood backs. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Yeah, now y'all got me skeered...
I've been playing them contour-fat-people-bowl guitars for awhile, and now I bought a real deep bowl.
But the contour-bowls have caused me to hold all my guitars more vertical.
[and I do own Straps!] |
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Location: Citizen of the Galaxy | Thanks for the welcome.
And vertical is always better when holding guitars, no matter the make. |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | I always tell beginners to hold the guitar vertical.
Then I watched an Eric Bibb DVD... |
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Location: South of most, North of few | Normal Ovations aren't that bad. Now, try a shiny bowl....that's like trying to hold a greased pig. I put a small strip of non-skid on the lower waist of mine just to keep it in place. |
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Location: Alagoas, Brazil | I´ve been slowly adapting to mine and it does not slip anymore. Even so, I use a strap at all times, because it would hurt a lot to let it fall to the floor. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
How big did your gut get when you were recovering from your Achilles tendon surgery? You may have identifed the root cause. Dang it. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Never an issue... even with my shiny bowls. If anything, I find the woodbacks are slightly uncomfortable for my right arm. |
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Location: East Tennessee | I seem to have more of a problem when I'm standing.
Been thinking of changing the strap button below the neck. My Country Artist is like that and I don't have a problem but on my Pacemaker I do. |
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| Originally posted by Gallerinski:
There must be some subtle way of holding an Ovation that becoems second nature to us...
Anyone else who bounces from wooden guitars to Ovations experience this ???
Must be second nature because mine doesn't slip and that little silicone rubber knee pad from the factory fell off in or about 1976.
I switch back and forth a lot because the Ovation is in E flat - no issues when I go to the woodbox - just feels different for a minute or so.
Maybe my gut isn't big enough but I don't have any problems playing the Ovation with a strap either. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | In a sitting position, one knee elevated so that the thigh is at a 90 degree angle to the torso cures the problem. So does a strap. |
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Location: Michigan | At first I was pretty concious of it and had to focus on it. Found that a piece of those grip like foam shelf liners work pretty good and kepta piece in the case to just throw over my leg.
This was of course with the guitar resting on the right leg.
Then I had to mess with that by getting some instruction from someone that insisted I play in the "classical positon" with the guitar on the left knee.
His basis was it hold the guitar more natural to the standing position. Then this was alot harder & slippage was more of a problem.
Now its mostly with the strap on even when sitting.
Wally |
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Location: Upper Left USA | "and over the last years it's worn off for me."
You are infected with GWBCS, generic wood box complacency syndrome. It occurs when you play "normal" guitars like the rest of the world.
Other symptoms may include a wanting to wear more subdued colors and getting home on time to watch Mattlock!
Just quit leaning on the guitar!!! |
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| Originally posted by MWoody:
getting home on time to watch Mattlock!
What time is it on? |
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Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
If anything, I find the woodbacks are slightly uncomfortable for my right arm. Exactly my issue. Sure, the roundbacks have a tendency to roll or slip, but awareness of playing position makes holding them second nature. As is the reflex to pull it back into place without missing a beat when it does slide a little.
But try as I might, I can't seem to find a comfortable position playing a wood box where my right hand doesn't take a nap after a short time. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | You guys having problems with the wood boxes need to try the OMs size or smaller instead of Dreads. They are much more comfortable to hold and play and for me feel the same as an "O".
Jeffy, did you have trouble with the Tak EF417? |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | No. It's the Jumbos and Dreads. I've got no issues with my swallower body O style Resonator either. |
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Location: closely held secret | My problem is probably more with blood circulation. It's been weak in my right arm since I was 19, when I busted it in a MC accident.
Having it lay across the edge of a wood box pretty much cuts it off. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
No. It's the Jumbos and Dreads. I've got no issues with my swallower body O style Resonator either. I agree....it is why I only have a couple of dreads and they are both slope shouldered. In theory that shouldn't make any difference since the size problem is the lower bout but for some reason they seem more comfortable to me.
I am in the process of getting a Collings CJ and I am not sure how the size of the lower bout compares but it was damn comfortable to play. Other than that all my guitars are going towards the OM size or smaller. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | I mainly play standing so O-roll isn't an issue, but every different shape/position requires adjustment.
Right now the strap on my Reso guitar is tied above the nut like folksingers and old cowboys used to do. This requires bracing the back of the upper bout with the forearm to keep the heavy end from heading to the floor leaving you strumming the nut.
Leaves short armed people like me looking like we're telling a fish story; "and it was THIIIIIS big!" |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Maybe this will help. I took these awhile ago.
I never had the face of my guitars point to the sky, I have a gut. Box or Roundback, sits on my led exactly the same, top at a 90% angle from the floor.
Please excuse my gut hanging over. Also, these pictures were taken to make a point, but I usually play with the guitar on my LEFT knee, which relaxes my arm even more. I do not have particularly long arms, and this is a deep bowl.
I'm with those that never understood the "slide off knee" comments, I have a much harder time playing standing up, so I don't.
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Being a woman, of course I go IN where the bowl comes OUT. But I think if you guys who play with the guitar on your right leg would pick up a foot stool (the kind classical players use under their left foot) you will elevate that right leg and I believe it will eliminate the problem. If you don't want to spend the money without trying it first, a tackle box or tool box will give you an idea of how it owrks. Of course the foot stools can be tilted to make them even more comfortable, but you'll get the idea. |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by CanterburyStrings:
elevate that right leg This is my most comfortable playing position. I very rarely play standing. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I think Dave's first post intrinsically answers the question...
It didn't happen before. Now it does.
The guitars haven't changed. His technique or habits have. |
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Location: Jet City | Flat or round, I play standing. I just seem to have more range of motion, and less issues with my carpal tunnel. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Besides, it's hard to get a running start for a knee-slide from a sitting position. |
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Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
I think Dave's first post intrinsically answers the question...
It didn't happen before. Now it does.
The guitars haven't changed. His technique or habits have. Or his bowl. |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
Or his bowl. Another dropped 'e'! 
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Location: Portland, OR | Kind of like getting used to brakes that pull, but I would echo the strap and mainly the elevated foot. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Two words: Guitar Strap...
Two More: Cheap Insurance... |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | I'm with Dave, I NEVER had that problem.
But you get away from them a bit and then it slides a little. Just takes a little while to get back in the grove and then the slide goes away. My Collings never slide though. |
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Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | This isn't a huge deal and probably wasted too much bandwidth already. It just struck me as odd when I came back to ovations recently that it took a bit of practice to get the guitar at 90 degrees. No issue with the contour bowl, it sits at 90 naturally. |
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Location: Flushing, MI | I jammed last night with two other guys, and all of us playing O's.
I was playing on my buddy's Elite while he played his Adamas, and our sax player was jamming on my old beat up Legend. I always use a strap when sitting down with an Ovation, due to them sliding away. This time there was no strap to be found, and I didn't have a problem all night.
I don't know what I did that was different, but it was nice and comfy. No problemo. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I always thought it was the difference in the bottom of the bowl, but got to thinking maybe it's the top. I find the top side much more comfortable and tend to lean into the curve. The edge of a box guitar cuts a line in my chest. Maybe people who have the problem squeeze the top toward them, which causes it to slide. |
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Yes they DO slide off your knee ...