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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | I noticed that Tony has brought this thread to 100 posts. Might be a record?? |
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June 2004
Posts: 365
Location: NC | Now 101! |
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September 2004
Posts: 1180
Location: Vermont USA | Well let me think it was so long ago yet it seems like just a short time ago :rolleyes:
It was around October 2004 not long ago at all I traded in my Fender and Washburn for my Elite. A choice I will never regret, this has got to be the best guitar I have ever played even better than a Collings I played that ran for around $2,300.00. I always loved the looks of the multi hole, but the sound and tone are more than I could have hoped for.
Merry Christmas to all of you
Paul |
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June 2004
Posts: 365
Location: NC | My second will be either an Adamas or OFC guitar.........probably an Adamas. I love the carbon weave on that instrument! :) |
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June 2002
Posts: 1614
Location: Converse, Texas | 1973 or 74 (I think) Legend, non-cutaway, acoustic only, natural. What model number would that have been?
My second Ovation: 2000 Collectors! |
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November 2004
Posts: 34
Location: Germany | Whow... thats a mammut threat here, I just loved to read all your storries. Thats mine:
It was back in 1989, we had our 25-years school anniversary, was in my last year at school. We looked to find all students and ex-students who were into musik for an anniversary gig. When I went on stage at that event my part was to sing, the Beatles “Rocky Raccon” to the audiences. Well, we tried a lot but it was just not possible to amplify my Martin for that event - more that 700 people, that was the bigest thrill I ever had. After occupying the sound check for much to long, my music teacher gave me his guitar – which was a E/A Legend - no problems to amplify and that was my first strum on an O.
Well, I went into music stores sometimes twice a week to ask for Os, but it took me 15 years until I had enough spare money to buy me an Standard Elite this year in June. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | This is almost a 2 year long thread. Incredible. |
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March 2002
Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | I agree. This is a remarkable thread. Many of the people who posted at the beginning are still here, many are not.
We haven't heard from Adamasaskunk for a long very long time. He signed up just before I did. He's #127.
I have added several Ovations since this thread started & I know I'm not the only one. This place is a cyber GAS station. :) |
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December 2004
Posts: 16
Location: Victoria BC | Someone much better then me told I should play one...and at the time i was learning Samba pa ti..I bought a Balladeer without a cut a way and quickly "upgraded" to one i could use above the first octave. Trading that guitar in was pretty tough as I recall .It sounded so good.. |
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March 2004
Posts: 201
Location: Vernon, CT | My first Ovation was and still is a red 1970 Tornado bought brand new. My last or most recent are the Balladeer LX, Legend LX and CL 1779-USA just bought this year. Pic in gallery. I am also looking to get an OFC guitar next. Play On!
John L.
Custom Legend 1779-USA
Legend 1777-LX
Balladeer 1771-LX
Std. Balladeer 1771
Tornado (1970)
Takamine 12 String
Martin D16GT
Fender P-Bass (1975)
Fender 50th Anniversary Strat-
Fender Nashville Tele- |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Just Think
When we started this post, the OFC guitar was just a gleam in the Factory's eye. Is it elefonts that have a two year gestation period, somebody at the factory must have missed a period back then and not told anybody that their fooling around on the internet had knocked up an innocent soul with a fetus that has yet to show it's head.
Who's your Daddy, OFC you mystery laddy
Is it Al or Miles or swackytoo
Or some unknown and hidden swacky's caddy?
We owe that mysterious bedroom creeper
A debt of immense and so sheeplike deeper
Than the debt we owe our real but kook like Daddy |
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Joined:
October 2004
Posts: 78
Location: Avondale AZ | My first was a Viper. I purchased it on 9/22/79. Being raised a Gibson (my great grandfather was THE Orville), I was very use to Les Pauls. I loved their weight, substain, necks and action. Don't get me wrong, I was never given anything from the Gibson company and don't own any of it. However, it is still a source of family pride. But when I picked up that first viper, I felt like I found a woman that fit perfectly. I was in the shop to check to see if they still had any of the Ibanez Les Pauls. They didn't. The salesman guided me to the Ovation solid bodies. I chose the Viper because it didn't require any batteries. It cost with tax and the hard shell case $434.70. It is a mohogany red and I still own it. It goes to my son when I die. |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | as well you should be proud...
Mr. Gibson
1856-1918 |
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December 2004
Posts: 26
Location: Detroit, MI | I obtained a Country Artist, circa 1984, courtesy of Sergio. I had played, and really enjoyed Ovations, but never owned one. Sergio knew I wanted a good, non-classical nylon guitar, and had just the ticket. He actually bought it and put it in my hands... knowing (I think) I would'nt let it go. I took it to my first gig, a few days after receiving it and did a few songs with it. Played like butter... and my fingers were the hot knives :cool: Great tone, power and expression. Knew, immediately I'd want other Ovations. |
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May 2003
Posts: 425
Location: SE Michigan | Sometime around 1974 I was playing electric guitar in a high-school garage band, had a red fender mustang. Anyway I was madly in love with this girl, a group camping trip was planned and I figured I needed an acoustic guitar to woo her beside the campfire. I persuaded my mom to loan me the money and we went to Grinnell Brothers music in Detroit and I bought a 1111 Balladeer. It was discounted because it already had a finish crack along the grain of the bass side of the lower bout. It didnt phase that guitar a bit though. It was light and sweet and played as nice as any any electric guitar. I didnt even know that much about Ovation, I remembered seeing professionals playing them (Cat Stevens, Nancy Wilson) so I figured they must be pretty decent. It also was just that that's the model that the store had at that time, and when I played it I really liked it. I think I paided something like $230. By the way I never got that paticular girl, but that was probably good fortune for me, I did get a great guitar.
I had that guitar for many years, it was tough as nails and as reliable as sunrise. One time I foolishly leaned it against a wall (facing inward) right above a heat register, it melted the glue and the bridge came off. I sent it back to Ovation and they fixed it for free, what a company!
I sold that guitar to a friend a long time ago for almost exactly what I paid for it. I replaced it with a 1717 Legend which I still have. I have also owned an Aluminum-neck Applause (sold it), A DS768 Longneck (sold it) and a 597 CVT Adamas (my main plugged in guitar these days). Ovation is a great company and makes great guitars.
It is fun to read all these stories, but I especially like hearing the newer ones where younger people are scrimping and saving to buy that first guitar, a process I went through 30 years ago. |
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October 2004
Posts: 256
Location: chicago | MY FIRST WAS AN ELITE WITH A ROLAND SYNTH PICKUP,IM A HUGE DIMEOLA FAN AND HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO PLAY LIKE HIM...WELL WHEN I SEEN IN 95 OVATION WAS OFFERING ELITE AND LEGENDS WITH GK2 PICKUPS WOW I ALREADY HAD SYNTH AXCESS ON MY FENDER AND HAD TO HERE THE STEREO ACOUSTIC WITH APIANO AND STAND UP BASS ALL MIXED TOGETHER..IVE PLAYED IT EVERY DAY NOW FOR TEN YEARS NO KIDDING.AND THE PRICE TOTALLY AFORDABLE WITH CASE 95 1200 US |
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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 171
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma | I first played an Ovation in about 1979.. A frat brother (who is a great electric player) had one that he'd sit around with and work up tunes on.. It was a 1111-1. Everytime I went to his place I'd have to sit and play it... During the past 20 odd years and after obtaining a couple of Martins and other wooden guitars I saw a few Ovations at Roy and Candies music here in Tulsa. I sat down and played a couple of them and it took me back to college and the Balladeer my frat bro had... Then the search was on... I found this board, read what was being said and went to ebay for my first Ovation.... Bought a 1976 1111-6 in great condition... Then GAS set in... Now the little woman is wondering when I'm going to have enough guitars... I'll never get rid of my first Ovation but I know it won't be my only...
(this thread is great... I read thru the whole thing before posting)
Gerald |
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February 2002
Posts: 83
Location: Columbus, OH | I got my first Ovation around 1984 or 1985. I traded a 1972 or 73 Martin D35 for it. The Martin was a POS. Back to the factory twice, horrible intonation on the b string that made it unuseable up the neck, frets that kept coming out etc...
The Ovation was a deep bowl natural Custom Legend with the concentric vol/tone pot electronics as best as I can remember. I sold it a few years later when I found the 1980 Martin HD28 that is still the best sounding acoustic I've ever owned and will go to the grave with me. |
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February 2002
Posts: 83
Location: Columbus, OH | Oh yeah, that 1st Ovation was a Custom Legend Electric cutaway, deep bowl. |
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April 2003
Posts: 2503
Location: Fayetteville, NC | This post makes for great reading and it's interesting to note how evryone felt when getting the First Ovation! It's simply magical! |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 271
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | I always wanted to play SOMETHING but could never seem to get used to 6 strings... My dad brought home boo qoo guitars from Japan, in the early 60's...
Some electric some acoustic, one slothead with a really wide neck and nylon strings... All were free gifts from contracts landed with companies that made cabinets, for Singer Sewing machines...(They also made GUITARS) He was in charge of factories in the far east... My dad also played the banjo... (Early 60's)
I was always fascinated by a good friend who played a guitar, he could play "Classical GAS" by Jose Feliciano, I think it was... (late 60's)
Then came college with even more people who played the guitar... (early 70's)
Flash ahead to my 50th birthday 1-1/2 years ago... I was determined to play something so I bought a banjo, I threw away the 5th string and concentrated on the 4 that were left... I choose a Deering Goodtime w/resonator back... (I sold the resonator as I prefered the sound and feel of the openback...) I enjoyed that for a year, even taking a trip to the DEERING factory in San Diego...
I needed more room for my fingers and was considering getting a wider neck with a radius, for my banjo ...
I had a good friend come over alot and he played a guitar that looked like an Ovation but said Applause on the top??? "Applause" I didn't even know what that was... but I liked the sound and the fiberglass(back?), it seemed sturdy enough to live on a sailboat, on the water, with occasional trips to the beach... (another passion I share with my guitar friend)
Anyway, I researched "Ovation" and found I really wanted to try one... I began to see the differences in the various models... I choose a Celebrity CC026 because:
$299 was cheaper than making another Banjo with a custom neck... and it had a radiused neck which I wanted to try...
I did't want to trust the plastic "pot" or roundback as you guys call it... That wasn't "Made in the USA" (Remember I only new banjos at this stage...)
It said "Ovation" on the headstock, so unless you really new your guitars most people would "THINK" it was made in the USA...
I liked the look and finish of the natural color... and the cutaway... seemed more modern to me, than TRADITIONAL "OLD" guitars...
Seemed a safe bet to try it out, and I could always sell the damn thing, if I didn't work out!!!
I used the 1st four strings of a guitar in a medium weight, because I didn't have the two heavier strings of a NORMAL guitar. I spaced them evenly at the nut and the saddle...
I play it like a banjo in "C" tuning, which has a very low "C" string, on the heaviest string instead of the normal "D" string of a normal banjo... "C" tuning has easier cords than Open "G" tuning which is what MOST banjos are tuned in... C Tuning is made for strumming chords not Banjo PICKING... All the chords (500+) fit on a gigantic (3'x5') laminated chart, I made from 8x10 images I got off the internet... I keep the "chord chart" in my bedroom, for practice sessions...
It sounded WAY COOL like a Ukelele on steroids...
I recently bought a 12 string, Natural, Ovation, Balladeer and play 4 "PAIR" of strings now, STILL in C Tuning... EVEN COOLER !!! Sounds like a cross between a Mandolin, Piano and a Harpsacord and DOES NOT NEED TO BE PLUGGED IN, TO BE HEARD !!!
I enjoy Keith Urban, Alison Krauss, Toby Keith, Gretchen Williams, Shania Twain and try to play along with them, for my daughter who is 10 yrs old... I get into all the old folky songs too, from the 60's and 70's...
AB |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | ". . It sounded WAY COOL . . like a Ukelele on steroids..."
LOL!!!
(I think I LIKE this guy!) |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Hi,
This topic has been very intersting to read so I thought I would add my story.
1972 Pacemaker 12 string,( I still have it and it sill sounds awesome. Like a lot of others I saw Glen Campbell and all the other greats who have played Ovations over the years. Ovation has always been the inovators in new technology, then the rest play catch up.
MERRY CHRISTMAS to ALL !!!!!!!!!!! :D |
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What is your 1st Ovation? When & why?
