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January 2017
Posts: 6
| Greetings everyone,
Here I have my '93 Balladeer, a family heirloom that I'd like to preserve as long as possible (within reason). This was the guitar my father played when I was a child so it has a lot of sentimental value to me. I've had a luthier friend of mine take a look at it and offer to seal up the whole inside top end with putty/foam/chewing gum since he believes there's very little option at this point. A few other friends who have less experience agree there may not be any saving it at all.
As I understand it, this issue may have come from a design flaw; one that was quickly done away with as this was one of the last models manufactured before the design of the Ovation bodies changed drastically in the following years.
Is there any other option for repairing this guitar? At this point, I'm really at the mercy of this forum and I'd rather not have to decide between losing the tone of this guitar forever or losing the guitar itself.
I appreciate any comment on my sob story, here. |
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January 2017
Posts: 6
| Here are the photos.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2g0pfk3kmmrt8l8/AADAKrCAkZhdXVyWWNJQNCTHa...
Edited by great_white_snark 2017-06-16 7:23 PM
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Posts: 118
Location: New Britain, Ct | I would pass this along to John Bundy at the New Hartford Ct. factory for a repair estimate, If it were mine I sure would. |
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Posts: 1018
Location: Yokohama, Japan | great_white_snark - 2017-06-16 9:12 AM
Is there any other option for repairing this guitar? At this point, I'm really at the mercy of this forum and I'd rather not have to decide between losing the tone of this guitar forever or losing the guitar itself.
I appreciate any comment on my sob story, here.
Hi great_white_snark. The Era need not end here! If it's any consolation, you're in the right place. From the pics you've shared, your '93 Balladeer is definitely repairable. As adamkrz says, the Mother Ship in NH is the place to go. They have awesome customer service, reasonable prices, and if they do the job, she will be as good as new when you get her back. Right now, I suspect you might have to wait awhile for the repair, but I'd call them first. Depending on where you live, you might have some other options. I'm sure more knowledgeable and accessible folks will be along to provide additional information for you. Do not despair! The BFLG is here!
Best wishes with the repairs!
Edited by arumako 2017-06-16 7:52 PM
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | arumako - 2017-06-16 5:50 PM
As adamkrz says, the Mother Ship in NH is the place to go.
Just to clarify... "NH" is New Hartford, Connecticut. NOT New Hampshire.
http://www.ovationguitars.com/contact
Just trying to be helpful. 
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Location: When?? | Definitely fixable. Just look at some of the threads in this forum of what Dan Savage has started with on some of his projects, and how they turned out, and you'll feel a lot better about where you are today with your dad's Ovation and the potential it has to again become what it was the day he brought it home new (or better). And I fully agree with what the others have said on contacting John Budny at the mother ship in Connecticut. He is definitely the man. I first connected with him right after DW had taken over over and he is always more than happy to go out of his way for me with answers and great customer service.
Edited by Love O Fair 2017-06-17 12:23 AM
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Location: Lake Forest, CA | Since the serial number of the guitar points to it being a 1993 model, any design flaws had long since been addressed.
It looks to me like the guitar was dropped onto the neck and the impact pushed the neck downward into the body/neck joint. This split the wood under the fretboard extension and distorted the binding/purfling.
As others have said, your best bet might be to send it back to the factory for a repair, and this looks to me like it's definitely repairable. |
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Location: New Britain, Ct | Yes it's John Budny not Bundy as Love o fair wrote correctly , I was watching T.V. repeats at the time.. |
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Location: When?? | @adamkrz - "I was watching T.V. repeats at the time"
LOL.. good one. And heck, I'm guessing that if we all had a dime for every time John has ever been addressed as Bundy instead of Budny, we'd be rich. |
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January 2017
Posts: 6
| Wow, thank you so much everyone! This really made my day. :D
For the record, there may have been damage years ago from it being dropped on the neck. But I believe the most recent damage has come from humidity exposure. I live in Kansas, so we naturally have very humid weather. Especially in the summer. I painfully remember all too many times where I'd leave it on the stand in a room with the windows open all evening.
Regardless, I'll definitely reach out to the New Hampton, CT shop and will ask for John.
Thanks again! |
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Location: Indiana | High humidity isn't normally the culprit. Low humidity is the killer. Good luck. |
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Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | I'm not necessarily voting for humidity differential, but probably too wet in the Summer, too dry in the Winter, and finally gave in to the strain. It does look like that binding break is from an impact of some kind, with the break in the bowl material, to boot. Definitely not playable, & needs repair. Mr. Budny will give you a fair-&-equitable assessment, but I surmise it will need a new top, bracing, & binding. I guarantee it's playability will be superb. Best investment you can make this year- XMAS just came early, Carch. |
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Location: Denmark | Hardly any design flaw involved. Rather something much more physical. If the sentimental value is important, you could ask them of the possibility to reuse rather than replace the top. It might not be impossible. The bowl and lining seems - not surprisingly - undamaged. The fretboard probably needs to be removed - fully or partially - and reattached properly to the neck. Good luck with the project. |
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1993 Ovation Balladeer: End of an Era?
