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May 2006
Posts: 4239
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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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Shweeet! |
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April 2008
Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | In a word...
-- edited for content --
When you get tired of it let me know. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
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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April 2008
Posts: 2336
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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May 2008
Posts: 4996
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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March 2002
Posts: 15682
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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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
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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April 2008
Posts: 2336
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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December 2006
Posts: 6268
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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April 2008
Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | Dang! |
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April 2008
Posts: 2336
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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May 2006
Posts: 4239
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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November 2006
Posts: 3969
| 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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March 2005
Posts: 5567
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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March 2005
Posts: 5567
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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March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Might have had the bridge replaced somewhere along the way maybe? |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
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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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | dweez
keep it up
you will get a vacation |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
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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Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4239
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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September 2005
Posts: 3620
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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September 2005
Posts: 3620
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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May 2008
Posts: 4996
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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May 2006
Posts: 4239
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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GAS just doesn’t get any more complicated than this!
