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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Chat and Brian already listed my reasons.
Lack of self discipline is why I have as many as I do.
A matching lack of cash is why I don't have more. Well, ok, and my wife.
I decided I wanted a representation of each basic type - wood top 6 and 12, Adamas, nylon, electric, mando, uke... I'm almost there. Then it's on to finagling my way to the best of each category...
And the voices. I hear them now...
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Last weekend, somebody asked me why I owned 23 guitars. I told them because I couldn't afford 24. |
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Joined:
March 2006
Posts: 269
Location: Nîmes, south of France | I had my very first Ovation 28 years ago because Marcel Dadi had one to play fingerpicking :p . I love the sound and the fingerboard but don't feel good with its deep bowl, which i found TOO deep and instable to hold when sat on a chair :( . I sold it in year 1990 then bought an Elite 1868-4 because it had a SSB, which i found very confortable to play, and epaulets which gave a very attractive look :) . Then i recently bought Stephen T28 Adamas 1881-2 because it is carbon sound and SSB :) :) . Later i should like same type with WN, like Marcel's ivory one :D :D :D . Great sound, nice construction and playability, i really love these fine guitars for fingerpicking. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Supplementing my earlier response:
99 Collector's--it's red, it's beautiful, it was local and it's Ovation
1537--After I started reading this board, I had to get it and it's Ovation
Custom Balladeer--"needed" a shallow bowl, an OFC member offered it at a good price and it's Ovation
Classic--saw it in a music store and didn't even know Ovation made nylon string guitars. Got some recommendations from the OFC and had a fried play Classical Gas on it, so I had to have it. (Bad timing, since I got a call from my father-in -law as I was bringing it home, asking if I wanted this Custom Balladeer that this guy brought over to show him. See above.)
Country Artist--saw the video of Glen Campbell playing Classical Gas and figured I better have one, besides it was a shallow bowl and it looked cool to have 4 Ovations lined up with different bowl sizes.
Ultra GS--drunk and confused ebay purchase (made a low bid, thinking it was an Ultra GP.)
Folklore--"needed" a wider neck steel string guitar. Ebayer didn't know what he had.
The common thread is that they are all Ovations. Nothing else seems to ring my chimes.
I still "need" a deep bowl Legend, preferably Custom and red and an Adamas, preferably a Ute, a red one and a blue one. Then I'll start up on 12 strings. |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | Why buy a guitar?
Although my playing abilities are limited, I've always considered music to be one of the things I love and enjoy on an on-going basis. I can still remember the day that I dropped everything, picked up a guitar, and taught myself how to play after hearing a Jim Croce song played on the radio.
For the longest time, I perceived that "a guitar is a guitar is a guitar ..." Thanks to the Internet and virtual musical communities like the OFC that I realized my perceptions to be so wrong. After owning several guitars made in the Far East (mainly Korea, Indonesia, and the Philippines), I finally managed to purchase my first U.S. made guitar, and it happened to be an Ovation. The rest is history ... hopefully, one day I'll be able to find a good companion for my one and only O (finance permitting with spouse approval). |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | What makes you buy a guitar?
It has to be something special, like a sunrise, or noon whistle, or realizing you don't have one of these, or seeing that it's 2:00 and you haven't bought anything today. Mostly Brian nailed it, it's the voices.
To say it's lack of dicipline, well, that's a given, isn't it? (I do agree with this reason as well however) |
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Joined:
August 2004
Posts: 604
Location: Tampa, FL | The discipline problem is easily solved.
Just place a personal ad in your local paper - Man seeking Guitarminitrix - Discipline will follow.
With any luck, she will understand the importance of a really good top, demonstrate the ablility to vibrate freely, and have an inexhaustable supply of batteries. An affection for synthetics may be desirable. Should your artistic senses align, that's icing on the cake. If the end result is that woody ambiance so often sought, who could ask for more.
Never mind... |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Do you prefer a natural top or is laminated OK? |
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Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | Knobs or sliders? :rolleyes: :eek: |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | I heard my Drummer remark that she doesn't want her daughters to marry a guitar player because they are always thinking about their next guitar!
My reply was "So?"...
I have obsessive tendancies.
I hear voices.
Its not like I fish or drive Porsches! |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 171
Location: Bangkok, Thailand | I like the design. |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Did anyone here mention to impress the girls?
I think for anyone (at least me) under age 25 that was a first consideration.
I guess now it's still there but not so much. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Originally posted by MWoody:
.
I hear voices.
Its not like I fish or drive Porsches! Or play golf? I've spent less on guitars than some people have spent on golf clubs, not counting the green fees, memberships, etc.
Skiing is another one. Some have to have this year's equipment and clothing and $50 is nothing for a lift ticket.
We could go on and on. The guitar obsession is no different than any other. |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by an4340:
Did anyone here mention to impress the girls?
Well, yeah... 3 or 4 decades ago.
The school jocks were SO pissed off. The rugby team had to share two girls while these pimply runt rockers were getting 2 or three girls each! The only way the universe could be set right was by beating the crap out of the muso's
Actually, on a good night, even today...near closing time...some chicky may flash her boobs at the band. Happens more often when you have t-shirts to give away as prizes! :cool: |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | My partner Rick summed-it-up best one night:
". . Name ONE other "job" where you can get some other guy's cute, drunken wife t'shake her ass (among other things) in your face and then go over and berate her husband to put a 10$pot in your TipJar . ."
Nights like that, you forget all the bullshit and say t'yerself:
". . I LOVE this job! . . . . . " |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Here's a good quote from Ed Gerhard, a great fingerstyle guitarist.
"We start playing guitar to get the chicks and wind up 30 years later talking with other old men about our fingernails" |
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Joined:
February 2006
Posts: 140
| Why buy a guitar? My mom asked me that years ago. I said that I cant put her grand piano around my neck. Why Ovation? back in 75, when i was a high School Senior, our swing choir performed at a contest. I had an Epiphone flattop ( not bad), The next choir out was performing,and the guitar player was playing one of the first Ovations I had ever seen. It miked excellent. Ever since then I was into Ovations. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by cwk2:
Here's a good quote from Ed Gerhard, a great fingerstyle guitarist.
"We start playing guitar to get the chicks and wind up 30 years later talking with other old men about our fingernails" That quote is priceless. One of the best I have heard in a long time! |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | Wow - this has made me really think (instead of just spouting off the first ting that comes to mind ...). I am a simlple guy and have a simple list:
1. Playability. For me, playability is really the neck and the action. You guys have encouraged me to start messing around farther up the neck, so the instrument has to barre easily and not cause my hands to cramp from playing it.
2. Sound. Plugged in first and acoustic second. What attracted me to O's is the plugged in sound and to multi-holes because they don't feedback as fast. I'm no rocker, but feedback in church smells real bad.
3. Innovation (read something technically well thought out and different, despite criticizm from the establishment). Naturally, Ovation fits there. The premium wood box guitar manufacturers all have well thought out guitars, but they are way too timid in challenging the status quo. Imagine the row at Martin when someone decided to build HPL guitars. In this case though, it was different (and cheaper to build), but imho they just don't deliver the sound.
4. Looks. The guitar should look cool. Cool can be different (multi-holes with epaulets), unique (really cool wood - like bear claw), or crazy - like the flame tops. Coolness never outweighs 1,2 & 3 though for me.
So why do I have what I have today?
Well the twins (1718/1758) are fabulous instruments, easy to play, and old like me and worth preserving and loving. Since I don't play WAY up the neck yet, no cutaway is no issue.
The 1778T is my favorite player (closely followed by the 1718). The neck is PERFECT for me and a joy to play. Acoustically, it is a knockout and the look of that bowl paint top is cool.
6778LX-NEB - Awww, come on ... just LOOK at it. It is the prettiest guitar I have ever seen. I could look at it for hours, and it plays and sounds fine too!
The 1868LX sounds great for a shallow bowl acoustically and is a nice change from the mid/deep bowls above. It is the one I give to electric players in the High School worship team to use when we soften the set up and go acoustic. It gets played the least, and may be the next one to go and find a new home.
The Viper ... well everyone NEEDS an electric, right? Might as well keep it in the family since I am half clueless about electrics anyway. I love the ease of play of an electric, but I really don't know what to do with it to get the most out of it. I don't like the flex in the neck of the electric guitars that I have played because I can bend them too easily and throw the thing in and out of tune. See, I really don't know what I am doing with an electric!
I have tried to find a non-O that I like, and after countless visits to large and small music stores, I've only found one that thrilled me. It was a Taylor 614CE. It was a beautiful looking and sounding instrument and played as easy as my O's. The $2400 price tag kept me from picking it up. For $800 I bought both of the twins - that's all I have to say about that ...
Long answer for a simple guy, huh? |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Nice analysis, Robbie! |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | Hi, fellow roundback affectionados;
Robbie's insightful thoughts have given me the courage to post my first reply.
What do I look for when guitar shopping? To match the neck of my "Ol' Lady," a G-1111-4 from the early 70's. She is my "Gold Standard," against whom all other guitar necks rise or fall. I have only ever found one--on the wall in the smaller "trophy room" at the mothership. A shiny bowl, with a very slender blond neck. Sweet. There have been a few others that came close--but no cigar.
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Karen
G-1111-4, CE868LX-4, Viper 1271 Natural, Steinberger Spirit 5-String, Fender American Strat |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Welcome Karen....good first post!
and what a great user ID. Is Jewel your daughter (duh)? |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | Thank you so much for the welcome; I think I will really enjoy my ventures onto the site. Actually, "Jewel" is the LX; she's the newest addition to the crew. All my guitars have names, and hers is based on a verse from the Bible.
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Karen
G-1111-4 ("Gertrude"), CE868LX-4 ("Jewel"), Viper 1271 Natural ("Blanca"), Steinberger Spirit 5-String ("Sugar") and Fender American Strat ("Ivory"); there's also a Guild on a more-or-less permanent loan to a friend. |
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Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | Karen,
You have more courage than you realize. You shared your musical talent with all the members who attended the Tour jam this year. My level of courage is not anywhere near yours. That is why I kept myself busy with taking pictures and video. That way I can use it as an excuse just in case someone asks me to get up and play.
I have played in front of people before, but only because if I screwed up they wouldn't know the difference. So end your lurking days. It will be nice to hear from you.
Phil |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Is there really a Budd Lake, New Jersey? We have a Mud Lake, Idaho, aptly named, except in the summer when there's no lake or mud. |
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What makes you buy a guitar?
