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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 32
Location: Columbus, Ohio | I am a Taylor owner, Big Baby Taylor. Went to GC today just to ck out the new Taylor's. I am frustrated with them because they seem so sensetive to humidity. I use a room humidifier and the frets are now lightly extending out.
I saw a new Ovation Celebrity and thought in my mind how terrible these plastic guitars sound. Why do people buy them! So I tried it. Impossible! I could not believe how great it sounded! I then tried some of the more expensive Ovations, but they sounded dead. They might have old stings? This little $290.00 Celebrity sounded just as good if not better than my Taylor. I plugged it in and was even more shocked!! Took me about 60 seconds to buy it!!!
So, my question is...are these more durable than the Taylor's? GC guy said the $2,000 to $5,000 Taylors and Martins crack and have many problems because the thinner wood and are very fragile. But the Ovation's are like a tank and I don't have to worry so much about humidity. Is this true? Look at the Taylor web site, nearly half the posts are about humidity and cracked guitars. Does everyone here humidify? If it is not that big a deal, I'm selling my Taylor and buying another Ovation. You have a new convert here!!!!!!!!!! |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15686
Location: SoCal | Talk the guy at the guitar center into putting new strings on a high end Ovation, a legend, elite, or adamas. You'll be impressed. And the guitars stand up to almost anything. |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 28
Location: Singapore | Haven't posted for some time as I was away.
I agree on getting new strings onto the higher range Ovations and giving them a chance to sing! You will be impressed!
I have an Elite and it's been lugged around twice every week in a soft case to church for my performance. While playing it has knocked into a microphone stand, fallen off the guitar stand and handled by almost everyone there. I check it every night and baby it and have not found a scratch, dent, chip or any cosmetic defacement yet.
Don't have a problem with humidity here as I'm in asia and it's always humid and there's no winter...lol. Only problem is strings don't last long with sweaty hands due to the humidity.
Anyway, my Elite, though expensive, is one strong 'bugger'. Welcome to the land of Ovation! |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1196
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | My Adamas is very tough. I have played it in just about every condition you would not want a guitar to be in. I never worry about it. Don't get me wrong I take good care of it. Just how many guitars this expensive can you take and play anywhere. It always holds its tunning, and I live in humind southern Louisiana. Ok I better stop. I get to singing the praises of my Adamas and it's very hard to stop...Paul Hebert |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7247
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I guess there are the extremes... An Adamas has little wood, and although you wouldn't want to abuse it.... it can really take it. But, the guitar that amazes me the most is my Medallion. It's 28+ years old. It was an inexpensive Ovation, wood top, aluminum neck. It has some cracks and such, but they are all just in the finish. It's been on the beach, it's been wet, it's been on planes, and it still plays rather nicely.
To answer your question. An Ovation will in fact outlast most guitars on the market (if not all) with very little care, and they are VERY forgiving. |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1196
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | Once again Miles is correct. Ovations are tough, great sounding guitars. That about sums it up...Paul Hebert |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | And they have a whole bunch of knowledgable people to answer questions and solve problems right here on this site, and we welcome your opinions and advice and experiences. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | hey hoss,
i have several ovations (20+) here in puerto vallarta in tropical conditions. they are, hands, down the most stable and reliable guitars i have ever played. mine are "gigged 6-7 times a week. hauled in and out of vehicles, played in open air coastal conditions, sometimes near the pounding surf, and they are the only ones in the groups i play with that hang in there with a wipe down and string changes. when one starts to go out of tune (almost never even during a three set gig) i know a string is about to break. the guys in the band have seen this happen a few times and now they tell ME i have a string ready to break if my guitar goes out of tune.
the celebrity has a ply top which would make it more stable, but i agree with my companeros here that you should try the american guitars with a new set of strings. if you can play an adamas with a fresh set of strings even better.
the fact that you are a taylor owner that wasn't one of the sheep that think only all wood guitars sound great, has allowed you to open a door to some great new musical experiences. you are also in the company of some of the most open and sharing guitar owners i've run across here on the ofc site. |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 38
Location: Denver, Colorado | Theres an old story about Jim Croce and the terrible plane crash that took his and the band's lives. The story goes that one of the few things that survived the crash was Jim's Ovation. When they opened the charred case, the guitar was virtually untouched and could still be played. I don't know if it's true or not but my 1617 has been with me for years and only had the neck adjusted once. Short of throwing it under the bus they are very sturdy and reliable. Just the greatest guitar in the world for travel and performance. I don't know about the Celebrity models though as I have only owned USA made. |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 3
Location: Arizona | I agree with everyone. I've had an Ovation Custom Balladeer (acoustic only) for about 15 years now and have never used a humidifier. I've lived in Chicago, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Wyoming, Arizona, and Washington DC during this time frame. The only problem I had was opening the case before letting the guitar reach room temperature and the finish cracked a bit. But the neck has never needed an adjustment, plays with the lowest action I've seen, and sounds great! PS, I also have a Taylor and love it but it is more sensitive to humidity changes. |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 1026
Location: Back in the Valley of the Sun Mesa Az. | I love my O, but I would be misleading if I said it wasn't sensitive to humidity levels. That being said, I have not found another guitar that sounds HALF as good as my Legend (including 2,000.00 plus Taylors, and Baby Taylors). The closest I have experienced, is a friends 20 year old Jumbo Gibson (I believe it's a J-100?), it had a very nice, rich sound to it!
Norse(My advice to you is CONVERT! and send me that Taylor, it's so darn cold up here, I could use a little extra firewood!)man1 |
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I'm Brand New to Ovation.....
