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Joined:
February 2010
Posts: 3
| Hello!
I was very glad when i've seen that a forum about ovation guitars exists!
I'm new on this forum and I want your advices in a problem.I have an Ovation Balladeer 2771AX and i want to know what kind of strings is suited for this model.
I want to put D'Addario EXP16 012-053 coated phosphor bronze or Elixir nanoweb 012-053.
My question is that this type of strings require tross rod adjustment?
Please help, cause i am not so specialist in tross rod adjustment.
Thank You very much! |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | D'Addario EXP16 012-053 coated phosphor bronze is what put on them at the factory |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4028
Location: Utah | Dhany, welcome aboard!
Strings are a personal choice, and also depend a lot on the particular guitar. Your 2771AX should sound very good with a variety of different strings. Buy 6 or 10 different sets and change them out monthly to see which you prefer.
I have found that the best sounding strings on my Ovations tend to be Martin Marquis Phosphor Bronze, light gauge. But they tend to die more quickly than other brands. In general phosphor bronze will probably sound the best, whereas 80/20 tend to be bright and brassy sounding, suitable for darker sounding guitars but not a modern Ovation.
Dean Markley Signature strings are a favorite of mine right now. Sunbeams sounded nice, but are a lower tension string for sure, causing more fret buzz or requiring a higher action than I like. Some folks love the Sunbeams, so they are worth a try.
The Elixirs sounded fabulous on my deep contour bowl 2007 Collector's edition. They tended to have a nice tone but didn't have as much separation or clarity to each string. When you strum a chord the notes blend together and aren't as individually identifiable as other brands. They sound really nice, last a loooong time, and the coating is a bit slippery, so there is less finger squeek. Elixirs are worth a try for sure.
The D'Add EXP16 never thrilled me on any of our Ovations or Adamas. They are a bit dull to my ear (could be my ears because a lot of people really like them). Other brands seem crisper.
If you stick with light gauge strings you should not require a truss rod adjustment. There is no industry standard for what is a "light" gauge, but they are all pretty close.
If you do need an adjustment it is very simple and nothing to be afraid of. Make a small adjustment of 1/8 to 1/4 turn, and see how you like it. Another small adjustment is allowable, but then wait for a day until the neck settles in to the adjustment before going any further.
Capo the strings at the first fret and the 13th fret at the same time. Now look to see how much space is between the top of the 6th fret and the bottom of the strings. It should be a very small amount, maybe 5 sheets of paper. If it is as much as the thickness of a CD it is getting pretty high. To lower the strings, tighten the truss rod (righty tighty, lefty loosey). Be sure the guitar is tuned when you start so that the strings are at their normal tension.
I like to get the adjustment pretty close to the frets. If you play with heavy strumming you will want the strings higher. Play like you normally do and see if you get fret buzz in the 3rd to 8th fret areas. If it buzzes, loosen the truss rod a bit to raise the action. If you don't get buzzing you can lower it a bit.
Now that it is adjusted, play above the 12th fret. If the notes sound choked or if they buzz you need to raise the saddle. If the strings feel way too high at the mid area of the 3rd to 8th frets, you need to lower the saddle. Do this after you have adjusted the truss rod. There are shims under the saddle. Loosen the strings and carefully pull up the saddle. You should find 2 or 3 tan colored shims under the saddle. Pull one out to lower the action. Add another to raise it.
If you are careful to make small adjustments at a time it is safe and easy to tweak your Ovation until it plays perfectly for you and your style. |
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Joined:
February 2010
Posts: 3
| Thank You very much FlySig, it was very helpfully! |
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Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Really depends on your ear and what you like. I have had numerous sets on my Adamas and was totally set on one brand and then tried another the next time out for the heck of it and now I like those better. That is the great thing about strings (especially with an Adamas), you can get a wide variety of tones from your guitar. You just have to decide what you like best. For me I am currently using Elixer Nano 80/20 bronze. I found the EXP16s just too bright for my Adamas although they sound great on my legend. The 80/20s are supposed to be brighter but they don't sound that way to me. Flysig had some great advice. Try a bunch, they are cheap, even free sometimes. |
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Strings for Ovation Balladeer 2771AX
