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Joined:
March 2018
Posts: 1
| Hello folks
I'm a semi pro musician from the Uk and am proud and pleased to say that I have owned many Ovations in my time, my first acquisition being back in the eighties! I'm ashamed to say that my memory for model details is very poor so I can't say for certan exactly what I owned, but I'm pretty certain that my last Ovation was a 1994 collectors limited edition, that I actually sold to a band mate.
Anyway, I am in the market for a top notch high end 12 string, and am hoping to get some advice as to what to look for. I am thinking that I would prefer something "older" and second hand, and I would prefer a deep bowl (I think! Am I blocking out some good options here?) and something with a traditional wooden soundboard rather than anything synthetic.
Budget wise, probably up to about $2K, maybe a tad more if necessary. Guitar will be used for gigging, so needs to be roadworthy.
I look forward to receiving your advice,
Many thanks
Andy
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10581
Location: NJ | Check my website I have several nice 12 strings on there |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Hi Andy. Here my two cents worth. I have a Custom Legend cutaway from 2000. Model 6759. It has been incredible for gig work. It has the mid depth bowl which makes it a tad more comfortable for playing. If you’re gigging, you’re gonna be plugged in so any minor loss of deep bass the purists may decry is really a moot point. I really like the Optima preamp and the XLR output is really nice to have if you can use it. The notch filter on the Optima helps control feedback if you’re playing in a dense loud environment. The Kaman Bar neck is a must for me. The neck is rock solid and the action is still low after 18 years. In addition, the guitar stays in tune. The AAA top is stunning and the abalone purfling really stands out under stage lighting. But the best thing about it is how it sounds, especially plugged in and dialed in. As a bonus, the guitar records exceptionally well.
There are a lot of folks who swear by non cutaway deep bowl 12 strings (and 12-frets clear) and they’re not wrong in one sense, but most tend to play in their living rooms or small group gatherings. Playing out regularly adds a dimension to selecting your gear, and my personal experience is the mid-bowl feels better strapped on and the 14 fret and cutaway is necessary for playing up the neck. All Ovation electronics are good but the Optima is my favorite.
I haven’t seen many on the market, but I’m sure they’re out there if you’re patient. In short, for your budget go for the Custom Legend with a K-Bar neck, body and neck to your preference.
Good luck!! |
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Back to the fold...! 12 String advice please......
