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October 2005
Posts: 49
Location: Wichita Kansas | Hi all,
I am new to this board. I have been playing seriously for about 6 years or so.
I had my first guitar at the age of 14 and I am turning 51 this on the 16th.
I am thinking of getting a lefty Ovation for myself as a birthday present (do I have to have a reason?) and am searching for one at this time.
I once owned a Matrix by Ovation in about 1986. I bought a righty and had it converted. I sold it later due to financial reasons and relocation. I am really gassin' for another Ovation. Can anyone help?
I am watchinga few on E-bay and would like other options too.
This seems to be a great board with lots of wisdom and help. I hope to be another happy Ovation owner soon.
Barry. |
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Joined:
June 2005
Posts: 274
Location: Maryland, USA | There's another lefty on this board called LeftOvertion who would probably help you alot on getting a good Ovation Lefty.
Personally I can't help you too much, I don't have any lefty's to sell. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | Hatman, I've seen a lot of lefty guitars on ebay. Since the bidding compitition is greatly reduced for southpaw guitars, I'd be suprised if you could not get a very good deal on an Ovation, or any brand, for that matter. In my experience, unless you stumble on an estate, or yard sale, a hungry pawn shop, or a friend in need of bail, you'd be hard pressed to find a better source for a guitar, or any other hard goods. It's not uncommon to end up paying a dime on a dollar, on ebay. Good Luck, I hope you can find the axe you desire, at a price you like. Be patient and wait for the right item. If you lose a bid, the next deal you find is often even better. Buck |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | hatman,
Welcome to the OFC!
I'm a lefty too, although there's nothing in my handle or signature that telegraphs that fact.
The majority of lefty Ovations you're gonna find on eBay are the inferior Korean made models. US made lefty O's do pop up from time to time, but you have to be somewhat patient. Considering what you can buy a used US Ovation for, it's well worth the wait.
To give you a couple of recent examples: there was a beautiful, circa '04, Legend that sold for around $650 a few weeks ago. Even more recently than that, an '80s Legend in real nice shape went for just over $400 within this past week. If I'd been in a position to, I would've made a run for at least one, if not both, of those.
Assuming you're wanting an acoustic/electric, another option you may want to consider is buying a 70's or 80's non-cutaway Ovation (with the volume knob near the neck heel) and just swapping out the nut. My current Custom Legend and Country Artist are set up this way, and I've owned miriad other O's with this set up. It works extremely well. Something about the a/e bridge allows you to maintain proper intonation even when restrung for left hand. Don't ask me how or why this works, I just know that it does. I've owned close to fifty Ovations at different times, and only about a tenth of them have been factory LH models. All the others were "rightys" that I converted.
Good luck in your quest... |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 49
Location: Wichita Kansas | Thanks folks,
Just the kind of stuff that I was looking for.
Jeff, is the bridge compensated on those models you mentioned that still have good intonation after you switched them?
The Matrix that I had years ago had the bridge that was not anglled so that when I switched it the bridge was not backward angled. I hope that my explaination is good here.
Are all the US Ovations made with great build quality?
Any inside or user-experience info will be appreciated.
Thanks, Barry. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 49
Location: Wichita Kansas | OK, I updated my profile so I look a little more like the rest of you. :D |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | Hatman I've never played an American built Ovation that I didn't like, although some are clearly better than others. I've handled some Applause guitars that were fine, but some others were just plain awful. As far as the newer Celebrity brand goes I can't give an opinion because I don't think I've ever played one. I've got an old Celebrity which is a very respectable instrument. Buck |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 49
Location: Wichita Kansas | Are the Legends made in the US and the Celebritys made outside the US. How do I know which is made where.
Like in the E-bay ads, it says that the guitar has a lifetime warranty by Ovation USA but usually does not make the distinction of whether it is US made or not.
Help!
Barry. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | I believe the Celebrity line is Korean, not sure about the Legends. There may be American and Asian models available. One of the experts will answer that one. I'm also curious as to where the Legends are built. |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Legends are built in the US.
This is a rather broadstroke breakdown, but basically, Balladeers, Legends, Custom Legends and Elites are all built in the US under the moniker, Ovation. Celebrities also carry the Ovation logo on the headstock, but are all built in Korea. Applauses are entry-level instruments, and that's more or less what they sound like.
To the untrained eye, Celebrities can be easily mistaken for US made Ovations, but the truth is on the label inside the guitar, as well as in the sound, which, IMHO, is appreciably inferior to any US made O's. There is/was also a line of Ovations called the "Pinnacle Series," but I'm not sure where they originate from or if they're even still in production. I think they're foreign made too, but I could be wrong.
Then, of course, you have the premium Adamas line which are all US made and say "Adamas" on the headstock. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 49
Location: Wichita Kansas | Awesome!
Once again, great info.
I'm still looking.
Thanks, Barry. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 49
Location: Wichita Kansas | This deserves at least one bump.
Don't you think? |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 107
Location: South Jersey | I knew a girl called 'Lefty' once. She was all right ;-)
(that even hurt to type! lol )
jim |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 49
Location: Wichita Kansas | Ouch!
That was painfull to read also. :cool:
LOL |
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New here and searching for a Lefty
