A Young Person’s Guide to Ovation Guitars
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- Опубликовано: 5 июл 2023
- Some of the students at my school were blown away by my Ovation guitar when I brought it to an after-school sing rehearsal before graduation. I realized that their generation really had missed the heyday of these guitars’ popularity. Ovations from the 70s and 80s are some of the best values you can find in an American made guitar.
#ovationguitars #ovationguitar #affordableguitars #americanguitars 
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I've had my Ovation for 50 years. Still love it.
I’ve had an Ovation balladeer since 83. My Grandson has it now and plays it almost daily! Still plays and sounds great! I have 17 other acoustics now. Takamine (3), Seagulls (2), PRS (2), Martin (D15M Streetmaster), Gibson (Hummingbird), etc..etc..
However, I have two Ovations. A C2078 AX with Deep Contour bowl and a made in China Celebrity Elite Plus (African Padauk which has been discontinued). The made in China Ovation gets played more than all the others (combined)!! It just feels good in my hands. So balanced (evenly mixed highs, lows and mids), easy to play (feels like an electric) and the preamp sounds great through my Fishman loudbox mini or my Bose LS1 model II system. The built in tuner works great. It has never failed me. It’s reliable and darn near bulletproof!! Ovation has been through some tough times I know. And I know a lot of folks slam the look, the round back and the unique sound. I like different. I love the unique sound. With a time and effort one could make that “unique” sound their own.
im not a young guitarist and my Ovation is a 1973 balladeer ive had since it was new. but i love it
I have a Custom Legend. 30 yrs now and still loving it cos my ears love it more.
Superb video on an excellent guitar that is underrated by the masses now days. 👍
My Ovation is a new Celebrity model and I love to play it. I am glad that I purchased it.
Glen Campbell was a major celebrity endorser of Ovation guitars, and he played a wide variety of Ovations (acoustic and electric) on his very popular television show and in live performances. I bought a Glen Campbell signature Balladeer in 1969. I still have it, and it sounds better than ever because the spruce top has aged so nicely. (Unfortunately, my original Ovation case was stolen when I was playing in a band in the 1970s.) Before I bought the Ovation, I had a couple of Gibsons, and I now have two Martins and two Taylors-but my old Ovation sounds better than all of them. It sounds especially good with Santa Cruz parabolic-tension strings.
Enjoyed The video Mr. West started tracking ovations in 2022. I have two but the list will go on.
Great story (I knew a little bit of it, but not all). I have a newer Ovation made in Korea, but I still love its unique sound and I really have no complaints as far as build quality goes.
Kaman made more than helicopter parts, they also made complete helicopters. The Air Force used Kaman HH-43 Husky helicopters for rescue purposes and the Navy used the Kaman SH-2 SeaSprite for rescue and anti-submarine missions. We had SeaSprites aboard ship when I was on an aircraft carrier in the late 60s. The Kaman K-Max was in production up until a year ago. It's used for heavy lifting purposes like by timber companies. Charles Kaman was a brilliant designer who was never afraid to "think outside the box".
By no accident Robert Fripp made Ovation a standard for The Guitar Circle in 1985. Lucky to own three myself, and will be joining The Guitar Circle with a shallow bowl Balladeer in Argentina, with Mr. Fripp next month.
How cool. Fripp is an amazing player electric and acoustic.
I bought a 1994 Ovation Standard Balladeer in original case last June and it’s a keeper!
I subscribe to your every word Mr Greg! I don't know what guitar 16/18 year olds in the USA or in Europe where I live (Italy) dream of today, but at their age in the 80s I wanted an Ovation. I have never forgotten that dream and for my 40th birthday I gave myself a black Ovation Custom Legend 1869 Al Di Meola made in USA, for my 50th birthday a splendid 1981 Ovation Custom Legend 1619 sunburst made in USA and now for my next 60 years I'm going to buy a perfect Ovation Collectors 1987 (Elite style), as good as new, even though it will cost me a completely out of business $3,000! But being able to make your dreams come true is priceless!
I have championed Ovation guitars for most of my playing career. Even the entry-level Applause models are well-made, durable and exceedingly playable. I don't play much acoustically anymore, so I just have my Applause Balladeer bass for playing unplugged around the house, but it is a wonderful instrument.
Still have my custom balladeer I bought in 1976. Many guitars later, I still go back to it often.
I still have my 1976 Balladeer with sunburst finish. Love, love, love this guitar!
Love the history lesson very cool!
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching.
I’m not exactly a young person, but I was when Ovations came out in ‘67. (I was 17.) As common as they were back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, they’re pretty scarce now, even though they’re back in production. What a lot of people don’t know is that they made some very nice electric guitars. They had a solidbody back in the ‘70s, called the Breadwinner, that looked sort of like a medieval battle axe, but was very comfortable to play. The body was covered in the same Lyrachord material that the bowl backs on the acoustics were made from. There was also a deluxe version, called the Deacon, that had a mahogany body with a gloss finish. I’ve seen them in transparent red, natural mahogany, and brown sunburst. There was a 12-string version that was one of the best electric 12-strings around. I’ve been looking for one for years, but in 50 years I’ve never found one for sale. Great wide necks on those things!
I had a ‘75 white Breadwinner back in the day. It had the best neck of any guitar I ever played.
Great informative comment! Thanks. I am your age and have an Applause AE48 and an Ovation Celebrity CC44. They are uniquely wonderful guitars.
I have the 1975 Ovation Artist (shallow bowl) and 12string pacemaker. They sound amazing. I recently went from bronze to nylon strings on my 6 string. The pull through bridge is so you can use the different strings. A very durable guitar.🇺🇸👍
I bought my Ovation Celebrity electro accoustic in 1984 second hand from a reputable music store for around £400. Still plays sweetly today 😊
Love my Ovations, Have a 40 years old Custom legend and a celebrity from the 2000s
I’m clearing house on guitars right now, I took my ovation off the list after I watched this video, I’ll hold onto it a while more. It’s an early 2000’s balladeeer 12 string, has the best neck on it. Projects really well too and sounds great. I know eventually I’d want another 12 string and I don’t think I could beat this one on the budget.
When I was a young player, my uncle had a guitar shop where he sold these. He raved about them so much that I bought one, but at the time I found the sound to be annoying. However, as time went on, I found myself missing it. I learned how better to use effects and select the right strings, etc. Now, Ovation is my favorite.
I have probably owned well over 50 guitars in the last 50 years. ( I have 20 now!) I have had a Martin, a Guild, a couple Gibsons, and more, but Ovations are still my favorite acoustics, mainly the deep-bowl models.
Have a legend 1978 bought from new by me. Dont play anything but Ovation. Has around 20 of them.
I’ve owned four Ovations over the years. I sold my last one a few years ago: the 1995 Collectors. It was the best sounding acoustic I’ve owned, especially though the PA.
Ovation needs you as a salesman
I would gladly be an endorser if they gave me a 12-string Adamas!
Cat Stevens played Ovation guitars throughout the 70's ...kinda made my mind up for me being a great fan. 😊.. for those who like fast guitar ...Eddie Van Halen had them too.
I have already talked about my relationship with the Ovation world, but I would like to offer the new generations an example of the live sound quality of these instruments as well explained by Mr Greg. Listen to the song Nostradamus from the 1992 CD "RHYMES in ROOMS". Live performance by Al Stewart and Peter White with 2 Ovation Legends (one white and one black - OP24 preamp). Happy listening!
A piece of advice, it you find a used 70s or 80s Ovation, make sure the neck is straight, and that the action is what you like it to be. I've seen some really bad shape ones on Reverb...
Good advice for purchasing any used instrument.
Well that comes to every guitar not only Ovation
Nancy Wilson from Heart played them for years so I got one now I own 3 I love em
I have two, a spalted maple six string and a sunburst 12 string. They are fantastic and have unique tone.
I have a Tangent 357, purchased new in 2008 as a closeout. I've also had a deep-bodied model with a single soundhole. The latter was, for me, TOO deep-bodied to be comfortable playing (Felt like I was in a Mariachi band, and I don't know any Mariachi music). The Tangent, on the other hand, is a "super-shallow" body, and came with what was then the top-of-the-line preamp, with a couple tone filters built into it. It's about the same thickness as a "normal" acoustic guitar, but with the rounded back. I play sitting down, and found that it consistently rotates toward being face-up in my lap. That likely wouldn't be an issue if I played standing up, but I don't. In terms of tone, sound, playability of the neck and fretboard, etc., my '08 Ovation is among my favorites. Ongoing gripes include that rotation issue, even when wearing a strap, as I always do, and the finish (mine is black) has NOT held up well over 15 years, though it's always in the case if it's not being played. The finish, while blotchy and faded, doesn't determine the sound, however, and the guitar still plays beautifully.
My faves (as you can see from my videos) are the models from the 70s and 80s. Part of that is sentimental, because I bought my first Ovation around 1976. There was a really nice Elite I almost bought in 1992, but I ended up buying a Guild instead. The Ovations I had back in the day had a little rubber “skid” where it sat on your leg, to keep it from slipping. I like the deep bowl the best for the sound. The mid and shallow bowl models don’t sound good unamplified. They are amazing plugged-in, though.
You left out Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive.” THAT to me is the iconic signature Ovation song.
While I know who Glenn Campbell is, that was before my time, just as Bon Jovi is before a lot of the “youngsters” time. The video to that song clued me in to Ovation guitars. I’ve wanted one ever since. I found a 1985 Collectors Series but the preamp is shot. I’m looking for a replacement before I buy it. Do you know of anyone or anywhere that might have this out of production OP 24 preamp?
There’s an Ovation collectors’ group on Facebook. You might be able to find one there. That’s a great song, btw. I played it on my Cozart 12-string review video.
Thanks fo the rad info Amigo ! I Love these & played them since the 1990's & A few years ago I Rebuild a made in China , Celebrity CC24 in Ruby Red that I got from a bud that found her in the trash ,so I give him $30 for I wanted to fix for kicks . This Guitar had a busted bridge & I Rebuild the bridge with custom cut Walnut strips & for plan B I drilled 6 string holes with metal pins to score great results !! i Def get 2 different tones with the metal pins Vs the original string holes & She sounds great . Today the same bud found a lawsuit Ovation Celebrity traditional plus CC-28 copy from Sepia F-550 EQ - Dae Young Guitars , Made in Korea with a rusted & leaked 9v battery , 2 busted tuners , lifting bridge & got some spare part to rebuild her to fix & shred again .
Thanks for keeping these instruments “alive” to be enjoyed.
Yes Sir & the dead ones I take the hardware off & use in other 🎸 I hate guitar shops so I fix my self & it makes me a better player too ! Anyways what type of strings you like on Ovations ?
Do all the older Ovations also have the 3-shims under the saddle to adjust the action lower? My 86 collectors series has them. I’m looking at a 70’s Ovation 1118-4 Glen Campbell 12string.
They all sold with them new. When you buy a used one, the previous owner may have removed some.
I have a question about the string gauges that are proper for a 1776-1976 Ovation Patriot 6-string guitar. It's in almost like new condition because it has spent most of its life inside that incredible Ovation brown case. Can anyone tell me what gauge modern strings I should use on this guitar? Can this guitar stand a Medium Guage set like D' Adderio XT Phosphor Bronze set 0.013 to 0.053? Please help! I do not want to damage the bridge. Thank you!
Congratulations on acquiring a wonderful instrument. Keep in mind that the guitar is over 45 years old. It might be able to handle mediums, but I would go with a standard light set. On my 1977 Balladeer, I use the Martin Tommy Emmanuel sets. The string tension seems about perfect with those. I also have used D’Addario lights. Anything with a .012 or .011 gauge for the high E should be fine. Mediums are usually a .013-.056 set.
Work for Charlie Kaman for years still do. When kaman Corp. Still have the music division, employees get discount. Charlie also created Gibraltar drums. Charlie passed in 2011. Just like any other founding fathers of American companies, children and grandchildren wants money, sold music division in 2013. I own a couple of early 90's high end ovation.
I am eternally grateful for Charles Kaman’s genius. Ovation guitars have given me countless hours of enjoyment in my many years of guitar playing.
Been playing on an Applause AE-28, but my brother just gave me a 1971 Ovation Balladeer to fix up (he knows I love a project.)
That’s great. You’re gonna love it!
Always loved Ovation guitars! Could’t afford one.. so when I was 15 (in 2000) I got my first bowlback guitar, and it was Crafter FSG-280 (it was a really good sounding guitar)
In 2017 got my first Ovation Celebrity CC-057 Sunburst
In plans to get Ovation Classic, and 12 string! Just love the sound of Ovation guitars ether unplugged or plugged it.
Gonna do a little play (review) on my channel at some point
Send me the link to your video when you make it!
I'm picking up a cc057 for $280 with a hard shell case. Today. 😊
Still have my 94 collectors series and play all the time. Still in like new condition. I’ll never part with it.
My first guitar was an Ovation Legend played here: ruclips.net/video/FP8Lu81PL84/видео.html After many guitars Allsolid US and Non-US, Laminated, and so on, I would recommend the Ovation but probably for the money best bang for the buck would be the Eastman guitars, I have an Eastman E1D Allsolid that is absolutely amazing ruclips.net/video/HXqteaDAvyw/видео.html . As you, I'm teaching guitar and the students need most of all a Easy to Play action, and second an inspiring sound. For around $500 I don't think you can't find something better that is also very easy to play, All-Solid woods, loud and wih a lot of overtones. Sure, there are Yamahas, Cort, entry level Taylor and Martin, and so on but if you're talking about the sound of a Martin D18 in a $500 guitar, the E1D from Eastman would be the best choice. Try it if you don't believe me.
It’s an apples-to-oranges comparison, though. The Eastman guitars are built in Beijing, China. They are comparable with nice Alvarez and Yamaha instruments, but they still don’t sound like an American-made guitar. If you play a fine Martin, Gibson, or other upper-end American guitar, there is a quality of timbre in the bass and low mids that Asian guitars just don’t capture, generally. Ovations have that quality and, for the moment, many used ones are still under $1000.
@@GWGuitarStudio Each has their preference of sound, but what most people are obviously noticing is that Eastman is kind of killing all the American made even without concerning the cost, just by sound and playability ( Acoustic Shopee is a great place to get an idea ) ... Plus don't forget each Guitar is hand made by Luthiers not by machines in a factory, but they are treated as individual instruments and I'm telling you, I can notice that when I hold it and play it. You can't say the same about the other US Guitar builders... Indeed Ovation is sturdy but not undistructible... And again the guitar is different and pleasing in the beginning but I still don't prefer it over the E1D or any other All-Solid instrument resonant all the way... You can feel the rushness in the Ovation, plus mine also has a narrow neck that I don't prefer.
@@GWGuitarStudio have a 1970 Ovation 1111-4 Standard Balladeer and a recent Eastman E10D (modeled after a prewar D18). Both are great guitars. They each have a unique voice and feel.
Tony Rice often recorded with an Ovation in the late ‘70s. The title track of Manzanita was reportedly recorded with and Ovation. I think the neutral/balanced tone of Ovations helps them record well.
ruclips.net/video/HfMGaqu6Z1M/видео.html
I tried to buy my friend's Ovation many times. No way!
Contrary to this video, no Ovations are US made anymore. Up until about 10 years ago their very top shelf model, Adamas, was still US made but no more. Mine was made in Korea and it's perfect.
www.musicradar.com/news/ovation-guitars-acquired-by-gewa-music.
As of 2021, it looks like GEWA/ Drum Workshop were still making Adamas in the US. That deal may have ended as of 2023. The video is focused on vintage Ovations, which are still abundant and affordable American-made guitars. For rising young players, it’s the best option to get a great American guitar without having to spend two grand.
But how do they record? Studio-wise?
Hundreds of hits from the 70s to the 90s were recorded with them. The 12-string tone sounds like this ruclips.net/user/shortsfz3X1wu2mm0?si=O0Z5kVE8VQZL3XWA. That’s a combination of mic and pickup. This one is just a straight mic’s tone. Even though the mic wasn’t at the optimal position, it still sounds good. ruclips.net/user/shortsk7IUxzJw92A?si=onVumEunJbKRbawe
@@GWGuitarStudioboth ways sound great in their own way.
How much is one of those ovation academy’s worth?
I’m not sure what you mean by an Ovation “academy.” That’s not one of their models.
@@GWGuitarStudio Made by them none the less.
How do I get one
Reverb, EBay, Guitar Center’s web site…
yeah ovation is a good cheap guitar, they sound half way decent, good enough to record, i see some in pawn shops and used music stores here in los angeles, yet they always are in really bad shape... if i come across a good one i will grab it
Put a new set of strings on one, polish it up a little, and watch it come back to life! :)
@@GWGuitarStudio did they make nylon string versions as well?
Yes, the 1713 Classic is one. They have newer models.@@glennplumlee9155
My reaction is a bit mixed.
I’ve tried Ovations that were virtually unplayable, with rope-like strings, high action and a generally very uncomfortable feeling. I’ve seen some with badly warped necks. I’ve also tried ones that played exceptionally well. I suppose it’s pot-luck, or all in the set-up.
In the right hands, they can produce beautiful results. John McLaughlin’s My Goal’s Beyond is a great example of how good they can sound.
Ovations have truss rods and removable shims which easily allow adjustment of the action to the player’s comfort. Of course, any neglected guitar can suffer changes in the top and neck from humidity, extreme temps, etc. Ovations were the choice of many artists as their touring instruments because they are very rugged. They are way more stable than Martins, Gibsons and Guilds in the same price class.
Can you play it?
ruclips.net/video/3ZUY9wbC0Y8/видео.htmlsi=gdNl5WImY5Bh1vdP
I'm 70, and the last I remember seeing these guitars was in the 70's. Long story short, they sound tinny, harsh, and metallic. The bass tone is thud, the treble tone is shriek.
That is the reason nobody plays these guitars these days, and the reason they aren't sought after, valued or collected. The composite body has a lot to do with their durability, and the dull tone. I'd say nostalgia would be the chief motivation to own one of these. Some players like old Silvertone and cheap electrics from the 60's too; they are virtually unplayable and all nostalgia based as well.
One thing is clear. Hearing and taste are subjective. Not to argue with you, but the dozens (if not hundreds)’of professional musicians and stars who recorded and performed with Ovations shows us that the sound was usable and desirable. On two different occasions, I had Martin owners offer to trade me for my Ovation Balladeer. I appreciate your comment and opinion. Thanks for watching.
you got to be careful when you buy them online. because sum sellers will send you a applause guitar in place of a ovation guitar.
It’s easy to tell the models apart if you do a little homework before buying. They all have the round back in common, but the various models have different quality tops, fingerboard woods (ebony, walnut, etc.) and so forth.
@@GWGuitarStudio true but sum of them use fake pics thats what happen to me.
Never got the Ovation attraction. I've worked on several over the last 40 years, and most are, well, pretty awful. Didn't like the sound or the shape. And I've seen some expensive guitars that just fell apart. And I will respectfully disagree, they do slide off your leg. Oh well. Each to his own.
Of course guitar sound is very subjective. I wasn’t so much of a fan of the ones made from the mid-90s on. An Ovation without an ebony fingerboard doesn’t feel right. The ones made in Asia sound like typical Asian guitars. The USA-made ones I have played still sound great, even the newer ones. What brand did you finally settle with?
@@GWGuitarStudio LOL. Been through lots of stuff. I played sessions for years with a Washburn, Fender and assorted Seagull S6's(loved the neck and body shape). I have a Recording King Dreadnaught, and just bought a Blueridge that sounds wonderful. Of course, none of them really high end. They always got the job done.
My advice to young guitarists regarding Ovations. Don’t buy one. They went bust for a reason.
Lyrachord! = plastic. 😂
I once played a set at “Rambling’ Conrad’s” in Norfolk, Virginia many years ago. My main 6-string was an Ovation Balladeer, just like the one I own today. One of the other musicians was so blown away by the sound that he offered to trade me his Martin D-18 right there on the spot. Granted, my technique is good and I can make most any guitar sound decent, but my Ovation sounded way better than his Martin. I’m not saying every Ovation sounds better than every Martin. There is a reason hundreds of pros recorded and toured with them for nigh on 30 years, from the 60s to the 90s. Everybody has their own likes and dislikes. I wouldn’t discount a modern design over a traditional one just because a personal preference.
What is wood made from? Cellulose which is a natural polymer held together by a glue called lignin. Plastic is a polymer albeit man made and the resin that holds the polymers together. The finish that is applied to the wood, which can effect tone is also plastic. It is the resonant wooden top that does the heavy lifting in terms of tone creation. It's a speaker cone. The quality of the strings and setup are key here as well. The sides and back reflect most of the energy amplified by the top as your body, arms and legs dampen most of the tones absorbed by them. Thanks for the spoken word history of this great instrument.
@@Gearheadworkhops Right! Wood = plastic. Go tell that to the words finest classical musicians. Go buy a plastic cello. 200 year old plastic is going to be so much better than new plastic. Etc etc blah blah