Ovation acoustics

[Trashbag]

I'm thinking of getting a new acoustic, and the Ovations have caught my eye. Anybody have an opinion on these?

[JimmyPage1977]

I'm thinking of getting a new acoustic, and the Ovations have caught my eye. Anybody have an opinion on these?

Great through an amp or P.A. system. Not a great guitar to sit down with, because of the backs and the tone, acoustically, is weak. Taylor, Martin, Guild are my recommended brands.

[ArmsofAtlas]

Great through an amp or P.A. system. Not a great guitar to sit down with, because of the backs and the tone, acoustically, is weak. Taylor, Martin, Guild are my recommended brands.

I've always really liked the sound of the good sounding ovations, but can hardly get the to stay on my knee when sitting. Even the good sounding ones don't have much depth to them, esp when compared to a good solid wood acoustic.

I would recommend Takamine and Alvarez.

[Matthew!]

They look real nice and are alright. I'd say solid wood ones usually sound and feel better to me. The round back makes it a little awkward to use with a strap - mine always leans backwards which is a little annoying.

[Evster2012]

The bowl shape rides up my belly. I end up playing lap style. A personal problem. You might like one. If you're thin!

[yahyoubetcha]

Agree with all the above. Ovations tend to slide down your lap as you play. Unique sound but a pain in the ass to play. I have a couple of Takamines, which I like well enough, but I really wish I could afford a Taylor.

[JethroTull]

I've never been a big fan of Ovations for many of the reasons mentioned. Also, think of the image you are going for, Ovation? I'm thinking some sensitive singer songwriter type.

I own a 30 year old Guild D-40. If I had to go out and buy a new acoustic, I would take a serious look at a Taylor. I played one in a music store a few months ago and was very impressed. They are expensive. I would just save, save, save and buy one of those suckers. I wonder what a low end Taylor costs?

Edited September 4, 2008 by JethroTull

[Patrycja]

They're very tinny sounding to my ears, and their timbre is poor too, imo. I don't own one so I can't comment on the feel, but you can get a far more dynamic sound with other acoustics mentioned earlier (Gibson, Martin, etc.) though these will take a larger bite out of your budget. Good luck with your search, it's not easy to get the right combination of sound/price/overall 'feel' that is right for you.

[Evster2012]

I too prefer the Takamine. And agree that Ovations tend to sound thin. Jam in a circle with someone on an Ovation and it just disappears. Bring an Ovation to a fireside jam with a couple of guys playing Yamahas or Taylors and you might as well leave it in the trunk! I think more of the live magic with them happens at the soundboard than the actual guitar. My advice is to go to the music shop and play as many guitars as you can in the quiet room. Then you'll know which one really sings.

Then again, Jimmy seems to favor them!

[Trashbag]

Then again, Jimmy seems to favor them!

I know, that's why they first caught my attention. Especially that double neck one he used during "Wonderful One." But from what I'm hearing here, they're not that great.

I'll just try them out myself, see if I feel any different. Once I get the money, of course.

[yahyoubetcha]

They're very tinny sounding to my ears, and their timbre is poor too, imo. I don't own one so I can't comment on the feel, but you can get a far more dynamic sound with other acoustics mentioned earlier (Gibson, Martin, etc.) though these will take a larger bite out of your budget. Good luck with your search, it's not easy to get the right combination of sound/price/overall 'feel' that is right for you.

I guess the sound is a personal taste thing. I actually consider the sound 'bright' as opposed to 'tinny'. One man's trash is another man's treasure I suppose. I did find the playability is excellent on every model I've picked up. Really worth a test run if you ever get a chance. Just to note though, the Taylors that I've played were more expensive than both the Gibsons and the Martins.

[JimmyPage1977]

I know, that's why they first caught my attention. Especially that double neck one he used during "Wonderful One." But from what I'm hearing here, they're not that great.

I'll just try them out myself, see if I feel any different. Once I get the money, of course.

Just bought an Ovation CSD 225 BCB - Double Neck!!!!

I will get in a week. I'm playing on a CD for The September Sky Band and they've asked me to play live at some showcase gigs. So..... I needed this guitar to do the parts live....yeah, that's it....

OK... I'm an impulse guitar buyer...

I'm still looking forward to playing this beast!!

Edited September 7, 2008 by JimmyPage1977

[Patrycja]

I guess the sound is a personal taste thing. I actually consider the sound 'bright' as opposed to 'tinny'. One man's trash is another man's treasure I suppose. I did find the playability is excellent on every model I've picked up. Really worth a test run if you ever get a chance. Just to note though, the Taylors that I've played were more expensive than both the Gibsons and the Martins.

Hmm, well, how interesting that Ovation's sound doesn't bug you. To be honest it makes my shoulders slide up to my ears, kind of like Fran Drescher's voice.

Page, if memory serves, used an Ovation for the Page/Plant tours, and it just seemed to me that the sound did not resonate at all, again poor timbre and it sounded like the sound died like two feet in front of him. But who am I to disagree with Jimmy Page, right? I'm no professional or anything, but still, I consider myself a careful listener, so I can't say I love everything Page does just because Page does it. So you can add Seagulls and Takamines to the dislike list. Again, we're talking in general, I'm sure if I put in the effort to go through enough of each I'd likely find some I like, but like you said, it's a very personal thing.

There's a range in Taylors for the more budget conscious to the loose-walleted connoisseurs, so it depends on the specific guitars you're comparing. One's level of development and need will ultimately determine which end of the spectrum they'll go for. The final decision has to be feel, though, just overall sound and how it suits you physically and what gut feeling you get. You can pick up a Martin D-45 or whatever because your favourite musician uses one and just not have that sense of 'this is it'.

I have this oooooold classical guitar that's not a 'name', but I wouldn't trade it for anything. And if anyone would try to take it away from me I'd break their knee caps. I just love it, slight neck and tuning peg problems and all. It's happy it will get new strings tomorrow

But you sound so positive about your Ovation test run, I may have to drop my years of bias and give one a whirl. Maybe .

Happy playing!

P

[JimmyPage1977]

Hmm, well, how interesting that Ovation's sound doesn't bug you. To be honest it makes my shoulders slide up to my ears, kind of like Fran Drescher's voice.

Page, if memory serves, used an Ovation for the Page/Plant tours, and it just seemed to me that the sound did not resonate at all, again poor timbre and it sounded like the sound died like two feet in front of him. But who am I to disagree with Jimmy Page, right? I'm no professional or anything, but still, I consider myself a careful listener, so I can't say I love everything Page does just because Page does it. So you can add Seagulls and Takamines to the dislike list. Again, we're talking in general, I'm sure if I put in the effort to go through enough of each I'd likely find some I like, but like you said, it's a very personal thing.

There's a range in Taylors for the more budget conscious to the loose-walleted connoisseurs, so it depends on the specific guitars you're comparing. One's level of development and need will ultimately determine which end of the spectrum they'll go for. The final decision has to be feel, though, just overall sound and how it suits you physically and what gut feeling you get. You can pick up a Martin D-45 or whatever because your favourite musician uses one and just not have that sense of 'this is it'.

I have this oooooold classical guitar that's not a 'name', but I wouldn't trade it for anything. And if anyone would try to take it away from me I'd break their knee caps. I just love it, slight neck and tuning peg problems and all. It's happy it will get new strings tomorrow

But you sound so positive about your Ovation test run, I may have to drop my years of bias and give one a whirl. Maybe .

Happy playing!

P

An Ovation is used by most as a "acoustic-sounding" guitar that will be run through a soundboard for live performance. To listen to them without amplification is not the greatest experience, nor what they are designed for. They do have great design and excellent electronics for running into a PA system. Page plays different guitars for different needs, tonally and mechanically. He plays Les Pauls and then picks up a Strat or a Danelectro....

He plays a Martin and then an Ovation... He gets different things from different instruments.

I have a Guild and a Martin... I needed an Acoustic/Electric Double Neck and Ovation was usable and affordable.... wish me luck!

Edited September 8, 2008 by JimmyPage1977

[Patrycja]

An Ovation is used by most as a "acoustic-sounding" guitar that will be run through a soundboard for live performance. To listen to them without amplification is not the greatest experience, nor what they are designed for. They do have great design and excellent electronics for running into a PA system. Page plays different guitars for different needs, tonally and mechanically. He plays Les Pauls and then picks up a Strat or a Danelectro....

He plays a Martin and then an Ovation... He gets different things from different instruments.

I have a Guild and a Martin... I needed an Acoustic/Electric Double Neck and Ovation was usable and affordable.... wish me luck!

Yep I totally hear you about getting different guitars for different sound needs. I'm too lazy to look it up, but I'm sure from your description Page had his Ovation amplified (he would've had to what with the hurdy-gurdy guy and the drummer banging away) for Gallows Pole, and yet still, at the beginning of that song, for example, the sound imho went a very short distance before it seemed to die. Maybe it was to complement the hurdy-gurdy, whose drony sound has a deep resonance? Don't know how often Page used the Ovation after his collaborations with Plant....

I'm curious what you mean by their design being great - they appeal to you aesthetically (have to say the inlays on the body are beautiful), or is there something unique about the synthetic, round back design (among other things) that affects the sound in a way that you like?

If you didn't get a chance to see It Might Get Loud, you're in for a bit of a treat in terms of different guitars and the sounds he gets out of them

Sshhh, I don't want my guitar to hear, but I'm slightly jealous of your Guild and Martin (what kind is it?)

But I don't want to rain on your fun. It sounds as if you're happy with your Ovation double neck, and it suits your needs, so good on ya and best of luck!

Cheers,

P

[JimmyPage1977]

Yep I totally hear you about getting different guitars for different sound needs. I'm too lazy to look it up, but I'm sure from your description Page had his Ovation amplified (he would've had to what with the hurdy-gurdy guy and the drummer banging away) for Gallows Pole, and yet still, at the beginning of that song, for example, the sound imho went a very short distance before it seemed to die. Maybe it was to complement the hurdy-gurdy, whose drony sound has a deep resonance? Don't know how often Page used the Ovation after his collaborations with Plant....

I'm curious what you mean by their design being great - they appeal to you aesthetically (have to say the inlays on the body are beautiful), or is there something unique about the synthetic, round back design (among other things) that affects the sound in a way that you like?

If you didn't get a chance to see It Might Get Loud, you're in for a bit of a treat in terms of different guitars and the sounds he gets out of them

Sshhh, I don't want my guitar to hear, but I'm slightly jealous of your Guild and Martin (what kind is it?)

But I don't want to rain on your fun. It sounds as if you're happy with your Ovation double neck, and it suits your needs, so good on ya and best of luck!

Cheers,

P

They are great for live performance, because the lack of depth and sound holes reduces the chance of unwanted feedback. They do sound pretty good through the on board transducers and preamp system. I don't really care for the round resin back, but they might save a tree or two.

I have an old, beat up 1983 Guild D25M, which has an all mahogany body, it sounds great in a song circle, very loud and wonderful tone!

My baby is the Martin D18V! It is patterned after a 1920's version, complete with scalloped braces and a spruce top...the "V' stands for "vintage". I wanted a Martin my whole life and played hundreds of them before I bought this one!

Great story about the purchase...

I was in a fancy guitar store in the Fremont district of Seattle and was dressed in my work clothes (construction work). I had to look pretty poor to the salesman and the manager! I tried out about 30 different guitars and left the D18V in a stand right next to me after I had played it, but continued to try others in case there was something more magical. It was a few minutes to closing time and I told the salesman that I would take the Martin...he just about fell over!

The funny part is that as he went to get the case for it, the store manager approached me and gruffly told me that he was closing and that I had to leave. He picked the Martin out of the stand and began to put it back on the upper rack where I had pulled it down from.

I had paused, not thinking about how poor I must have looked. Then I said, " Umm, excuse me, but I'm taking that home with me".

He says, "What was that"?

Me: "Your salesman is back getting the case, so I can take that guitar home with me..... (bewildered look from the Manager).... I'M BUYING IT!"

He actually stumbled and almost fell down. Then, as he took the guitar over to the counter to ring it up, he bashed it on the corner of the glass counter!

I told him, at that point that I'd appreciate it if he let me make the first scratch on it and his face went stark white.

It didn't get damaged and I got it home without any further trouble.

Now about that Double Neck... I have a Danelectro 12/6 electric and a Jimmy Page Custom Epiphone 12/6 electric, so I wanted to get an acoustic... I'm just hoping that it will sound great...haven't got it yet.

Fun to talk about guitars though, innit?

[yahyoubetcha]

Hmm, well, how interesting that Ovation's sound doesn't bug you. To be honest it makes my shoulders slide up to my ears, kind of like Fran Drescher's voice.

There's a range in Taylors for the more budget conscious to the loose-walleted connoisseurs, so it depends on the specific guitars you're comparing. One's level of development and need will ultimately determine which end of the spectrum they'll go for. The final decision has to be feel, though, just overall sound and how it suits you physically and what gut feeling you get. You can pick up a Martin D-45 or whatever because your favourite musician uses one and just not have that sense of 'this is it'.

But you sound so positive about your Ovation test run, I may have to drop my years of bias and give one a whirl. Maybe .

Happy playing!

P

Uuuhhhhmmmmm, my bad. I thought you were talking about the Taylor as it was mentioned in the post above yours. As far as tone, I agree Martin and Gibson have it all over the Ovations.

[Patrycja]

Uuuhhhhmmmmm, my bad. I thought you were talking about the Taylor as it was mentioned in the post above yours. As far as tone, I agree Martin and Gibson have it all over the Ovations.

No problem, a quick look back and I can see why you thought that, too. Good thing we're out of the days of mail being sent on ships or via pigeons

I can only dream of a Martin or Gibson, *sigh*

Cheers,

P

[Patrycja]

They are great for live performance, because the lack of depth and sound holes reduces the chance of unwanted feedback. They do sound pretty good through the on board transducers and preamp system. I don't really care for the round resin back, but they might save a tree or two.

I have an old, beat up 1983 Guild D25M, which has an all mahogany body, it sounds great in a song circle, very loud and wonderful tone!

My baby is the Martin D18V! It is patterned after a 1920's version, complete with scalloped braces and a spruce top...the "V' stands for "vintage". I wanted a Martin my whole life and played hundreds of them before I bought this one!

Great story about the purchase...

I was in a fancy guitar store in the Fremont district of Seattle and was dressed in my work clothes (construction work). I had to look pretty poor to the salesman and the manager! I tried out about 30 different guitars and left the D18V in a stand right next to me after I had played it, but continued to try others in case there was something more magical. It was a few minutes to closing time and I told the salesman that I would take the Martin...he just about fell over!

The funny part is that as he went to get the case for it, the store manager approached me and gruffly told me that he was closing and that I had to leave. He picked the Martin out of the stand and began to put it back on the upper rack where I had pulled it down from.

I had paused, not thinking about how poor I must have looked. Then I said, " Umm, excuse me, but I'm taking that home with me".

He says, "What was that"?

Me: "Your salesman is back getting the case, so I can take that guitar home with me..... (bewildered look from the Manager).... I'M BUYING IT!"

He actually stumbled and almost fell down. Then, as he took the guitar over to the counter to ring it up, he bashed it on the corner of the glass counter!

I told him, at that point that I'd appreciate it if he let me make the first scratch on it and his face went stark white.

It didn't get damaged and I got it home without any further trouble.

Now about that Double Neck... I have a Danelectro 12/6 electric and a Jimmy Page Custom Epiphone 12/6 electric, so I wanted to get an acoustic... I'm just hoping that it will sound great...haven't got it yet.

Fun to talk about guitars though, innit?

Why yes, yes it is! That's a great story. When you can find 'the one' (and stick it to a snob while you're at it) it is the sweetest thing. The dreadnought body's a bit big for me but I'd never turn a Martin down, "D" model or not. While you went looking for yours, my classical came to me. Many moons ago when I was around twelve or so, my mom's friend was renting a room in this house. Renting another room was a guy whose name now escapes me, but anyway he was moving out west and getting rid of stuff. I think he knew I had a crush on him and so he gave me that guitar he used to play songs on for me. I was elated. Elated! I could barely wrap my hand around the wide neck (the nylon strings were a fair trade-off ) but I didn't care, I just had to get the chords right. Again, I'm no whiz, but to this day I sooo love playing it. It's my longest relationship

That Epiphone double neck is very cool *sigh*. It's just as well I don't have any electric guitars because just about all things electric go weird in my hands. It's not that I'm klutzy, just that things like cell phones, home pc, library pc's just get all hot or freeze consistently. My friends joke about keeping me away from theirs, or get me to use them if they want new ones:D. But I feel very lucky and happy with my unplugged guitar, and wish you best of luck with your new acoustic. Thanks for sharing!

Cheers,

P

[yahyoubetcha]

No problem, a quick look back and I can see why you thought that, too. Good thing we're out of the days of mail being sent on ships or via pigeons

I can only dream of a Martin or Gibson, *sigh*

Cheers,

P

Me too. I regularly visit a local guitar shop with my son and he grabs the Gibsons and I grab the Taylors. We both dream.

[kabbalahone]

Me too. I regularly visit a local guitar shop with my son and he grabs the Gibsons and I grab the Taylors. We both dream.

I bought a second hand, hand made Morgan. I just started playing it this past week after not playing the guitar for over 20 years. It's a parlour guitar. I like it because I am small and it fits me well.

[kabbalahone]

I'm thinking of getting a new acoustic, and the Ovations have caught my eye. Anybody have an opinion on these?

I heard that you have to purchase a top of the line ovation to get good sound from it without amping it

[Olipticle]

I heard that you have to purchase a top of the line ovation to get good sound from it without amping it

Wrong, you can get a great sound out of one on their $300.00 models. But duh the more the spend the better it gets. but probally one of the best priced acoustics around.

[James McGregor]

Not a fan of Ovations. Find that their reputation precedes itself in the sense that because rockstars play them,that they are quality. It is one of the poorest guitars I have ever played. Way to trebly. Can't sit down and play it. Argh. And waaaayyy over priced. And if you want to change the battery(in some models) make sure your hand is small enough or else you won't be plugging it in since your hand won't be able to take the battery out. How that made it past the planning stage is brutal.

But the neck is very close to a LesPaul which I like.

Takamine I find are very consistent for the price as well as Yamahas

[Olipticle]

although alot of the celebrity models are really nice...The double neack is just to die for