Here is a pic of my baby . . .

[Phil513]

I wish it was a better pic, i tried, but im not too good at it. I guess i need Mark's pickup bed to get it right. ;D (He knows what i mean)

First, i know the controversy surrounding Ovations. They are either loved or hated. This isnt a cheapo, its a standard balladeer. I have played the inexpensive ones, and yes, for the most part they sound like toys. But not this one. I have test driven lots of expensive "traditional" acoustics, and they just dont sound as good as this one. And the shape of it is so comfortable, about as close to holding an electric as i have found. I really love this guitar. And plugged in, it really shines. I dont know much about acoustic/electric stuff, but the pickup system in this is very good.

Anyhow, i have thought long and hard, and if my apartment is on fire, this is the very first thing im grabbing. ;D

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p80/noelpointer/HPIM0609.jpg

[Mark Wein]

How old is it?

[Phil513]

I think about 10 years. Its actually my GFs, she got it and a marshall acoustic amp for playing at church worship service, but i have since commandeered it. ;D She doesnt do it anymore, so she just let me have it. I guess you can call it joint custody now.

I have a little rougue acoustic also, but its to guitars like your soy ribs are to food. hahaha

[Mark Wein]

Nice!

[Phil513]

Yeah, im very happy with it. My dad has a "Sigma" or something like that, i think its a lower end martin, like squier is to fender. Its actually nice, but dang if wrapping my arm around it just makes my arm fall asleep after awhile, Maybe if i was standing and playing, but i always sit.

i dont have that problem with this one.

[thredlok]

My second guitar was applause that looked like that ;D

I like those, if the sound is good enough for dimeola who am I to bitch ;)

[Phil513]

Yep. I here lots of people who blow them off as "plastic guitars" but this one at least sounds warmer and fuller than many others i have tried. When i go to guitar stores, i usually hang out in the acoustic area, mostly cause the electric area is usually full of tools playing enter sandman. But i havent found one, any one, i like as much as this one.

And as i said, plugged in, its even better. Ovations have the pickups done right, whatever they did.

[Mark Wein]

Yep. I here lots of people who blow them off as "plastic guitars" but this one at least sounds warmer and fuller than many others i have tried. When i go to guitar stores, i usually hang out in the acoustic area, mostly cause the electric area is usually full of tools playing enter sandman. But i havent found one, any one, i like as much as this one.

And as i said, plugged in, its even better. Ovations have the pickups done right, whatever they did.



I've never tried any of the nicer ones. The cheaper ones have left such a bad taste in my mouth I never thought to give an expensive one a try. I do have a Yamaha APX with a similar back but its my "loaner and beach" acoustic....

[Phil513]

Well, i have tried out the less expensive models, and they do sound like junk. But for that matter, most of the cheaper acoustics i tried sounded lame as well. hahaha.

[Mark Wein]

It would be difficult for me to find a replacement for my guild that wasn't $3000 or more....I hate to sound like an old geezer but they really don't make acoustic like they used to...

[Phil513]

I know. I even tried out some new Fender "Sonoran" guitars, they are the acoustics with the regular fender headstock, kinda looks funky. But i figured they should be decent, but just sounded awful. Thin, no warmth, hard to explain. Maybe modern manufacturing techinques just compromise too much.

[Mark Wein]

I know. I even tried out some new Fender "Sonoran" guitars, they are the acoustics with the regular fender headstock, kinda looks funky. But i figured they should be decent, but just sounded awful. Thin, no warmth, hard to explain. Maybe modern manufacturing techinques just compromise too much.


I don't think any of those guitars are the right dimensions to sound good, actually. When I worked for the Fender dealer they had the thin Tele acoustics and those were horrible guitars...

[Phil513]

Probably so.

When i got this one, the action was pretty high, my GF had just lived with it, but i took the little bridge thingie out and sanded it down, now the action is very low and good, no buzzing.

Is it just me, or do acoustics sound better after new strings have grunged up a bit? Brand new they kinda sound too bright. hahaha

[hobo]

Nice guitar, glad you like it. :)

[Mark Wein]

Probably so.

When i got this one, the action was pretty high, my GF had just lived with it, but i took the little bridge thingie out and sanded it down, now the action is very low and good, no buzzing.

Is it just me, or do acoustics sound better after new strings have grunged up a bit? Brand new they kinda sound too bright. hahaha


I like them played in a little bit, too...

[Prages]

I love posting this.

The best sounding, best playing acoustic I've ever owned is my Fender Catalina, bought new for about $300 in 1995. It used to be black.

Circa 1996:
http://www.kvinet.com/~prages/MeInTux1996.jpg

Sometime around 2000, I decided to strip the black off of it and refinish it in natural. However, the paint was too tough and I ended up sanding through a layer of the plywood top. So, instead of refinishing it, I just glued the bridge back on, strung it up, and what do you know, the thing sounds better than it ever did before.

This is what it sounds like:

Alright (http://www.thewindtunnel.com/Songs/Alright.mp3)

The intro to Dearest Valentine was also done on this guitar. In fact, most of the acoustic tracks I've recorded were done with this guitar.

And this is what it looks like now. :o

http://www.thewindtunnel.com/GuitarPics/POSSmall.jpeg

[Mark Wein]

I think Fender can put so much paint on a guitar that the instrument wont even resonate very well. Stripping the paint is probably the best thing you can do for one of those guitars!

I know on the "natural" finish electrics (I think they are mostly ash with a really chunky grain) there is so much underfiller to keep the wood grain from telegraphing through the finish that it ends up looking (and sounding) like a bowling ball...

[Prages]

I think Fender can put so much paint on a guitar that the instrument wont even resonate very well. Stripping the paint is probably the best thing you can do for one of those guitars!

I know on the "natural" finish electrics (I think they are mostly ash with a really chunky grain) there is so much underfiller to keep the wood grain from telegraphing through the finish that it ends up looking (and sounding) like a bowling ball...


Yeah, that finish was THICK and TOUGH. I never did get all of it off the back.

http://www.thewindtunnel.com/GuitarPics/POS2.jpg

It sounded pretty good before I stripped it, but it just sounds amazingly good now, especially considering that it's made completely out of plywood.

[Mark Wein]

LOL.

Sometimes you get a gem of a guitar at any price point. I think that what people miss is that a guitar doesn't have to be expensive to be good ;D

[Phil513]

Send it over to Baimun, prages.

i bet he could get that paint of the back. ;D

[Mark Wein]

I don't think he wants a forearm contour sanded into the front of the guitar, though ;)

[Phil513]

Yeah. that whole pesky "hollow" feature is a problem with acoutics. ;D

[Prages]

You know...

I used to have a Martin Thinline Gold + undersaddle piezo with preamp in this guitar. Actually, I think it may still be in there.

It was my gigging acoustic until I sanded it, then I was afraid it would scare women and children, so I retired it from the stage.

I may start gigging it again. Of course, I do have other acoustics that look much better, and they have more comprehensive preamps (the one in the Fender is just a preamp with no adjustments or anything, but it always sounded pretty good).

This is the latest guitar I've bought and I bought it solely to have a nice looking, nice sounding stage acoustic. It sounds really good. Probably sounds better through a PA than the old Fender did, but not quite as good if you stick a condensor in front of it.

http://www.thewindtunnel.com/GuitarPics/FenderGDO500SE/InCase.jpg

http://www.thewindtunnel.com/GuitarPics/FenderGDO500SE/TopAngle1.jpg

http://www.thewindtunnel.com/GuitarPics/FenderGDO500SE/Back.jpg

I got it on a blowout from Musician's Friend for $399 with case. It's made in China, but it's all solid wood...Cedar top, Ovankol back and sides, mahogany neck. Has a really nice preamp built in too. I've only played one gig with it so far, but I loved the way it sounded through the PA.

[Phil513]

Now thats a lovely acoustic. :o

[Prages]

Now thats a lovely acoustic. :o


The body is a little smaller than a dreadnaught too, so it's a little more comfortable to play, IMO.

[hobo]

I love posting this.

The best sounding, best playing acoustic I've ever owned is my Fender Catalina, bought new for about $300 in 1995. It used to be black.

Circa 1996:
http://www.kvinet.com/~prages/MeInTux1996.jpg

Sometime around 2000, I decided to strip the black off of it and refinish it in natural. However, the paint was too tough and I ended up sanding through a layer of the plywood top. So, instead of refinishing it, I just glued the bridge back on, strung it up, and what do you know, the thing sounds better than it ever did before.

This is what it sounds like:

Alright (http://www.thewindtunnel.com/Songs/Alright.mp3)

The intro to Dearest Valentine was also done on this guitar. In fact, most of the acoustic tracks I've recorded were done with this guitar.

And this is what it looks like now. :o

http://www.thewindtunnel.com/GuitarPics/POSSmall.jpeg




Nice singing there and really nice song too. Guitar playing was very nice, enjoyed listening to your song

[Prages]

Nice singing there and really nice song too. Guitar playing was very nice, enjoyed listening to your song


Thanks.

[Eminence_Front]

Is it just me or does it seem like the Ovations have a really REALLY thin neck ?


I feel cramped when I play on one. It's also seems (although probably just me.) that the neck tapers in width ...


I don't know, I guess I just prefer a more substantial neck on an acoustic.

[Phil513]

Thin as in depth, or nut width?

One of the reasons i love the ovation, (this one anyway) is that its as close to feeling like an electric without being an electric. The most comfortable acoustic i have played. Its neck feels as deep as most acoustics i have played, but yeah, the nut is prolly narrower.

I dunno. Maybe just all the stars and planets lined up with this one, but i havent played an acoustic im happier with. My friend has a couple VERY uncheap taylors, but i dont like them as much.

[platypus]

ovations are a bright sounding guitar to begin with, I used to put martin silk and steel on my applause because they were a bit more mellow sounding.

but yeah I know what you mean. AOK