Just a note to add, my dad worked with Charle and back in 1962 they had a failed composite that had too much resident sound, Charle said it would make bad helicopter blade but a great guitar and that’s how ovation started. The composite was designed before the first ovation was built. They had huge issues bonding the wood sound board to the composite but figured it out…my dad was the lead engineer for ovation for over 30 years and passed away 5 years ago…im sure him and Charle are jamming in heaven
That is awesome! I wish I could have met him. There’s a lot that’s not written about so a first hand interview could help fill in a lot of the gaps. I’m sorry to hear of his passing.
I was an early adopter of the shallow bowl, cutaway Ovation guitar and have been using them in music ministry since they became standard catalog items back in the 80s. For what I do with a guitar, I need an instrument with rock-solid tuning stability. Ovations, thanks to their synthetic bowl backs and tuning machines arranged like an "A" instead of a "V" have always provided that for me. The synthetic bowl back is key to their very even volume and sustain response up, down, and across the finger-board, making the whole board useful real estate to me. That bowl also provides two things that seem like they should be mutually exclusive: excellent note separation when I need it, coupled with long sustain when I need it. The bowl is also why even the shallow-bowl versions can sound larger than life itself when played into a microphone. Since the 1980s, every time I've served as a worship leader, it's been during a "season of rebuilding" that has me serving as the ONLY guitar player on the platform for a long time, My current situation is no different. That has me doing the lead parts and rhythm parts at the same time, while often singing lead vocals at the same time. There is absolutely nothing else out there that I want to strap on and do that with in front of 750 to 1,000 people than a shallow-bowl, cutaway Ovation. I'm biased. I cling to my "plastic security blankets" because I can do things on an Ovation that I can't do as easily or even at all, in some cases, on other types of instrument. Nice to see the "Ol' Salad Bowl" get some love from someone else other than die-hard fanboi me!
I’m glad to see this video found the right audience! My Ovation is probably my favorite guitar to play, especially when doing a solo set. I’m not sure why they’re not more popular than they are. People swear by their Martins but I’ve never played one that holds a candle to the Ovation. I hadn’t considered the positioning of the tuners being why it stays in tune so well. Thanks for commenting, I appreciate the insights of a long time Ovation player!
Why aren't Ovations more popular than they are? The short-form answer I would give is "marketing." Ovation used its extensive artist roster to sell to where the A/E market WAS. Bob Taylor & Company didn't have that kind of artist roster. So, instead, they sold to their present and future market. Taylor aggressively went after the Contemporary Christian Music ("CCM") and praise and worship (P&W) market that Ovation and every other maker ignored. Before you dismiss that as irrelevant, consider this................... Last Sunday, while I was doing my thing in a 1,000 seat church with an Ovation, there were at least 1,999 other people doing a similar thing in their home churches here in my hometown. We have over 2,000 churches in this city, most of which have contemporary worship services. Whether they were leading full bands or leading worship on their own, they were still serving the role of "frontman" and I promise you that most of them had a Taylor strapped on while doing so. What we do not have in this town are 2,000 places for a solo acoustic act, or any other act, for that matter, to play out in. If you're going to see an A/E instrument played in a live setting, you're absolutely going to see that happen in every church with contemporary worship services in North America. That's a lot of brand exposure. Taylor own this market because they aggressively marketed to it while everybody elese ignored it. When I got into the music ministry in the 1980s, I wasn' t the only dude with an Ovation strapped on. Bob Taylor's marketing fixed that by the time 1990 rolled around. There's more to the story than this, for sure, but this alone was enough to sink Ovation's boat, in my view.
I bought a balladeer last year. I wanted a guitar to travel with. Also tired of worried about leaving my Martin OM or 72 Guild D50 on a stand in my living room with ill intentioned pets around. I love it! It’s the easiest playing guitar I ever owned. I take it with me on the road and don’t have to worry so much if something happens to it. It is my main guitar for practice and jamming. Doesn’t have the depth or warmth of my Martin,Taylor, or Guild but it’s pretty close. I feel fast on my Balladeer. It’s amazing. Lots of hate for Ovations on TH-cam. Nonsense. Get one. You won’t regret it.
I have a number of Ovations. From 1976 until now. The vintage ones are my favorites with my 1982 Glen Campbell as my main favorite. If I had an addiction, it would be Ovation guitars.
I would love to get my hands on a vintage Ovation. My addiction is Dr Pepper but if Ovation guitars was an affordable addiction I might have that one too 😂
There are a ton of vids and photos showing Glen Campbell playing an Ovation. I'm a bassist and have had 2 Ovation Magnum II basses, nobody makes anything like them. I can make it sound like a upright, Fender Jazz or Precision, Rickenbacker 4001 or just about anything else with the onboard equalizer. Great piece thanks!
I just bought a 1993 Balladeer 1761 USA made model with original case. Awesome sound. My neck and headstock has a natural finish without lacquer. The Ovation zing is fantastic.
I should never have sold my Ovation. I still miss it. For me, the deep bowl made it difficult to hold (it slipped towards a horizontal position) but since then shallow bowls have been introduced and I'm tempted.
I believe Glen Campbell has done a great service to the appeal of Ovation guitars as an exceptional player, along with Cat Stevens in his cool folk/pop sound and Mellisa Etheridge with her bombastic 12 string leanings.
I've had an Ovation 'Elite' for over 20 years and it still sounds as good, and the same, as it did when it was new. Can't say the same about my wooden acoustic Guitars, which tend to sound different week by week ! Ovations are an acquired taste though, they do sound a bit thin and shrill if you are used to the warmth of a good wooden bodied acoustic, but if you give it time, the sound morphs into a pure and gorgeous clarity, that makes it hard to go back to wood, which then sound muffled and muddy..
I still haven't been able to find an appropriate description for the unique Ovation sound (which I love). The best I have come up with is "meaty" or "buzzy plastic" sound, but that doesn't do it justice 😂
I’d say it’s a full, warm, and/or balanced tone. I don’t know. I find it easy to pick out the individual tones in chords, like the low and high end have equal weight. 🤷🏻♂️
How I describe the sound of an Ovation: As the first successful acoustic-electric guitar, its natural acoustic tone actually sounds just like the plugged in piezo tone. So you end up getting the same consistent sound.
@@bottleshipcaptain In the eternal struggle to make an amplified acoustic sound like its natural sound, they changed the natural sound itself to closer match the amplification!
@@bottleshipcaptain They were everywhere in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and were still doing well into the ‘90s. But over the last 20 years they’ve gone so horribly out of fashion, you can find used instruments that are still in great shape for a steal of a price. One person’s trash is another’s treasure.
They are completely different types of guitars for different styles of music. It really comes down to what kind of music you’re playing and what you’re using it for.
I have an Ovation Applause that I bought damaged and ended up sanding and painting it. If I feel like playing one of my acoustic guitars, I'll reach for the Applause before my Fender Malibu Player. I also have a cheap Glarry imitation of an Ovation that I love.
I have a celebrity which will always be the best acoustic to play for feel and sound. That said…ovations suck when sitting down because they tend to slide if you don’t hold on to it for dear life😂
Buy a cell phone adapter that lets your phone stay on the dash of your car - sticky on both sides. Just put it on the guitar where your leg fits and WALLAA!!! It works perfect - no slipping!
I have a fake ovation copy. Because i like the sound and the design of ovation. But i cant afford to buy the real one. But i still loved it even its a cheap guitar. Sadly its broken now because of a low quality of wood body. I wish i could have one the real ovation.
I happened into the Ovation. It was going to be pawned and I offered to buy it for more than the pawnshop would give for it, which was still way less than it was worth.
Just a note to add, my dad worked with Charle and back in 1962 they had a failed composite that had too much resident sound, Charle said it would make bad helicopter blade but a great guitar and that’s how ovation started. The composite was designed before the first ovation was built. They had huge issues bonding the wood sound board to the composite but figured it out…my dad was the lead engineer for ovation for over 30 years and passed away 5 years ago…im sure him and Charle are jamming in heaven
That is awesome! I wish I could have met him. There’s a lot that’s not written about so a first hand interview could help fill in a lot of the gaps. I’m sorry to hear of his passing.
I bought my thin body Balladeer in 1986 and it sounds even better today!!!
I was an early adopter of the shallow bowl, cutaway Ovation guitar and have been using them in music ministry since they became standard catalog items back in the 80s.
For what I do with a guitar, I need an instrument with rock-solid tuning stability. Ovations, thanks to their synthetic bowl backs and tuning machines arranged like an "A" instead of a "V" have always provided that for me. The synthetic bowl back is key to their very even volume and sustain response up, down, and across the finger-board, making the whole board useful real estate to me. That bowl also provides two things that seem like they should be mutually exclusive: excellent note separation when I need it, coupled with long sustain when I need it. The bowl is also why even the shallow-bowl versions can sound larger than life itself when played into a microphone.
Since the 1980s, every time I've served as a worship leader, it's been during a "season of rebuilding" that has me serving as the ONLY guitar player on the platform for a long time, My current situation is no different. That has me doing the lead parts and rhythm parts at the same time, while often singing lead vocals at the same time. There is absolutely nothing else out there that I want to strap on and do that with in front of 750 to 1,000 people than a shallow-bowl, cutaway Ovation.
I'm biased. I cling to my "plastic security blankets" because I can do things on an Ovation that I can't do as easily or even at all, in some cases, on other types of instrument.
Nice to see the "Ol' Salad Bowl" get some love from someone else other than die-hard fanboi me!
I’m glad to see this video found the right audience! My Ovation is probably my favorite guitar to play, especially when doing a solo set. I’m not sure why they’re not more popular than they are. People swear by their Martins but I’ve never played one that holds a candle to the Ovation. I hadn’t considered the positioning of the tuners being why it stays in tune so well. Thanks for commenting, I appreciate the insights of a long time Ovation player!
Why aren't Ovations more popular than they are?
The short-form answer I would give is "marketing."
Ovation used its extensive artist roster to sell to where the A/E market WAS.
Bob Taylor & Company didn't have that kind of artist roster. So, instead, they sold to their present and future market.
Taylor aggressively went after the Contemporary Christian Music ("CCM") and praise and worship (P&W) market that Ovation and every other maker ignored.
Before you dismiss that as irrelevant, consider this...................
Last Sunday, while I was doing my thing in a 1,000 seat church with an Ovation, there were at least 1,999 other people doing a similar thing in their home churches here in my hometown. We have over 2,000 churches in this city, most of which have contemporary worship services. Whether they were leading full bands or leading worship on their own, they were still serving the role of "frontman" and I promise you that most of them had a Taylor strapped on while doing so.
What we do not have in this town are 2,000 places for a solo acoustic act, or any other act, for that matter, to play out in.
If you're going to see an A/E instrument played in a live setting, you're absolutely going to see that happen in every church with contemporary worship services in North America.
That's a lot of brand exposure.
Taylor own this market because they aggressively marketed to it while everybody elese ignored it.
When I got into the music ministry in the 1980s, I wasn' t the only dude with an Ovation strapped on.
Bob Taylor's marketing fixed that by the time 1990 rolled around.
There's more to the story than this, for sure, but this alone was enough to sink Ovation's boat, in my view.
I hadn’t considered the CCM market. You seem to be very knowledgeable about the subject. Thanks for the insights!
Bought my 80’s balladeer with my Moms credit card in college! I now have three O’s and now play out full time🤘
Nice
A youth friend's father used to gave one back in the days. Even at young age I could see that it was something special.
Thank you for your kind words and playing of the Ovation.
I bought a balladeer last year. I wanted a guitar to travel with. Also tired of worried about leaving my Martin OM or 72 Guild D50 on a stand in my living room with ill intentioned pets around. I love it! It’s the easiest playing guitar I ever owned. I take it with me on the road and don’t have to worry so much if something happens to it. It is my main guitar for practice and jamming. Doesn’t have the depth or warmth of my Martin,Taylor, or Guild but it’s pretty close. I feel fast on my Balladeer. It’s amazing. Lots of hate for Ovations on TH-cam. Nonsense. Get one. You won’t regret it.
I have a black 1862 Custom Balladeer, it's probably my favorite axe!
They are good guitars.
I have a number of Ovations. From 1976 until now. The vintage ones are my favorites with my 1982 Glen Campbell as my main favorite. If I had an addiction, it would be Ovation guitars.
I would love to get my hands on a vintage Ovation. My addiction is Dr Pepper but if Ovation guitars was an affordable addiction I might have that one too 😂
There are a ton of vids and photos showing Glen Campbell playing an Ovation. I'm a bassist and have had 2 Ovation Magnum II basses, nobody makes anything like them. I can make it sound like a upright, Fender Jazz or Precision, Rickenbacker 4001 or just about anything else with the onboard equalizer. Great piece thanks!
Thank you! I haven’t tried any of the Ovation basses. I’ll have to look into them.
I love my Balladeer dearly ❤️
I just bought a 1993 Balladeer 1761 USA made model with original case. Awesome sound. My neck and headstock has a natural finish without lacquer. The Ovation zing is fantastic.
Very nice
I bought a Balladeer in 1971 and later on bought a used Glen Campbell model. I wish I still had them.
I should never have sold my Ovation. I still miss it. For me, the deep bowl made it difficult to hold (it slipped towards a horizontal position) but since then shallow bowls have been introduced and I'm tempted.
I believe Glen Campbell has done a great service to the appeal of Ovation guitars as an exceptional player, along with Cat Stevens in his cool folk/pop sound and Mellisa Etheridge with her bombastic 12 string leanings.
I have a 12 string pacemaker and a 1975 Ovation shallow bowl Artist with nylon strings,they still sound great 👍.
Very nice! I need to get myself a good 12 string.
Love Ovations. Have a 70's Legend and a 70's Folklore. Both deep bowls and non cutaway. Great sound. Will never sell them.
Great guitars.
Love both of my Ovation’s
I have an accoustic balladeer I bought new in 1974. My go to guitar for all types of music other than blurgrass.
They’re great guitars
I've had an Ovation 'Elite' for over 20 years and it still sounds as good, and the same, as it did when it was new.
Can't say the same about my wooden acoustic Guitars, which tend to sound different week by week !
Ovations are an acquired taste though, they do sound a bit thin and shrill if you are used to the warmth of a good wooden bodied acoustic, but if you give it time, the sound morphs into a pure and gorgeous clarity, that makes it hard to go back to wood, which then sound muffled and muddy..
I guess it’s not as big of a sound as traditional acoustics, but I don’t find it shrill or thin at all.
I still haven't been able to find an appropriate description for the unique Ovation sound (which I love). The best I have come up with is "meaty" or "buzzy plastic" sound, but that doesn't do it justice 😂
I’d say it’s a full, warm, and/or balanced tone. I don’t know. I find it easy to pick out the individual tones in chords, like the low and high end have equal weight. 🤷🏻♂️
Have a 1612......since 1982....love it!
Nice! It shows that the workmanship lasts.
one of the last decent 60s and 70s guitars that can be purchased without shelling out major cash. historical mojo at a beginner's price.
I'm getting mine this week!! Ovation guitares are deserving more love. What song are you playing?
Congrats on your new Ovation! The song is an original song called “Go”
Thanks for the Vid. Excellent
Thanks for watching! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
How I describe the sound of an Ovation: As the first successful acoustic-electric guitar, its natural acoustic tone actually sounds just like the plugged in piezo tone. So you end up getting the same consistent sound.
This is a very accurate description 👍🏻
@@bottleshipcaptain In the eternal struggle to make an amplified acoustic sound like its natural sound, they changed the natural sound itself to closer match the amplification!
@erickleefeld4883 whatever they did, it sounds great either way.
@@bottleshipcaptain They were everywhere in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and were still doing well into the ‘90s. But over the last 20 years they’ve gone so horribly out of fashion, you can find used instruments that are still in great shape for a steal of a price. One person’s trash is another’s treasure.
Should I trade a player series strat for a USA balladeer
They are completely different types of guitars for different styles of music. It really comes down to what kind of music you’re playing and what you’re using it for.
i know someone who has one of these i played it and it was nice
I absolutely love mine. I bought it from my brother and he’s not getting it back lol
@@bottleshipcaptain 100% great guitars
Indeed they are
I have an Ovation Applause that I bought damaged and ended up sanding and painting it. If I feel like playing one of my acoustic guitars, I'll reach for the Applause before my Fender Malibu Player. I also have a cheap Glarry imitation of an Ovation that I love.
They’re good guitars. I haven’t seen the Glarry ones. I’ll have to look into that.
@@bottleshipcaptain It's the Glarry GT102.
Thanks! I just looked it up. Not a bad price at all. Maybe I’ll get one to review.
@@bottleshipcaptain Just make sure to put a decent set of stings on it. Glarry's factory strings are straight garbage.
That’s how it is for most cheap brands.
I have a celebrity which will always be the best acoustic to play for feel and sound.
That said…ovations suck when sitting down because they tend to slide if you don’t hold on to it for dear life😂
Very true about the sliding around. Take your hands off it for a second and it’s facing the ceiling 😂 it’s worth it though and I’ve gotten used to it.
Buy a cell phone adapter that lets your phone stay on the dash of your car - sticky on both sides. Just put it on the guitar where your leg fits and WALLAA!!! It works perfect - no slipping!
Not a bad idea. It seems like everyone has a different solution to the problem and they’re all good.
I have a fake ovation copy. Because i like the sound and the design of ovation. But i cant afford to buy the real one. But i still loved it even its a cheap guitar. Sadly its broken now because of a low quality of wood body. I wish i could have one the real ovation.
I happened into the Ovation. It was going to be pawned and I offered to buy it for more than the pawnshop would give for it, which was still way less than it was worth.
Maintain low tones!
I’m not sure I understand your comment.
I just slapped a little piece skateboard grip tape on mine where it meets my leg. Problem solved.
That’ll work 😂
I used 2”cat tough tape doesn’t slide and doesn’t damage your clothes
2” roll of cat’s tongue applied to lower curve provides enough friction to prevent the slide and won’t ruin your clothes
I have had one for years,nothing to get excited about,turn off the electric and its very ordinary.
I guess that depends on what you like and what you’re comparing it to. I personally prefer it to any other acoustic I’ve played.