Are Ovation Guitars Any Good?
#ovationguitars #acousticguitar #guitar @OvationGuitarsOfficial
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Welcome to this review and discussion on Ovation acoustic guitars! Specifically this CE44-1 Acoustic Electric model. What do you think? Are you an Ovation guitar player?
This was not a sponsored review.
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#Ovation #Guitars #Good
Originally posted by UCEQ_Z17PBn1zm9oEXORwg1g at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8xANzZ29u4
I rode bikes for years
There are steel, aluminum, titanium and carbon fiber frames.
Steel, pings
Aluminum, hums
Carbon thuds.
I find that although carbon guitars
Have certain volume and midrange capabilities…..
That ping always ends in a kind of thud in the finer acoustic spectrum.????
I love ovation guitars. I've had two and both were elites. Tremendous sound, easy to play and for me, the best looking guitars around… not to take anything away from the traditional acoustic look. In the process now of buying my third ovation and it will of course undoubtedly be an elite. As well, you just can't beat the sound, especially live when plugged in. Love these guitars!
I have 2 Ovations, 1976 Country Artist Nylon, 2021 Adamas. My primary go to guitars. Sound guys like them for their cut through mix sound.
I've tried to post a comment on here but it hasn't appeared, is it me? ????
Grip material can be affixed to the body…
If Ovation guitars were good enough for Glen Campbell and Doyle Dykes, they're good enough for me.
I have two Ovation guitars, and the truth is I love them, I think that as electroacoustic guitars they have been criticized too much, for that search for a natural tone, but the Ovation guitars, regardless of their disadvantages, have more advantages in terms of electroacoustic sound compared to other large brands of traditional guitars and I am clear about this since I also have 3 traditional and high-end guitars and I still love my Ovations
I always wanted one seeing all the pros playing them in the 70s 80s. I now own a 12 string standard, I love the sound ! Also shopped at Daddy's Junky Music for Years. Bought my first real electric guitar from him.
I owned an ovation very similar to this one in the video. I loved how it played and how it sounded plugged in. I sold it to buy an electric guitar and have always regretted it. I recently bought a 12-String. It has a deep bowl. Sounds much better unplugged than my former shallow bowl and the new electronics are awesome. I may end up with more of them.
I just bought one and I’m enjoying it. I would also like to increase the thickness of the sound while playing unplugged. Any suggestions on a good string brand and type that would do that? Thanks guitar fans.
My ovation was a baladere from the late 60’s. It’s an American made guitar . I’ve had it since 1979. So many people have told me how good it sounds. It has no electrical equipment on it . Plain acoustic sound . I literally have worn out various frets on the finger board. Like most guitar players though I like a variety packed pallet. The ovation was a joy to play .
I bought my Ovation in 1980 and still have it. I've played on several albums with it, and gigged with it for 45 years. I got it because I was into REO Speedwagon and Kevin Cronin played one.
It is not true that I've only had to tune it once, but it's not far off 🙂
I own 3 Ovations. 2 six strings and a 12. I would not own anything else. They are perfect for me. Love the sound. I don't think their head office in Connecticut is around anymore. I emailed and wrote paper letters last year, 2024 and never got a reply. Not sure what happened to them? They are likely being made overseas like most things. Anyone know where they are?
I OWN 3 OVATION ASIAN COPYS THAT I USE FOR SLIDE.
I really hate that bowl, but they were really important historically. They were the first acoustics that you could get really loud through a PA
Good for studio and played plugged in. Otherwise get yourself a proper acoustic, there a plenty from Ibanez, Takamine or Tanglewood
I own a couple of Ovation guitars. They sound good and hold up very well when playing in adverse conditions more so than a wood guitar. As far as slipping goes I find if I use a good guitar strap it becomes a non issue. Emily Remler the jazz guitarist used an Ovation on a few of her videos and you can see her play an Ovation on You Tube. It sounded great. Ovation is outside the box as far as guitars go but again there are a few companies out there that make guitars out of other materials besides wood. I think that is a good move to help not destroy forests. Along with harvesting trees sustainabily having guitars made of materials besides wood can help. As I said I have played in very cold and very hot weather with mine and they hold up better than the wooden guitars. Ovation by the way still makes guitars to this day. They need to make a comeback. I also think earlier they were in a way ahead of their time. Again just my humble opinion.
Surprisingly enough…(To me.) I saw a 12 string Ovation I actually thought about for cheap last week. I would break out the grinder and rasp wheel before I let it in the house though, so the headstock doesn't scare the dog. But the fretboard on that one, radiused like an old Tele or Strat, I swear. I never knew, or saw. If it's just that model or a fake, but I didn't know. Or like them, but it felt good in a lot of ways. Rounded back as always, no silly decorative top which bugs me though I'm not about visuals. Unless its super visual, then I hate it, look at me! Wretch.
Honestly their 12 headstock isn't as much of an alien abomination as their others. Dont know why but looking at it feels like I imagine finding a living eyeball winking at me in my palm would feel like. Only the Ovation 6 string headstock wouldn't be cool in a movie either.
I had an Ovation (I think it was a Celebrity). There were problems with the top not expanding or contracting at a par with the plastic bowl. I asked a professional luthier what adhesive I could use to put the two together. He said he didn't know, but maybe he was the incorrect person to ask, because in his music store he had a shattered bowl Ovation, neck and top hanging on the wall, with a large sign which proclaimed: "WE DO NOT ACCEPT TUPPERWARE IN EXCHANGE FOR OUR GUITARS".
Had the same model and colour for 6 years love it I have had traditional acoustics over my 78 year life span but prefer the ovation
Nice and balanced thoughts. Ovations were on every stage when amplifying acoustic guitars whitout larsen was a challenge (the explanation of little holes instead of traditional rosace). I grown up with french guitarist Marcel Dadi's records, who was Charlie Kaman's friend and french Ovation importer/reseller in Paris (he died in a plane crash, rip). I always loved the sound, look and feel of these guitars. I have one, US built, and two models of "Aplause", the entry level brand (because I couldn't afford the original at the time). They produced as well a rare and beautiful electric bass played by Jah Wooble. Ovations are like Rickenbackers : they have lovers and haters (I'm proud and happy owner and lover of both 😉 Seems to be more lovers in the comments, that's nice !
My first guitar was a 1977 Ovation Balladeer 12 string. My second was a matching 1977 Ovation Balladeer Classical 6 string. These first 2 guitars of mine were acoustic only, no electronics. I got them around 1984. After moving from the Texas Gulf Coast to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, my guitars were destroyed when my house was hit by a massive tornado. My replacement guitars have all been Ovation guitars also, so I really don't know what it is like to have a guitar that is not a round back. When I pick up my dad's old Hummingbird, it feels rather bulky and strange. Anyway I have to say that I love my Ovations.
I have one and sadly not a fan of how it sounds
My favorite guitar!
Just got a Korean applause summit series at a thrift store. Easily the best 80-dollar guitar I have found. Once I put a strap on it, it stopped sliding. I think it may become my favorite steel string. Play what you like. I love all my cheap guitars. The least likable guitars I ever tried were high end Gibsons. My favorite acoustics are vintage Yamaha's. Especially the 12 strings.
You either love them or hate them. I think they sound great plugged in, that’s about it.
I have an older Thunderbolt but can't find info on them
I’ve got a US made model that looks similar to that one , except thicker.
Yes. The sliding off leg thing is a valid criticism. But you adapt quickly.
Mine holds tune through all seasons with barely a tweak
Why would any musician ask why do you want to play that guitar and snark? Its a beautiful guitar. I played an Ovation at a music store while waiting and I absolutely LOVED it. I loved the sound and the way the sound envelopes you. That was the major attraction besides the different look. I do get the comfort / slippage factor but maybe just a small silicone strip might keep it from falling out of your lap which is an easy customization. Im definitely going to purchase one and idgaf what music snobs say.
Love my OVATION 86 balladeer. Bought in 93 and it’s a workhorse for my music production!
Electronics are great and I remember Jon Anderson (Yes) playing one live!
I have several acoustic guitars, a Gibson, a Taylor, a Takamini, a custom one of a kind E Series Hamm tone and a 79 Anniversary Ovation. The Ovation is still my fav for action, intonation, and resonance.
I just bought a pawn shop AE128 last week and it plays well. The electronics aren’t working and I’m trying to find them. So far no luck. I’m hoping to just upgrade to the current Celebrity electronics. Looking at my AE128 and the current Ovations as far as fit it seems the same. Have any of you ever made this modification?
i dropped an ovation in a ice cold lake ,,and took it out after 1 year ,and dried it out ,neck had no warp .body still intact ,and it played great .plus the electronics still worked .try that with a martin //
SUCH a well done video. It surely helped picking out that the Ovation sound is not for me and what I do on guitar. Keep up the great work, Jack
They stay in tune a lot longer, & are in very much better condition after very long tours……& I practiced playing those very highest frets, that made me popular locally, was quite visual and a good quality of sound variation.
soon found out it kept sliding off my knee
I saw REO Speedwagon in concert 2022, and Lead Singer Kevin Cronin was playing Ovation through nearly all a songs. Made me pick one up, and now I love it. The body shape was a bit different to get settled, but it sounds and feels fantastic. The toughness of the body is another plus.
Its a great shame that they no longer made shallow bowl ovation anymore.
I still have my shallow bowl balladeer and it is my go to guitar for performing amplified standing.
Sure, deeper bowl ones sounded better but it detracts from its original design purpose.
They look and sound great. All the rest is just snobbery.
The BOSE or Monster Cables of guitars. They built a solution to a problem that didn't exist.
This brings back memories for me! Around 2001, I used to go to my friend Danny’s house and play his brother’s Ovation while he was away at college. That was the first guitar I really got to sit down with and experiment on before I had my own. I loved the way it looked, especially after seeing Bob Marley play one (and his son Julian Marley still does). It was the green model, and I was instantly drawn to it.
The round back felt a bit awkward as I developed my playing style and upgraded to better gear, noticing differences in necks, body shapes, and tone. But despite that, Ovations always had a unique charm. I recently came across one for sale on Facebook at a great price and thought about picking it up just for the nostalgia, since I never actually owned one myself.
Thanks for the video, it was really helpful and nice to hear.
I've owned 2.5 Ovations! (The ".5" story later.) Pros: 1. They are durable. I did a lot of song leading for church youth groups, and I mangled my previous Yamaha banging it into things. Ovation's Lyrachord bowl is virtually indestructible. The beautiful 5 piece neck just doesn't bend, either. 2. They project their sound. In fact, a few weeks ago the new sound guy at my church never turned on my input, and I had no problem leading 150 people singing with no amplification whatsoever. 3. They stay in tune – probably because of the bowl. It's one of the reasons they were so popular in live concert situations (maybe they still are, but I'm now old so don't like arena concerts anymore!) 4. The Ovation case is a beast and protects the instrument well. (Mine is 45 years old, looks like it was dragged behind a truck, but still works 100%.). 5. There are 3 bowl depths, and each gives the guitar a different sound. See which you like best. 6. You can get their 2nd and 3rd level guitars (Applause and Celebrity) for MUCH less money and still have 80% of the "Ovation Experience". Cons: 1. It is not the best guitar for playing in your bedroom alone at night. You don't feel the vibrations like you do on a wood guitar. 2. It requires a neck strap, as it slides off your knee. Strap locks are a great $20 investment on any guitar, but even more so on an Ovation. Now, the story. My first Ovation, a Balladeer 1612, I bought in 1978. I mostly led church youth group singing, with very rhythmic strumming. Perfect. It was stolen from a church van on a rafting trip a year later. My dad's homeowners insurance covered it! For the same number of dollars, I replaced it with the upgraded 1117 (the Legend, with gold plated hardware and warmer tone) but without the pickup, which I had never used with my stolen guitar. Over the next 10 years it developed 3 cracks in the top. I had had the first two repaired, but someone told me it was due to a design flaw. I took it to the store I had purchased it from, with my 1979 original receipt, and they shipped it off to Ovation for warranty repair. Long story short, I got to choose my new bowl and color, and they used my old neck. 32 years since that factory rebuild, and it's never needed more than a slight neck adjustment!
Back in the 90’s, it was my dream guitar. When I first played it, I was deeply disappointed. It felt a bit cheap, fake, and the composite material just didn’t feel right. I wouldn’t pass one up at an attractive price or say a slot head Adamas model. Personally, you can’t go wrong with a Martin D-28 or a high-end Taylor.
Nostalgia for me❣️ It’s a beautiful guitar ????
Ovation guitars though different than our traditional all wood guitars all share the same impediment, they all play and sound differently from one to the other. I owned a couple of early 70's Ovation guitars, one a classical nylon string, and a Glenn Campbell acoustic model purchased at "Johnny Smith's music store" in colorado springs. both were phenomenal playing & sounding. Sadly the Glenn Campbell got smashed on stage, and I no longer have the classical. But I do own an ovation elite okume feather contoured back model made in South korea. Unplugged it sounds ok, plugged in with the right settings and some effects, awesome. I also own a martin d-42, of course it's a great guitar hands down, but I like both guitars for different applications, like recording or live performances. It comes down to playing every guitar you get your hands on (like alot of us do) you'll know when that special moment happens when you connect with the one that's right for you. It might be a low priced lone dog, or one that your wallet couldn't hold all the cash it would take to make the purchase, max out a card…and be the making for a bad divorce. And there's all sorts of pickers out there, so pending on what level of a player you are, and your budget, ovation could be a good beginners instrument at a within reach price, unlike my martin which ran about $3,400.00 used, yes I'm still married "Live long and pickin' ????"
One of the greatest guitar players ever played ovations, the late Glen Campbell
Well, the old one are.
MY Daddy's was in Stamford Ct. I'm trying to find a CT. made 12 string. I had one custom made by them in 89.
Nice playing!! Traditional guitarists would stick and find any viable argument to defend landline telephones ☎️ vs modern cellphones