Help! GAS is striking again! - Ovation 1868 TX

[araT]

It has come to my attention that since my last steel-string mysteriously vanished I haven't had an acoustic in my harem.. Oh NO! I feel some bad GAS coming on.. So I've been looking around the web a fair bit over this xmas break & I've found & fallen for an... Ovation 1868 TX



I've read quite a few reviews and it seems to rate quite highly, a friend also has the bass version & loves it, but I wanted to seek out some opinions from the trusty ol' TFF before I do anything rash & pull that trigger!

So what do y'all think?

[player***]

araT that is sweet.I wish the antique balladeer I had did not disappear.none of those Guitars are inexpensive nowadays one I had did have such a unique tonal quality that it can not be spoken/posted to talk about.If and that is a huge IF I had the chance to get another it would be done in a heartbeat but so it goes.my semi acoustic will have to do until things get better which may be a loooong time

[Spudman***]

Here, I'll help ya. DON'T GET IT! There aren't even any dots on the neck. How are ya gonna play without dots, huh?











Did that help?

[araT]

Bwahahaha.. I don't need fret markers : ..but there are side markers on it, just in case!

Don'cha just loooove how it looks? I do.. I'm hoping to get some opinions on the sound from you lot though, as I'll be buying from eBay sight unseen & probably wont get the chance to play one first.. any Ovation players around?

Here are a few youtube vids to help..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKqbC8vMvos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMzJVTYv2tI
(This is a 1778, which is the same model with a different preamp & a slightly deeper bowl, sound should be similar though)

[wingsdad]

Hey, Tara ... long time no see....been twinkling that 360-12, have ya :

I almost wasn't gonna post a reply, since I had something to do with you going for the Rick...but yep, I've had Ovations in the past, and have one now, not a US-made, but a Korean Celebrity Deluxe CS257, super shallow bowl (not as loud unplugged), solid spruce top, since '99.

My Local GAS Station had one of those you're looking at a while ago.

The carbon tops (started with the Adamas line) are nice...never have to worry about humidity issues...

I assume you've at least played an Ovation before? Some folks just can't 'handle' (get comfortable with) the 'bowl' instead of a flat back. And some say they sound like plastic. I say you just have to have the right DI. A tube pre-amp helps, but I finally got an LR Baggs ParaAcoustic. The bomb.

Ovation just came out with these, hitting the stores 10/31/08. Made in China. My dealer has one, and they also sell the Idea Pre-amp separately, retro-fitting in Ovations with certain model pre-amps (not all/any Ovation)
http://www.ovationidea.com/

EDIT: one note about Ovations unplugged sound: carbon, polycarbonate (plastic) or wood top, you get a louder, more 'acoustic-like' sound from either a roundhole model (Balladeer, Legend) or those with the 'epaulet' multi-port holes on both the lower & upper bouts vs. those with the epaulet holes only on the upper bout. Those models are truly intended as plug n' play guitars, not acoustics.

[araT]

Hey wingsdad!!

Long time no see indeed, you got me busy! I've been playing that 360/12 lots & lots, I also got my lil home studio up to scratch recently and so I've been doing a lot of recording, laying the rhythm tracks with the 360/12 & occasionally the midi keyboard, and letting loose on top! it's been great fun & very distracting,

I'm really glad you've chimed in here, I know you have good taste and wouldn't steer me the wrong way, so I'm over the moon to hear you've got Ovations, too. You're like the little angel & devil sitting on each of my shoulders, hehe

I do have experience playing the bowl-backed Ovations, back when I worked in the guitar store through high school we had a couple of second hand ones, I don't remember having any trouble with them and I actually thought they looked kind of cool.. I just have no memory whatsoever of what I thought of the sound of them, I wasn't much into classicals or acoustics back then, so I probably didn't pay much attention.

I'm jealous for the LR Baggs ParaAcoustic, you're a lucky lucky man!

I've seen the iDeas, they just havent grabbed me as much, looks wise, as the 1868TX did.. plus, I have a studio at my fingertips if I ever want to do any recording.. the idea of having the MP3 recorder on the go is great, but I don't write when out&about, and tend to put things to paper before even thinking of recording them.

Wow, I get what you're saying about the sound with the different sound holes, I really appreciate that explanation as I kind of wondered how much it would affect everything! - I'm trying to avoid the traditional round soundhole, which is why I love this model so much, and I'm really not a fan of the leaf epaulets Ovation do on most of their models.. which is why I was tossing up between the 1778 & the 1868 Elite T's (different bowl sizes & amps, everything else is identical) I don't mind that it wont be particularly loud as the most it would be used for unplugged is maybe a 2-person jam, I'd plug in anywhere else..


If I don't end up with the 1868 TX I want the plainest looking traditional acoustic I can get my fingers on.. the simpler the better! ...but somehow I think wingsdad has once again given me the confidence I need to go on & fight the good (ovation) fight.. lol

[wingsdad]

Hey, Tara-
I sure wasn't tossing the Ovation iDea as an option. I only brought it up because of the innovation, the novelty of the onboard recorder built into the preamp, a gimmick they're trying to market on its own, no less. At best, it's a notepad tool. As a guitar, it's OK, but nothing special.

As you consider your Ovation options and maybe consider others, since the guitar you seek is gonna be primarily plug n' play, then the soundhole design isn't much of a factor, nor is body depth. Focus on the top's size, it's bracing (regardless of the top's natural or synthetic material), shape, position of the bridge relative to the butt-end of the guitar.

A laminated wood or synthetic top will remain pretty 'true' in it's lifetime to the tone you get brand new. That can be a plus for some folks. Others swear by solid wood tops for the mojo they'll develop the more and the harder they get played as the wood breathes.

One thing about Ovations, bearing in mind your smaller hands: neck & fingerboard contour/shape. You've played them. Very close to a typical electric guitar with the thin, soft-v of some vintage Strat. Not chubby. That's why I like mine, as I string it with acoustic extra-lights (10-47, close to my electrics' 10-46's) so it's so easy to go back & forth from it to an electric, to try out some 'things' and weigh whether they'll work better on an acoustic or an electric.

That could be the clincher for you...the neck feel.

Happy Hunting

[evenkeel]

There is a popular duo here in St. Pete and one of the members uses the Ovation in question. Terrific sound. The other half of the duo uses a Martin D-15. In many ways I like the Ovation better. Nice crisp sound, mid rangy in that Ovation way.

I'll ditto wingsdads comments re: necks. My brother has a mid 70's Balladeer (near mint shape by the way), very narrrow neck. I love the neck but always struggle a bit with the bowl back. Playing sitting down it always feels like it's going to slip off my lap.

[araT]

Thanks so much for all the advice guys - I can't wait to get one, it'll have to wait for the exchange rate to improve a little though, right now it'd cost me $1100 or so to get it & get it here.

[Kazz]

I too have played a few Ovations....I like them alot but since I do all of my playing seated they are just not for me design wise...but the look is stellar and the sound is really good too....especially plugged in. Unplugged not so much in my opinion.

Not even close to my Washburn D46 or the Parkwood PW340FM

[Auriemma]

Tara, I own 3 Ovations (See my sig). My favorite being the 2007 Elite-T 1868T. I love this guitar. Great sound and projection for a shallow body. Plugged in its even better. It plays very well.

I would suggest trying to find a 2007 or earlier 'T' model instead of the 'TX'. It has better woods and features IMHO. Also, if its (TX) made in 2008 or later, it will most likely been made overseas. Fender (who bought Kaman, who owns Ovation) sent many formerly US made models overseas for manufacture.

FYI: The iDea preamp is a drop in replacement for any of the modern O preamps.

Take a look here Ovation Fan Club There are always O's for sale and the members from down under may be able to help you out. Happy hunting.

[araT]

Wow, thanks for the advice Auriemma!! I'll definitely have a look!

I've sort of put this purchase on hold as the exchange rate is terrible and the guitar + P&H will set me back well over $1000.. As much as I like the guitar, it's not worth it to me.. It's still very much on my long-term GAS list, for when the exchange rate improves or I move to Toronto.

An acoustic has made it's way into my harem as of Friday, anyway, so I'm in no huge rush!