1978 Ovation Magnum V2 Bass | Guitar of the Day 

I didn't expect that to sound so good...

I’m a stingray guy...but I played one of these at a Guitar Center once. It needed a setup, but I fell in love with that bass. I loved the eq controls.

Ovation I believe had a "Epiphone" style lower product line like Gibson. It was called Applause

The first bass player for Tool recorded their first two albums with one of these, yet nobody seems to know this.

Excuse me, while I go change my skinny jeans.

For all the commenters who keep asking Mark to do a lefty, can you explain how he's supposed to play it?

I love this series so much. Thanks for making all these "Guitar of the day" videos! You all rock!

Thanks for the ovation, and the history lesson. Love your work.

Finally a bass I can hear... And I'm as deaf as Carlos is blind!

Sounds great. Barry Adamson from the Manchester band Magazine played a fretless one. You should check them out Mark. Also Jah Wobble (who was in P.I.L) still currently plays one. Both of them great bass players.

I love the look of it and, while I'm not usually a fan of active pickups, the one in the neck is so ridiculously beefy that the addition of that typical, processed, trebly, slightly chorused sound gives it some nice definition.

one of the few basses that cuts through my phone with tone intact.

I had a 71 Glenn Campbell Autograph model (acoustic guitar) I bought new. It was really bright, loud, and was pretty well balanced across the registers. I had that thing for years. I loved it. I sold it for a pittance, really. Hard times, blah, blah... I haven't even seen one in years.

I bought mine new... my first guitar/bass... had it made into a fretless by Ken McBride in Vancouver in the 90's; great heavy bass. Noisy sliding pots though.

totally unexpected, delightfully weird, enjoyable commentary, great fat sound - thanks for that one, you hit the spot :)

this is the birth of active tenation wow i love the dreamers and you and me rock on mark jen norm thank you

Not only interesting gear, but some history as well...love it.

I played one of those in 78 at Kaman corporation. My Godfather was Charles Kaman's great employee. I still live close to the main plant.

"Really" a nice sounding bass, Ovation was on to something!

A few reggae bass players used these back in the day. Probably the best known consistent player of is Jah Wobble followed by Barry Adamson(Magazine) and Kim Gordon.

I’m a proud owner of an Ovation Magnum III and I love it very much.

Awesome!!!! I saw Ross Valory of Journey live this past weekend at Classic West.

I was a young teenager in the late 70's and my bass player friend got one of these as well as the ovation series of electrics (Preacher/Viper) outstanding guitars.. wish I had one now....

Ovation also made three solid body guitars to my recollection, the Viper, the Preacher and the Deacon. All three were well made quality instruments but as has been the case for what seems like the entire history of the electric guitar, the market has been dominated by Fender and Gibson. Even when other companies like Ibanez or Kramer have broken through they did so with strat style instruments. The only company that has had success with a novel design that I can think of is PRS but they began as a super high end brand so their different designs had a status attraction at first. Of course their quality eventually carried the day but the high end cachet was what got them their start. Anyway if you are not a snob the Ovation electrics from the 70’s were nice guitars and are well worth a look if you ever come across one. Consider the Magnum. It sounds great and although it will never fetch the price of a P bass of similar vintage it is certainly an instrument of equal quality even though it does not have the same reputation.

This bass looks so cool. Really beautiful.

Roger Waters used that bass on The wall. It's exposed in "Their mortal remains" exibition

man this bass was utterly brilliant. wish i Could afford it

I remember seeing that bass in one of the guitar mags back when I first started playing and just GASsing hard. Never got one but man they are awesome.

Wow sounds great!

Thanks for another great video

that bass is very interesting

I have a Magnum I on my table right now. Bought it back in the 90's.

Man that sounds BOSS! Neck pickup thumps almost like an upright. I can dig it!

Wow sounds kickass.

For me, the theme from Barney Miller would sound killer on this bass.

Weird ass Wednesday has become my new favorite day of the week

great work, a standing ovation....! regards, air guitar

surprised on how clear the tone was on that bass. very cool!

I first saw these watching the live DVD of Journeys show in Houston on the Escape tour. Would love to even just play on one but I know I’ll never have the money for it.

Ah! Bodan Arsovski from Leb i Sol used an Ovation Magnum in the 80s and 70s. Great bassist.

i love ovations, my dad has a 74' ovation preacher and sometimes i find it real hard to put it down

The reason weird ass Wednesday is my favorite is because it's the most interesting! Don't get me wrong; Teles, Strats, Les Pauls etc. are bitchen and everyone loves them for good reason. But when you whip out something that breaks the mold, well it just gets so much more attention. Because the geek out factor is just phenomenal. Keep up with the show mamas and papas!

That thing is cool!!! 👍👍

Fucking SWEET! I highly approve of this message! Thanks guys!

very nice bass Danny Partridge played an Ovation bass... Great to see different stuff

hell ya with the 90s tunes!

Damn fine bass.

Awesome

That's Badass for a bass.🎸🤘🏻

Lovely

Just picked up a mint Ovation UKII. Nice!

More classic Agnesi!!

Happy Weird Ass Wednesday everyone! It's a Thumpin' goodtime!

Really good guitar Bass

Great Bass!!!

YES!!! Finally an Ovation! Now can you do a Jackson please?

Thats a relly badass headstock dude

Bass sounds really great...

Would have been great to hear it played fingerstyle or with the mids cranked. This is a bass that was used on Journey's Escape album, so you can see you've only scratched the surface of what kinds of sounds you can get out of it. Ross used to play a T-40 too, so you can see he liked versatile basses back then.

Wow! This thing is too rad!

oh come on man, you gotta do a ovation breadwinner some day, they are awesome!

Very well done Sir but I'm sure I'm not the only one who could live without thumpin Thursday

Kaman music were also distributors for Takamine guitars at one time and had them produce an electric solid body series of guitars back in 83-84. these too were not popular and didn't last. I happen to have one from 84 (GX-300). maybe you could do a segment on those one day if one comes into the shop.

kick ass vintage bass

that is a sweet design

Hey, Mark, would love to see a Warwick on an upcoming Thumpin' Thursday. I think they're some of the best basses ever.

Speaking of rare Ovation guitars, have you ever gotten your hands on one of their Les Paul double cut clones?

I had one of these back in the early 90s. It had a neck issue I couldn't afford to get fixed. Wish I'd never have sold it.

looks good

Can you do a Fender Performer? I've been looking at this since I've never heard of it. Wonder what it can do.

Years ago,at a pawnshop was aiming for a Gibson ripper they had( all maple), unfortunately priced outta my range(1987- $360) Behind the counter, 2 ovation basses= 1 o these/ &magnum 3. Being a fan of " rickenbacker bass tone", thought the ripper'd be it÷settled for the magnum 3/ full bodied- no e.q- straightforward. Plugged into my rig at the time(off brand tube p.a.amp-2×15 cabinet) omg! Rickenbacker tone/ straight,clear tone w a growl for days!! ( no pedals- straight into amp. Great basses!!

It sounds pretty good

It is a great bass, I own one ' I would never get rid of it

Mark this is GREAT that we did the weird-ass-bass on Wed - that means we are in the clear for TEISCO THURSDAY tomorrow and I for one am ENTHUSED. That's right - tomorrow you'll be breaking out the Speigel catalog and ordering up a MIJ rocker switch TEISCO!!

Oh baby 1979

I saw one of these in my local guitar center once

The Breadwinner guitar is still pretty popular. Also, Ovation sponsored the second season of The Partridge Family. They mimed on Ovations exclusively.

Mark loves basses !!!!!!!!

Awesome Bass! is there a Gibson ES 345 you can do?

wow!

Jack Bruce used the first version in the early 70s. There's a Cream album cover where he's playing one.

That was KOOL

I can dig it.

so I tried looking this up on the website and it's not on there. I'm curious, how much?

Own a few of these, including the original prototype which is even weirder looking than the production model..It seems you haven't heard of it but it's actually a well known bass, various reggae players and of course Jah Wobble(PiL etc) and Barry Adamson(Magazine, bad seeds etc)..

CANT SPELL WEDNESDAY WITHOUT 'BASS'

Damn that thing thumps

i have fallen in love

I have a magnum 3. Sadly the when my parents bought for me for christmas they didn't know that it was heavily chopped up and modded. I'd love to at least restore the neck pick up but finding parts is impossible

Sick

Paul D'Amour from Tool played an Ovation Magnum on Opiate. Moved to a Ric by Undertow though....pretty sure.

Could you do the 5 string bass

nice sounding bass actually

ross valery had one of those. played it on stone in love i think

Wumping Wednesday! 1.Chinese food 2. Italian food 3.Greek food! 1?........ 2.Smashing Pumpkins "1979" 3.The Breeders "Cannonball"!?

Please do a 70s style telecaster bass with the fender wide range bass pickup!

Holy shit that bass is awesome, and I’m a guitar player

How about finding a Hagström 8-string bass for weird-ass Wednesday or Thumpin' Thursday.

Jeff Lynne and Kelly Groucutt of Electric Light Orchestra used Ovation guitars in their Last Train to London video. Check it out.

was the second song 1979 by th pumpkins??