Rant and Rave: Why I Use Ovation Guitars 

I have owned four Ovations. Currently have two. Very underrated guitars. In the right place,they are very usefull.

Been hooked on Ovations since I was a kid when I saw KISS using them on MTV Unplugged. They're my favorite acoustic to this day.

Jim, from a Charlotte "neighbor"... like yourself I loved the Ovation series for decades, always had it on my bucket list of guitar to own... so, here at my "three-quarter life crisis" just bought "vintage" Ovation Balladeer 1861 (not sure vintage is accurate, it was built 1984 (prior to their shutdown and then triumphant return). Should arrive this week, can't wait. Nice to have someone I can refer to when my "pals" start raggin me for not going Taylor/Martin. Thanks, I drop in and check out your store sometime soon!

As a man with a beer gut, I approve this message.

Super helpful review. The ergonomic element of the body shape is what initially attracted me.

Been using Ovations for 30+ years and love em. Haters are gonna hate, but these are by far the best acoustics for me and the way i play. ;-) Thanks for the video.

I have wanted one since the Wings Over America tour. McCartney used them and I thought they sounded great. I was 20 then. I'm 62 and finally bought my first one and I love it. In fact I went ahead and bought a 12 string too just because I can!

With all the slippage aside, Ovation really is an acoustic in it's own league. They sound and play great and for a fraction of the cost of a Taylor or Martin. Also, the fiberglass bowls make them damn near indestructible.

Great video! I've always wanted an Ovation since I was just a kid (a long, long, time ago.). I just recently ordered my first one! It's a Celebrity Elite Plus Mid-Depth, and I'm really looking forward to getting it.

I love Ovation guitars. I will have no other.

Nothing rivals the angelic tones of Ovation. I have an Applause AE-28 and a 1971 Ovation Balladeer that I'm currently restoring.

What's up brother from Spartanburg. I am a child of the 70s who first started playing in the late 80s so I know what you mean about Ovation being the stage acoustic. I was lucky enough to find a used 12 string a few years back. It is amazing bright and has tremendous voicing.

Amen! Love my 2 Ovation guitars! Just something about the sound and look that got me when I first picked one up in 1980. Plus when we do front porch pickin I am the only one not constantly tuning their guitar after every 3 songs.

I bought an Ovation Balladeer 1711 yesterday in great shape and the pre amp works as well. It has a pretty deep bowl and is very loud acoustically. Not bad for a 26 year old guitar, I'll have to keep an eye for more bargains like this. And to think that it is an American made guitar.

I love my celebrity. It's my main gigging acoustic. Never lets me down and easy to play.

love ovation have the same one since1984 just love it perfect for people with small hands i use adamas10 gauge strings sounds great

Very underrated - The American made ones are just perfect, I own 3 and play them all the time and love them more than any tayler, martin or any other guitar.

I love Ovation guitars, and they really are the most comfortable guitars to hold, the way they meld with your body. I have the Adamas 12-string and the Balladeer.

I love that term ' My Midlife Crisis Guitar '.😂

All those reasons you mentioned were the reason I went Ovation. And it's the Applause AE128. The neck is fast and more like an electric guitar than a traditional acoustic. Ergonomically you can't find a better acoustic. As for loud ? Any acoustic electric is a function of the wattage of the amp, I have a 20 & 60W amp. Unplugged the super shallow is plenty loud enough. And Nancy Wilson of Heart had no problem with the tone of the Ovation. Melissa Etheridge, she seems to be able to do play just fine with an Ovation. Tone with any guitar is also strings. Ovations come with their own brand Adamas strings for the higher end models. Celebrity & Applause come with D'Addario. Want a different tone ? Well the Adamas are Phosphor-Bronze and the D'Addario are 80/20 Bronze. Wanna go mellower get the ones with silk. The value line of Ovations come with EXP strings, which are longer life strings like Elixir Nanoweb coated strings that are designed to be dirt & rust resistant because they are coated and sealed from dirt & moisture. But I would think that phosphor-bronze would make the value line Applause sound every bit as good as the $ 500-2,500 Ovations ? I love the Ovation I bought, I tried a bunch of traditional brands, in the end, the Ovation felt better to me. Plugged in and it's your amp that dictates what it sounds like. Unplugged and I found the difference is more a matter of body/bowl depth than it is the wood species. I'm sure that with a little experimentation with string types, even brands and the Ovation is going to produce a variety of tones that may be preferable to whatever is disliked about an Ovation ? Those that don't like Ovation never got over the fact that the body is Lyrichord & not wood, otherwise it's the same guitar they have for the wood parts. Wood snobs that they are, haven't figured out that the wood used for the amp cabinet they have is pine, in the form of plywood or glued particles. Don't realize that the electronics of their guitar & amp really dictate the tone they're getting from any guitar.

I always wanted one having been a Glen Campbell fan in the 60s, and after 40 years of playing got a used one from a pawn shop. Love it. Only thing I’d change is a wider neck - I have bigger hands and do finger style.

I own an Ovation, and here’s my take on it: It was the first really successful acoustic-electric, and it pulled off an interesting trick. Its natural acoustic tone actually sounds a lot like a piezo pickup, along with volume and projection. So it’ll sound the same unplugged or amplified, you’ll always know what you’re getting.

I have two Ovation acoustics, the Anniversary that I bought new in 1979 and a single cutaway classical that I bought new in 1987. The are both American made and I wouldn't trade them for any Martin, Gibson, or Taylor. Both of these guitars are deep bowl models and I do not have a problem with them sliding off of my lap. All you have to do is take a little time when you first get your Ovation and figure out how to hold them in your lap so they don't slip. Oh, I also have a solid body Ovation, a UKII, and I would not trade it for the nicest Les Paul.

"i don't need it to be loud, i need it to be present." dude, that hit me hard. most musicians are so obsessed woth LOWD we forget how to play in emsemble and that sometimes means q u i e t. thanks for the revelation.

I bought my first Ovation in 84 and have owned many since then and I love them...I've got a C44...a C247 deluxe and a 77 Pacemaker 12 string that is a gorgeous guitar to play. I've never had an issue with it slipping off my knee...I use a strap. These guitars are tough...and can take the abuse dished out going to gigs. They have excellent electronics and sound amazing plugged in. Do yourself a favor and try one...you will not regret it.

got mine 30 years ago at the house of guitars in Rochester New York , 12 string celebrity electric acoustic , still playing it and it is AWESOME

I have a 1975 Ovation shallow bowl Artist and a 1981 Pacemaker 12string. I just put nylon strings on the Artist and they sound great.👍 You can use Velcro strips to solve the slippage problem.

To solve the slipping problem, make sure to get one of the "super shallow bowl" models. They are almost as thin as an electric guitar and with or without a strap, they stay pretty well put in your lap. The mid or deep bowl models really do have a slipping problem though. I would never own one of those for that very reason even though they sound and play awesome.

Ovation is all I will play. I have two. A celebrity and an elite. I now want the 12 string and the double neck. I love my Ovation guitars.

I have one I bought in 1971 that is still my road guitar. Super comfortable neck, easy to play. Tough guitar. Was playing in a jam session with Dan Crary, and when it was my turn to pick, the strap button popped off, and the guitar bounced off the floor back first. I caught it on the first hop, strapped up and it was still in tune, and I finished my break. Sound is a bit thin compared to all wood guitars. I was a great first guitar for my son, and I still love it for rough conditions.

I love my ovation.

Love my ovation i got 2 now. Wouldn't use any other when i teach

Nice Jim!

I have Korean made I’m guessing 10 year old Ovation medium body style..I also have a Martin D28and Taylor 814ce...I do live gigs..Usually with the Martin or the Taylor.. But the Ovation always comes along. I let my friends play it when they come up..Sometimes I leave the other guitar and I play the Ovation instead..All I can say is the Ovation sounds fantastic,easy to play, durable as hell, always stays in tune..I will always keep and play the Ovation. I can’t speak for the new ones..

Ive got a super shallow. It's way more sonorous than it has any right to be-sounds great plugged in or not. Takes a beating as well. Love it.

I was shopping for a Guitar one day and I heard a guy tuning a 1992 Special Edition Adamas deep bowl six string Ovation with a Birdseye Maple top, gold keys Acoustic Electric that was not even plugged in being tuned and strummed and I was mesmerized by the sound of it. I asked if it was for sale, and I bought it then and there, it cost me over $1200 brand new but is worth every penny. "It sings." I do not recommend shopping that way, but I do not regret it as it had great action as well. I play Adamas lights, extra lights or any strings on it that I want but Adamas sound best to me. I said "it sings" because I was playing Dust in the wind on it outside and I swear I heard a bird chirping along with the tune, so I stopped, it stopped, I started, and the bird chimed in again. I'm telling you all the truth. There is a guitar for everyone out there that fits regardless of the brand. I just happened to stumble upon that special one for me that day. I love it. My advice to anyone shopping for a Guitar is to play more than 2 or three of them at least even the same exact model because each Guitar has a sound all its own and you will know the special one for you when you play it. A friend of mine gave me a 12 string Ovation Balladeer a while ago and although a very nice guitar not as nice as my 6 string. They both stay in tune very well. Good hunting.

A supershallow might not be loud. A deep bowl rips heads off.

I have 5 Ovation guitars and 1 Ovation mandolin. I used to LOVE Ovations. The oldest one I have is a Custom Balladeer that I got new in 1976. I love this guitar's tone and I've had no problems with it. Great quality. My newest Ovation is an Al Di Meola Custom Legend that I got about 5 years ago. The quality of this instrument compared tot he 1976 model is much lower. The finish on the Al Di Meola scratches super easily compared to the 1976 model which despite being so old has zero scratches in the finish. I take really good care of my instruments. I've also had nothing but grief with the OP-Pro preamp in the Al Di Meola. It failed during a gig and when I took it in to be repaired Ovation said the life time warranty does not apply to electronics so I had to pay for the repair. Even after the repair, it has never been reliable with the XLR connector. I tried it at a gig a few weeks ago and it didn't work. I used the 1/4 plug and it worked. To Ovations credit, they did send me a replacement after I complained to customer service. I haven't installed it yet. I've been fairly disappointed with this guitar considering how much it cost. As a result, I don't trust it for doing gigs anymore. I have a Taylor 814ce which is very high quality, very reliable and sounds good too. So disappointed with this guitar. It could be that I just got a lemon or a late Friday afternoon made model.

Sweetwater $118 applause by ovation. You can't beat this guitar for the money ! Loud Lows and highs great action, easy on the fingers and easy to make bar chords.

I actually like them as well!

Ovation are still Great Quality Guitars I have one still have one yes I can say and Love It. 🚀🚀❤️

As an acoustic guitar player of 52 years, the only reason I never bought an ovation was because I could never decide what model to buy

I have two. I got a Balladeer in 1974, and a classical in 1976. The classical has lost it's bridge. The guitar was a little over 40 years old when it happened. The steel string is the only guitar I own with significant fret wear. I have played it a lot. While I still have it, I seldom play it anymore. My only complaint with Ovations, is that the guitar the audience hears is not the guitar the player hears. They are indeed plenty loud, but all of the sound goes away from the player making them less that satisfying for us bedroom players. I replaced mine with a Brazilian Rosewood acoustic. he Ovation neck, however, is wonderful.

The rounded fiberglass back slipping and sliding is the primary reason I am not fond of Ovation guitars. The tone does not thrill me either. If you enjoy Ovation instruments, by all means, enjoy. What other people think is less important than what works for you.

Love my 70's Balladeer much to the chagrin of my bluegrass friends

Great video. As a nylon string player player, I’ve never been all that keen on steel strung acoustics, in general, though I’ve always liked the idea of them. I’ve even tried great makes, like Taylors and Martins as well as the more basic variety and find all of them both too bright in tone and too hard to play (for my taste). I have tried the odd Ovation acoustic over the years, both in shops and those owned by friends. By and large, I’ve found them a bit awkward to hold and also rather hard to play. By chance, I tried one today in my local store (it was similar to this one, with the small sound holes) and it was absolutely fantastic. Very easy to play - even with heavyish strings; a superbly set up neck/fingerboard, perfect intonation, no rattles or buzzes etc. Not very loud, but with a beautiful and subtle tone, nothing like the jangly nature of the usual steel strung sound. It had a lot of interesting design features too, like the way the strings go through the tailpiece, the output position, the rear control panel access, and many more bits of ingenuity. Time to revise my long held opinions.

I don’t have one yet but I’m considering it for the comfort. Playing 3-4 sets on a full sized body is hurting my back. Not being loud acoustically is actually another selling point for me. At home I can practice without annoying anybody. And at shows the audience is only hearing the amplified piezo anyway. Big acoustic bodies really don’t serve any purpose on stage other than looking cool. If anything, they just limit how far you can turn up before feedback.

that sharp edge needs to be curved like a strat now that would be comfortable..

I dropped a 5 kg aluminum genelec monitor from 160 cms heigth on my carbon fiber top adamas layinf flat on the floor. Of course it needed to repair, the x bracing unglued, but that was all. Thank god it was not a Martin or it would have died.

I love mine

Not loud is good for me because I drive my wife crazy playing for hours lol

Ovations were already a BIG thing in the 70s. Jim Croce, Glen Campbell, Al DiMeola, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Peter Frampton, Cat Stevens and many other music legends were playing Ovations as their main acoustic axe since the 70s. And then came Bon Jovi and many other hair band rockers and perpetuated the Ovation brand.

1989 ADAMAS ..1993 ADAMAS .. $$$ MAKERS ...LOVE THEM BOTH ...............2021 STILL PLAY'EM THEM......

Your spot on Jim. I love my Ovation too- I can play it for hours on end because the instrument is so comfortable to play. i have a Martin that's 5 times the price which of course sounds incredible but leaves you w/ Broken ribs XD. They are decent when playing amplified but their way too Bright . Mine is an 88' and only has a Vol' n Tone so the EQ is Meh O k. But I really got my chops down on the Ovation early on. I'm 6 foot of God Of Thunder lol...

I was hoping he will mention about the guitar bridge issues , which is susceptible from lifting or peeling off in the long run 😇

I had an ovation I bought second hand years ago. I've just remembered it kept wanting to slip away from me, due to round back. Needed a strap to keep it in place, which I don't always like. So, it didn't work for me.

I like they way they look and although mine projects sound poorly that can be overcome by plugging it in. I notice your playing posture isn't standard which could be part of the reason you mention you have trouble sitting for long periods with your guitar!

Have the exact same guitar.... She really sings..when plugged in...... If it slips when seated...180 grit stick on sandpaper...cut to fit...stops all that...

😍 My blond 1769 is for sale, professional quality, literally mint condition, set up for medium gauge strings,. 😞 Gorgeous abalone,, sad to see it go,, it is amazing piece,,🥺.,

Ovation is the only guitar I've ever heard people say that they have owned several consecutively. Why are these guitars wearing out? I've never heard of such a thing

Some guitar shop owners have told me that many Ovation/ Applause Guitars arrive with cracks and defects

I have the CE44P-SM with a spalted maple top, less than 3 years old. I guess you got lucky with yours, while I got shit with mine. Certain strings on certain frets lack sustain, which pretty much fucks up the sound of a full chord. Also, the pre-amp recently died, and a replacement OP-4BT is nowhere to be found. So now a $500+ guitar is worth maybe $50. I guess I have to believe the bigots when they say that Chinese quality control sucks.

I want to try one. But why the plug is back of the guitar ? Is it against a thigh ? What's the neck shape C ? And why any famous player play them ?

Have you tried a Mexican Martin ? Sound Is Truly Amazing

I watched the Glen Campbell Show faithfully as a kid and fledgeling guitarist. I marvelled at his playing and his cool looking round back guitar. So later on I saved my money and bought a used Ovation. As my knowledge of guitars grew I became disenchanted with the thin plastic tone and eventually sold it. To this day I positively cringe to hear that sound.

Just put some skateboard tape on the guitar to stop slippage on your jeans...

Here's my rant, turn the damn camera the other way! Nothing more annoying than someone who shoots vertical when it's not necessary.