Ovation Balladeer 1612

Guitar made in the USA, of Folk-electro type with a rounded box in carbon.
Mine is a 1612 Custom Balladeer more precisely.
The neck is rather thin and round equipped with twenty jumbo frets ... I would say.
Ebony fingerboard, beautiful spruce (sitka spruce)
The neck seems maple, walnut easel.
Nitrocellulose lacquer, like "Gibson" gradient from black to orange
The microphone is a "piezo" guy with a volume knob and runs on a 9v battery inside the box.
Rosette and marks inlaid pearl buttons.
Due to its original form it is associated with a plastic case reinforced aluminum blades ... it's heavy but it's indestructible. Mine was my gift for my 18th birthday ... so it must date from 1980 and 4750 had cost FF of the time, half the salary of my father.

UTILIZATION

The neck is very nice and very fast, at last until the 12 or 14th boxes? After that is the trouble. The rounded body in carbon is huge when playing standing and seated slides lot at stake, that is the weak point of this instrument.L'attache strap is oddly placed under the handle. Mechanical ovation deluxe chrome are extraordinary precision and holding agreement. I come back again on the incredible case: once inside the guitar can be mounted above, we can carry this guitar in the hold of an airplane without apprehension. The sound is very powerful and recognizable miles, so go to the next chapter ....

SOUNDS

It has the sound, it's her! Here it's said, powerful, round, balanced.
Very deep bass will take you to the jazz and jazz rock country, it's not for nothing that Al Di Meola, McLaughlin adopted it. Very balanced, it's great accompaniment Folk (listen to Cat Stevens and Paul Simon to convince yourself). Its power and roundness push you to go on a solo (the intro to Bob Marley Redemption song). The rounded shell carbon is ten times more powerful than any other guitar Folk. Climb a pulling hard enough (of 12-56 for example) and you will always have a margin of power to stand out or go solo. Arpeggio that power will help you get out the highs like no other guitar. As if it does not suffice you can plug in an acoustic preamp to attack the sound system, or to affect, flange suits him so well ... hey you blame him for not having a sound "accoutisque" once electrified but is not that Martin wants. A powerful versatile guitar, with a strong personality, that's how it sounds ... she deserves a good 10/10.

OVERALL OPINION

Do the math, I use it since 1981 after purchasing a first folk thousand bullets, is was my first REAL guitar. Used by the pros at the time, I could not say that it did not sound because the guitar. So I sweated on the shaft to improve my game, then in the years 85/86, Ovation has fallen into disuse, even verging on the ridiculous, "oh she or plastic? "And this heavier than a light brown Samsonite case. Must say that the relocation to Asia under the Applause brand, made him much harm. Forgetting ... and melancholy.
Looking back (I think I 'have a little too much) this guitar is amazing by its handle (fine, nice, fast) and powerful sound. Mounted with a strong enough pulling it's a guitar bedside always nimble to start in any style. His questionable ergonomics and carbon mix / valuable wood can be a fatal argument with his detractors. I love it and I recommend to buy, because it is vintage now, the elements that compose it are really quality, its case where it was duly protected for thirty years. In my opinion, less than € 1,000 is a purchase you will not regret.

OVATION USA

UTILIZATION

Channel trs enjoyable, sometimes difficult to play when abuse of beer (cons 'Ring' Ring!) So the ovation "before" big box, tie rods ncessite sustain a little stronger (mini lignt in La Bella) and then back in, what its

SOUNDS

All is perfect except the picking style (sorry Marcel) tapping difficult, but agraable in DADGAD.
The grave is the oldest standing ovation without this bold new sries ct. the ovation is a little below and MRIT of being more crystalline.

OVERALL OPINION

Buy in 1979 is still my companion prfre. The other 4 I use is to play the blues (Stella 1929) or the pump manouche (Mlody 59) or travel (69 B15 gibson is more lgre poyr work on tapping (new Burrell). In the era c'tait CHRE a guitar at the same level as today, but Martin dcote in collections (up to 1200 in nine state) This is a great guitar