What model is this Ovation guitar?

[Jericho-79]

Hey everyone. I need some input from any all-knowing acoustic guitar experts here.

I recently started getting into Aussie guitar goddess Orianthi. She shreds axes like no other.

Yesterday I checked out her Instagram and saw that she had posted a pic of a beautiful, blue-burst guitar.



Apparently, this particular acoustic guitar is an Ovation. However, if I'm not mistaken, most modern Ovation acoustic guitars have a cutaway body and do not have a sound hole.

So what model is this Ovation?

Can anyone tell?

Thanks guys.

[ewalling]

Either a Legend or a Custom Balladeer (it has an ebony board). I'm not sure which, though.

[Wade Hampton]

Where's Patch? We need someone who can tell us at a glance what model this is, what year, month and day it was made and what color tie the marketing director was wearing that day...

Jericho, it's definitely an Ovation, it appears to be a deep-bodied American-made model, and judging from the black and iridescent silver rosette it's an older one, probably from the 70's or 80's.

And with that you've come almost to the end of my in-depth Ovation knowledge, hard-won after many years of studiously ignoring Ovation guitars.


Wade Hampton Miller

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Where's Patch?

Nursing a filthy hangover after St. Patrick's Day, I shouldn't wonder ...

[Wardo]

No foil label so might not be 70s. Not sure when they switched over.

It's some kind of high end Balladeer.

They are very good workhorse professional standard guitars and can generally be picked up used in mint condition for 10 cents on the dollar.

[rct]

I gigged a Custom Legend 1868 for years in the 90's - early 2000s, they do the amped thing better than anybody and the neck is good for us electrix players.

That one is not quite top end, probably a Legend, not quite as blinged out, but it has the nice machines.

There are two kinds, the no big sound hole and like this one, cutaways on both.

I don't recall that paint, but I've never been an Ovation maven, just a satisfied user for a long time. They are great at what they do!

These guys can definitely help you:

http://www.ovationfanclub.com/

rct

[Matt McGriff]

1982 Collectors

[Inyo]

Deleted by author.

[JohnW63]

With the black headstock, I would have guessed newer than that. But, I ain't Patch.

[patchmcg]

Wade, thanks for the heads up.

Yep, 82 Collector's. It's a Custom Legend with an Adamas pre-amp that was State of the art in those days with mono and stereo outputs, A-bracing to give good bass response, and a paint job/trim unique to the series. And John, the headstock is actually a matching blue, not black. (The picture reflects and distorts the color.)

They are very nice guitars and getting harder to find in good shape.

Here's a great description from the Ovation Gallery site (Ovation Gallery Page)

In 1982 Ovation began a long standing tradition that remains today - the issuing of an annual "Collectors Series" guitar. These annual offerings were generally used as launch vehicles for new designs, materials, technologies and manufacturing. This allowed the new ideas to be "tested" on a limited production run. Some ideas never got beyond the 1000 produced for the Collectors run, while others became mainstream products. Over the years, the Collectors Series was the launch vehicle for such ideas as on-board tuners, supershallow bowls, new pre-amp designs, guitar geometries such as 16 fret clear, parlor sized guitars, new and exotic wood tops such as maple, redwood and koa. New cosmetics such the inlaid epaulets and abalone trim, and even the new contour shape bowl. Information on all the Collectors Series guitars can be found HERE. But it all started with the pretty blueburst 1982 model shown below. This guitar, of which xxx were made, incorporates the deep bowl body with AAA spruce top. Trim is a mix between Custom Legend (rosette, tuners) and Legend (inlays and bound neck). The beautiful blueburst finish and matching headstock sets off the walnut bridge and ebony fingerboard. The electronics are the stereo FET 2-knobber from the Adamas line, including the walnut knobs at the waist of the guitar. This guitar is setup, play and sounds as good as it looks. Of all the Collectors Series the first year offering is a pretty special one.

Here are some links:

Adamas Tribute Site

Ovation Archive

[Inyo]

Deleted by author.

[SFCRetired]

Sure is purty

[Jericho-79]

Originally Posted by Inyo

It's an Ovation Collectors Series 1982.

Originally Posted by patchmcg

Wade, thanks for the heads up.

Yep, 82 Collector's. It's a Custom Legend with an Adamas pre-amp that was State of the art in those days with mono and stereo outputs, A-bracing to give good bass response, and a paint job/trim unique to the series. And John, the headstock is actually a matching blue, not black.

Thanks Inyo and Patch.

So the official name of this rare guitar is an Ovation 1982 Collectors? It's not a Legend, Custom Legend, or an Adamas?

[patchmcg]

Exactly right Jericho; an Ovation 1982 Collectors.

[Inyo]

Deleted by author.