A History of Ovation Electric Guitars - What Could Have Been
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- Опубліковано 28 лип 2024
- Today Keith takes a look at the history of Ovation Electric Guitars. We'll also do a Demo and overview of Keith's 1979 Ovation Viper. How did a guy who designed and built helicopters come to make some of the most innovative guitars of the time? Let's find out.
Time Stamps:
Intro - 0:00
Demo - 1:26
Overview and History - 2:36
Wrap Up - 10:58
Keith Leedham is an independent recording artists/studio owner/tinkerer.
He owns "The Tape Farm" a recording studio that specializes in transferring "pro-sumer" analog tape formats from manufactures like Tascam and Fostex.
Website: www.thetapefarm.com
Facebook: / thetapefarm
As an independent recording artists Keith has released singles, EPs and full length albums. With styles ranging from Progressive Rock to Country to Singer/Songwriter to Hard Rock to what ever the song dictates.
Website: www.keithleedham.com
He also tinkers with various audio equipment such as tape machines, guitars and guitar amps. When he comes across something interesting he posts the progress/results on UA-cam.
Ovation electrics were works of art ahead of their time.
I bought my Preacher back in 1979 and still have it today. Really nice guitar.
I have owned an ovation ultra GP since the 1980s. It honestly is the nicest quality built electric guitar that I own and I own over 30 guitars. Something about it is extremely boat anchor sturdy ...
My mother, who was always far ahead of her time, grew up in a musical family and she played guitar in bands when it was very looked down upon to have a female who played an instrument, especially guitar ;in a band. She had several guitars during her lifetime too. But her prize possession was an Ovation electric from the mid 60s. When my mother passed on I received her Ovation and still have to this day, in beautiful condition. What a great way to remember the special person my mother was!
Dude, awesome story. Thanks for the info. That alone made doing this video worth the effort. Thanks.
@@TheTapeFarm I am honored by your comment. Thank you so much.!
Appreciate the history lesson on all of these
Really great video! At one point I owned a Viper and a Breadwinner. Like an idiot, when I got laid off at one point I sold them both. They were both really great guitars. Ovation isn't the only company that failed at making electric solid body guitars. Taylor made them for a few years and they were excellent guitars but like Ovation, no one bought them so they were discontinued. I almost bought one of the Taylor models and now regret not doing so.
Wow sad story. I knew a bit but didn't know how much they went through. I like innovation in general. See how ovation is part of inn-ovation.😊
Cool bridge designs.
I bought my first guitar in 79 when I was 13. It was an Ovation Viper identical to the one in your video. Still have it to this day and still my all time favorite guitar.
Nice… that’s not a guitar, that’s a soul-mate.
Picked up a Preacher for $200 just the other day in the same finish as your Viper. Instantly one of my favorite guitars. I feel it plays very much like a Gibson SG but with a slightly faster neck. Can't believe how hot the bridge pickup is too
Dang $200!!!! That’s a steal and a half.
Really interesting, and a bit of a shame that The Deacon and Breadwinner didn't catch on with the guitar playing public, since they sounded quite good, and a few bands actually used them. I wanted one, but when I was old enough to start playing, they were discontinued. Not even going to bother trying to find a vintage one, because I know that will cost me a lot of money. I'd rather spend that kind of money on an Ibanez "Lawsuit" SG, but I could be persuaded to buy an old Deacon if the price was right.
I really enjoyed the video. You laid out some information I was not aware of. I’ve often been looking at these guitars, mainly the viper series. But have found some of the hollow bodies like the tornado and hurricane to be quite interesting.
Two days ago I received from Reverb, a tobacco Sunburst fiber three. Probably a 1979. I’ve taken it out Thursday night and last night and it is an excellent guitar. Everybody has a Stratocaster. This guitar does all that Strat does and more.
I’ve been looking at the viper threes and the viper twos on online auctions and they have steadily gone up in price over the last 10 years. The model I got was $1450. It seems a little high but they aren’t going to get any cheaper. Pick up selection system is very versatile.
Again, thank you for the video
Well done! Thanks for all the information about these guitars.
Wow! Thanks for the information about Ovation guitars
I own Viper 3. Awesome guitar. My number one go to for a strat sound.
I have a UKII. Love it!
Very informative. Always liked the acoustics and now would like to test out an electric. At the time I taught beginner classes and was predominantly acoustic based. My boss, the owner of the music store, had a wide selection of guitars but I don’t remember any of the Ovation electrics coming through. Thanks for letting us in on the “secret”.
Great video; informative and visually very interesting! Thanks for sharing this look at an innovative company that very few who aren't old geezers like me are even aware of!
My first guitar was my dads 1978 acoustic Ovation when I was 15
And now I just bought my own 1978 Viper for my 30th birthday and it’s everything I always dreamed of for my ideal guitar 💥 maple fretboard and body color is brown though 🤌🏼
I always liked Ovation acoustics and currently have 5 of them as well as a mandolin. However, I used to have a black Breadwinner and a natural Viper. I don't know what the hell I was thinking but I sold them during a period when I was unemployed. They were both great guitars and I kick myself to this day for selling them. Young and dumb.
We’ve all done that. I sold 1966 Fender Coronado 12 string back when I was broke for $125. Young and dumb.
One Musician using a Ovation Viper today is Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkey's. I noticed he started using them in 2009 up until today
I wish Ace Frehley had stuck with playing a Breadwinner, instead of going with the Les Pauls that he became so known for. Kiss-teria could’ve really put Ovation’s solid bodies on the map.
Awesome guitars I hope to own one some day!
Great mini documentary. It seems a mistery why innovation is not the main driver of guitar sales. I believe Music is the driver of sales and Fender and Gibson own most of the history of guitar centered music like jazz pop blues and rock.
I bought my 1st ovation in the early 70's. A deacon, still have it. I also bought the viper, preacher and the breadwinner ltd. Still got them all sitting alongside tow acoustic ovations. Will I ever part with them? NO! They're coming to my grave with me.
I was never particularly a fan of the roundback Ovation acoustic guitars, but British fingerstyle guitarist Adrian Legg played heavily self-modified Ovation acoustic electrics for years; in his capable hands they sounded like a cross between a pedal steel, an acoustic, and a Telecaster. His guitars were, and still are, outfitted with Scruggs-style banjo tuners that can change the pitch by predetermined amounts at the flip of a lever, and so he actually plays the tuners as much as he frets and plucks the strings! You really should look him up, playing "Midwest Sunday" on one of several UA-cam recordings, as well as the Premier Guitar rig rundown. It will blow your mind! (Nancy Wilson of Heart is a big fan of Adrian's playing and she produced one of his records; he wrote a tune for her titled "Mrs. Crowe's Blue Waltz"). For years he did clinics for Ovation guitars at music shops all over the US and the UK, and authored one of the very 1st do-it-yourself books for guitarists, "Customizing Your Electric Guitar". These days he doesn't play the Ovations on stage but instead uses a solid body electric, presumably built by himself, that looks kind of like the Breadwinner, and designed to sit comfortably on his knee. Nobody who got to see him open any of the G3 concerts with Satriani and Vai will forget "Uncle" Adrian!
I saw the tail end of his portion of G3, had to work late and rushed to the concert. I was a little disappointed that Fripp had been replaced in the states but soon got over it by Adrian’s playing. I also saw him solo in a small intimate venue and got a signed CD. Great player and a treasured memory. Never thought of banjo tuners the same way. Oh, he also did a Trace Elliott demo at Guitar Center, went to that… love the dude.
Excellent video!!!
Thanks man!
I love their acoustic, I’ve a 1993 Balladeer, beautiful guitar. I have played a Viper. Well made instruments that sell pretty cheaply now even though they’re USA made.
The Breadwinner too! Excellent video.
Yup. I discuss the Breadwinner and other models in the video. Very cool guitars.
As usual from Keith, terrific and informative content. These were legendary instruments that just never caught on unfortunately. "Back In The Day" when I lived in Westchester County, NY I saw the 3 pickup version at Sam Ash Music in White Plains. It was like a stroke of Genius with the individual On/Off switches. I actually had my 3 Pickup Les Paul modified to do the same thing. Sounded great and extremely versatile. I have a Firefly LP coming this week that I intend to the same thing to...cheap Mod on an inexpensive but good quality "Husk". I'll let you know how it comes out. :)
Sweet. Let me know how it goes. Thanks for the kind words!
veryry informative thx!
I remember a guy back in the late '70's-early '80's had what he called an "Ovation Arrow", a Flying V type Body and Ovation Neck, only one I've ever seen, and I can't find any info on it anywhere online, so now I have to wonder if it might have been a Prototype, or something he made himself utilizing an Ovation Neck, I dunno, but he gigged the Guitar all the time...
Wow… that’s new info to me. Thanks!
cool vid man
I've wanted a Breadwinner since I saw them in the 70s. I may get one of the Eastwood ones.
I'm also kicking myself for not buying a Martin solid body electric I saw back in the day as well.
Mmm, that's the first pic of John Denver playing an Ovation, must have been between his Guild and Taylor years. And I believe Steve Marriott endorsed Ovation electrics back in the day.
First time I saw the Ovation Deacon was David Cassidy playing one on a couple of episodes of The Partridge Family. He played a white one.
Yup. I left that little tidbit out, figuring that you, me, and about three other people know who the partridge family are 😜.
Kaman continued to have electric guitars made in Korea Labeled GTX by Kaman. They're pretty good guitars, I have a couple strat copies, a 335 copy, and an Ibanez type copy. I'd love to get one of the Les Paul copies but they're usually a little pricey.
I have a strat style guitar from Ovation's budget line Applause but I cant find anything about them. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I like my early 80s starburst Viper 🎸👍
I own a 97 Elite Custom in Cadillac Green. A 1997 12string Balladeer standard and I own one over seas Elite Custom that actually is one hell of a guitar. If you know about the trick of removing the shims from the bridge, than you know how awesome these guitars play. If you have not heard of this trick and only played a high action Ovation... well im truly sorry. But when ya get an Ovation new (these days) and it has high actions, loosen the strings and the bridge can be lifted. Under that is plastic shims. There are a few layers of them. Remove them until you like the action. You may need to adjust the neck. The newer one had high action (my older ones had low action from the factory), I removed the shims and adjusted the neck just a tiny bit and this guitar plays effortlessly. I like their new preamps actually a lot. If you know how to use the Ovation preamps correctly they sound fantastic live and for recording. But i can tell you ive never had a setup on either of my 1997 Ovations. I find a LOT of acoustics uncomfortable to play, Ovations are (or at least mine) play themselves and it really makes playing fun when the guitar just plays itself. :-)
Many thanks for the video and the quality content. can you advise if the tone control is full at 5 and above that is a plus ? because mine the sound is too hot at 10
My viper is VERY jangley with tone in 10. And to be honest I’m not as good as I should be at using my tone control.
I have a beautiful lime green Ovation Celebrity Super Strat (Kaman).
Love the viper , how is the tone , is it as good as a standard tele , and how do they play I’m thinking about getting the viper 2 , it’s kind of pricey which I don’t mind , I like that they took innovative opportunities over cheap guitars like the fender copies and les Paul put out in the later years
Mine sounds like a cross between a tele and Ric. Plays great. Very solid, kind of heavy, but very stable.
9:55 The shapes
7:44 1977 Viper (1271, 1273) and Preacher 9:03 1983 exit electric guitar business… until 9:12 1985 Ultra Hard Bodies GS, GP lines - necks, bodies from Korea, assembled in US
Viper III is an incredible guitar.
Had a Breadwinner in early 80s Batteries always went dead then it wouldnt work! Thats what scared me away! Maybe i left the cable pluged in or something?
I am tryin to identify a 6-string Ovation electric guitar......it has no identifying marks or model names....Except at the bottom of the headstock it has a VT. It has one three-way switch and two 'volume' controls. Both the switch and the controls are located just below the bridge. The color is all black. It was bought about 8 ~ 9 years ago for about $800.. It is in an Ovation hard case and I do have the original papers, but they have no model number. Thank You for any HELP!!!
Thought Celebrity was Ovation before Ovation? I have a mint 1985 Crimson super strat in its original hard shell fitted case.
Know anything about these models? Why they only have “Celebrity” on them during the 80’s?
Thanks!
Celebrity was Ovation’s Epiphone/Squier line if I recall correctly. They also had another budget line called applause.
Bought a pawnshop Fender Stratocaster Pro, Deluxe, Ultra? not sure now. It had the solid plastic pickup covers and the early Beck metal nut. I didn’t click with it, so I took it to a Guitar Show and traded it for a mint sunburst flamed maple topped Viper and a mint rusty colored natural mahogany Preacher, both with cases… have never worried I made the wrong choice.
Nice. Two for one!!
@@TheTapeFarm
I think they thought I was crazy… yeah, crazy awesome..
I had a chance to buy a breadwinner at an estate sale about a year ago. They wanted a thousand for it. I should have pulled the trigger.
I had a chance to buy a preacher deluxe at a pawn shop last week for $189. I should have pulled the trigger lol
@@MrDream-zm1pw where do you guys find these deals? That would never happen in Nashville… too many “guitar experts” here.
I picked up a deacon in 1990 for peanuts and a few years ago bought a preacher. They are incredible instruments.
I think Ovation messed up in their early marketing. Partridge Family, Kiss, and Glenn Campbell? Pick a lane Ovation, pick a lane. Also their ads were really tied to the fashion of the moment. Had they picked one audience and really invested rather than trying to be all things to all people, I’d bet they would have made it.
Guitar players are notoriously superstitious and brand loyal. They will spread unfounded rumours about an unknown quantity. I am always shocked when a guitarist will tell me how terrible ovation electrics are, then I put one in their hands and they tell me mine are an anomaly even though mine are the only ones they have ever played. Haha!
Cool
I had a Breadwinner and a Viper. Like an idiot I sold them along with my Wurlitzer electronic piano when I got laid off earlier in my career. Major regret. 😞
Don't feel so bad, I sold my Ovation to replace my exhaust system - but it was a '77 Matrix with molded frets that were worn flat and I was tired of waiting for a replacement neck (backordered 6 months+!).
Never should have sold my deacon......oh well....
Traded it for a legend.....
Ace Frehley played a Ovation Breadwinner .
Correct, as started at about 6:30 of the video.
@@TheTapeFarm I know I’m right I have seen pics of Ace playing it
@@samright4661 yes you are. Not sure what your point is? I stated in the video that he played a Breadwinner. So again… I’m not sure what your point is.
@@TheTapeFarm I didn’t watch but maybe 30 seconds of the video. My point is I know my guitar’s
@@samright4661 so you watched 30 seconds of a video but felt the need to argue with me about a fact I said you were correct on and never questioned your knowledge of. I merely pointed out that I mentioned that fact in the actual video. If you would have actually watched the video you would have seen pictures of Ace playing the guitar you were referring g to and also one of Paul Stanley playing it. I might suggest you not comment on videos you haven’t actually watched.
The name of the company is pronounced Kuh-MAN
👍
Pronounce the name correctly please
Ka-man. Like Japan
Wow… over 5000 views and you’re the only one to mention that…. Thanks. Hard G or soft G on .gif?
@@TheTapeFarm He's right