Any models to avoid?  I'm only considering the USA made ones.

dunno, but before you buy...try out a Seagull S6 w/cedar top.  Friggen sounds incredible, best $450 bucks ive spent on a guitar.

"Brian May plays Ovation guitars"

They sound horrible dry..  Plug them in and they are decent sounding.  I had one, great for jamming and such but its tough to beat a mic'd acoustic for recording..

Quoted: They sound horrible dry..  Plug them in and they are decent sounding.  I had one, great for jamming and such but its tough to beat a mic'd acoustic for recording..

How much experience do you base the 'sound horrible dry' opinion on?  I'm not entirely sold on them, but it's prob what I'll go for.

For amps would I need something built more for an acoustic?  I have a Mesa Boogie dual rectifier...that might scream a little too much.

an ovation piezo blasting through a cranked mesa  ... I'd like to hear that.


Have you ever hear monte montgomery play? Distorted screaming rock guitar on an old beat up acoustic.

Quoted: Have you ever hear monte montgomery play? Distorted screaming rock guitar on an old beat up acoustic.

Havn't heard that one.

Quoted: Quoted: They sound horrible dry..  Plug them in and they are decent sounding.  I had one, great for jamming and such but its tough to beat a mic'd acoustic for recording.. How much experience do you base the 'sound horrible dry' opinion on?  I'm not entirely sold on them, but it's prob what I'll go for. For amps would I need something built more for an acoustic?  I have a Mesa Boogie dual rectifier...that might scream a little too much.

Well, the best way to explain it is to play one dry and then play a standard acoustic with a wood body and you will see what I mean.  I cant say they are a bad guitar but I developed a tatse for traditional typ acoustics over the course of my playing years.  

I usually ran mine direct to the board playing live.  Maybe a bit of chorus via a pedel.  They have decent onboard electronics too.  I just couldnt get past the lack of tonal character, to my ears anyway, thay have.  I would buy another if I was looking for a gigging guitar..  

I guess it all deends what you want.  A good guitar to play live that you can go direct to the board and sound great, then this is your guitar.   I have my sights on a Martin when I finish up the gun projects I have going on are done..

Thanks.  Definately something to keep in mind.  I'm not looking to play live (I get too nervous and play too fast..heheh) but maybe recording sometime.

I'll say one thing about Ovation, they damn sure honor their warranty.

My brother bought one of the very first Ovation 12 strings, I think in 1969.  

A few years ago he went to a local music store that was an Ovation dealer, asked how and where to ship his Ovation for repair, and to get a cost estimate.  The top had bowed up at the bridge from years of 12 string tension.  

The shop owner said, no problem, and no charge, it is under warranty.  All it will cost is shipping there.

My brother said, well, it has been a long time, and I don't know if they offered lifetime warranty way back then.  Dealer said, don't worry.

Sent it off, it came back a few weeks later.  Looked like they took his neck and put it on a new body.

And no charge.  It was under warranty.

Quoted: dunno, but before you buy...try out a Seagull S6 w/cedar top.  Friggen sounds incredible, best $450 bucks ive spent on a guitar.

+1, but I got it for less

Don't know , but I can not play them . That stupid plastic bowl just keeps rolling and rolling around no matter what I do .

I hate them, personally.  Seagulls are great guitars for the money.