Applause AA-12

Made in Korea and while they make some very good instruments this could be much better. Bought it in '98 new, now they are about $100 cheaper. I redid the front strap button within three days of buying it, it fell off. Small sound hole, VERY difficult with adult sized hands. Tuning machines were crap - put a set of small Grovers on it.

Sound is kinda crappy. HOWEVER, I spend a day putting a soundhole pickup, LOTS of sanding on the pickup block, and it's much more useful now. I have put it through five different amps. It's not a Strat or LP but it works OK for what I use it for.

About what you'd expect for the price.

I have had this thing in 20+ states and three prov in Canada. It's my "throw it in the car" guitar. It has had dreadful treatment and stood up quite well. It currently needs work for faulty intonation. I'm not sure anything would have stood up under the treatment this has received.

Had experiance with Ovation Applause models before. Expect No Help. These people bad-mouthed their own product to me! (Got to give them points for being honest!)

I've been playing guitar since '58. I bought this to throw in the car and not worry with. It's worked pretty well. It's not loud and that is a big plus if you're playing in a motel someplace.
I own more guitars, amps and effects than anyone needs.
If I had it to do all over again I would keep looking. If it gets stolen I'd look for something similar but better.

I need to update my review for the AA-12, at the risk of exposing my own ignorance. I think I solved the intonation problem, simply by giving the truss rod adjustment a half-turn (I have never adusted a guitar neck before, since I have always been afraid I would do it wrong and snap the neck off--so I have left this task to luthiers).

Anyway, I had started no notice that the AA-12's action was getting a tad high, and since this is not a greatly valuable guitar, I decided I'd find an allen wrench and crank on the thing just to see what happened. I remain mystified as to how truss rods work, but what happened here is that a clockwise half-turn lowered the action a tad AND pretty much solved the intonation problem mentioned in my review. Go figure! Presto, no more sour chords!

Other details not noted before: One of the tuners has always been sloppy and loose in its action--but it does hold tune OK. The top has some minor warping, but nothing you can see unless you look at it on-edge and it catches the light just so.

Bridge and fretboard are rosewood, according to a friend who should know. Pearlescent dot inlays. There is binding around the body where top meets sides, and there is a soundhole plastic thingamajig with a pattern of concentric circles on it that seems to be there just for decoration.

All in all, once again, a pretty decent little instrument that can take fairly rough handling. Much more satisfying to play now that the intonation is right.

Not sure of age--have owned it about three years, and it was very new-looking when I got it. Made in Korea I believe. 20 frets I think (it's not here with me at present). Top seems to be spruce, neck is mahogany or a mahogany look-alike. Has plastic bowl-back construction like other Applause/Ovation models. Single cutaway. Tuners are enclosed but not locking type. Bridge is some hard dark wood, attached with two bolts (see below).

I must admit I'm confused by size designations--no idea what people are referring to when they say 1/4 size, 1/2 size. 3/4 size...but anyway, this is a small guitar with a scale (string length I mean) that is a few inches shorter than standard. I bought it specifically for travel--it's short enough to play in passenger seat while wife drives, without jabbing her with the headstock.

I play lots of things, but more rhythm than soloing. Because of the reduced scale, the frets are closer together--so this makes some chord shapes problematic. I have medium-large hands, and the first-positon A (three fingers adjacent on second fret) is not possible for me. OTOH, soloing is sometimes easier (more fluid) than on a full-scale, because of smaller reaches.

Sound is thin and undistiguished--of course it cannot compare favorably with full-size guitars, but I am nonetheless disappointed with the sound. I don't hear the brightness described in other reviews of this or similar models, but yes the treble tones are far superior to the bass tones. Bass tones very very weak.

Guitar looks pretty good--finishes are nice, cosmetics are fine. Neck finish and form is quite nice aestheticaly and functionally. But some problems: tuners are crowded on a headstock that's a bit too dinky for its own good. I appreciate the compactness, but another half-inch of overall length would have been an improvement. Soon after I bought it, it developed an annoying rattle: this turned out to be a loose nut on one of the two bolts that attach the bridge to the top. Easy enough to tighten if you take off the strings, and it has stayed put since then. Worse "fit" problem by far is intonation. It cannot be tuned so that, for example, first-position E and D chords both sound decent. The B string seems to be the major culprit. The older the strings get, the worse this problem becomes, but even with new strings it's noticeably off. This really bugs me.

It seems quite durable. As noted, I bought it for travel (camping trips, etc.) but also for something I could let my young kids play with without worry. The plastic back is indeed useful in this respect--you could probably whack a bear over the head with it and continue playing. It is not a guitar to perform with, however--not due to frailty but because of inferior sound. Fine as campfire companion though. OK anywhere if you're playing for your own ear--but no projection whatsoever (unless you're performing for your close friends only in a tile-walled bathroom, I suppose).

Also, in spite of its anemic sound I tend to use it often, even at home, because unlike my other two acoustics, which are far more valuable and are safely stored in their plush cases under a sofa or a bed, I leave this this little one out propped against the wall in my living room. I'll very often just pick it up and play it because it's there. Its inherent quietness also can be a plus, for playing late at night while kids sleep.

No dealings with Applause. Did the one bridge fix myself. Unaware of any warranty.

Been playing a long time. Other acoustics include a '74 Gibson Hummingbird and a '78 Takamine 12 string that's a very good copy of a Guild. If it were stolen or lost, or eaten by a bear, I would not buy another--I would probably go for a baby Taylor, though of course I would have to be much more concerned with damage. I think I'd like improved sound/intonation at the cost of reduced ruggedness (and more dollars too of course). I do love that ruggedness, though--and I do think every guitar player needs to have an "incidental" guitar lying around the house that can be picked up on a whim. I will say that I have written more original material (something I've just started doing in the past year or so) on this guitar than on my nicer ones, just because it was there when I wanted it in a very immediate sense.

But: I do hate the intonation problem, and the fact that there's apparently nothing I can do to remedy it short of replacing the bridge (or perhaps the nut) with one of those compensated goodies. I don't think I love this guitar enough to have expensive surgery performed upon it.

In short--a guitar with many tradeoffs. But the price was right. Oh yeah, one more thing: I usually play seated, and I do hate how plastic bowl-backs slide off my leg. I would never consider buying a full-size Ovation or Applause no matter how good they sounded, for this reason alone. I hate having to use a strap, but I do with this guitar.

Asian made 3/4 scale geetar. Ovation style round back. Self added saddle pick up. Well made well intonated guitar. Good finish etc

Sounds great tuned A to A , strung with steel or nylon strings ( Requinto style).
Really useful in the studio for different voicings. No booming lows to get in the way.

Perfect out of the box. I work as a guitar tech and have done nothing besides the pick up install.

Lots of plastic! What can go wrong! I even lent this geetar to the 5 year old down the street for a few weeks. ( He'll be getting his own for his Birthday)

I have many instruments. this one was a home run right from the start. Most Requintos or short scale geetars are fragile. This thing is tough and projects great!

For a 1/4 size "travel" guitar, (at least that's what i use it for), it has great features. I mean, for 200 canadian, you can't get much better in a travel guitar than 20 frets, solid wood top, Ovation bowl, nicely built bridge, etc... A few quirks.... Tuning pegs are a bit cheap, but they're okay, i guess, and it's loudness could be improved.... ie. bone saddle. And the fretboard is a bit messy, but nontheless great sound.

For a shallow bowled, 1/4 size guitar, it has quite a rich sound. It might not suit your loudness, but hey, just buy a bone saddle. It has a very rich, warm tone, and is surprisingly clear for such a small guitar.

Finish..... nothing left to be desired It's good, it works, etc..... Only available in bare wood, i think. Action...... just right Intonation..... good. I noticed a bit of mis-intonation on the B-String after taking it up Jay Peak, and gone camping for weeks on end... maybe that's why.

I've taken it everywhere with me, camping, climbing, to school, to whatever. It's in great condition...... Nothing more to say.... it does last.

Never had to deal with company. But my dad did with his Legend (great guitar man), and they're cool about everything......

Three words... A great guitar.