Ovation 1517 Ultra

I have the Ovation 1517 Ultra Series. This is a great little guitar. It has the green sunburst finish and has excellent action and sound. The thing never goes out of tune. It has an electric pick up and single tone/volume knob. Which makes for easy sound tuning with one knob instead of many knobs and having to mess around with them all to get a good sound. There is a slight, thin crack about 10 inches long down in the wood on the face of the guitar but this is normal with this guitar. The cracks are not in the finish so the sound is still great. Not sure when it was made but it was made in Korea. Looks like an oak neck. This was an great deal since I bought it off e-Bay for $200 and got an, in excellent condition, hard shell case, which looks like it is made specifically for Ovations, with it. Just the case alone is worth the $200. Had a different ovation years ago but I like this one better.

It sounds like an ovation, bassy and deep resonant sound. It sounds excellent plugged in. I have had this guitar now for a little over a year and I think I have only had to tune it once, when I was playing with a band. Otherwise, you put it away and it comes out perfectly, still tuned!! Never had a guitar stay in tune so well!!!

The action is great also. I only play rhythym and it sounds good unplugged, better plugged! As I said minor crack in the wood but not in the finish. This I was told was normal with this model. I wish it wasn't green sunburst though. Everything is in it's right place and I have not had to get anything done to it. It's perfect for me.

I have dropped this guitar when the guitar strap slipped off and it stayed in tune. This guitar is old and it has probably been thorugh quite a bit before I got ahold of it. It would probably hold up if I dropped it out the window, but I won't cause I like this guitar too much!!

Never dealt with them.

I have been playing guitar for 36 years. Don't have another guitar at present but am considering another acoustic that's how I found these reviews, looking to see what other people have to say about a different acoustic and thought I'd check out what was said about the Ovation I have. I love the sound of acoustics and it's even better when you can plug them in.
I play in a church worship team and this sounds so good with the music we play. Very rich sound.
Bought it off a guy out in Riverside, California and when it got here, Buffalo, NY, there were christian stickers on the case. So..I figured God got me this guitar!! I never told the guy I played christian music, never discussed anything with him other than the guitar, but I kinda new I was supposed to have it when it came!!

Ovation Ultra is an OM-sized guitar. It has a laminated spruce top and a plastic bowl which forms the back and sides. The top is gloss finished. The headstock and the back of the neck are high gloss finish. Fingerboard is an attractive ivory bound rosewood. Bridge is walnut. Nut is 1 5/8" wide. This particular model has a green sunburst finish. The Ultra comes with a builtin Piezoelectric pickup. There is one knob which has both volume and tone settings on it.

Unplugged? Ugh! This guitar sounds like it has a pillow stuffed inside it when it's not being miked. I'd rather play my cheap Seagull S6 any day of the week over this.

I play plugged into our church's sound system and it sounds nicer. I'd still rather play a real acoustic with a UTS pickup installed than this, however. It's all I've got at this time, though

Action is nice and low. The neck on this guitar is the best thing about it. It is straight as an arrow. There is no buzzing which is a good thing because you really have to play this guitar hard to get any volume out of it. The tuners are nice and big chromes. Don't know the brand, but this guitar always stays in tune. Pickup is functional. Never had a problem with it.

This thing is a tank! Pete Townsend would embarrass himself on stage trying to smash this guitar. Seriously, this guitar is virtually indestructible. The plastic bowl cannot be dented and it would probably have to be hit with a hammer to crack. It's the perfect camping guitar. I always play live with it and it has never given me problems. The gloss finish certainly has held up well. It feels like an electric.

I've played over 25 years. I own a Seagull S6 as my principal guitar. This is actually my dad's guitar, but I use it to play live as mine has no pickup. I wouldn't ever buy my own Ovation because they simply don't sound nice enough unplugged. I love the way the neck plays and the action is sweet on this particular model, but the guitar simply doesn't have it where it counts - sound. The rounded back is also extremely annoying. It is very difficult to play sitting donw without a strap. I wish it was all wood. Ovations seem to be neither true acoustics nor true electrics and as a result, I don't think they do either very well.

Simple tone and volume integrated pot control. To replace a battery you have to unscrew and release all strings as it is mounted inside the body itself. Unlike the new design where you can access the battery from the outside. The neck is perfect and the sound is great.
A perfectly tuned guitar keeps tune for days. I give it 9 because of the battery placement. Otherwise I would give it 10.

Mine was probably made in 1984. It is full size, sound and plays just teriffic !! Pickup and amplification sounds great !! I used to record with it and got great results. DOn't be fooled by it being Korean made. Talking about that model, made in 84, it DOESN'T FALL from any USA made ones ! I compared it with a similiar USA made Ovation and yes, the USA was a bit warmer. The Korean though, keeps a tune PERFERCT for DAYS !! I could tune it, play with it for a few hours, with not tuning in between the recordings because the tune was perfectly kept !! When I took it out of the case a few days after it was just tuned. Sounds pefect with amplification, to my ears and engeneers I worked with.

A well made instrument.

I bought it new in 1987. Made in Korea. Barnburst finish. Laminated srpuce top. Diamond inlays, rosewood fingerboard. I am not sure of the bridge. I was told it is oak, but I am not sure. Controls are very basic, voume and tone in one knob. Not the greest design, that is why they changed it.

It has the Ovation tone, which I lke. It is not my Martin HD-28V, but it cost a lot less. I initially bought it as my first real guitar I bought myself. I gave it to my sister who gave me a Martin 12 string so she could try and play a 6 string after she broke her hand. I tried to get it back for many yeas. I just finally was able to buy it back last month. It is like new. She hardly played it. It is a deep bowl so it has good volume and a nice deep tone. I use it now as a camping/other time guitar when I don't want to take the Martin into a situation. I sometimes grab the Ultra instead of the Martin. I am ikingitmore and more.

For an inexpensive guitar it is great. No complaints. Good quilty.

It is like new after 15 years. The bridge is just starting to pull up a little, comon for older Ovations. Some Ovations I have seen get cracks in the tops from the wood moving from changes in moisture and the plastic back not. But I think it only happens with someone who doesn't take care of their guitar as well as they should. I think it is a very tough guitar. As tough as an acoustic can be. the backs and sides are indestructable.

I have never dealt with them.

For beginer to interediate players they are great. or the person wanting a tought guitar for camping type trips it is great.