Ovation 1771 LX Standard Balladeer

Highlights: One thing I love is that it is straplock ready. I can now use my favorite strap (has dunlops on it...)

Nice string spacing at the headstock.

Cherry finish is killer. The burst is subtle and mine had good bookmatching.

Like the fretboard binding. Nothing special about the rosewood fretboard itself-looks like it may need some oil at next string change.

Unique looking guitar!! VALUE for your buck-no doubt!

I traded a Blueridge guitar for this. In my opinion Blueridge guitars are overhyped. My Blueridge felt to me like it had been dipped in Elmer's glue (really couldn't stand the finish.) I also didn't care at all for the BlueRidge headstock string tree. Some good sounds out of the Blueridge though-I just never bonded with it.

This Ovation was a HUGE upgrade for me.

I'd give this Ovation guitar a 7 unplugged (The day I took it from the box and started playing, was after an entire morning of jamming on my Martin 000m. Not a fancy Martin mind you, but to my ear it really sounds incredible. I love my Martin! Check out that model-they're affordable.) The Ovation acoustic sound is definitely not as strong as a Martin and lacks the bottom end of a Martin. It is however, punchy-and has improved over just 24 hours so I'm optimistic.

Then I plugged it in. WOW! 10. This thing really sounds amazing with an amp. The main reason that I purchased it, and boy am I satisfied.

Just awesome. Granted, Elderly instruments did a setup on it prior to it leaving their shop-those guys are pros. Not a buzz, perfectly intonated.

This is by far the easiest playing acoustic guitar I have ever touched. I'm mainly an electric player and this feels almost like my strat.

Reasons: Slim neck, fast low action, cutaway is great for reaching higher frets, Bowl back is really comfy and doesn't slide off my lap, tuners nicely spaced, frets were level and smooth, and I like the fretboard binding.

Finish: Cherry Cheryburst. I think it looks fantastic with a rosewood fretboard and very distinct looking headstock. This guitar is beautiful to look at

Yes, feels strong, I'm less worried about dinging a plastic (or whatever material they call it) back bowl vs. a Wooden guitar. Neck and headstock feel incredibly solid.

Of course not as durable as my Tele...

Nothing yet with Ovation. Folks at Elderly Instruments on the other hand are great. I typically don't do mail order guitars, but I will with that group. I've had really good experiences with them and have been thrilled with their setups. It's so nice to get a new guitar and not have to bring it to my tech for adjustments.

I'm an electric player..Gibson and Fender. One Martin Acoustic (the aforementioned OOOM-which I really love. Not my most expensive guitar, but definitely a favorite.)

This Ovation fills a definite need. Easily the best acoustic/electric in this price range in my opinion-and I've tried a few.

Comfortable, great plugged in sound, ease to play and look at. I will ding slighly for the somewhat subdued Acoustic tone, hopefully it strengthens with some age.

Buy this guitar if you're looking to use with an amp!

Mid-Depth Bowl Acoustic Electric with the Ovation LX-Upgrade.

This guitar sounds outstanding through an acoustic amplifier. It sounds pretty good unplugged as well. The unplugged sound emphasizes the mid range. The sound is a tad on the soft side, but very pleasing. It does not have the bass depth of a Martin, but still sounds very good. I'd say the sound is well rounded unplugged.

The action was somewhat high out of the box, but this is easily adjusted during a set-up procedure. The guitar itself was virtually flawless in its fit and finish. This is a very comfortable and fun guitar to play. For somebody who is used to playing a standard acoustic, this guitar will have a sporty, light feel. The balance of the guitar is excellent.

Seems to be very solid. The composite bowl makes me think that this acoustic will be more durable than a completely wooden guitar.

I've had no need to talk with customer service.

Overall I'm very happy with the guitar. I bought it with the intention of plugging it in. It would be a perfect guitar if the sound were just a little better unplugged, though its still quite good sounding. I'm happiest with the feel of the instrument while playing. It's light and downright fun to play, from an acoustic guitar point of view. Plugged in it's probably the best quitar at this price point.

Ovation mid-sized bowl. 3 band eq. Volume control. TUNER BUILT IN! VERY COOL.

Spruce top. Schaller (or schaller-like) tuners. Solid.

Pop-out control module. Easy and clean to replace the 9v battery.

Gloss top, satin finish neck. I got the natural finished version.

Wow. Seems a bit wierd getting a plastic-backed guitar. But it sounds excellent both unplugged and plugged in.

Rich, well rounded sound. Not too bright not too muddy.

I have a Taylor 414CE and a 310CE. I like the Ovation just as well.

The guitar came out of the box somewhat de-tuned. But it was solid, and they did QC on it. Every thing was there and as soon as I tuned it up and played it it sounded great.

Action was very low out of the box.

ONE THING TO NOTE---
This is NOT Ovation's fault. The upper frets between the 12 - 16 range buzzed excessively. I've read before that this can be from the top wood drying out.

I put a slightly damp cloth in the bowl (back) and closed the case overnight.

As soon as I pulled it out the next day, the action was a teeny bit higher (it was now at an appropriate height). The buzz disappeared completely. I now keep humidifier in the case.

This is a testament to the importance of keeping the guitar properly humidified.

This guitar seems really durable.

Not had to deal with them.

I love this thing. It's great.

Plays well, sounds great, reasonably priced. I recommend it heartily.

Model 1771 LX Specifications:
6-String Acoustic/Electric
Body Type: Mid-Depth Bowl
Top: A Grade Solid Sitka Spruce
Bracing: Scalloped LX
Scale Length: 25 1/4"
Scale:
Fretboard: Bound Rosewood
Fret Inlay:
Bridge: Rosewood
Rosette: Hand-Inlaid
Pickup: Original Patented Pickups
Nutwidth: 1 11/16"
Machines: Chrome
Case: 8158-0

This guitar is great all around. It looks beautiful but more importantly it sounds great. I play unplugged more often than I plug in. Still, I wanted an acoustic-electric so I always have the option to just plug in. Most acoustic-electrics I tried sound great plugged in but dull and not very loud unplugged. What surprised me about this guitar was how loud it was unplugged. It gives such a full sound I just fell in love. This guitar is also incredibally easy to play. I've heard Ovations described as acoustic guitars for electric guitar players and now I understand. It's as easy to play as my Fender Strat. Great guitar!

Action, pickups, and well, everything was great. It's been about 4 months now and no problems.

I don't really gig out but this guitar looks reliable. I can't envision there being any problems.

Never dealt with them.

Been playing about 15 years and this is the single greatest acoustic I have ever owned. I love it's looks, playability, and sound. If looking for acoustic-electrics definately consider the Ovation LX.

Check Ovation's website for details.....Very nicely appointed 6 string acoustic with excellent pre-amp.

Ovations always sound great plugged in with minimal set-up required to get a great sound. This one's no exception. I also own a 12 string Custom Legend that's about 15 years old. The Balladeer sounds much better unplugged than my older Ovation and about the same plugged in as my older Ovation...pretty high praise, as the 12 string sounds like thunder plugged in.

I have 2 Tacoma guitars that I feel are the best unplugged acoustic guitars I've ever found. This Ovation isn't quite as balanced and warm as the Tacomas, and get's a bit harsh/quacky if played really aggressively......but it's a lot better than older Ovations and I bought it primarily to play plugged in.

I give it a 7.5 overall (9 plugged in and 6 unplugged).
I'd give a lot of Martins and Taylors, etc. about the same for comparison.
I'd give my Tacomas a 10 unplugged and a 7 plugged in (but they're not as rugged or easy to play).

Better than my Tacomas and better than most guitars costing 3-4 times as much. Ovation builds flawless instruments.

Ovations are tanks. My old one has been abused in ways that would get a mother sent to jail. A quick polish and cleaning and it always looks like new. Electronics are top notch, sliders need cleaning every 5-7 years to keep everything working properly.

I've only need to contact them a few times via email. I always received a human responding to my question in an intelligent manner withing 24 hours. They have a tele number on their website, but I've never called them.

I've been playing for 20 years now. I've owned about 12 acoustic guitars in that time and I think Ovation continues to improve their unique, but excellent products over time. They keep building better and better models at lower price points.....sound like a winner to me.

This new upgrade of the original 1771 has all the bells and whistles you could want from an acoustic electric guitar. The new Lightweight body and balance makes for a considerably more comfortable session than my 4 year old model. The new tuner built into the op pro preamp is great. The action is faster and easier, just a real pleasure to play. The rosette is inlaid which is so much nicer than that cheap ass looking glued on ring sported by most balladeers! 5 piece neck, whatever. Its a neck, and it has a really nice feel. But not any better than my 2000 model with the 2 piece neck. The Op Pro preamp is sopposed to be leaps and bounds above other recent models. However it does not have the eq bypass option nor does it have a mid shift, both of which I find very come in very handy on the op 24plus.

Well I am sorry to say this about Ovation as I am a devoted fan and will continue to buy your products in spite of this guitars substandard sound. Now this guitar is louder as they advertise it to be. However, the new body has some sort of glass bubbles injected into it which may make it lighter and stronger and more comfortable to play. But it definitely does not sound anywhere near as good as the original 1771. It has a kind of cheap sound to it. Lots of echo, sort of a very hollow sound. It's like the sound hits this new bubble filled plastic and thins everything out. I compared my current 1771 to it and had the salesman listen to it. The original 1771 with the dense, heavier plastic back has a beautiful tight tone that does not sound plastic at all. The original 1771 version will ring when you play a chord like a really good high quality guitar should. But this new LX really sounds like plastic, I am sorry to say. I have been waiting for this new model to come out for a while, and I was really exited about going to my music store to try it. I was very disappointed with it. But I am not upset with Ovation since it is this companys constant quest for inovation in sound technology that makes me such a loyal fan. I know this company will come up with some sort of acoustic coating or something to add to the inside of these new guitars to keep them lightweight but more in line with the sound quality we have come to expect from Ovation guitars. Last but not least is the new Op Pro preamp and revival of their classic pickup. All I can say about this is that I think my original 1771 with the op24plus sounds much better plugged in. In my opinion it is no contest. The op24plus belts out a beautiful loud and true sound quality that makes you feel like you are on stage with the Dead. This new pickup seemed a little on the mild side to me. But that could have been due to the hollow sound of the guitar as a whole. I love you Ovation. I know you are going to get this new material perfected before too long.
I should add that I gave this guitar such a low score on sound due to the fact that I expect a lot more from Ovation than other guitars. If it were another company I probably would have given it a 7.

Here is a category where this guitar shines. As I said in the first part of my review. This may be the most comfortable guitar I have ever played. The action is incredible. The fit is fantastic/perfection. I actually considered buying this for 700 bucks just because the fit and action were the best I have ever experienced.
This category gets a 10 + 10 = (20) I can honestly say that I have never ever played a more comfortable guitar.

As with all Ovation products, they are made to last. And if anything ever does go wrong, the company is the best in the business when it comes to customer service. This is the last thing you ever have to worry about with an Ovation product.

Outstanding! See above.

I have been playing for 20+ years. I owned a Fender stratocaster for many years. My first guitar was an applause acoustic with the aluminum neck,indestructible. I played that for about 13 years before I got my first good guitar, a Seagull S6+spruce which I still have and play whenever I perform on the street.(an ovation doesn't go over very well when you are street performing) I finally settled on the ovation 1771 Standard Balladeer as my first really good guitar. I have cherished it every day since I bought it. Best $650 w/hardcase I ever spent.
But lets get back to the 1771LX:
Everything about this guitar is top of the line with the exeption of one thing, THE SOUND!!!!!!!!!
And ultimately the sound is the single most important aspect of an acoustic guitar, or acoustic/electric guitar. As you saw, I gave this guitar 10s in every category exept sound. That being said, I give this guitar an overall rating of 6 due to the fact that to me, sound is the true test of a guitar.
One last note. I do not claim to be the guitar expert of the world. And just due to the fact that this is such a well put together and comfortable to play guitar. I would suggest that anyone who might look at this review and say (well forget that one), go to your local Ovation dealer and judge for yourself. You will probably play it and say(that dude at Harmony Central is insane, this guitar sounds great)
Maybe I have just been spoiled by my original 1771, but if I pay this much for a guitar, I want to hear a chord ring when I play it!

Brand new 2004 model - US MADE Ovation. I wasn't aware of how significant of a difference that is until I played this one. Standard 22 fret neck. Nice A grade Sitka spruce top, gloss finish. Comes wth the OP-Pro preamp and 6-piece piezo pickup; built in chromatic tuner, 3 band EQ with two presets and a bypass switch and adjustable gain. One standout with the preamp is that it's a modular "block" that actually removes and unplugs from the guitar for battery changes, so there's no hinge to break and no wires rattling around in the body between the preamp and the input jack- nice touch. Has the mid-depth bowl made from the new material, which is supposed to be lighter and stronger than the plastic they normally use; an added plus is that the lower bout is textured differently than the rest of the body so it doesn't slide around on your leg. The neck has a hand-rubbed lacquer finish and feels typically great like most Ovation necks. Like most Ovations, there are no bridge pins; the strings thread through the back of the bridge. For live stuff, I greatly prefer this. I should also mention Straplocks come standard... For some reason, Ovation sells the cases separately; it wasn't a deal breaker, but it's something I fundamentally disagree with on a guitar at the $1200 MSRP price point. Ultimately, this guitar comes as "loaded for bear" and gig-ready as any acoustic you can buy, and more so than many.

I purchased this guitar for recording; I play a mixture of fingerstyle and flat picking usually in the vein of "songwriter rock." I run direct in to my Digidesign MBox when I'm recording in Pro Tools and usually supplement with a small diaphragm (and highly directional) condenser mike aimed at the bridge and then mix in Pro Tools to taste. I also have a Roland AC-60 for coffeeshop/open mike applications.

An Ovation sounding wonderful plugged in really isn't surprising, and this one's no exception. It sounds every bit as good going to tape as the Baggs I-Beam system, and I can't award higher praise than that. Depth, string-to-string definition, it's all there and I feel it's much better than I could expect from a guitar at this price point. Ovation really outdid themselves with this pickup+preamp combination.

Where this Ovation really shocked me, though, was with the unplugged sound. This is where almost every Ovation I've played prior to this one fell way short- they typically sounded like a cigar box with rubber bands attached. However, this one surprised me so favorably that I actually sold a Larrivee to buy it. Rich, clear tone, sustain for days and that "3D" sound that you get from a well built acoustic. I have as much fun playing this one unplugged as I do plugging it in, and I've NEVER been able to say that about an Ovation until now. Whatever magic they worked on the tops for the LX guitars merits mention as well- they respond MUCH more that the Ovations I've played previously, and of course, that will only improve as the guitar ages.

Perfect setup out of the box, which isn't my usual experience. No flaws of any kind; only one slight and tiny interruption of the grain on the top keeps this one from being a "AA" top- couldn't matter less tonally and is nearly invisible cosmetically. I have plenty of high end guitars and a very critical eye and tried to find a flaw in this guitar and couldn't.

These guitars are built for live playing and have been the choice for touring musicians for years. Certainly you're not going to hurt the back, and the top is good and solid. As I mentioned, straplocks come standard- that's a nice touch.

I've never dealt with Kaman for support.

I've been playing for 18 years. I own too much gear to list- I play 5 instruments and have a small project studio I work in.

I would definitely consider another Ovation if for some reason I no longer had this one.

The pickup+preamp system make this guitar. Couple that with good rich acoustic tone and this one's a no-brainer. Lots of value for the dollar.