Product: Ovation Celebrity CC01
Price Paid: US $192: list $399
Submitted
06/29/1998
at
11:45am
by
Joe Hufford
Email: muaddib5<at>ix dot netcom dot com
Features
:
10
1997, maybe 98 20 frets acoustic only (not an elec/acous) Spruce top, natural/blonde Chrome tuners (brand unknown, look like Sperzel) case was not included
Picked this up at a local Guitar Center super sale after my old acoustic died.
Sound
:
8
Likes: Has a very nice rich low end and a bright high end. I play with a friend who plays a Takamine G series and it is a perfect compliment. Great for Counting Crows, Jars of Clay, etc. Can also change from a bright tone to a nice, thick, meaty sound i.e.-Creed. Fingerpicking is a breeze. Tonally, it is perfectly balanced.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
8
The neck has a smaller radius than many others, comparable to a Les Paul. Great action up and down. I have a smaller hand than most people and can easily reach my hand all the way around (a problem I have with some other guitars). The back of the neck has a nice satiny finish so your hand can move around comfortably. The tuners are very smooth and responsive. Strings are very easily replaced.
Reliability/Durability
:
9
This guitar seems very solid. The back is made of a compopsite plasic/fiberglass material and is very resistant to scratches, cracks, temperature changes, humidity, etc... Regarding live playing, I play this guitar live almost every night outside with a friend. Extremely reliable. The hardware is very smooth and does not seem like it will fail anytime soon. There is no pickguard, but the finish seems to be standing up very well. Currently, this is my only acoustic and I would use this at a gig without a backup so long as I had an extra couple of high "E" strings. The bridge looks like a weaker, lightweight wood that might break if not taken care of or warp over time. The strings are installed throught the exterior of the guitar via this bridge. It is very easy to replace the strings and I am not too worried about the bridge.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
I have not had to deal with customer support as of this time. However, I have checked the Ovation web site, and support is handled very professionally.
Overall Rating
:
10
I have been playing for approximately 4 years. I own a 1994 Epiphone LP-100, a Zoom 510 effects processor, a Korg GT-10 (?) tuner. If my Ovation were to be stolen or lost, I would most likely try to find another one like it. If that were not possible, I would try to get a Takamine G series. The Ovation has a composite back made of a plastic/fiberglass type composite and is molded in the sahpe of a bowl. This helps with the sound but also gives it a tendency to slide off your leg while playing. Not a big problem, just a little annoying. The lack of a pickguard is a little disconcerting, but the finish seems very strong and resistant to scratches or dings.
