Official Luthiers Forum!

Good evening fellow guitar lovers. I have come here in great dispair looking for some wisdom, help and knowledge.

I live in the far away country of Chile, in South America, and recently got a hold of my long time dream guitar, an Ovation 1117, which is a rare guitar to find in these parts of the world. I paid around $380 US dollars for this Ovation 1117 from 1979 with original case. The previous owner said that the top of the guitar was slightly separated from the body in the lower bout, but I figured it was fixable. I sent it to a local luthier to repair and he said the following:

-The guitar top has sunk slightly and the fretboard is separated from the top where it meets the body.
-There is a slight gap between the body and the neck.
-The ring around the guitar hole is also weird and it looks damaged by humidity.

He said the guitar had been (badly) repaired several times and that it would be a waste of money to fix it, as it would probably need a whole new top (and that would just be the beginning).

He also said that because of the different materials of the top and the back, these separations between the top, the body and the neck are common in these types of guitars, and even if he made a new top and fixed all the other problems it has, it wouldn’t last too long and it would eventually have similar problems, or at least I would need to keep the guitar in a controlled environment for ever.

Another detail, the guitar rests slightly tight in the case, as you need to apply some force in order to close the case all the way and secure it. Is this normal or is it because of the damage of the guitar?

I would like to know your opinion, would it really need a new top, is it worth fixing, is it true that Ovation guitars tend to have these problems? If I chose to spend the money, would it be the kind of guitar I can pass on to my kids, or as the luthier said, it would have its days numbered? Is it worth saving this guitar? If fixable, what would be the best way to do it?

Any help, word of wisdom and advice will be greatly appreciated!

Max

Im Sorry to tell you this, but someone has already POORLY retopped that guitar. It is obvious, as the rosette has been bondoed on top of the soundhole and not inlayed, broken bindings, poor fit of the top... many other obvious issues as well..
sorry, but that would not be worth fixing at all. Sorry to tell you this, but you got ripped off badly..

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Guitar Maker and Purveyor of the World's Finest Tonewoods
http://www.aaronhixguitars.com/
http://stores.ebay.com/A-Hix-Tonewood-a ... r-Supplies

My usual advice is to drop an anvil on it.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Your luthier has already given you the correct advice. All I can add is return it to the person who sold it to you if there is any possible way.

I'll add that even in the best of condition, because of their construction Ovations are hard to work on. I don't and won't.

The rosette is 100% correct for that year and model Ovation. They were applied over the top, they are a plastic composite. That rose could mabe be cleaned up as it looks to have finish applied over it at some point.

The filler at the binding at the edge may very well be from the factory as well, this was all done way before robots and CNC and if you have ever re-bound an Ovation you know why.

Tops coming loose from the kerfing or "living edge" as Kaman called it are quite common with age and are not the easiest repair. conventional glues do not work well so epoxy is required. The biggest problem is the FB extension coming loose from the top. It does not appear that the neck has ever been loose so that is good.

The real problem with Ovations as you are finding out is even getting someone to work on one let alone finding someone who actually knows how is very difficult. Tight case fitment is normal, I have owned several Ovations over the years and most were almost uncomfortably tight in the case.

I doubt this one would ever qualify for heirloom status after repair. It could be saved and made playable but it would not be easy or inexpensive.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

The rosettes were not plopped on top with white putty that looks like sheetrock joint compound.. that's why the fretboard doesn't lay flat on the top, the rosette is sticking up really high from whatever white putty is under it.

_________________
Guitar Maker and Purveyor of the World's Finest Tonewoods
http://www.aaronhixguitars.com/
http://stores.ebay.com/A-Hix-Tonewood-a ... r-Supplies

I have worked on many.... They are glued on top and not a full circle so the FB runs through..... As I said it's been over-sprayed or something that has turned white.

An original 76 for sale now on Reverb

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/