1979 Ovation 1112 Ballader Flattop Guitar

The serial dates this guy to 1979 and... like most older Ovations... I liked it once it was fixed up! This is a neighbor's instrument and work included cleating up that big top crack and regluing the top seam near it as well as a general setup.

He'd been playing the guitar with electrical tape on the top and I cringed when I saw it because I immediately thought: oh man, talk about crack travel! Fortunately it went back together just fine and is now stable in service.

Ovations certainly have their own sound and the older ones just have a better version of it. I think there would be far more admirers of these guitars if the soundhole rosette had simply been inlaid rather than a plastic reverse-painted disc glued on!

Still, they're very practical units and the necks always feel sort-of like home base: they're not too small, not too big, and like an old Gibson neck... fill the hand just about right for most folks.

The diamond markers are fun... especially since they're set into an ebony board.