1968 Ovation 1111-4 Balladeer Bowlback Guitar

Overview: I took this guitar in trade from my guy Jose and it's a fun one. I am very fond of '60s Ovations because I owned a shiny-bowl, first-year-of-production one for a while and wrote a few albums on it. I always liked the comfy, quick neck, good volume, and balanced, woody sound.

Later Ovations from the '70-onward carry-over a lot of those things but the sound changes as soon as they switch from '60s x-bracing to '70s tonebar/fan bracing. This one has the old x-pattern and that gives it an almost Gibson-like sound that's very appealing to the folkster in me. The deep bowl means that it gets a sort-of LG-2 meets '60s J-45 sound with a little spank in the high end, I think, that's very satisfying.

Repairs included: I gave this a level/dress of the frets, cleaned it up, recut the saddle a bit, and set it up. It's playing spot-on and ready to go.

• Weight: 4 lbs 7 os
• Scale length: 25 1/4"
• Nut width: 1 5/8"
• Neck shape: medium C/V
• Board radius: 10"
• Depth at first fret: 0.82"
• Depth at seventh fret: 0.89"
• Body width: 15 1/2"
• Body depth: ~5"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: synthetic bowl
• Bracing type: x
• Bridge: rosewood
• Fretboard: ebony
• Neck wood: mahogany
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 50w-11 GHS 80/20 bronze (I suggest 11s on these but 12s are ok, too)
• Truss rod: adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium/lower

Condition notes: There's weather-check to the finish here and there and mild-mediumn usewear (small scratching and scuffs) throughout as well. The top has a (repaired) tiny crack on the bass lower bout with some finish-spidering coming out from it (must've been bumped). The guitar appears entirely original.

It comes with: Sorry, no case, but if I have a spare gigbag at the time of sale I will include one.

Consignor tag: JW