Ovation Celebrity

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Nickswitz
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2018 7:41 pm

Ovation Celebrity

Postby Nickswitz » Fri Apr 12, 2019 7:22 am

Hi,
I have two Ovation Celebrity semi acoustics which I bought
second hand. I lowered the bridge on both as the action was
sky high with great results.
Now ten years later, I have an issue with the intonation but
only on the E and A on both guitars, being the fretted 12th
note is a quarter/fifth tone flatter than the harmonic.

Are they resigned to the second hand shop or is there a fix?

I am a precision engineer by trade so I have access to materials
and precision machines should anything need to be fabricated.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Many thanks, Nick.

Nickswitz
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2018 7:41 pm

Re: Ovation Celebrity

Postby Nickswitz » Thu May 30, 2019 5:56 pm

Can anyone help?

Tried YouTube, Google searches etc..
I need to get it sorted as it is well pronounced.
Have a couple of electrics but I do love to play
my Ovations, the first guitar I ever played was
an Ovation owned by our very own Mr. G....
Thanks.

BRC
Posts: 131
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 8:45 am
Location: Kent, United Kingdom

Re: Ovation Celebrity

Postby BRC » Sun Jun 02, 2019 11:52 am

I saw your post when originally posted but hoped that you might get a response from others with more technical knowledge than me.

However, I bought a used 12 string Celebrity by Ovation around 18 years ago. I got it at a very good i.e. cheap, price, as the neck had a split half way along the neck running parallel to the fretboard. I repaired the split by injecting superglue into the split and then clamping under as high a pressure as possible. That effected a good repair and no such problem as you have experienced appeared.

The fact that you had to lower the action indicates something has happened to the guitars - too high a tension on the strings, not kept properly for humidity or even simply incorrect saddles fitted. I am assuming by ‘E’ and ‘A’ you are referring to the 6th and 5th strings respectively. If so then the saddle may be incorrect at the point the strings cross and may need some precision working to correct.

The only other thing I can think of in your case is that the frets are not precisely set, though seems unlikely that would be so on two instruments ... unless they were both ‘Friday afternoon jobs’. The only thing I can suggest is for you to find out the precise measurements that the guitars should have been constructed to and check that against yours.

I am interested to know the outcome of this problem.

Kind regards and good luck
Brad

Nickswitz
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2018 7:41 pm

Re: Ovation Celebrity

Postby Nickswitz » Fri Jun 07, 2019 6:16 pm

Hi Brad,
Thanks for the reply.

I believe that Celebrities have a high action from the factory as
it is easier to avoid fret buzz on what is essentially a mass produced
guitar, could be wrong, anyway, when I lowered the bridge on both,
I put the neck(s) onto a jig I made at work to keep them from moving
enabling me to remove all the strings without the neck(s) taking
any opposite stress while I removed the plastic bridge and milled
a few MM’s off of the underside to get the required action. It
worked perfectly and I had no problems, until recently.

Yes I do mean the 5th and 6th strings, I keep my guitars dry, out of
sunlight and at a regular temperature. I think I am right in saying
that if the fretted note is flatter than the harmonic, then the overall
length from top nut to bridge is too long, so what I intend to do now as
I have been promoted to workshop manager and can do what I like
within reason, is to fabricate another bridge but with the point of
contact on the 5th and 6th strings a millimetre closer to the top nut,
a bit like a Strat bridge where individual string lengths can be altered
and see what that gives.

It is not visible to the eye but I can only assume that the fretboard/
neck is slightly bent downwards as you look from a right handed
playing position.

I’ll keep you posted and if Photobucket is still free, I will try to post
some pics.

Thanks again and have a nice weekend.
ATB, Nick


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