Ovation Legend eats Larrivee for lunch...

[tragocaster]

I met the parents of my daughters school friend the other day, and the dad is the proud owner of a new Larrivee. At our next meeting I had my old beat up Ovation Legend with me and had the pleasure of doing a side by side comparison.

For starters, the Larrivee is a really nice guitar. It had one of those wide, flatish necks that reminded me of an old SG, only wider. I thought that it was comfortable, but not necessarily my cup o'tea. The tone was nice overall, but just had that "pinched" sound that I find in a lot of upper end guitars now days. I can't really explain it, but it's a sound that's made me run for the elcheapo Yamaha more than once (some of those sound better than a $2000 Martin sometimes).

When I picked my Ovation Legend back up, I was almost embarrassed by the tone that just gushes out of this thing! The difference between it and the Larrivee is like someone taking the blanket off. The Ovation Legend just breathes where the Larrivee seemed choked.

When folks ask about buying a nice acoustic for little money, I always get the rolling eyes when I bring up Ovations. It's as if they just don't want to even hear about it. Whatever. But I know for a fact that I've played several upscale Martins, Taylors, etc. etc. that just seemed to be so mediocre for the prices they're asking for them, and I got this Ovation Legend off of ebay for $300. It's all beat up, but plays fine, and sounds unbeatable!

I am an ovation guitar owner and a proud member of www.ovationfanclub.com

tragocaster

tragdjames@yahoo.com

1137 Matrix
1117 Legend
CS257 Celebrity

[inspector13]

Glad you like your guitar... Your point is?

[suprswd]

ovation does make nice guitars.

better than larrivee?

ill have to think about that one.



...thought about it, and larrivees are still superior, in my opinion  :mellow:

glad your happy with what youve got though.

~Logan 

[ronmac]

Thanks for dropping by.

If it works for you that is all that matters. Some guitars work better for some folks than others.

I have  afriend that has a 1964 Martin D18 that I would buy in a heartbeat. He won't sell because it belonged to a family member before he got it. I ahve seen him play this guitar maybe 2 times in the past year. He prefers to play a plywood Yamaha that I wouldn't give a nickel for. Go figure.

[joxter]

Burp...

Both of my Larrivee's sound better than my Ovation but I don't want any of them eating the others, that is just gross!

[drmlabs]

Hey, let's all go to the Ovation forum and trash Ovation guitars, wouldn't that be fun?
Naaaaa, not really.

Dan

ps- JUST KIDDING (for any sarcasm-challanged readers)

[Darrell111]

I guess tragocaster likes the sound of a cheap guitar over the sound of a nice one. Hmm whatever i guess.. there again the the whole matter of "opinion"

I JUST got back from GC where i was meeting up with a friend who was going to take a look at my larrivee (he does contract work for GC).  All the employees up there were throwing lots of compliments about my Larrivee.  I played it against some other Martins and Taylors in the acoustic room and wouldnt you know there was a mutual agreement that it sounded better then most other guitars in there.  Of course the Martins and Taylors were on average 1000-1500 more in price. 

So i would say i got a good deal on my LV-05 ;)

[PastorChuck]

Hey Strago-

As you can tell by my signature line - I have Ovations and I have played ovations for years. I started with a Glen Campbell 12 string and went to a 12 string Custom Legend - which I still proudly own. I use a Celebrity 12 string for a beater. As a big Ovation fan, they make good guitars - BUT from my experience, they are not comparable to Larrivees in the quality of build, tone or playability. I have three "10"series Larrivees - top of the line models - and they blow the Ovations away - hands down.

I get your pespective, but this IS the Larrivee forum so I think you are going to get a lot of disagreement to your statements. Mine come from many years of experience with both - so I think yours may be an isolated opinion.

Testing one Larrivee certainly is not enough to form an educated opinion about the entire company and their guitars. There may be some Ovation fans here but this is NOT an Ovation fan club.

Chuck

[PastorChuck]

My last post should have been addressed to "Trago" not "Strago".

Typo. Sorry!


Chuck

[prof_stack]

Er, welcome to the forum tragocaster.

Play your Ovation and enjoy it while you become more acquainted with this forum and the fine people here.

You might discover the magic of Larrivee while you're here.

[Daddyo]

I met the parents of my daughters school friend the other day, and the dad is the proud owner of a new Larrivee. At our next meeting I had my old beat up Ovation Legend with me and had the pleasure of doing a side by side comparison.

For starters, the Larrivee is a really nice guitar. It had one of those wide, flatish necks that reminded me of an old SG, only wider. I thought that it was comfortable, but not necessarily my cup o'tea. The tone was nice overall, but just had that "pinched" sound that I find in a lot of upper end guitars now days. I can't really explain it, but it's a sound that's made me run for the elcheapo Yamaha more than once (some of those sound better than a $2000 Martin sometimes).

When I picked my Ovation Legend back up, I was almost embarrassed by the tone that just gushes out of this thing! The difference between it and the Larrivee is like someone taking the blanket off. The Ovation Legend just breathes where the Larrivee seemed choked.

When folks ask about buying a nice acoustic for little money, I always get the rolling eyes when I bring up Ovations. It's as if they just don't want to even hear about it. Whatever. But I know for a fact that I've played several upscale Martins, Taylors, etc. etc. that just seemed to be so mediocre for the prices they're asking for them, and I got this Ovation Legend off of ebay for $300. It's all beat up, but plays fine, and sounds unbeatable!

I am an Ovation guitar owner and a proud member (#3601) of the http://www.ovationfanclub.com/

tragocaster

tragdjames@yahoo.com

1137 Matrix
1117 Legend
CS257 Celebrity

Plus, if there is a flood, you can float to safety on your Ovation. The Larrivee will just swell and fall apart. :)

[synkronized1]

Maybe the Larrivee needs time to break-in properly. It took a month or so for mine to loosen up. It seems to sound better every day. Make the same comparison in 6 months. I would be interested to see if there is a difference.

[jeremy3220]

I've always wanted an ovation. They cost alot less and sound great, no one else makes a platic guitar sing like they do.  They answer the age old question "which is better rosewood or mahogany?" well the answer is plastic. When it came time to buy a guitar the only reason I got the Larrivee was  because I was afraid I would look nuts playing a cereal bowl, and I like to throw my money away. People just haven't realized the "plastic tone" is the way to go. I haven't played any of those all wood Ovations (I think they make them, but I don't know why) but all of the Ovations I've played really do have that genuine plastic tone.

"The tone was nice overall, but just had that "pinched" sound that I find in a lot of upper end guitars now days."

Yeh most high end guitars do sound like crap. I was playing my Santa Cruz the other day and a friend let me play their laminated fender. man, I felt stupid that I had blown all my money, when the fender had that seasoned open laminate sound. Granted it's not plastic but, the next best thing is plywood.  :rolleyes:





Ok seriously no offense to Ovation owners, but all the ones I've played had plastic backs and sounded like it.

"It had one of those wide, flatish necks that reminded me of an old SG, only wider."
It sounds like you don't have alot of expeirence playing nice acoustic guitars. Larrivee's neck are not wider than standard widths for their body sizes. For instance dreads come with 1 11/16 and OMs with 1 3/4. Most high end acoustic have flatter fretboards than the ovations I've played. Sorry I don't value your opinion, when I have ears of my own. I don't have blind Larrivee love either. I think Larrivee makes a good guitars, but there are lots of other brands I would gravitate to if I had an unlimited budget. Ovation would not be one of them.

[roknroll]

Here's my .02

1)Fanatastic first post!  Way to break the ice and get your foot in the door! Welcome to the forum! 
2)Why are you spamming the larrivee forum with your ovationfanclub website?
3)This HAS to be spam...nobody is ignorant enough to come into a forum dedicated towards Larrivee, and start spewing their opinion about how this or that guitar is better than a larrivee.
4)It's obvious you have buyers remorse for buying 3...count it THREE ovations, otherwise you wouldn't feel the need to come in here and spread your guitar playing shortcomings amongst true guitar enthusiasts.


I'm surprised nobody else has called out this guy as being a TROLL, yet.  Well let me be the first to do so.  Now piss off Tragedycaster.

[jeremy3220]

Btw, I hope you don't retaliate against those who poked fun. You'd be a fool to think a first post like that would be well received. So don't act surprised at such animosity or as if you've been victimized. Just a warning, since us Larrivee forumites are quite intelligent(we see through that BS). Some hold their tongue better than others though.

[Darrell111]

I shall retaliate!!!

[Hudman]

Either your friend's Larrivee has some issues (poor set up, humidity problem, etc.) or you are used to the Ovation sound.

Personally, I think Ovations sound thin when played unplugged (I owned 2 over the years). In fact, they really don't sound like an acoustic guitar until you plug them in. I have noticed over the years that many rock / metal fans love the Ovation neck and the Ovation tone. Most straight up acoustic players prefer traditional wood guitars.

"Pinched" tone? Again, I think you have become acustomed to the Ovation tone. That's a good thing for you. You will never be drawn into buying a high quality wood guitar.

[jeremy3220]

rocknroll, he's definitly a troll of some sorts.Though I don't know whether its blatent spam, yet.

Does anyone know how Ovation is doing in the market now? I know they used to be very popular but you don't hear that much about them now. I think Ovation at one time was a great alternative to plugging in a regular acoustic, but now due to technological advances you get better results plugging in the all wood guitars. Is that the general consensus?

[jeremy3220]

I shall retaliate!!!

  with Ovation in hand?

[roknroll]

Well, I'm not really sure what the fascination is with ovations.  If I wanted a guitar that could withstand extreme temperatures and climates, I would gravitate more towards a rainsong, or some other carbon made guitar.  At least they sound like an acoustic guitar.  Ovations do sound alright plugged in, but why not own a guitar that sounds awesome unplugged and plugged in?  My biggest question is this...why would he come into our forum, just to give us his opinion of ovations, and how they are so superior to larrivee?  Comparing a Larrivee to an Ovation, is like comparing creme bru le to an old dirty sock.