Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:11 am


All times are UTC - 5 hours





Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 6:54 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 3:14 am
Posts: 982
Location: Shefford, Québec
First name: Tim
Last Name: Mullin
City: Shefford
State: QC
Zip/Postal Code: J2M 1R5
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Ovations are not too popular around here, but every once in a while one shows up. The week before I was forced to close for C-19, I had no less than 3 to evaluate!

The third one through was quite unlike any guitar I’d ever seen, with a strange headstock and a black-painted ALUMINUM fingerboard! The fingerboard was slightly wider than the neck itself and during my short inspection, I didn’t identify a truss rod adjuster, just two neck attachment bolts (I think).

Someone had played the heck out of this guitar and the frets were thoroughly munched (and aluminum showing where the black paint was worn off). Looks like they had been leveled at some point, but no crowning. The fellow asked me how much to refret? I hedged, quoting my usual rate as a starting point, if it was possible at all, and a likely up charge for difficulty.

Anyone ever managed a refret on such a beast? How?

PS: I frightened all three Ovations out of the shop with my estimates!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 7:18 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:04 am
Posts: 5743
First name: Chris
Last Name: Pile
City: Wichita
State: Kansas
Country: Good old US of A
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
Is it an Applause (black plastic peghead overlay), or an Ovation?

No matter…. I used to sell those way back in the late 70's. In fact, sold an Applause to my brother. He finally wore the frets down to nothing, and it played and sounded horrible. You couldn't bend strings on it at all. Near as I can tell - impossible to fix. The fingerboard on the Applause was cast integrally with the neck. It had 2 stripes down the back of the neck - filled with brown foam which eventually chipped out. You didn't dare play it in the sun because it wouldn't stay in tune. The aluminum was kind of gummy as I remember. Not one of Kaman's great ideas.

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



These users thanked the author Chris Pile for the post: fumblefinger (Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:51 pm)
Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 6:10 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2010 9:06 pm
Posts: 2739
Location: Magnolia DE
First name: Brian
Last Name: Howard
City: Magnolia
State: Delaware
Zip/Postal Code: 19962
Country: United States
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
Those frets are cast as part of the fretboard itself. I have leveled and re-crowned a few over the years but a re-fret is a non starter. Might be able to replace the finger board but the instrument isn't really worth the expense and effort.

_________________
Brian

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

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:37 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 10:44 am
Posts: 6232
Location: Virginia
Nothin' but a canoe paddle at that point.



These users thanked the author jfmckenna for the post: Hesh (Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:44 am)
Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 12:58 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 12, 2005 5:46 am
Posts: 2931
Location: United States
I always thought a pair of those might make interesting speaker boxes for the shop.

_________________
Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 3:48 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 3:14 am
Posts: 982
Location: Shefford, Québec
First name: Tim
Last Name: Mullin
City: Shefford
State: QC
Zip/Postal Code: J2M 1R5
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Really quite an unusual critter — certainly new to me. Thanks for all the comments!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 5:26 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2013 4:58 pm
Posts: 1449
First name: Ed
Last Name: Minch
City: Chestertown
State: MD
Zip/Postal Code: 21620
Country: United States
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
My 83 year old uncle bought this soprano banjo uke in 1950 - his first of now many. It came with colored strings and "easy instructions" but it took with him. Nylon strings so no fret wear to speak of. He passed it on to because I always have admired it.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 6:32 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:04 am
Posts: 5743
First name: Chris
Last Name: Pile
City: Wichita
State: Kansas
Country: Good old US of A
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
One of my nephews has one of those.

From the age when American industry said "We can make any dang thing, just because we want to!".

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


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com