Nice restoration project for my b'day
I just got my beloved 25 year old, Ovation 1517 Ultra natural woodgrain acoustic, back from a local guitar repair shop. After many years of use and abuse, it had become a real mess. Worn out frets, worn out nut, cracked neck bindings, severe long and deep cracks in the soundboard, (I am talking 6-10 inches long), volume/tone knob broken, the guitar wood and the rosewood fretboard itself was starved for moisture and had to spend almost a week just getting re-humidfied. Needless to say, the poor thing was in piss poor shape. I had not played it, in 7-8 years because it had become virtually unplayable and sounded terrible. A month ago, I made up my mind to finally get it fixed or just toss it out. Well about thirty days and $500 dollars later (95% of it labor), it is like I have a brand new guitar again.
I have had and used other acoustic guitars, but nothing compares to the deep resonating bass, the beautiful sustaining tone and fluid neck/fretboard action, of my quarter century ol' 1517 Ultra. I have played many other models, of Ovations, and many other acoustics, for that matter, but none of them, felt or sounded, as good as my 1517. Yes, I got my baby back and I am very happy about the quality, of work that was done, to restore my ol' Ovation back to it's former glory. It's like I have a brand new guitar again. It has now regained it's rightful place, as my fav acoustic again.
It also has a lot of sentimental value, as well. It was the guitar, I was playing, when I met my wife, on Waikiki beach, in 1982.
In recent years, she had asked me why I don't play the Ovation anymore, as she always thought it was such a beautiful and distinctive sounding guitar. It was well worth the $500, to restore it, back to like new condition again.
Anyway, I just wanted to share the good news.