Ovation 1861 Standard Balladeer Acoustic Electric Guitar Review

Ovation 1861 Standard Balladeer Acoustic Electric Guitar Review :: Ovation Acoustic-Electric Guitar

features a preamp that’s the envy of every guitarmaker in its class.

The Ovation 1861 Standard Balladeer Acoustic Electric Guitar is meticulously crafted with a bookmatched solid spruce soundboard mated to a super-shallow bowl. The Ovation 1861 Standard Balladeer is an instrument of unmatched value: solid spruce top; mahogany neck; hand rubbed finish; a preamp that’s the envy of every guitarmaker in its class. The EQ of Ovation 1861 Standard Balladeer is so flexible. EQ on/off, Midshift, pre-shape which cuts the mid and boosts the lows and highs. Bass mid high equalizer control. Volume control. All these buttons gives you almost complete control at a press of a button. This guitar is the most traditional Ovation guitar and the most popular USA-made model. This guitar will definitely withstand live playing, afterall that’s what it was designed to do! You won’t be dissapointed.

Pros

• a very nice, well balanced sound;
• the preamp is easy to use;
• the strings felt lighter;
• the sound, feel and worksmanship is much better than other acoustic;
• finish on frets very clean, no finish flaws;
• looks like it will last.

Cons

• some owners complained that the spacing between the strings is considerably greater on this guitar;
• some owners complained about “V” shape of the neck;
• it does not have the greatest tone when not amplified.

Suggestions

• you can use D’Addario EJ15 Phospher Bronze’s strings;
• sounds even better when plugged in;
• use with DigiTech amp;
• works best with light-gauge phosphor/bronze strings.

Amps used by users – Digitech RP100

Click below on page 2 for more photos