Some may find these plastic bowl back ukes cheesy, but this one sounds sweet. The song, and playing are excellent. What a soothing song. Anyone have one of these ukes? Very durable, I assume.
My first new guitar in 1975 was an Ovation Applause 6 string. A few years later I also bought a 12 string. Since taking up the uke four years ago, I haven't touched my guitars, but a couple of months ago I saw an Ovation Applause tenor uke sunburst on an eBay auction that looked just like my guitar, but instead of buying it outright for the $400 asking, I bid on it and lost out. I kicked myself over and over until a couple weeks later I saw a Marketplace listing for a Godin Multiuke with the same finish for $400 and jumped on it.
The second uke I bought when I started playing 9 years ago was an Ovation/Applause soprano (black just like the one above). Bought it used and I still own it today. Looks and sounds great.
I have a tenor. I have mixed feeling about it. But I'm not getting rid of it
Pros:
Perfect intonation
Great tone
Great setup right out of the box
Spruce top model is beautiful to look at.
Great electronics
Cons
Chunky neck
Heavy for a ukulele
Slippery back. ( you need to wear a strap)
Quiet voice when played acoustically. (My wife think this is a pro not a con)
I got mine for $150 on a factory scratch and dent sale.
Although its not perfect I do not regret the purchase.
I had a Tanglewood take on the Ovation guitars as my first steel strung acoustic (a Tanglewood Odyssey if I remember correctly) about 15 years ago. Loved it, gigged with it a lot, ultimately gave it up when I downsized to one guitar only. It's a pity these ukes are no longer available as I'd love a concert scale one. The Clearwater ones available don't stir the same nostalgia with me.
Just Googled left handed Tanglewood Odysseys and there's someone nearby selling one secondhand. Now I'm tempted!
Love the Connecticut rebirth story of Ovation over the past two years. Word is, while their entry level guitars are still made in Korea, they plan to launch more production American builds in 2017. From 2015-2016, it was customs, anniversary issues alone while they reopened and began hiring. No word on ukuleles being made here anytime soon, but we can dream. Four minute video, from late 2015, of their guitar-building resurrection, in Connecticut, by Drum Workshop.
For the record, I own an imported 2016 (redesigned bowl, much less slip) six-string Ovation guitar that is sweetly melodic, almost ethereal sounding, as shown by Kevin Cronin in the attached video. While it lacks bass, it's amazing amplified. I owned an Ovation baritone ukulele a few years back that I shouldn't have sold. Heavy as a casket, but the sound was alive.
Another Ovation guitar fan here: I own two (a US-made spruce topped Elite, and an Korean made cedar topped elite). Love them both dearly.
Ovation Guitars got bought by DW a year or two ago and they've pushed hard to relaunch the brand, which is great (especially after what Fender did to it). And, if the February teaser is anything to go by, they may not have forgotten the ukulele crowd entirely either.