Ovation Celebrity UCS10P Soprano - REVIEW

bazmaz

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Interesting, if perhaps a bit disappointing. Reminds me of Takamine guitars, which amplify very well, but do not (at least to me) sound all that good acoustically.

But if you'll pardon a slight correction from a polymer chemist, the bodies of Magic Fluke ukuleles are not made of polycarbonate, but rather some unspecified "thermoplastic". (Polycarbonate is a thermoset, not a thermoplastic.) The fretboards of Fleas and Flukes however ARE made of polycarbonate. All of which is of course totally unimportant to your review.
 
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Too bad. I have two Ovation guitars that sound fantastic acoustically but they have Sitka and Carbon Fibre tops respectively. The lower end Ovation guitars can also be disappointing.
 
But if you'll pardon a slight correction from a polymer chemist, the bodies of Magic Fluke ukuleles are not made of polycarbonate, but rather some unspecified "thermoplastic". (Polycarbonate is a thermoset, not a thermoplastic.) The fretboards of Fleas and Flukes however ARE made of polycarbonate. All of which is of course totally unimportant to your review.

To be honest, I may well have described lyrachord wrong too - being a trademarked thing for Ovation they are quite vague about what it actually is.

FWIW - the materials on the Flea certainly sounds better than this one!!
 
Too bad. I have two Ovation guitars that sound fantastic acoustically but they have Sitka and Carbon Fibre tops respectively. The lower end Ovation guitars can also be disappointing.


I believe their quality (and interest in them) has fallen in recent years - they were in financial trouble and sold on. Far from the good old days..
 
I believe their quality (and interest in them) has fallen in recent years - they were in financial trouble and sold on. Far from the good old days..
I paid my way through my last 2 years of college playing an Ovation at Lobby #2, Juarez. I didn't play all that well. The Ovation was more of a prop for doing schtick during my stand-up stuff.

I was very surprised that the Ovation soprano you reviewed was so lacking in volume, seeing as how it has such a big, fat, nicely rounded bottom. My Ovation guitar had amazing cutting power acoustically -- I always thought that its big bottom was a major reason for my Ovation's acoustic prowess. It was an A/E but I rarely played it plugged in, even in a big crowded room.

I have a Clearwater baritone with an Ovation-sized tush. You reviewed it (or was it the Ohana?) some while ago. It was per your review that I sought it & bought it -- from a UK shop, as a matter of fact. Your very positive review of that ukulele was spot on! That Clearwater barry has huge cutting power and a sweetly gorgeous sound. I love it dearly.
 
Good review. Brings up my oldest grip......that is Ovation have the resources and technology to make is a better acoustic and amplified ukulele, if they wanted to!!!! It just proves it
 
Wow, posting above I lost most of my post. Don’t know why. I won’t redo it cause perhaps it timed out. My main point, Ovation can make a better instrument if they wanted to. Imagine a better, thinner laminate. Or a solid top. Or a carbon fibre top. Imagine a better braced system to allow top to acoustically do its thing. Imagine a regular passive pick up, with jack out the tail block.

Big business opportunity for Ovation just cause they have a good name. Build a better ukulele and they will buy it.

I’m sure with Made in China costs, improvements could be made and not increase the cost. Gig bag looked good. Could be a super road instrument. Tenor size anyone.

Thanks for sharing.
 
I have a Clearwater baritone with an Ovation-sized tush. You reviewed it (or was it the Ohana?) some while ago. It was per your review that I sought it & bought it -- from a UK shop, as a matter of fact. Your very positive review of that ukulele was spot on! That Clearwater barry has huge cutting power and a sweetly gorgeous sound. I love it dearly.

Yep, those Clearwaters are a marvel. I don't have one here to examine against the Ovation, but... from memory - the plastic in the bowl is much thinner and lighter than the Ovation - The Ovation is built like a tank. That's the only thing I can pin the volume on.
 
Thanks for a non-tempting review. :D


Ha ha - yes - they happen now and again! What I've noticed in last 12 months or so is that the range of ukes out there has genuinely got a lot better on quality from cheap to expensive. Finding the real dogs is actually harder than it was. Of course, this is great news for buyers.
 
Big business opportunity for Ovation just cause they have a good name. Build a better ukulele and they will buy it.

I’m sure with Made in China costs, improvements could be made and not increase the cost. Gig bag looked good. Could be a super road instrument. Tenor size anyone.

Thanks for sharing.

Yes, it's a bit like how I view Fender - of course they COULD make an absolute killer ukulele - they have the skills and the setup to do that. Instead they go derivative cheap and bland sounding. I can only put it down to them not taking the uke fully seriously, but still wanting to be on the bandwagon. Some guitar brands get it right of course - the Gretsch laminate mahogany ukes are really very good for the money - dead clear, good volume, nice tone.
 
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