Guest: Joe Tunon
Reviewed on: 30/Jan/2006
Not Rated
Purchased From:
Musician's Discount Center (Miami, FL)
Price Paid:
$699
Introduction
I compared this to a dozen guitars below and above its price range. This one fit my needs most closely.
Good Points
Great neck. Great action. Unbelievable tone acoustically considering the shallow back - this actually works to my benefit since I often play unplugged, and the full roundbacks tend to drown out my voice. This is the perfect level - louder than a Tangent, but lower than a full body, without sacrificing the tone. And plugged in... well, it's an Ovation!
Bad Points
It makes me want to buy the Custom Legend version of the guitar to get the custom inlays and sweet looking border! The Standard Balladeer has a plain look to it, but it is still a very elegant looking guitar. I have the black one, and I think she's gorgeous!
The Verdict
This is the best guitar I have ever bought for the money. I tried some of the more expensive guitars (including some of the more expensive Ovations) and this one was still best because of its acoustic capabilities unplugged. Don't let the shallow back fool you. As always, play it side by side with other guitars. That is the only way to be convinced of the quality you get with this guitar.
