I hate to see everyone cutting Ovation off at the knees. It's the only acoustic guitar I've ever had, and I cant afford another one. It was made in 1982 and I paid $500 for it 16 years ago. I had none, and I had $500 to blow on one, and I played every guitar I could afford and was ready to walk out of the store when he brought me this Ovation on consignment. It was miles better than all of the other guitars in the same price bracket, so I bought it. That was 1992, and it still plays better than any guitar on the wall except the most expensive Martins and Gibsons (that's what I had to choose from when I went to the store to test drive them again a few days ago - they do not carry Guild or Taylor, etc, but they had Washburn and Alvarez and Tak and Fender and several others). The neck is still perfectly straight, no cracks in the finish, it plays (feels) like an electric, and it stays in perfect tune for weeks and weeks at a time without any work or adjustment.
I played some $1000 dollar Martins that were pure garbage. I played some $1500 and $1800 dollar Martins that really sucked. That's the only reason why I voted for Martin. I played an Alvarez that I mistook for one of the expensive brands just because it felt great, was easy to play, and had full sound. It was better than any of the under $2000 Martins, and it was priced at $600.
The only Martin's I played that were obviously superior to the other brands were the over $2000 models. I thought the D40 sucked, compared to the D28 or
the D35. But I'd take that
Gibson J150 over any of them in a heartbeat.
No, my Ovation doesn't have the best sound, but I have to strain to hear the difference between it and any of those $1500 Martins. Besides, if you look at it from the other side of the guitar - the listener - you will see that the most over rated and over priced guitar is the one being held by the guy who cant play. I'd hire a gifted player using my Ovation any day over a guy with no talent playing a $3000 Martin.
All that being said, if I won the lottery I'd buy a better guitar TODAY, no questions asked! And Martin and Gibson and Guild would be the first ones I'd test drive. But I have yet to play anything other than the most expensive Martins or Gibsons that is any easier to play or markedly better sounding than my Ovation.
Next time I have $10,000 burning a hole in my pocket, maybe I'll bite my lip and start bashing Ovation, too, I dont know......