Ovation Balladeer plugged in.

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Toker41

Better Than You
I just picked up an Ovation 12 string Balladeer. It sounds really, really sweet unplugged, however....when I plug it in it sounds like total crap! Anyone have any suggestion on how to improve this? I'm not sure, but can the pick up or preamps be swapped out in these? Anyone ever mic one?
 
What are you plugging it into?

I've got an Ovation legend that when plugged into my Ampeg twin it doesn't sound nearly as good (acoustic sounding) as plugging into a PA. I've just never got as good a sound from guitar amps as I do from PA's..

Yes I have miked it into a PA and that sounds good too, but have only experimented with doing that a couple times. When I record it I use an AT-4033 Condenser.
 
Trot down to Guitar Center and plug your Ovation into a Strawberry Blonde acoustic amp. Trust me on this one. If that doesn't help, put a magnetic pickup in the sound hole, and at least you'll sound like Leo Kottke, which ain't half bad.-Richie
 
I'm plugging into my mixer then to pc (Ntrack). Sounds a little better thru my Fender cyber, it just has this overall "echo", almost reverb sound to it. I also have a Legend, and other than it being a shallow bowl (ugh!), it sounds pretty good plugged in. Guess I'll have to try it thru my boogie.
 
You got some bitchin' amps, but not one of them is for shit as an acoustic amp. If you're trying to get acoustic sound out of an Ovation, A Mesa Boogie is not going to do it. You need a PA, or better, a good acoustic amp. Hell, you'd get better sound running it through your stereo than the amps you're using- Unless you switch to a magnetic pickup. Then I think you'll find the Fender will work pretty well.-Richie
 
Yeah, I was thinking about a pickup.
So for recording you are suggesting not going direct?
 
What I'm suggesting is that if you *are* going DI, a mixer is an awful front end to do it through. You either need to take a line off of an acoustic amp, use an excellent preamp with a little color (I find my Joemeek twinQ works rather well for this), or you need to use a DI box/modeler made for an acoustic, such as a Yamaha AG Stomp. An electric guitar amp will only make matters worse, especially a dirty one. If you do a lot of live work, get a good acoustic amp (not a Crate). If you do a lot of recording, get a better preamp/DI.
It takes a whole lot of processing to make the piezo pickup in a plastic guitar sound like wood.-Richie
 
Toker41:

You've basically already received the good/experienced advice on this subject. "Acoustic" amps, good PA---the best options.

Additionally, you might want to check out an Aphex Acoustic Exciter (reviewed at Guitar Player Magazines website). I have one. Although I'm not using it for de-amping ("make the electric amp sound more like an acoustic amp") feature, it can enhance the acoustic sound from an electric guitar amp.

Also, I have a friend who's nephew was using a Yamaha with a Fishman PU (no pre controls) through a SS Twin-type amp. He was using an inexpensive Zoom 504II Acoustic pedal. It was really doing a good job of getting an acoustic sound from the twin-type amp. He said it wasn't the easiest pedal to use/understand but he bought it without a manual.

Everybody that I know with Yamaha AG-Stomp loves it.

If you guitar amp has aux inputs, effects return, or insert return on the back panel, you might be able to Y in an acoustic preamp (like an LR Baggs or Tech21) at that point---or use a small mixer at that point. If you can use the mixer, that might be a $40-50 US solution.


Good Luck,
Paj
8^)
 
1) a pickup will never sound like the unplugged version of the guitar.

2) plastic will never sound like wood.

3) an electric guitar amp will rarely provide a good sound for an acoustic guitar.
 
As stated earlier, you'll need to go through an acoustic guitar amp or a p.a.

Is it new? If it's an older Ovation with knob controls only from the 70's or 80's then it will indeed sound like crap compared to what's out there today. That was the case for my '80 Custom Legend 12 string. I bought an OP 24 preamp from Ovation and took a jigsaw to the lyricord body...........sounds great now.
 
Brand new. Has the OP 30 in it. I find the older ones sounding better.
 
Toker41 said:
Brand new. Has the OP 30 in it. I find the older ones sounding better.
Click to expand...

Hmmm........if the pre ain't workin' for you I don't know what to say except dump it. Ovation is using thinline style transducers sometimes and they suck, does it have the six separate bridge pickups?
 
I usually can't stand the sound of directly recorded acoustics, the one exception being tim reynolds.
 
I've had a little success using a Fishman Prefix Plus in a Taylor 710CE, with the pickup and the onboard mic split into the 2 sides of a Joemeek twinQ. Use mostly the mic and add some pickup for bass and presence. Either signal alone sucks, but the 2 together aren't bad.-Richie
 
If you are using the guitar for recording, the piezo pickup alone won't sound very good IMHO. They are good for live use; not real prone to feedback (as acoustic pickups go) and have a lively, zingy character that cuts thru a live mix, but they are very harsh sounding for recording, no matter what preamp or exact model of under-saddle pickup. It might sound better to you thru a guitar amp, because the signal is being "softened" a little. For recording and getting a true acoustic sound, you will need a good condenser mic - read up on placement, EQ, etc. If you don't have the cash for that, try experimenting with compression and EQ to try and tame that harshness...you might also try mixing in a little of whatever mic you have laying around; an SM57, SM58, etc. with the piezo signal.
Apart from that, I am a little puzzled by your comment about it having something like an echo or reverb-like quality...I wonder if somethng could be wrong with that preamp ?? The output wire from the piezo should have a 3/32" (or is it 1/8" ??) plug on it, you could unplug that from the preamp and try running it to your board directly to see what it sounds like. The signal will be weak (un-pre-amped), but the trim/gain knob on the board should bring it up loud enough. If it sounds way better than with the preamp, you'll have to get it fixed or replaced. I have never messed with a 12 string that had a piezo, but I wonder if the reverbish quality might just be due to sympathetic vibrations from all those strings?
 
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