For a while I have been looking to move up from my starter acoustic Fender guitar to an acoustic with a cutaway that I could plug into an amp. I had heard dubious things about Ovations in the past. I started getting interested in them when Charlie Pace found his guitar on LOST
After checking to see if any of the local guitar stores carried Ovations and Seagulls, my son and I went back to the guitar mega store and spent about 2 hours playing the Ovation TX Elite 1778 (mid-depth bowl) and several Seagull Entourages (black and rustic browns). Plugged and unplugged. There was no disputing the Ovation sounded better, richer, and fuller. I tried other Ovations, better Fenders, Takamines, Yamahas, and different models of the Seagulls. I double checked to make sure the offset rosette-style sound hole was not giving it an advantage over the other guitars, since it was closer to my ears; but my son played it from across the room and it still sounded better than the others. The Ovation was hands-down the best sounding guitar in the room.
I usually like to mess around with cheap guitars (except for my Gibson LP Studio), but this guitar at $599 ( less a 10% coupon for father's day at the guitar superstore) is not cheap in my book. I am glad I
took my wifeís usual advice and did not go cheap on this.
Although the top of the guitar looks like the typical Lyrachord (or rhino-liner) back surface that the


I am a mediocre guitar player at best. With this Ovation, songs that I usually fumble around a bit on, like Dear Prudence or the intro to Long Ago and Far Away come out clear and rich. The maple neck just fits really well in my hobbit-hands and allows me to reach frets I can usually not hit consistently.
So although, it may look weird or you may have not have heard great things about Ovation guitars, it is definitely worthwhile to check out an Ovation TX Elite 1778. It is an amazing guitar! Charley Likey!