A lovely vintage USA-made Ovation Balladeer 1111 from 1979, complete with its original hard case and original documentation.

The Balladeer was one of the models that helped put Ovation on the map, combining traditional acoustic tonewoods with the company's innovative Lyrachord bowl-back construction. The result is a guitar with excellent projection, a balanced tonal response and a distinctive character that has made these early USA-built Ovations increasingly collectible.

This example features a solid spruce top paired with Ovation's famous rounded composite back, delivering a clear and articulate voice that works beautifully for both fingerstyle playing and strumming. The comfortable mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard make for an easy playing experience, while the decorative rosette gives it that unmistakable Ovation look.

What's particularly impressive here is the condition. For a guitar approaching 50 years old it presents exceptionally well, retaining its original hardware and coming complete with the original hard case, manuals and paperwork.

A fantastic example of a classic American acoustic from one of the most innovative guitar builders of the era.

Specifications

• Model: Ovation Balladeer 1111
• Year: 1979
• Serial Number: 197895
• Made in USA
• Solid Spruce Top
• Lyrachord Bowl Back
• Mahogany Neck
• Rosewood Fingerboard
• Dot Inlays
• Multi-Ply Binding
• Decorative Ovation Rosette
• Original Ovation Tuners
• Original Bridge
• Original Hard Case Included
• Original Documentation Included

Condition

Very good vintage condition.

The guitar is structurally excellent and plays well with comfortable action. There are a handful of small marks, impressions and light scratches to the top, as photographed, along with the expected signs of careful use that come with a well-preserved instrument of this age. The bowl back remains in excellent condition and the guitar presents beautifully overall.

The frets are in good shape, the hardware functions exactly as it should, and the guitar has clearly been looked after throughout its life.

Comes complete with its original hard case, owner's manuals and accompanying paperwork.

The Woodshed is one of the UK’s trusted independent pre-owned guitar and amp specialists, proudly built on a rock-solid reputation with all five-star reviews across every platform we sell on.

We’re home to one of the fastest-growing collections of preloved guitars, amplifiers and related gear in the country, with new arrivals landing daily. We ship safely and securely across the globe — or if you fancy a visit, you’re more than welcome to collect in person from our HQ in the village of Ansty, just outside Coventry.

USA customers: If you're purchasing gear that was originally built in the States, you may be able to avoid import charges by submitting a Foreign Shipper’s Declaration of U.S. Goods Returned form — available online.

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