1968 Ovation Original Balladeer Prototype/Experimental Shiny Bowl Natural OHSC

This is where it all started in 1966.

The original Ovation Balladeer Shiny Bowl (later known as the Standard Balladeer) was Ovations very first model. This one is an early prototype/experimental acoustic/electric model.

I purchased this guitar from the son of the original owner. His father purchased it from the New Hartford factory in 1968. It has an early Barcus-Berry transducer installed. Note the missing ® registered trade mark symbol on the transducer. Ovation was experimenting with pickup possibilities in the late sixties. This guitar has the factory designation K107 engraved into the neck heel. The original owner did not even know the guitar had a pickup installed...

The earliest production samples had an elongated truss rod cover with the name Balladeer engraved on it. Later the standard truss rod cover was adopted and the name Balladeer was scripted down the middle of the peghead. The inlaid rosette was a chain-link design with a small bunch of grapes depicted at the 4 o'clock position. The first rosettes were a black background, but early on was changed to off-white like this guitar. The 5-piece neck, multi-ply body binding and the 5 point rosewood bridge were standardized, as were the Kluson tuners. both with 3-piece spruce tops. Later examples switched to the more traditional 2-piece top. This early Balladeer includes the original case.

Sounds and plays like a dream. The top has one professionally repaired crack. The Barcus-Berry pup sounds awesome!

Shipping quouted is to you in the CONUS...

Model number   Balladeer
Instrument type   6 string acoustic
Year of manufacture   1968
Body type   Deep bowl
Bowl   Black shiny finish
Top   Sitka Spruce AAA
Body binding   5 ply
Bracing   Ovation X bracing
Scale length   25 1/4"
Fretboard   Ebony
Fret inlay   MOP dot inlays
Bridge   Brazilian rosewood
Rosette   Inlayed chain & grapes
Nutwidth   1 11/16 "
Tuners   Chrome Kluson
Neck   5 piece gloss
Headstock   Gloss with Balladeer logo
Headstock logo   Gold decal
Label   Blue New Hartford label