Customer Reviews

Applause by Ovation AE148-RRB Acoustic Electric Guitar

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the perfect guitar for someone who wants a guitar with the sound of an acoustic but which frets with the ease of an electric. I immediately restrung mine (with Martin's FX Phosphor & Silk), because the strings it came with over-tensioned the neck when I brought the guitar up to standard tuning. But once that was done, it had the most beautiful acoustic voice (practically bell-like) and it fretted like it thought it was a 1960s Gibson. The AE148's neck is very narrow which is something I greatly appreciated for my XS-sized hands. It's a super shallow body which doesn't project with as loud an acoustic volume as the deeper-bodied Ovations, but the super shallow body is also comfortable for a petite individual to hold (something deeper bodied guitars aren't). I consider the AE148 to be a near-perfect guitar, but if you are someone very large with extremely large hands, you might want try one out to make sure it's comfortable for your hands.

The guitar came well packaged and prestrung with D'Addario EXP lights and arrived in-tune. My only wish is that they would have used Elixer strings instead so they would last longer. The D'Addario's lost there brightness after about two days (which is typical). The guitar itself if gorgeous!

The guitar has less soundholes near the smaller strings, and the resonance is noticably heavier in the bass and mid-range than in the treble when played acoustically. This corrects when plugged in. The neck is GREAT for people with smaller hands, and action is set low, so playing and fretting is a breeze. The guitar sounds REALLY great both acoustically and when plugged-in. The super shallow body is great for smaller frames and it has a rubberized concave area on the bottom so it won't slip off your leg when playing like the older Ovations. This was a birthday present for my wife, and she loves it.

YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!

I stopped playing guitar 7 years ago. I found myself tapped out in Afghanistan this year and really missed playing so I was on the hunt for a new guitar. Of course out where I am, I wanted an acoustic, but I wanted something that could take a beating, that looked nice, and of course above all sounded great. WELL I was not disappointed. The ABS plastic back...Concerned me, but only until I hit the first string. True to ovations products, this things has a beautiful tone, despite it's shallow body, interesting layout, and of course, lack of wood back... I took the advice of another review and swapped out the strings with a set of Phosphor and silks... I absolutely love it. I tried to go with a light gauge so I could keep the volume down a bit (tight living you know, don't want to disturb my buddies) But this thing still packs some volume. Playing it, is MUCH like playing an electric, the action is pretty low and the neck is thin. Perfect for beginners that are still developing muscles in their fingers, or for someone with a petite hand size :-D. Ive yet to plug it into an amp yet so I'm unsure as to how it is on the electric end.

If you're looking for something fun, nice look, easy to play, and something that can take a few dings.. this is the guitar for you. I love it and couldn't be happier.

Beautiful guitar! Easy to play. I have had this guitar for 7 months now and just love it!

I'm a one-in-a-while guitar player and had too many cheap guitars in my lifetime. Now, it changed a bit after I bought the AE148-A. It has good quality, resonates beautifully with the milti-soundhole innovation. I've always wanted an ovation but couldn't afford it. This guitar struck a happy balance between functionality and price.

This is a great guitar for the price. It's still in the beginner range, but well worth the cost. The strings that come with it are very bright and clear. They have a great sound. I don't know why anyone would want to change them, bad advice I guess. Hooked into a studio mixer this guitar sounds great. The EQ that comes with it is okay, but best left alone. Too much treble picks up a lot of noise, while too much bass causes harmonic feedback. The strings are not low like an electric, they are normal for an acoustic guitar. The action is nothing like an electric guitar. Again, it's an acoustic. It's not any easier to play, doesn't have a different sound, it's just a fancy acoustic. The finish on the body is very nice, but that neck was a little rough. The tuners keep the guitar in tune which is always a plus in my book.

The Pros:
Very nice, bright sound when plugged into an amp.
The body has a unique shape that makes it easier to play.
The curve of the body does not dig into your chest.
The guitar stays in tune for a very long time.
Ships with good, quality strings.
Very light weight and easy to lug around.
Easy to re-string when the time comes.
Very attractive finish and design.
Looks good sitting in my studio.

Cons:
EQ is not very useful. The pro model at least has a tuner.
Neck is only average, not finished like a professional guitar.
Finish on wood design is not very good, might warp over time.
Cost is higher then most in this class.

All in all I would say it's a good guitar. However, the price is a bit high considering that the back and sides are made of mass produced plastic and the cost for that verses wood, glue and labor is next to nothing. The pros do make it worth it, but that is up to the buyer.

I love guitar. It was shipped with care,an the action is great for model I chose.This is guitar for begginner or pro.You wont regret ordering this guitar.