The R&D team spent months building and testing prototype instruments. Kaman founded Ovation Instruments, and in 1965 its engineers and luthiers (guitar makers) worked to improve acoustic guitars by changing their conventional materials. One of these was Charles McDonough, who created the Ovation Adamas model. For the project, Kaman chose a small team of aerospace engineers and technicians, several of whom were woodworking hobbyists as well. Research and development of first models įiberglass round-back body (medium-depth) of Ovation Balladeer (1968)Ĭharles Kaman put a team of employees to work to invent a new guitar in 1964. production of Ovation and Adamas guitars, basses, ukuleles and mandolins. In addition to the Ovation brand, Drum Workshop also bought the New Hartford factory and reinstated the previously ceased U.S. The announcement was made on January 7, 2015. Shortly after closing the New Hartford factory it was announced that the Ovation brand had been sold to the company Drum Workshop, alongside a few other previously Fender-owned brands. production of other Fender-owned brands in that factory, as is known, Guild (Guild Guitar Company) and Fender. Alongside Ovation and Adamas guitars, which were produced there for decades, Fender started a U.S. production of various acoustic guitars in the New Hartford factory. Before that announcement Fender established a U.S. In 2014, Fender announced that they were closing the Ovation guitar factory in New Hartford, Connecticut, leaving all production of Ovation guitars overseas. In 2008 KMCMusicorp (and with that the Ovation brand) was sold to the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. įrom 1966 to 2007 Ovation guitars, and later on Adamas guitars, were a brand of KMCMusicorp, which itself was a subsidiary of Kaman Aircraft. Charles Kaman, still an avid guitar player, became interested in making guitars. In the early 1960s, however, financial problems from the failure of their commercial flight division forced them to expand into new markets, such as entertainment and leisure. The Kaman Corporation soon diversified, branching into nuclear weapons testing, commercial helicopter flight, development and testing of chemicals, and helicopter bearings production. Eventually, he founded a helicopter design company, Kaman Aircraft, in 1945. Kaman, an amateur guitarist from an early age, worked on helicopter design as an aerodynamacist at United. Ovation Applause Serial Number Lookupįounder Charles Kaman (1919–2011) developed the first prototypes of the Ovation guitar in 1965–1966. Among musicians the relatively thin neck stands out as well, compared to other acoustic guitars.Ī mid-1970s Kaman Ovation Custom Balladeer 1612-4 acoustic electric guitar, next to a lute. The latter are also well known for the use of carbon fiber tops (instead of the typically wood tops for acoustic guitars). The company's Ovation and Adamas guitars are known for their round backs, which gives them a recognizable shape. In 2015, it became a subsidiary of Drum Workshop after being acquired from KMCMusicorp. Ovation primarily manufactures steel-string acoustic guitars (both 6 and 12-string versions) and nylon-string acoustic guitars, often with pickups for electric amplification. The Ovation Guitar Company is a manufacturer of guitars. Ovation Instruments, a division of Kaman Aircraft (c. Would love to clarify this and even find a print ad or brochure with this. Ovation date-finder says 1978 for this serial number but I've also been told that production in Korea did not occur until the early 1980's. Seeking information about my vintage Ovation Applause AA-31 acoustic guitar. The Ovation website lists all serial numbers and their corresponding dates of manufacture with three-digit serial numbers ranging from 1966 to 1973 and six-digit serial numbers occurring from 1972 to 2013. Ovation makes it easy for a guitar owner to determine the manufacture date of his guitar.
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