The Ovation guitar company, and the nature of the Ovation guitar´s synthetic back are directly attributed to founder Charles H. Kaman´s experiments in helicopter aviation. Kaman, who began playing guitar back in high school, trained in the field of aeronautics and graduated from the Catholic University in Washington, D.C. His first job in 1940 was with a division of United Aircraft, home of aircraft inventor Igor Sikorsky. In 1945, Kaman formed the Kaman Aircraft Corporation to pursue his helicopter-related inventions.
As the company began to grow, the decision was made around 1957 to diversify into manufacturing products in different fields. Kaman initially made overtures to the Martin company, as well as exploring both Harmony and Ludwig drums. Finally, the decision was made to start fresh. Due to research in vibrations and resonances in the materials used to build helicopter blades, guitar development began in 1964 with employees John Ringso and Jim Rickard. In fact, it was Rickard´s pre-war Martin D-45 that was used as the "test standard." In 1967, the Ovation company name was chosen, incorporated, and settled into its "new facilities" in New Hartford, Connecticut. The first model named that year was the Balladeer.
Ovation guitars were debuted at the 1967 NAMM show. Early players and endorsers included Josh White, Charlie Byrd, and Glen Campbell. Piezo pickup equipped models were introduced in 1972, as well as other models. During the early 1970s, Kaman Music (Ovation´s parent company) acquired the well-known music distributors Coast, and also part of the Takamine guitar company. By 1975, Ovation decided to release an entry level instrument, and the original Applause/Medallion/Matrix designs were first built in the U.S. before production moved into Korea.
In 1986, Kaman's oldest son became president of Kaman Music. Charles William Bill Kaman II had begun working in the Ovation factory at age 14. After graduating college in 1974, Bill was made Director of Development at the Moosup, Connecticut plant. A noted Travis Bean guitar collector (see Kaman´s Travis Bean history later in this book), Bill Kaman remained active in the research and development aspect of model design. Kaman helped design the Viper III, and the UK II solid bodies.
Bill Kaman gathered all branches of the company under one roof as the Kaman Music Corporation (KMC) in 1986. As the Ovation branch was now concentrating on acoustic and acoustic/electric models, the corporation bought the independent Hamer company in 1988 as the means to re-enter the solid body guitar market. In 2007, Ovation returned from nearly twenty years in electric hiatus with the VXT Hybrid model. This guitar has both acoustic and electric capabilities with two exposed humbucker pickups and a Fishman bridge pickup. In late 2007, the Fender Musical Instrument Corporation (FMIC) acquired Kaman Music, which included Ovation. In 2008, Kaman Music changed the name of their company to KMC Music. On January 31, 2011 Charles Kaman passed away at the age of 91. In June 2014, Fender closed the Ovation factory in Connecticut leaving only overseas production of Ovation guitars. Source: Walter Carter, The History of the Ovation Guitar.
Instruments currently produced in China, Korea, and Indonesia. Previously built in New Hartford, CT between 1967 and 2014. Distributed by KMC Music in Bloomfield, CT.

OVATION Acoustic Guitars Models

OVATION CLASSIC NYLON (MODEL 1773AX) Image

OVATION CLASSIC NYLON (MODEL 1773AX)

- nylon-string configuration, single cutaway mid-depth body body, solid AA cedar top, inlaid pearl oak leaf rosette, five-piece mahogany/maple neck, 12/18-fret ebony fingerboard, slotted headstock, three-per-side gold tuners, walnut with bl...

OVATION B778 BASS Image

OVATION B778 BASS

- single cutaway mid-depth cutaway body, solid spruce top, ebony fingerboard with MOP inlay, walnut bridge, multi soundhole five-piece epaulet, tru-balance pickup, OP-40 preamp, gold hardware, available in Black or Natural finish, mfg. 2000...

OVATION VIPER (MODEL EA68) Image

OVATION VIPER (MODEL EA68)

- single cutaway mahogany body with routed sound chamber, bound spruce top, 14 multi-size soundholes with various leaf wood overlay, five-piece mahogany/maple neck, 24-fret bound ebony fingerboard, strings through rosewood bridge, rosewood...

OVATION ADAMAS 6 ACOUSTIC (MODEL 1187) Image

OVATION ADAMAS 6 ACOUSTIC (MODEL 1187)

- carbon graphite composite top, mahogany neck, 14/24-fret walnut extended fingerboard with maple/ebony inlay, 11 various sized soundholes with leaf pattern maple veneer around them, walnut bridge with carved flower designs, carved flower d...

OVATION TANGENT (MODEL T257) Image

OVATION TANGENT (MODEL T257)

- single cutaway super shallow body, spruce top, multi soundhole black epaulet, nato neck, dark rosewood fingerboard with abalone diamond inlay, Thin-line pickup, 2/4-per-side gunmetal gray tuners, available in Black finish, mfg. 2002-06.

OVATION PINNACLE (MODEL 3712) Image

OVATION PINNACLE (MODEL 3712)

- folk-style, spruce top, five-stripe bound body, leaf pattern rosette, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with white dot inlay, rosewood bridge with white dot inlay, rosewood veneer on peghead, three-per-side chrome tuners, six...

OVATION LONGNECK (MODEL DS 768) Image

OVATION LONGNECK (MODEL DS 768)

- similar to the Elite model six string, except has a scale length of 28 1/3 in. and is tuned one full step lower than a standard guitar, five-piece maple and mahogany neck, gold-plated hardware, and OP-X preamp, available in Natural or Che...

OVATION CUSTOM LEGEND (MODEL 1119) Image

OVATION CUSTOM LEGEND (MODEL 1119)

- spruce top, round soundhole, abalone bound body, abalone leaf pattern rosette, 14/20-fret bound ebony fingerboard with abalone diamond/dot inlay, strings through walnut bridge with carved flower design/pearl dot inlay, walnut veneered peg...

OVATION LEGEND (MODEL 1117) Image

OVATION LEGEND (MODEL 1117)

- spruce top, round soundhole, 5-stripe bound body, leaf pattern rosette, 5-piece mahogany/maple neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl diamond/dot inlay, walnut bridge, walnut veneer on peghead, 3-per-side gold tuners, avai...

OVATION ADAMAS II (MODEL 1681) Image

OVATION ADAMAS II (MODEL 1681)

- composite top, mahogany/maple 5-piece neck, 14/24-fret walnut extended fingerboard with maple/ebony triangle inlay, walnut bridge, walnut veneer on peghead, 3-per-side gold tuners, available in Black, Blue, or Blue Green finish, mfg. 1981...

OVATION ARTIST CUTAWAY CONTOUR LX (MODEL 2773LX) Image

OVATION ARTIST CUTAWAY CONTOUR LX (MODEL 2773LX)

- nylon-string configuration, single cutaway deep contoured body, solid-spruce top, scalloped LX bracing, round soundhole with inlaid tortoise rosette, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard, slotted headstock, three-per-side open-style gold tuners w...

OVATION CUSTOM BALLADEER ACOUSTIC (MODEL 1112) Image

OVATION CUSTOM BALLADEER ACOUSTIC (MODEL 1112)

- spruce top, round soundhole, five-stripe bound body, leaf pattern rosette, five-piece mahogany/maple neck, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard, 12th fret pearl diamond/dot inlay, three-per-side nickel tuners, walnut strings through bridge with p...

OVATION ELITE (MODEL 1718) Image

OVATION ELITE (MODEL 1718)

- spruce top, five-stripe bound body, five-piece mahogany/maple neck, 14/22-fret extended rosewood fingerboard with maple triangle inlay, walnut bridge, three-per-side gold tuners, six piezo bridge pickups, volume control, 3-band EQ, active...

OVATION CLASSIC ACOUSTIC (MODEL 1113) Image

OVATION CLASSIC ACOUSTIC (MODEL 1113)

- classical style, cedar top, round soundhole, 5-stripe bound body, leaf pattern rosette, 5-piece mahogany/maple neck, 12/19-fret extended ebony fingerboard, walnut bridge, walnut veneer on peghead, 3-per-side gold tuners, available in Natu...

OVATION CELEBRITY DELUXE (MODEL CC-267) Image

OVATION CELEBRITY DELUXE (MODEL CC-267)

- cedar top, multi-sized soundholes with leaf pattern maple veneer, 5-stripe bound body, mahogany neck, 14/23-fret bound rosewood extended fingerboard with pearl diamond/dot inlay, rosewood strings through bridge, rosewood veneered peghead...

OVATION CELEBRITY ACOUSTIC (MODEL CC-11) Image

OVATION CELEBRITY ACOUSTIC (MODEL CC-11)

- spruce top, round soundhole, 5-stripe bound body, leaf pattern rosette, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, walnut bridge with pearloid dot inlays, rosewood veneer on peghead, 3-per-side chrome tuner...

OVATION CLASSIC ELECTRIC (MODEL 1613/1713) Image

OVATION CLASSIC ELECTRIC (MODEL 1613/1713)

- classical style, cedar top, round soundhole, 5-stripe bound body, leaf pattern rosette, 5-piece mahogany/maple neck, 12/19-fret extended ebony fingerboard, walnut bridge, walnut veneer on peghead, 3-per-side gold tuners, piezo bridge pick...

OVATION DJ ASHBA "DEMENTED SERIES" (MODEL DJA34) Image

OVATION DJ ASHBA "DEMENTED SERIES" (MODEL DJA34)

- single cutaway mid-depth body, spruce top, scalloped X bracing, 11 multi-sized soundholes in the upper bass bout, 14/22-fret extended rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret Custom Ashba inlays, black headstock overlay with Ashba inlays, thre...

OVATION TANGENT (MOB47) Image

OVATION TANGENT (MOB47)

- similar to the Tangent design, except has a "surf" inspired design and surf board shaped soundholes, mid-depth body, nick-named "My Other Board," available in Blue Surf Burst, mfg. 2003-06.

OVATION iDea (MODEL CC24Si) Image

OVATION iDea (MODEL CC24Si)

- single cutaway mid-depth body, spruce top, modified X bracing, round soundhole with abalone rosette, white binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with abalone dot inlays, black headstock overlay with Ovation logo, t...

OVATION CELEBRITY (MODEL CC-074) Image

OVATION CELEBRITY (MODEL CC-074)

- single round cutaway, spruce top, round soundhole, five-stripe bound body, leaf pattern rosette, mahogany neck, 20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearloid diamond/dot inlay, walnut bridge with pearloid dot inlay, walnut veneer on pe...

OVATION VIPER (MODEL CV68) Image

OVATION VIPER (MODEL CV68)

- similar to the Viper, except has a rosewood fingerboard, walnut bridge, and has a Viper Thinline Graphic preamp, available in Black or Honey Burst finish, mfg. 2000-06.

OVATION ULTRA DELUXE (MODEL 1317/1312-D) Image

OVATION ULTRA DELUXE (MODEL 1317/1312-D)

- spruce top, round soundhole, five-stripe bound body, leaf pattern rosette, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with abalone diamond/dot inlay, walnut bridge with white dot inlay, rosewood veneer on peghead, three-per-side gold tuners, a...