Skip to content
Notifications
Clear all

Ovation Magnum II

2 Posts
2 Users
0 Likes
2,780 Views
(@paul-donnelly)
Noble Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 1066
Topic starter  

Has anyone played one of these? One of them just got traded in to my local guitar shop. It's the weirdest bass I've ever seen. I didn't even know that Ovation made solid body anythings, much less basses! Apparently it was made in the mid 70s.

It has two pickups, one at the bridge with U shaped pole pieces, and one at the neck, which is a huge humbucker. My research online says it's 4 piece rather than 2. They're active.

It has only one volume knob, a pickup switch, and three EQ style sliders for tone controls. They're nice and big, and they're actually really easy to use.

It's a little heavy, but it's also the most solid feeling bass I've ever played. The neck is graphite reinforces which probably has something to do with it. It may be a longer scale than other basses.

The bottom of the body is shaped so that it's stable and won't tip when you lean it against a wall.

It has a lever activaed string mute before the bridge, which could be handy.

THe bridge is adjustable in a bunch of ways, as is the giant neck pickup.

The tone is great, and flexible. It doesn't really sound active at all.

I'm very impressed with this thing. I'd buy it immediately if I had the money.

I just wanted to talk about the bizarre (but great) bass I found. Anyone else seen one?


   
Quote
(@demoetc)
Noble Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 2167
 

Hi:

That's not the one that has what appears to be two rails (or different colored material) running parallel to the neck, all the way down the body, does it? Seems I remember those. Ovation had a solid body 'scare' back in the 70s, and they had a line of solid body electrics as well -- a 6 string and a 12ver. I'll date myself by saying I saw them pretty much premiered on the Glen Campbell show. I think Roy Clark used on too. They were trying to get into the mainstream of the solid body craze (which is still happening I suppose), and so they got a couple of high profile players to use them. I heard they're really quite good guitars -- the guitars looked sorta like axes, but in a pretty way. The bass, if I remember, looked sort of like an elongated version of the standard shape. I don't know if that's the one you're talking about.

Wait...I'm on the Internet. Be right back.

Found it. This is the one I'm thinking of:

That's the Magnum I.

The II is

If I'm not mistaken, I *think* I remember seeing the first bassist for Journey playing the model I on some video. Real stable, fat sound too.

Anyhow, cool shapes -- very ergonomic -- though I can't say I ever picked one up. Back in those days, I'd see them on the wall, and if they weren't lefty, I would just sorta ignore them so I wouldn't get depressed lol!

Cheers.


   
ReplyQuote