Ovation Celebrity Plus Super Shallow Acoustic-Electric Guitar - Koa Burst Reviews

Very well pleased with the guitar. It arrived ready to play right out of the box. Only had to tune the B string everything else was in tune. I give a big thanks to Ryan Murphy and the team for helping with getting this guitar packed up and shipped within a reasonable time. It arrived in great shape and very well packed to protect it during shipping. The guitar was for my wife and she was very well pleased and excited when it arrived.

I received it yesterday, waited 24 hours, and unboxed it today. I tuned and stretched the strings (it was close) and played it for a couple of hours. It has the closest electric-like feel from an acoustic I have ever experienced. I can already tell I'm going to enjoy getting to know this one better.

Thank you Sweetwater and thank you Adam Vaughn!

Honestly, since I got my first acoustic guitar I've been wanting one with better sound quality. This guitar delivers a very rich sound, and I havent even hooked it to an amp. The length of time it carries one strum is amazing. If you're an amateur player, this is an excellent guitar. The frets are easy to hit and the notes are much crisper than a standard acoustic. I am overall very happy with this product!

I was nervous buying a sensitive stringed instrument sight unseen online without playing it. I picked the right guitar and it showed up set up perfectly. Could not be more satisfied.

I'm an amateur player so I don't have the same concerns about performance that a professional does. But even so, I was hesitant at first to buy this guitar because I thought the sound would be severely compromised by the super shallow body. But I was really surprised at how great it sounds (even without an amp) and how fun and easy it is to play. I've always had a huge soft spot for Ovations but, like everyone else, was frustrated at their tendency to slip if you were seated while playing. Ovation has fixed that problem by giving the bottom curve a rougher texture that is only rough to the touch, not visible. I'm so happy with my new guitar. It's gorgeous, a great price, sounds awesome and I fall in love all over again every time I play it.

I received this new Ovation from Sweetwater today. I enjoy acoustics. They can sound incredible. I have a nice Godin / Seagull acoustic. It is a wonderful sounding guitar. However, it is full size and has become difficult for me to play. I needed something acoustic that approximates the size of an electric. Hence the super shallow Ovation. It looks nice and has a nice sound. Others have mentioned that Ovations sound better through an amp. I don't think this one does. It sounds too "electric" through an amp. It actually projects sound very well. It is easy to play it too loud for my antique ears from a sitting position. I had an Ovation back in the 70s. Some have mentioned that the bowl shape tends to slide off your leg in a sitting position. They have added a strategic section of texture that prevents sliding on the body curve that sits on your leg.

Overall, I am very pleased with this guitar.

I've been following Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Paco De Lucia, and Tomatito for what seems forever. Recently I played with some cats and we put Spain together. I went back to these guys for ideas and couldn't help but notice Di Meola and McLaughlin's ovations in use. And the sound was so different than what I remembered from way back.
Now I have my own and I couldn't be happier. Wondering what took me so long. I chose the thin body 'cause I play it plugged in mostly, but I've no problems with her sound unplugged. She's a sweet guitar.

I love this guitar. It sounds great and looks amazing. The action was great right out of the box. My sells engineer Ben Jimenez was awesome as always.

The Ovation Celebrity arrived packed perfectly. It"s a beautiful guitar that exceeded my expectation. The Sweetwater team kept me informed throughout the purchase process to making sure I was satisfied after delivery! Can"t ask for anymore! They even sent a bag of candy to keep me happy as I tried out my new guitar!

love this guitar.. low action great sounding.. with a shallow bowl for us portly fellows it is easy to hold close and play. thanks to Marshall Oliver for all his help. has that beautiful koa top

Just got it today. I have to admit I was a little nervous buying a non US made guitar. But this thing is perfect. Build quality it great and the thing that usually separates foreign built guitars from higher end US guitars is the dressing of the fret ends. These are as good as my $3000 dollar Gibson I used to have. Then we get to tone. I"ve been a fan of Ovation tone for a long time. But once again a little nervous about Shallow bout and projection. The tone and projection is superb. To say I"m impressed is an understatement. Nice job Ovation and of course Sweetwater service was excellent.

I absolutely love this guitar. It"s my favorite acoustic. By far one of the best Ive played. It sounds beautiful, looks as good as it sounds. You won"t regret buying this guitar. Just do it. Don"t even think. Just do it. I promise you will love it

Looks like I'm the first to review this guitar. So, as a new guitar player, I can only give you my uneducated opinion. First off, I want to thank Paul Eckert, who's been a real mentor to me these several years for his help in picking this guitar. Second, to the Sweetwater team for their 55 point check on this guitar. Guys... I took it to a Luthier to be set up and he said you did an excellent job on it. Nothing for him to do. Bravo!!!

The guitar itself is a beauty. The Koa finish is gorgeous. That's what attracted me to it at first. I got lots of negative comments from guitar playing friends not to get this guitar because it doesn't have the typical back. And because of the design, it will roll forward when you sit and play. There's a rough spot on the bottom of the guitar that will keep it from rolling, and if it's still a problem, you could sit a piece of rubber shelf liner on your leg where the guitar rests and that will certainly keep it from moving. For me, it fits like a glove and I find no more rolling than any other guitar.

The sound is very full and mellow. I'm told thats because of the rounded back and overall design. To my ears, it sounded fuller than the Yamaha that I tested it against. I find it really easy to play, but would caution you to perhaps change out the strings for something lighter than the ones it comes with. I had the strings changed to flatwounds, and I find them less abrassive on my fingers. BTW, it sounds even better hooked up to my Yamaha amp! I was duly impressed! LOL. I'm not knowledgeable enough to give you any technical information, but if you're a beginner like me looking for a guitar, I would say check this one out.

I would suggest you try it at your local music store. If you like it, run right back to your computer and buy it from Sweetwater. They will not only guarantee your guitar for 2 years (a store will charge you for that), but they check it out and send it to you ready to play (additional charge at a store for that too.)

I got my Ovation Celebrity Plus Super Shallow acoustic-electric guitar in Koa Burst just yesterday and am already really enjoying it. I got this as a birthday present to myself, although I already own a couple of other "high-end" acoustic-electric guitars. I have always been curious about Ovation guitars, but never had one. The fit and finish of the guitar is very good quality, and I love the beautiful Koa veneer top. The neck profile is very comfortable and feels like I am playing an electric guitar. There is absolutely no fret sprout along the neck, and it is silky smooth. Despite the rounded back, the guitar is very comfortable to play sitting down or standing up. Unplugged, it has a nice balanced tone, with good projection. Plugged in, though, is where this guitar really shines. I have a Fishman Loudbox Mini acoustic amp, and the guitar sounds amazing paired with it. Although I am not a gigging musician, I can see how this guitar would sound amazing on stage. Overall, I am very happy with this guitar and am glad I took a chance and got it. I took off half a star in my rating for a couple of reasons. There is a minor ding on the headstock, which I attribute to a QC issue at the Ovation factory in China. Not a big deal, but worth mentioning. Also, the onboard tuner is a but wonky. When I try to turn it off, it takes several tries before it will actually shut off. Again, not a big deal, and perhaps that is just how these tuners are. I would definitely recommend this guitar to anyone, from a beginning guitar player to an advanced gigging musician.

this is a great guitar... not normally an acoustic player, but this is fun to play. I added a pick guard

This isn't a "high bucks" guitar but I was surprised at a couple of things. The tuning machiner fee cheap - there's slop in them and it makes me wish I'd bought a higher end guitar. Also, even with the famed Sweetwater setup the neck is in need of adjustment. It bows down. I didn't get a wrench and instruction manual so I'll do that myself later today but am looking for an upgrade to the stock, ovation, tuning machines. And, just for the record, the strings which came on it are "nicked" so I'll be changing them soon .
To be fair, other than the finish is beautiful and the ultra shallow back makes for an excellent "couch guitar".