Designed for superb sound quality and easy playability, the affordable AE28 acoustic-electric guitar features the famous super-shallow roundback body, calibrated Spruce top, slim neck for fast.

• Dating a guitar can be a difficult experience, but knowing the date can be the most important step in selling or trading your guitar. Maybe you are just curious about the date of your Ovation Celebrity. After all, according to Ovation.com (reference 1), they've been making their signature curved-back guitars since 1966.
• Manual - ThermoTrac Model 7000. Quick Sheet - Expansion Station Model 2VS; VLINK Remote Access; Ovation. Manual - Ovation 22; Manual - Ovation 24; Manual.
• Capacity Model Category 1 Category 2 5x7 N/A N/A 9-1/2 x 11 58B Convertible/Portable 7x13 613 Hinge/Scissor Cut-off Hinge/Scissor Cut-off S Swivel/Miter Head Hinge/Scissor Cut-off 13 x 18 1316S-EXT Extended Capacity Swivel/Miter Head 13 x 38 1338 Extended Capacity 20 x 16 V-20 Vertical 20 x 24 V-20-24 Vertical.

Ovation Model 134 Manual Diagram

A series of tables and lists that summarise serial numbers, model codes and colors of the Ovation guitars from the beginning to the end of the 20th Century.

Years and models

Original series from 1966

Ovation: six digits series from 1971

Adamas: from September 1977

Model numbers

The model 4 digit codes for the original models. Everything changed and became sort of messy from the Seventies, so the best way to be shure is using the Ovation Decoder.

• First digit
  • 1 – most models born before year 2000
  • 2 – contour bowl
  • 4 – Japanese Balladeers
  • 5 – parlours and some Elites
  • 6 -Standard Elites, widenecks, some Adamas
• Second digit is type of guitar:
  • 1 Acoustic roundbacks (also semi-hollowbody electrics)
  • 2 Solidbody and semi-hollowbody electrics
  • 3 Ultra acoustics
  • 4 Solidbody
  • 5 Acoustic electric cutaway Adamas and II/Elite/Ultra electric
  • 6 Acoustic electric roundbacks
  • 7 Deep
  • 8 Shallow
• Third digit denotes bowl depth on acoustic and acoustic electrics:
  • 1 Standard bowl 5 13/16″ deep
  • 2 Artist bowl 5 1/8″ deep
  • 3 Elite/Matrix electric deep bowl
  • 4 Matrix shallow bowl
  • 5 Custom Balladeer Legend Legend 12 Custom Legend 12 Anniversary
  • 6 Cutaway electric deep bowl
  • 7 Cutaway electric shallow bowl
  • 8 Adamas 6 1/16″ deep
• Fourth digit denotes model
  • 1 Balladeer
  • 2 Deluxe Balladeer
  • 3 Classic
  • 4 Josh White
  • 5 12-String
  • 6 Contemporary Folk Classic
  • 7 Glen Campbell Artist Balladeer
  • 8 Glen Campbell 12-String
  • 9 Custom Legend (from 1974)
• Color code follows hyphen after model number (but I am not quite sure for all of them):
  • 1 Sunburst
  • 2 Red
  • 4 Natural
  • 5 Black H Honeyburst
  • 6 White
  • 7 LTD Nutmeg/Anniversary Brown/Beige/Tan
  • 8 Blue
  • 9 Brown
  • B Barnwood (gray-to-black sunburst)
  • H Honey sungurst

Model Chronology

The dates in this chronology reflect actual appearances of models, determined from price lists and the recollections of sales representatives and dealers. They may differ slightly from the first production or official introduction dates in the text.

Acoustic and Acoustic Electric

Ovation Model 134 Manual User

Colors