The guitar was fitted with two single “Toroidal “ coil pickups, developed by Ovation, featuring 12 poles.  These were replaced by humbuckers in 1975.  The bridge featured a unique tri-point mount which allowed for a wide range of adjustment of the action.  It had six individual ssaddles which allowed easy adjustment of intonation.  The original bridge was a moulded structure with nylon saddle but these were soon replaced by brass ones.

 For the first time on a production guitar onboard active electrics [FET] were added, giving an extra dimension to the sound.   Pickguard controls included not only the usual volume and control knobs and selector switch but also a notch switch.  This two-position switch controlled the mid-range and, used with the pickup selection switch, double the possible sounds available.   Even the usual controls offered a little more than usual.  The volume control featured a circuit that maintained a set volume when pickup selection changed.  It also maintained tone qualities even at full volume, at which it was the loudest guitar on the market. The tone control, besides giving a better setting indication than usual, also offered volume compensated.  This held the volume at all tones settings -  there was no change in volume when shift from bass to treble or vis a vis.  The pickup selection switch offered not only the usual bridge and neck selection but also an unusual out of phase combination.  Things did not end here, deep within the bowels, actually alongside the batteries, were two further controls.  Two separate trim controls offer the opportunity to adjust both the balance and the amount of out of phase between the two pickups.  

An innovative approach that produced a radical looking guitar, offering an increased range of possible sounds.  What more could be asked?   So why did it fail.  It was perhaps because of the inherent conservatism of the music industry at this time [and most times!].  They had there input of “new”, the electric guitar itself and Leo Fender’s  “modern” functional design, and this had now become “normal”.  Guitarist were not ready for another change and despite the guitar’s great strengths they were not prepared to take the risk and play something different.  Within a few years it  Ovation saw that it was time to ditch the Breadwinner and develop guitars that followed market demand rather than creating it.