The Bass

Like the Breadwinner great care had gon into the design of the Magnum Bass and, like the Breadwinner, it’s shape did not prove popular.  Introduce in 1974 it was restyled in 1978 but despite this it was out of production by 1982.

Models

Magnum 1

Stereo output

Magnum  2

Active FET electrics with three band equalizer.

Magnum 3

Redesigned body,  version of the Magnum 1

Magnum 4

Redesigned body version of the Magnum 2

The Korean Adventure

Ultra ...... compromise

The failure of the UK II swung the pendulum far back in the other direction and the final chapter saw the introduction, in 1985,of a series of very conventional guitars.  Sticking with the name Ultra but the names clearly indicating the genesis of the model.

Models

GS

Guitar Strat

Designed on Fender Stratocaster lines

1, 2 and 3 pickup models.

Fitted vibratos

GP

Guitar Paul

Designed on Gibson Les Paul lines

UB

Ultra Bass

Building on their Korean connection, the bodies and neck were made there and imported into the US for assembly and finishing with Schaller hardware a DiMarzio pickups.  A sound work-a-day set of guitars that, despite their qualities, fail to interest the buying public.  Despite dressing them with a “hardbody” label [perhaps to stress they were not “plastic”] within just a few years, and several build variations, saw their demise.

The Epilogue

Not quite finished though.  The development of Ovation’s acoustic built in Korea brand, Celebrity,  brought forth a final range of guitars.  Initially labeled as “Ovation by Celebrity” then later, with  some small design changes, switched to the GTX name.  Some guitars even had the Applause tag.  This was the largest  range of guitars produced by Ovation, covering several models, finishes and configurations.  They appeared in 1989 and then ....  The publicity material was produced and distributed but few guitars were actually sold and they sunk almost without trace.  An episode that Ovation would like to forget.  All that remains are a few guitars and a limited amount of literature and little information.

Hammered in

Perhaps one of the reasons why the Korean enterprise was abandoned so readily was that the Kaman corporation had by this time finally got into the solid electric guitar market.  Not by producing their own instrument but by “buying the company”.  In 1988 Kaman had added Hammer to their portfolio.

The Return of the Viper

In 1994 Ovation resurrected to Viper name for it’s new baby.  This was an electric acoustic with a solid, though chambered body, and pietzo pickups.   A great guitar but currently beyond the scope of this site.

Rebirth

The VXT, introduced in June 2007 , is a hybrid, mixing the best of Ovation acoustic experience with the best of it’s electrical tradition.