Part of me felt like i was betraying and old friend, and part was saying “If you do this, You’ll be able to keep up song writin, and stop using the same excuse, and stop borrowing other people’s guitar.”
I have had my Ovation Viper for more than 10 years. (Shit. that’s long.) ….*pause* ….(shit i’m old). My dad got me my first Semi Acoustic Guitar when i was…(trying to remember exactly when….) around 13 or 14 years old. We were on a family trip to Manila, Philippines. :p.
I remember my dad took us to a guitar shop and that was the first time we saw real branded guitars. It was like walking into a Candy Store or a Toy Store for an 8 year old. My brother and I drooled at all the Epiphone Les Pauls, all the beautiful Strats, Teler, NameItALL kinds of Fender. Then i remember he called us over to the acoustic section. He said,
“Rina, Rinto! come here look at this….”
There it was. He stood next to a few other guitars but pointed to the beautilful shiney, black, round, wooden guitar hanging above his head. “This is a semi acoustic guitar. It means you can plug it to the amp or play it like a normal guitar. It has a beautiful sound. You like it?” . My brother nudge my arm and told me “Rina that’s the guitar Richie Sambora played in the music video!”. I just stood there and stared at it. In Amazement, and In Awe. half of it was cause for some reason i told myself to believe that THAT was actually Richie Sambora’s guitar. haha.
“How much is pa? Can we buy it?”. I asked, which resulted to a kick on my foot and an Evil Look from my brother that read “DONT ASK HOW MUCH STUPID!”.
I pouted my lips hoping my dad would at least do a demo performance to us with the Ovasion. Instead, my dad smiled. He picked it up and showed us the head of the guitar above the neck. A logo and a font.
“See this? Ovasion logo? that means its original. So i’m sure its really expensive. But its really nice. Maybe i should get it for myself.” He siad.
At that point we both knew there was no hope in have the guitar for ourselves. But at least it would be in the house. But my brother said Dad was only kidding. He wouldnt buy it cause it was really expensive. When we turn our backs away from him and decided to browse around the Drums and Precussion section… 20 minutes later we hear a sales man asking Dad…“would you like to pay cash or credit card?” We turned around, and there it was….A solid Hard Casing Guitar held in my dad’s hand. When we head back to the hotel, I asked my father alone while my brother was listening to his walkman…
“Daddy is that your guitar?”
“well, lets just consider it as an early birthday present for you, from me. Just remember to take good care of it. Mahal Tuh! Dont tell your mother.” My eye’s widen and my smile was wider than a clown’s smile. I hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. And told me brother just to make him jealous, and always fought over the guitar.
A year later, my brother got his Drum Set.
I have never left my Ovasion out of my sight. At any performance, or just a jamming session. Thru college years, or vacations, even when i had to balik Kampung, most of the time, I would bring my Ovation Guitar. i loved it dearly. And i have written almost 90% of my songs with that guitar. Many times, the tuning knobs would break or the inner mic would die out on me, or the battery wont nudge itself out. I have gone thru alot with that Guitar. Recently this year… well actually late last year, I have been borrowing friends guitars for performances because, my Ovation was sick. The Intonation of the guitar is un-fixable. The neck is totally bent. You cant fix the neck cause its built in with the body. U change the neck, you break the body. Its considered.. Old. the tuning is constantly off, and the jack plug is barely working.
Since my show is coming up soon at the end of this month, and its considered a big show for me, I really need a proper, good, standard semi acoustic Guitar. I knew i had no choice but to buy one. I looked at my ovasion…and felt torn. But then i thought hard about it…even if i buy a new guitar, i’ll still keep the Ovation. I’ll find a way to keep it in a beautiful glass case (dpending on my cash. ahaha). Or save as much money. (LIKE ALOT) and send it to a super pro guitar shop who has magic ovation healing hands to perform a miracle. Either way, I will keep it. Cause it means alot, and i do mean alot…To me and my Music.
S0 i bought a yamaha F310. Its Good. Its Solid. Its Good Enough.
Posted by Ryn 