Ovation Elite 1778 TX Acoustic-Electric Guitar Black

The Ovation Elite 1778 TX Acoustic-Electric Guitar boasts a mid-depth bowl and an AA solid spruce top. Other appointments include scalloped X-bracing, a rosewood fretboard and bridge, black Ovation tuning machines, and a bass side rosette with multiple soundholes. The acoustic-electric guitar's onboard Ovation OCP-1K pickup delivers classic Ovation guitar tone for a great plugged-in experience.

6-String Acoustic-Electric Body Type: Mid-depth bowl Top: AA solid spruce Bracing: Scalloped X Scale Length: 25-1/4" Fretboard: Rosewood with black satin Fret Inlay: None Bridge: Rosewood with black satin Rosette: Multi-soundhole bass side Pickup: Ovation OCP-1K Nutwidth: 1-11/16"

Open the door to the world of big Ovation sound.

Custom Guitar's Friend Gold Coverage

Gold Coverage goes above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty to protect your gear from unexpected breakdowns, accidental damage from handling and failures. This plan covers your product for one, two, three or up to five years from your date of purchase, costs just pennies per day and gives you a complete "no-worry" solution for protecting your investment.

Gold Coverage Includes:

Unexpected and unintentional spills, drops and cracks Normal wear and tear Power surges Dust, internal heat and humidity

Other plan features include:

For products over $200, No Lemon Policy applies. If it fails for the same defect 3 times, it is replaced on the 4th breakdown. (Does not apply to failures due to drops, spills, and cracks) For products under $200 experiencing the above failures, a Custom Guitar's Friend gift card will be issued for the full price of the product + tax. Shipping fees covered if required for repair or replacement Plans are transferable in the event merchandise is sold Plans are renewable on new gear

*Limitations and exclusions apply. See terms and conditions for program details

Term for New Gear begins on date of purchase but does not replace the store return policy or manufacturer coverage.

Displaying reviews 1-9

Back to top

THIS IS NOT MADE IN AMERICA- IT IS MADE IN KOREA. That said, it's a good acoustic- way better than a lot of the meteocre stuff ovation has been putting out the last 8 years or so. The wood top feels like plastic lyrachord with the textured black paint (guy at music store tried to tell me it was all-lyrachord body-that was funny! Just feel the braces inside-duh!). An all-lyrachord body WOULD be cool- MAKE ONE, OVATION??? But that would be pricey, I suspect. Anyway, I like the blacked-out look and basic feel of the top, though I may sand it smooth and refinish it because I think the thick undercoating paint dampens the top's tone and resonance. Also, there are no sound holes below the strings- only above. This, along with the multi-piece maple/rosewood neck, allow a decent compromise between build quality/sound/affordability. Setup: the action on mine is really high, but any good acoustic needs to be individually set up by the player. The old ovation bridge had a plastic shim under it which I removed. The truss rod needed a fair amount of adjustment, but the neck came in straight after nearly 3/4 of a turn. The nut slots at the headstock were very high, such that playing any fretted notes or chords at the first 3 frets caused intonation problems. I bought a professional set of nut files and took the time/care to file these lower, using my '98 ovation that was done by a pro luthier years ago as a guide. I recommend a pro luthier for this type of work for most players, unless you have the tools and KNOW what you are doing. In my case, it came out perfect. The action is now medium-low with no buzz and perfect intonation. I would still like to have my luthier shave the braces inside this guitar and voice it a little, and I may have him drill the lower sound holes out, too. However, this guitar is a bargain, considering it has no flaws- it just needs a little set up. A lot of guitars these days, especially the overly-dried firewood coming from china, are junk from the getgo. If you have a good seasoned piece of wood, you can end up with a great instrument. My '98 ovation sounds better the older it gets, and though this one will never be as magical as that one, it may age quite well I suspect. For any recreational player, this aint bad out of the box. Oh- case not included! Get a case for it. Electronics: tuner works okay. I am leery about the mechanical connection in the module's compartment, but it sounds good so far. one more nice bonus- comes with dunlop straplok buttons already on it!
Ovation Elite 1778 TX Acoustic-Electric Guitar Black
.This is my second Ovation A/E. The first was a Celebrity CC057 Narrow Body. I have been an active musician for 20+ years now, playing gigs once or twice a month. This guitar has a voice like a dreadnaught, straight up. Played unplugged, it's loud and strong across the spectrum from low to high tones. Plugged in, the electronics really shine. The tuner is a nice feature, and the battery is super easy to change, due to the great design of the electronics panel. I like the flat finish on the spruce top. I hear people complain about how it's not flashy. I don't care one whit what a guitar LOOKS like...it's what it SOUNDS like and PLAYS like that matter to me. And this guitar satisfies me 100%. I actually like the understated finish on the top. The strap lock buttons are a fantastic addition. All in all, this guitar plays like a dream and sounds excellent. I tweaked the set-up a bit to suit my playing style, but that is to be expected from any new guitar. I have never been disappointed by this guitar, and I don't think you will either.
Ovation Elite 1778 TX Acoustic-Electric Guitar Black
.I've owned a 12 string Ovation for 35 years and it still sounds and looks great. I wanted a 6 string for many years and recently decided to buy the 1778-TX. What a great guitar! The reviews were very good and it was everything I hoped for and more. I played out with it for the first time last night and received many, many compliments on it's great sound and sleek look. I am proud to be an Ovation man and own this guitar.
Ovation Elite 1778 TX Acoustic-Electric Guitar Black
.I have an older Guild, two Martins, a nylon La Patrie. Thus, I have a wide range of sound covered. I've always admired the Ovation sound, and now I've added that to the repetoire. Photo is of "my family" on Hercules rack from MF. None of my other guitars are plug-ins, thus, I'm set to go. Sounds great (better!) unplugged. I'm not so sure about the built-in tuner... it doesn't agree with my ear; no big deal. I patiently waited for a 25% off deal from MF and got this git at a super deal. Very happy happy happy. I have to go play now.
Ovation Elite 1778 TX Acoustic-Electric Guitar Black
.

(5 of 6

Was this review helpful? Yes / No

- You may also flag this review

This is a very well made instrument. I have been playing since the early 70's. I could buy a more expensive guitar but this one won my heart as soon as I played it. It has a good unplugged sound and the plugged sound is incredible. It's really a gigging mans guitar.
Ovation Elite 1778 TX Acoustic-Electric Guitar Black
.i love the ovation design which is a big reason why i bout this guitar, i love how unique it is. You can definatly tell the difference in sound between ovation and other gutars, this guitar has an amzing sound probably the best sound ive heard from an acoustic guitar. its very easy to play as well, very comfortable, i would recommend this guitar for musicians who want a great sound and love a unique style.
Ovation Elite 1778 TX Acoustic-Electric Guitar Black
.As the title says, I've always hated Ovations. The Addamas line is good. But for the price I was never a fan until I played this guitar. I bought a cheep Applause solely for the pickup. I then decided to get a new guitar instead. When I walked into the shop I played this guitar (elite T 1778TX) just for the hell of it. I didn't think I'd fall in love. This guitar is everything you want in an acoustic electric. Sound, great! Style, great! Built in pickup, pre amp and tuner, Awesome! And the finish they put on this is the same as the back material, so don't worry about the occasional drink being spilt on it. And thanks to the mid depth bowl, it fits in a regular guitar case.
Ovation Elite 1778 TX Acoustic-Electric Guitar Black
.This is my first foray into the acoustic/electric field, after 30+ years of either Guild or Gibson acoustics, and PRS and/or Gibson Electrics. Wanted an easier option then mic'ing my acoustic for shows, and sessions. First impression, I was put off a bit by the weight, as it's probably 30% lighter then my Guild, and Gibson. Initially I thought it felt like a toy, that would never stand up to weekly gigging. However, after setting it up to my liking, I've really started to love it. First, the build quality is as tight as one could hope for. Even though it's an off-shore build, quality control seems great. Finish is flawless, and very attractive. I'm not real keen on the placement of the preamp, right in the body dip, but I'll get used to it.
The sound is clean, and crisp. It doesn't have the "ring" that hand built acoustics do, but it does have a nice punch, and a natural compression I think comes from the sound hole configuration, and placement. In a nutshell, I can be alot more aggressive with this guitar, then I can on my others, without the mids blowing out, etc.
I think it has Ovations premier pre-amp and pick-up, but that's going to take me sometime to dial in, as I'm used to stereo mic'ing a standard acoustic, so my "ideal" sound is skewed a bit away from on-boards.
Certain I'll find a happy middle though.
With that said, there seems to be some confusion, and mis-information, out there on these, presuming it's in the fact that the Pro series, and Elite series look identical. The Elite have rosewood fingerboard, and bridge, Pro series have ebony. And even the owners pamplet that came with mine said the bridge is walnut, so it seems even Ovation has some confusion on these. Anyway, it's a solid instrument, playability is fantastic, it looks sharp, and it's affordable. Five stars.
Ovation Elite 1778 TX Acoustic-Electric Guitar Black
.I've owned a few Ovations over the years. When I played this one, it was a totally different experience. The tones on this puppy were so rich and deep, it quickly became my favorite guitar to play - my fingers seemed to just glide over the neck. AND speaking of neck - how cool was it to look down and see that "MADE IN USA" on the head stock? Well... I'll answer my own question: It was cool. American made guitars have always been out of my blue collar price range, so this was the first - and last - I've ever had the pleasure of owning. The only draw back: She's not a looker. At the time I picked her up, I was playing in an acoustic 80s band - and this guitar just has no flash on stage. After a week I took it back and traded straight up for a Takemine with a high gloss finish. I don't necessarily regret it, I'll just never forget the sound produced by that Ovation Elite. Really, the best sounding and most comfortable acoustic guitar I've ever played.
Ovation Elite 1778 TX Acoustic-Electric Guitar Black
.