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Ovation Applause AE127 Acoustic Guitar
The Ovation series of acoustic guitars was developed to overcome the physical problems of amplifying acoustic guitars onstage. The unique bowl-back design and the thin-line pickups are the results of these efforts. The fact that these guitars have been hugely popular over many years reflects how successful Ovation were at tackling the difficulties inherent with amplified acoustic instruments. The Applause series delivers these fundamental advantages in an affordable package.
Ovation Applause AE127 Review by The Man in the Jar
Features of the Ovation Applause AE127 Acoustic Guitar
Tuners - Ovation branded sealed mini-tuners with large knobs. These work well.
Headstock - Trademark offset Ovation shape bearing the Applause logo.
Nut - A clean and tidy white plastic nut.
Neck - Slightly chunky profile which has a satisfying presence in the hand. The finish on the neck is silky and smooth.
Fretboard - Medium dark rosewood fretboard with white dot markers and white binding.
Frets - Thin frets with a well-polished finish.
Action - In all budget acoustics the savings are generally made in general build quality (in budget electric guitars the savings are made in the areas of pickups and hardware). The most noticeable effect of this on all budget acoustic guitars is the slightly robust action. There is always some scope to shave the saddle, but I think the whole feel of guitars in this price range is greatly improved by the addition of a high quality set of strings. Having said all that, the action is only going to matter to those players who want to make high, fast runs or make fast and complicated chord changes in high positions. If your playing rarely takes you above the seventh fret then a higher action is a positive advantage as it allows for more string oscillation giving higher acoustic volume and better tone.
Body - Another Ovation trademark in its shape and styling. The Lyrachord bowl-shaped back defines the acoustic sound of the Ovation and underpins its good performance in difficult amplified environments. The cutaway gives good high fret access if needed. The body has white binding around the spruce top and the decoration around the sound-hole is in the form of a pre-formed plastic ring which is attached to the top of the soundboard.
Bridge - This rosewood bridge has a compensated (staggered) saddle to improve intonation and the clever stop-tail design eliminates the need for bridge-pins.
Pickups and Controls - The thin-line pickups under the bridge run to a small preamp that is controlled via a panel on the topside of the bowl just below the guitar's waist. There's one slider for gain and one for tone.
Pickguard - None fitted.
Strap-buttons - Adequately large buttons are fitted, one at the bottom and one behind the upper bout.
Output Jack - Situated conveniently on the back at the bottom of the bowl.
Finish - This guitar is well finished throughout.
Sound of the Ovation Applause AE127 Acoustic Guitar
The Ovation design is a hybrid developed to deal with a very specific set of circumstances which present themselves in the onstage amplified environment. Consequently the sound of the thing is a compromise geared to the best performance in that set of circumstances. I'm afraid that many acoustic guitar snobs tend to forget that.
Unsurprisingly the un-amplified sound lacks the woodiness of a fully wooden sound-box. The rigidity of the Lyrachord bowl will never produce the complex tones of an ordinary acoustic guitar, but it's that rigidity that dampens sympathetic resonance that causes feedback and allows you play your Ovation at high amplification levels. Even so the acoustic sound is perfectly passable for practise sessions or jamming.
When run into a Laney A-1 Acoustic Guitar Amplifier the Applause came alive. Using the Laney's EQ section I was able to coax a ringing sweetness out of this little guitar that belies its price-tag. Crucially I was able to do this at quite high volume whilst leaning over the Laney to make adjustments. At no time did I get a hint of feedback.
Overall Impressions of the Ovation Applause AE127 Acoustic Guitar
The Ovation range first filled a niche which it ended up dominating for many years. If you want a reliable acoustic sound on an amplified stage an Ovation is still a top choice. The Applause series brings the Ovation benefits to those on a tighter budget. If you need a butter-light action you'll need to look higher in the Ovation range. Otherwise the Applause AE127 brings you the great looks, playability and reliable on-stage sound of an iconic manufacturer at an affordable price.
Buy the Ovation Applause AE127 Acoustic Guitar in either Natural, Ruby Red Burst or my personal favourite - Pink or view other models by Ovation Applause
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