MusicRadar Verdict
Like Takamine, Ovation has its history steeped in the electro-acoustic realm. This is a solid performer and comes gig-ready with onboard tuner.
Pros
- +
Slim neck; two strap buttons; crisp tonality.
Cons
- -
Bowlback won't be to everyone's taste
MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.
Ovation's curved bowlback, by design, aids both sound projection and comfort but also lends a unique playing position that can take a while to get used to.
However, in this glorious red sunburst finish with a super slim neck, dot and diamond inlays, oak leaf rosette, distinctive headstock and attractive binding, the Celebrity offers a strong visual statement.
Even the walnut bridge neatly absorbs the ball ends of the strings and helps to keep the things simple and clean.
The bowlback body makes this feel much less bulky than the majority of basses here but it still possesses a warm and significant voice.
The preamp is a modular design that pops out of the body at the press of a button in order to change the battery.
It is endowed with sliders for the three-band EQ and volume, plus switches for EQ in/out and for the pre-shape feature.
There's also a useful battery indicator to help prevent any awkward live incidents, but what dominates this unit is the sophisticated multi-LED tuner that gives wider options than just the standard tuning.
Sounds
The Ovation has a tightly focused natural voice and this continues when plugging in. It has good sound qualities from the EQ but we were particularly impressed with the solid projection when engaging the pre-shape.
This is an unusual feature on an electro-acoustic bass, yet it proves extremely effective. Two strap buttons are provided but this is the only instrument here not to make use of an endpin jack socket, instead the socket is located on the lower curve of the bowl.
"It's loud, in-your-face, and has more punch than a kangaroo at boxing practice": What is OTT compression - and how do you use it?
“It was the B-side that became one of the most important pieces of music ever - certainly one of the most sampled”: How breakbeat took over the music world
“Bono took me aside and asked if I was sure I wanted him to sing this line”: Bob Geldof remembers what the U2 singer said to him before he recorded his vocals on Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?
