Ovation Applause Serial Numbers

A series of tables and lists that summarise serial numbers, model codes and colors of the Ovation guitars from the beginning to the end of the 20th Century.

  • A series of tables and lists that summarise serial numbers, model codes and colors of the Ovation guitars from the beginning to the end of the 20th Century. Years and models Original series from 1966 Range Date Comment 006-319 1966 three digits in red ink.
  • Dec 31, 2015 I'd like to ID my Ovation and all I HAVE is the serial number! Post #2 had this, but I will spare you having to scroll up. I have an Applause wooden neck, not.

A series of tables and lists that summarise serial numbers, model codes and colors of the Ovation guitars from the beginning to the end of the 20th Century. Years and models Original series from 1966 Range Date Comment 006-319 1966 three digits in red ink.

Years and models

Original series from 1966

RangeDateComment
006-3191966three digits in red ink
320-9991967 (Feb.-Nov.)New Hartford; three digits in red ink
1000-1967 (Nov.)-1968 (July)four digits in black ink, no letter prefix
10000-1970 (Feb.)-1972 (May)five digits, no letter prefix
A + three digits1968 (July-Nov.)
B + three digits1968 (Nov.)-1969 (Feb.)
B + five digits1974-1979Magnum solidbody basses
C + three digits1969 (Feb.-Sept.)
D + three digits1969 (Sept.)-1970 (Feb.)
E + four digits1973 (Jan.)-1975 (Feb.)solidbodies
E + five digits1975 (Feb.)-1980solidbodies
E + six digits1980 (late)-1981some UK IIs (does not reflect production)
F, G prefix1968 (July)-1970 (Feb.)
H, I, J, L prefix1970-1973Electric Storm series

Ovation: six digits series from 1971

Ovation Applause Serial Number Lookup

RangeDateComment
000001-0070001972 (May-Dec.)
007001-0200001973
020001-0390001974
039001-0670001975
067001-0860001976
086001-1030001977 (Jan.-Sept.)
103001-1260001977 (Sept.)-1978 (Apr.)
126001-1570001978 (Apr.-Dec.)
157001-2030001979
211011-2149331980
214934-2636331981
263634-2914561982
291457-3026691983
302670-3033191984Elites only
315001-3391871984 (May-Dec.)Balladeers only
303320-3560001985-1986
357000-3679991987
368000-3821061988
382107-3929001989
403760-4204001990
421000-4306801990
400001-4036761991
430681-4460001991
402700-4060001992
446001-4578101992
457811-4707691993
470770-4844001994
484401-5014701995

Adamas: from September 1977

RangeYear
0077-00991977
0100-06081978
0609-10581979
1059-16701980
1671-26681981
2669-32421982
3243-38591983
3860-41091984
4110-42511985
4252-42831986
4284-44271987
4428-46961988
4697-49741989
4975-55411990
5542-62781991
6279-70881992
7089-81591993
8160-97781994
9779-112131995

Model numbers

Ovation Applause Serial Numbers

The model 4 digit codes for the original models. Everything changed and became sort of messy from the Seventies, so the best way to be shure is using the Ovation Decoder.

  • First digit
    • 1 – most models born before year 2000
    • 2 – contour bowl
    • 4 – Japanese Balladeers
    • 5 – parlours and some Elites
    • 6 -Standard Elites, widenecks, some Adamas
  • Second digit is type of guitar:
    • 1 Acoustic roundbacks (also semi-hollowbody electrics)
    • 2 Solidbody and semi-hollowbody electrics
    • 3 Ultra acoustics
    • 4 Solidbody
    • 5 Acoustic electric cutaway Adamas and II/Elite/Ultra electric
    • 6 Acoustic electric roundbacks
    • 7 Deep
    • 8 Shallow
  • Third digit denotes bowl depth on acoustic and acoustic electrics:
    • 1 Standard bowl 5 13/16″ deep
    • 2 Artist bowl 5 1/8″ deep
    • 3 Elite/Matrix electric deep bowl
    • 4 Matrix shallow bowl
    • 5 Custom Balladeer Legend Legend 12 Custom Legend 12 Anniversary
    • 6 Cutaway electric deep bowl
    • 7 Cutaway electric shallow bowl
    • 8 Adamas 6 1/16″ deep
  • Fourth digit denotes model
    • 1 Balladeer
    • 2 Deluxe Balladeer
    • 3 Classic
    • 4 Josh White
    • 5 12-String
    • 6 Contemporary Folk Classic
    • 7 Glen Campbell Artist Balladeer
    • 8 Glen Campbell 12-String
    • 9 Custom Legend (from 1974)
  • Color code follows hyphen after model number (but I am not quite sure for all of them):
    • 1 Sunburst
    • 2 Red
    • 4 Natural
    • 5 Black H Honeyburst
    • 6 White
    • 7 LTD Nutmeg/Anniversary Brown/Beige/Tan
    • 8 Blue
    • 9 Brown
    • B Barnwood (gray-to-black sunburst)
    • H Honey sungurst

Model Chronology

The dates in this chronology reflect actual appearances of models, determined from price lists and the recollections of sales representatives and dealers. They may differ slightly from the first production or official introduction dates in the text.

Numbers

Acoustic and Acoustic Electric

1964Charles Kaman chose a small team of aerospace engineers and technicians, several of whom were woodworking hobbyists as well, to work to invent a new guitar. One of these was Charles McDonough, who later created the Ovation Adamas model. Kaman founded Ovation Instruments.
1965Engineers and luthiers work to improve acoustic guitars by changing their conventional materials. The R&D team builds and tests prototype instruments. Their first prototype has a conventional dreadnought body, with parallel front and back perpendicular to the sides. The innovation is the use of a thinner, synthetic back, because of its foreseen acoustic properties. The company is moved from the aerospace facilities of Bloomfield to a new location in New Hartford.
1966Balladeer introduced. Has a natural top, Grover Rotomatic tuners, dot fret markers, white-black-white binding, small or thin rosette with figure-8 chain link motif and grape bunch at 4 o’clock position. Less than 100 made before February 1967 move to New Hartford factory. The very early have no rosette, some have extra diamond fret markers at twelfth fret.
1967 (Feb.)Deluxe Balladeer introduced. Essentially a Balladeer with diamonds at twelfth fret, Grover Rotomatics (Balladeer now has Kluson tuners), five-ply top binding.
1967 (Sept.)Classic introduced. No fret markers, twelve frets clear of body, flat fingerboard. Josh White model introduced. Twelve frets clear of body, wider neck, steel strings, dot markers with diamonds at twelfth fret. Shaded brown sunburst top introduced.

Larger floral leaf rosette appears. Model numbers introduced:

  • Model #1 Balladeer
  • Model #2 Deluxe Balladeer
  • Model #3 Classic
  • Model #4 Josh White.
1968 (Jan.)Model #5 12-String introduced
1968 (July)Semi-hollowbody Electric Storm series introduced
Model #6 Contemporary Folk Classic appears in the catalog, but is only produced as a prototype (probably during development of Glen Campbell model), with red, green or blue bowl color option
1968 (Nov.)Glen Campbell models and shallow “Artist” bowl introduced.
Four-digit model numbers with K prefix introduced:
  • K-1111 Balladeer
  • K-1112 Custom Balladeer
  • K-1113 Classic
  • K-1114 Josh White
  • K-1115 12-String
  • K-1116 Contemporary Folk Classic (prototypes only)
  • K-1117 Deluxe Balladeer
  • K-1118 Glen Campbell 12-String
  • K-1121 Artist Balladeer
  • K-1123 Artist Classic
  • K-1127 Glen Campbell Artist Balladeer
1970Josh White model deleted after his death
1971 (May)K-1124 Country Artist introduced. Similar to the Josh White but with shallow bowl, fourteen-fret neck, flat fingerboard, and nylon strings, replaces Josh White as the #4 model.
Acoustic electric models introduced:
  • K-1621 Electric Artist Balladeer
  • K-1624 Electric Country Artist
1972 (June)Solidbody electrics introduced. K prefix deleted from model names
  • 1114 Folklore introduced (reintroduction of Josh White model)
  • 1115 12-String renamed Pacemaker
  • 1117 Deluxe Balladeer renamed Legend
  • 1122 Classic Balladeer introduced
  • 1614 Electric Folklore introduced
  • 1615 Electric Pacemaker introduced
  • 1617 Electric Legend introduced
1974
  • 1116 Concert Classic introduced
  • 1616 Electric Concert Classic introduced
  • 1119 Custom Legend introduced
  • 1619 Electric Custom Legend introduced
1976New top finishes introduced: Red, White, or Blue Patriot Bicentennial introduced. Limited run of 1776 guitars, fancy version of Custom Legend with drum-and-flag decal and “1776*1976” on lower treble bout.
1976 (Sept.)Adamas introduced in prototype form for artists and select dealers. The first 26 are prototypes; #27-#61 are a non-tooling production run; #62-#76 have a new headstock design and the Kaman bar neck reinforcement. Wooden epaulettes around soundholes change to a photographic Mylar material. Extensive tooling begins Sept. 1977. Dealers receive first production models in Dec. 1977. First production Adamas sold is a Model 1687, #0077-95. Suffix is guitar’s natural frequency resonance. The first Adamas 12-String is #213. Charles H. Kaman signs the labels up to #600. At #600 C.W. (Bill) Kaman II begins signing labels.
  • 1187 Acoustic Adamas
  • 1188 Acoustic Adamas 12-String
  • 1687 Adamas (acoustic electric)
  • 1688 Adamas 12-String (acoustic electric)
19781157 Anniversary and 1657 Electric Anniversary introduced
19791587 Adamas cutaway and
1651 Legend Limited (electric only) introduced
1981Adamas II models introduced. Standard Ovation neck and bridge, available as acoustic electric only.
  • 1681 Adamas II
  • 1685 Adamas II 12-String
  • 1581 Adamas II cutaway
1982Collectors’ Series inaugurated (see separate listing) and several new models, including cutaway models:
  • 1155 Custom Balladeer 12 introduced
  • 1655 Electric Custom Balladeer 12 introduced
  • 1156 Legend 12 introduced
  • 1656 Electric Legend 12 introduced
  • 1159 Custom Legend 12 introduced
  • 1659 Electric Custom Legend 12 introduced
  • 1661 Balladeer Cutaway
  • 1667 Legend Cutaway
  • 1677 Legend Shallow Cutaway
  • 1669 Custom Legend Cutaway
  • 1674 Country Artist cutaway
  • 1663 Classic Cutaway
  • Adamas cutaways.
  • Wood-top Adamas prototype produced. Number on label is N-19-82WTSL (WTSL for Wood Top Super Legend). Production model will be named Elite.
1982 (Oct.)Elite appears on price list; production begins shortly thereafter. First catalog appearance is late 1983.
1983Super-shallowbodies introduced
1988Abalone trim added to Custom Legend and Electric Custom Legend
1989Introduced Optima-3 preamp
1998Introduced the Custom Legend Al Di meola.
2004Introduced the LX series (for Light and X-Bracing)

Warranty Information | Ovation Guitars

Colors

1Sunburst
1YSunburst Flame
2Red
2WFBRed Waterfall Bubinga
3Green
4Natural
4BNatural Bird Eyes
4CNatural Cedar
4GNatural Graphite
4GBNatural Graphite Burst
4HFxNatural w/HEXFX Electronics
4RMRecording Model that features Optimax
5Black
5BQBlack Blue (Quilted)
5EEbony Stain
5EYEbony Transparent Flame
5FBlack Flake
5HGBlack High Gloss
5MBirdseye
5PBlack Pearl
6White – Cream White
6PWhite Pearlescent
7LTD Nutmeg, Anniversary Brown, Tan and Beige, Deep Red
7QMNutmeg
8Blue
😯Opaque Blue
8TBlue Transparent
8TYBlue Transparent Flame
9Brown Sunburst
9FMBrown Burst Flamed maple
9BBrown Burst Bird Eyes
9YBrown Burst Cycamore
30CM30th Anniversary Natural
ABAutumn Burst
AMAmber
ANBAntique Brown Burst
ANRAntique Red
ASAntique Sunburst Bird Eyes
ASBAspen Blue
ASWAngel Step Walnut
BBarnwood (Gray-to-Black Sunburst)
BCBBlack Cherry Burst
BCBQBlack Cherry Burst Quilt
BFTBlue Flame Top
BGBlue Green (Adamas)
BSBlue Sparkle
BSBBlue Surf Burst
BTABlue Tamo Ash
BZBronze
CBCobalt Blue
CBVCobalt Blue with VIP Preamp
CCBCherry Cherry Burst
CCBQCherry Cherry Burst Quilt
CGCadillac Green
CGBCadillac Green Burst
CRPCrimson Red Pearl
CSCherry Sunburst
CTBFACherry Transparent Burst Figured Ash
DBPDark Blue Pearl
DPQDeep Purple Quilt
DSQDeep Black
DTQDeep Turquise (Quilted)
FKOAFigured Koa
FRFigured Redwood
GBurgundy Sunburst
GQGreen Quilt
HHoney
HTHoney Sunburst
YBYellow Burst Flame
YSYellow Burst
ICIced Coffee
HBHoneyburst
LFRLegend Figured Redwood
LRLusty Red
MMahogany
NB2No-Burst Red
NB5No-Burst Black
NB8No-Burst Blue
NEBNew England Burst
NMQNutmeg Maple Quilt
NWTNatural Woven Top
OBOpaque Burgundy
OFTOrange Flame Top
PPewter
PBPlum Burst
PTFPurple Tribal Flame
PYPlumburst on Sycamore
RBRootbeer
RFRed Flame
RGRuby Graphite
RRRuby Red
RRBRuby Redburst
RRBYRuby Redburts Flame
RTDRed Tear Drop
RTDBRed Tear Drop Burst
RWRose White
RWBRed Wineburst
RBBWRuby Burst Burled Walnut
SSSilver Sparkle
SSPSilver Satin Pearl
TTurquise
T5Textured Black
TBTobacco Burst
TGTeal Graphite
TDBTeardrop Burst
THTransparent Honey
TNTangerine
TPBTransparent Burgundy
TQTurquoise Quilted
USAUS Flag
VOQVintage Orange (Quilted)
VYVintage Flamed Sycamore
VTVintage
WBWine Burst Flame
WPWhite Pearl
WSWalnut stain
ZAll Black guitar

Ovation Applause Acoustic Guitar

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