NEW Ovation CSE225-RRB Double-Neck Celebrity Acoustic-Electric Guitar +Hard Case
May 04, 2017
Poor design
So the fundamental problem with this guitar is balance. The only reason to own a double-neck after all is for performance, I mean you're not going to use this for studio . With a strap attached where manufacturer places buttons, it is impossible to play, because you have to hold the guitar from falling while you play. I attached one end of the strap to the neck just above nut like I did in the '70's when strap buttons were not common, and that provides a workable solution, but it's far from ideal. A double neck is by nature somewhat cumbersome, but this poor design only exacerbates the situation. Then there is the matter of the location of the toggle switch for pickups to each neck which is mounted on the top of the body which sits against your chest while playing and is easily moved inadvertently while holding the guitar which can screw up a performance. The problems are so obvious, I wondered about them just from the pictures prior to purchase, but I imagined that someone would have accounted for them in the design.
I don't know what the engineers were thinking that designed this instrument, but someone needs to go back to the drawing board.
The other aspects of the guitar are the same as those on other models of Ovation guitars, except of course the sympathetic vibration of the lower strings while playing the upper neck. (When playing the lower neck the upper can be muted with your arm).
Playing a double neck is a somewhat challenging endeavor to begin with, so companies need to mitigate the difficult aspects as much as possible, not make them worse.
Tone is alright, and much better when amplified. Action is good, not great and this instrument would be enjoyable to play except for the balance, which overrides all of the other aspects.