The picture below is not my Magnum but it's exactly the same. Breadwinner, Deacon and now Magnum 1 Bass. I have finally achieved my Ovation HOLY GRAIL. Jah Wobble is the only other player I know who uses one. needs some TLC, and a set up + the onboard graphic EQ circuit needs work but it will be the shit when fixed. Plugged her in and fabulous feel to the neck and solid chunk of mahogany body with rosewood fret board. drove two hours just to find it and then had to ask and it was in a dusty corner catching some sun.
So I knew where one was, have known where it was for the last 3 years and I kept hoping it would just go away because I wanted it - I never had the scratch to buy it but today went in after not seeing it for a year to find it and at first I couldn't see it. The Magnum I is one of the coolest bass guitars that I've had the pleasure of using.Well some may know of my addiction to Ovation solids from the 70's and I have long been hunting an Ovation Magnum 1 which is the bass from that period - 1977. I was even more surprised to find that Ovation made it, as I'm used to seeing them only make acoustic guitars. Upon first seeing this guitar in the studio where I used it, I was definitely instantly impressed by the look and make up of it. Other than the one that I've used, I've never seen or used another Ovation Magnum I bass guitar. I've used the bass in the studio, where we recorded it both direct with a Sansamp DI and through an Ampeg amplifier and got a really outstanding sound. It's great for getting more of an aggressive sound rather than a smooth one, but it is capable of getting a wide array of tones between the way you play it and the pick ups. The sounds that are possible with the Ovation Magnum I can definitely be manipulated in a variety of ways, but overall it has a very thick and heavy sound. The look and style of the body is really quite cool looking and very unique. To me this isn't a bad thing, it just means that it has a different feel and therefore a different type of sound. It isn't hard to play, but does take a little bit more force than something with a more fluid feel. It has a heavy sort of feel to it, in that I found the strings and action on the one that I played to be quite thick. The overall feel of the Ovation Magnum I is definitely more than enjoyable. Uniquely, it also has two 1/4" connections on it for sending it to either one or two places, which is really cool and unlike any other instrument I've seen that I can think of. The Magnum I has both a neck and a bridge pick up, along with tone and volume knobs for each of them and a pick up switch selector to choose between the two or to blend them. I believe that these basses were made in the late 1970's, although there are a few different models of the Magnum bass. Ovation's Magnum I is an electric bass guitar that is definitely on the unique side. A 400/500 dollar purchase on this bass (I personally would be willing to pay more) will get you a bass that plays like the ones that cost thousands. If you ever come across one on ebay, I can't recomend buying it enough. I play everything from the classic rock such as the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Cream to heavy punk music such as the Butthole Surfers, Crass, and Black Flag. Everything on it is built solidly, and almost guaranteed not to break. Mine will be 30 years old next year, but still holds up better than a majority of the guitars made today. Not a big deal if you play at home, but it gets annoying if you play it infront of an audiance.
Next, the adjustment for the preamp crackle when they are changed. First, the bass is very heavy, and really tests your endurance when you're standing up with it on a strap. None of them are really that important that it should keep you from buying the bass, but they should still be pointed out. There are a few things that I dont like about this bass. Just complete the guitar wiring diagram order form with your custom specifications and our designers will do the rest. The action is perfect, and the bridge can be adjusted dozens of ways to get it just the way you like it. Get a custom drawn guitar or bass wiring diagram designed to your specifications for any type of pickups, switching and controls and options. The neck is very fast due to how thin it is, but this won't take away from its strength. Also this bass is active, which is hard to come across from a guitar made in the 70's. There is a selector switch to go from either neck, to bridge, or both. There are 2 pickups, the neck pickup being a giant humbucker, and the bridge is a single coil pickup. It isnt anywhere near your usual bass shape. First, the shape of the body is deffinatly going to catch your eye. He bought it in 1975, and it was his main bass right up until he gave it to me.