Ovation 1711 Standard Balladeer, Dark Green, Hardshell Case - Used
The Ovation 1711 Standard Balladeer is the guitar that launched the entire Ovation concept — the Lyrachord deep-bowl roundback body, the solid Sitka spruce top, the Ovation X bracing — a genuinely radical design when it debuted, and one that delivers a tone unlike any traditional wood-bodied acoustic. The deep bowl back projects sound differently than a flat-backed dreadnought, and the result is a voice that is articulate and punchy with a full, present tone across the range. These guitars were built to be heard, both acoustically and through the onboard piezo pickup, which on this one is working great.
This guitar has a sticker on the inside reading "Factory Reconditioned Guitar," meaning it went through Ovation's factory service process at some point in its life — a detail worth knowing and, for collectors of this model, sometimes an interesting point of provenance. Set up to spec and playing well. There is real, honest wear here: lots of pick scratches throughout, and pretty deep fret wear concentrated on the treble side, consistent with a guitar that has done real work over the years. Nothing structural — the neck is straight and stable, the truss rod adjusts normally, and there are no cracks or non-original parts. Check the photos for the full picture on the wear before purchasing.
Condition is Very Good given the specific wear noted above. Comes with the original hardshell case.
- Make: Ovation
- Model: 1711 Standard Balladeer
- Country of origin: USA (New Hartford, Connecticut)
- Body style: Deep-bowl roundback
- Top: Solid Sitka spruce
- Back and sides: Lyrachord composite (deep bowl)
- Bracing: Ovation X-bracing
- Finish: Dark Green, gloss polyurethane
- Binding: Multi-ply on top
- Rosette: Ovation soundhole rosette
- Neck: Cedro
- Fingerboard: Rosewood, dot inlays, side position markers — deep fret wear on treble side, see description
- Headstock: Cedro with decal logo
- Bridge: Rosewood
- Scale length: 25 1/4"
- Nut width: 1 11/16"
- String height at 12th fret: 3/32"
- Tuners: Chrome closed gear
- Electronics: OEM piezo pickup with onboard preamp — tested and working
- Weight: 5 lbs 14 oz
- Modifications: None — all original parts
- Includes: Original hardshell case
Ships carefully packed and insured for full value.
International buyers are welcome — please contact us for a shipping quote before purchasing.
About Mill River Music
Mill River Music is an independent, human-powered music shop located in downtown Northampton, MA, run by a team of players, enthusiasts, and certified repair technicians. Every piece of used gear we sell is personally inspected, tested, and set up before it ships — we don't list it until we'd be happy to play it ourselves.
As Martin and Taylor certified techs, we hold our guitar work to a high standard, and we're committed to full transparency about the condition of everything we sell. No surprises.
When you buy from Mill River, you're supporting an independent local business that genuinely cares — about gear, about players, and about doing things right. We're here every step of the way. Reach out anytime.
