I'm with Little Hawk - I've never found an Ovation (or Adamas) that I like - they are a bit too 'clinical' sounding for my liking.

My three Yamahas are nearly thirty five years old (FG160, FG200 and FG260 12-string), and in all that time I've never felt moved to buy a more expensive instrument.

I like to think I'm a bit better than the average chord-basher, and I've customised the action on them to make them a little easier to play. I prefer slightly heavy strings - even on the 12-string - and they still show no signs of buckling under the strain - the fan-strutting is really very good, without making the top so rigid as to make the tone 'thin'.

The secret of ending up with a good-sounding guitar is to give it a good thrashing! I know people with Martins who treat them ever so carefully, and the sound just doesn't improve the way it should!