Electric guitar
Date1976
Place MadeNew Hartford, Connecticut, United States, North America
ModelViper 1271
Serial No.E 6161
SignedBlack and gold decal on head, with Ovation lute mark behind “O”: OvationEngraved on pickguard: VIPER
MarkingsDie-stamped on chrome-plated, cast metal bolt-on neck cover, marked with Ovation lute mark: E 6161
Volume and tone knobs with text “VOLUME” and “TONE” and numbers 1 through 10
DescriptionOvation was a company primarily known for their acoustic guitars made from innovative materials like fiberglass and carbon fiber. In the late 1970s, they introduced the Viper, a solid-body electric guitar that was only produced for a few years. The NMM’s Viper first belonged to singer/songwriter/actor Neil Diamond (born 1941) and is preserved with its original Ovation invoice.
Stringing: six steel strings
Pickups: two humbucking pickups with individual pole pieces, volume and tone potentiometers with black plastic knobs with aluminum fronts marked in black text, the volume levels marked in white paint, and three-way switch
Body: clear-lacquered, three-piece alder
Head: maple; integral with neck; black-white-black three-ply plastic spear-shaped truss rod cover secured to head with three chrome-plated steel domed Philips’ head screws
Neck: maple; integral with head; bolted to body with chrome-plated steel plate
Binding: none
Fretboard: maple with 24 nickel-silver frets; single black plastic dots and side dots behind, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 15th, 17th, 19th, and 21st frets; double black plastic dots and side dots behind 12th and 24th frets
Nut: bone
Bridge: brass-plated steel and black plastic with individually adjustable saddles
Tuners: six individual chrome-plated brass and black plastic covered worm-gear tuners with chrome-plated steel heads, the Ovation lute mark on each head
Pickguard: black-white-black three-ply plastic secured with eleven chrome-plated-steel Philips’ head screws
Strap buttons: chrome-plated steel secured to body with chrome-plated steel Philips’ head screws
Finish: clear lacquer
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 1009 mm (39-23/32“)
Back length at neck joint: 424 mm (16-11/16“)
Upper bout width: 231 mm (9-3/32“)
Waist width: 211 mm(8-5/16“)
Lower bout width: 328 mm (12-29/32“)
Side height at heel: 41 mm (1-5/8“)
Side height, at center: 41 mm (1-5/8“)
Side height, at end: 41 mm (1-5/8“)
Head length: 170 mm (6-11/16“)
Head width, top: 81 mm (3-3/16“)
Head width, bottom: 75 mm (2-15/16“)
Neck length (nut to body): 413 mm (16-1/4“)
Neck width, nut: 41 mm (1-5/8“)
Neck width, body joint: 54 mm (2-1/8“)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 645 mm (25-3/8“) at high E-string; 646 mm (25-7/16“) at low E-string
ProvenanceNeil Diamond, Los Angeles, CA. Original Ovation receipt dated November 11, 1976
Credit LineAndré P. and Kay Marcum Larson Fund, 2010
Object number14501
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