Meir Ariel's Guitar – Ovation 1651

An amplified acoustic guitar, Ovation 1651, serial number 321044. Made in USA. By its serial number the guitar was made in 1985 or 1986.
The soundboard of the guitar is made of Nutmeg wood, the fretboard is made of Ebony with diamond shaped ivory inlays. The rosette around the opening of the resonance box is embossed with a pattern of leaves in black and ivory colors.
The built in amplification system includes a pre-amp, a stereophonic output, and a volume knob.
The guitar is sold along with its original hard case, which was used by Ariel.
Shalom Hanoch purchased the guitar for Meir Ariel, along with Ariel's wife Tirtsa, when they were in New York in 1986.
Ariel used this guitar for writing some of his most famous songs - included in his albums, from his third album Yerukot from 1988 on, performed with it on his solo concerts well as his band concerts, it is featured in his 1988 film "Meir Ariel's Election Tour", and apparently used it for recording his acoustic album "Rishumei Peham" from 1995.
Three photographs of Meir Ariel with the guitar are included, as is a provenance document, signed by Meir Ariel's widow, confirming the guitar as Ariel's.
Ovation started making guitars in the mid sixties. In the seventies it started making acoustic guitars which were special for having an arched back, made of synthetic material originating in the manufacture of helicopters. The company was also considered a pioneer in including pre amps in its amplification systems, in as soon as 1971. Ovation guitars became very popular in the 1980s, when many well known musicians used them, among them Paul Simon at the Reunion Concert in Central Park, and John Lennon who used this same model - Ovation 1651 Legend, in a few sessions, and is photographed with such a guitar on the cover of his album Acoustic, which was released after his death. Ovation released a limited edition of the guitar with Lennon's name of it, in 2005.
The guitar is in good condition, intact, with no major defects, and playable. Many use marks - scratches, bumps, corrosion to the tuning keys, etc. The case is covered inside with golden brown velvet, with much wear. On the outside - two of its latches are broken, it is worn, scuffed, bumped, with rust to metal parts, a small piece of the outer cover is missing, and with many remnants of stickers.