It’s About Time

Ovation Acoustic

Last week or so, I managed to sell off my Ovation Custom Legend 1117-4 to a guy who claimed to be just a casual player. We met and he was pleased with what he saw. Truth is, who wouldn’t when the rosette is beautifully made, the top is nicely aged natural color and gold tuners? J Actually, I’m kind of sad to let it go but for space constraint at home. I’m not so sure if this new owner appreciates the so-called ‘beat-up’ hardcase that he saw. The interior is still good and offers tremendous protection for the ovation. Then again, some folks prefer new stuff to old, so to each his own. Sigh…parting is such sweet sorrow.

A week later, I bought a 1116 from a nice vet who gives up trying to learn the guitar and I was able to get it for USD$310 which is really a good price. Now am awaiting delivery. It’s actually called a concert classic 1116.

The other classic that I have will be sold probably at a price of $550-$600. Ovation customer service helped

to identify that this piece is a 1124-4 model. Actual term is Country Artist 1124-4. Natural pine wood color and loud too. Again, I would prefer to keep than sell them away. Sigh… awaiting Ovation to send over the label so I can paste it and take pics of it before posting on AdPost or EBay.

Thus far the ‘97 Collectors’ edition parlor style guitar is still charming me with its acoustic sound. Meanwhile, no response for my Yamaha FG512-II 12 strings after a month of advertising. Even the luthier says it’s a good guitar with great decent sound. Oh well, maybe I’ll keep it after all. The younger folks now want acoustic-electric. Personally, there’s no need for pickups unless one playing in big concert. Then again, to each his own.

Growing up in C’wealth Crescent meant you are familiar with Queenstown Lutheran Church – at least you know where it is, and what are some of the activities that go on there regularly. One of them was having Boys’ Brigade activity on Saturday afternoon normally. The other would be Sunday worship services as well as special services like Christmas and Easter.

As a much younger kid growing up, I could see the Boys’ Brigade band practicing in the church parking lot. I would stay at the kitchen looking out for the entire sessions. I could also see that when the band isn’t practicing, some of the boys would be playing basketball or other games. However, one aspect of the BB is marching. Being a boy mean I admire these older kids from a distance, imagining myself to do those things one of these days.

Well, when I was 11 (primary 5), an older boy from blk 107 approached me. In those days, you know who lives where and how many siblings they have even if you have never spoken to them (No kidding!). Anyway, this Indian boy, Peter, also had a brother – Paul, are both in the BB. They were having some kind of recruitment drive that time. Peter invited me to join their BB activity and so I did one Saturday. My mother didn’t want me to do that but my eldest sister, Kathy, persuaded her to allow me to join the activities on a regular basis. I guess she being an ex-girl scout meant that she appreciates the many benefits of such groups bring.

Being a primary school kid meant I would join the Junior Section of the BB. The senior section is reserved for those secondary one and above. I enjoyed the singing sessions, and bible lessons. Life was much simpler and fun. Kids there are all from the neighborhood in C’wealth crescent and some from C’wealth Close. There was Said (Malay) and others whose name I had long forgotten but faces are still fresh in my mind, and I was able to get along well with them. People weren’t that religiously sensitive in those days. Imagine today a Malay boy joining BB and attending church function!!! I personally Singapore has gone backwards much (that’s another topic for another day).

I also began to attend Sunday school and morning worship services though I must admit that apart from Sunday school, I was not able to understand the sermon during the services. Fault does not lie with the pastor but my cognitive level wasn’t up to par then too, in fairness.

We often played football in the church premises. Sometimes the Chinese pastor who stayed in the parish upstairs would scold us for making too much noise. I think his name is Rev/Pastor Tong. Anyway, his eldest daughter is Mary whom I tease lots because we were of the same age and class in Sunday school. One of the mischief was running away when the plastic ball broke the window panes of the class rooms. One day we got caught by the pastor intern who reprimanded and exhorted us not to run away but to be bold and honorable to own up to our misdeeds. That was severe mercy! Consequently we have to apologize and made to sweep up the broken glasses. That was a precious lesson learned.

One of the memorable events in BB years was my first camping trip! My brother Fred brought me to Sungei Road (I still remember the hustle and bustle that goes on there that day!) to buy my first haversack. I was all ready to go for the camp at Mandai forest area when news broke that a black panther had escaped from the Mandai Zoo! Bummer! The activity was canceled and we had to stay in Church instead. It was still fun for me to be out on my own for the first time in life!

The following year, I got to stay at a campsite which is next to a river/stream. It was fascinating for me but I never know where we were up till this day. all I know and remember is that I enjoyed my first 5 days away from home and just playing games and attending some lessons.

Then there was a national Junior section tournament held at ACS Baker Road. All the BB companies would send their Juniors for this tournament. We were excited naturally and we were almost unbeatable that day (what do you expect from a bunch of kids who played together most of the time – during BB hours and outside hours?!). Our camaraderie was evident. There was unspoken understanding in the way we played – whatever the game. We beat the crap out of the 12^th Coy (ACS) who had the finest sports kits while we were comfortable with barefoot running and some china-made hockey boots that double-up as football boots. You can also imagine a scenario of snooty-falooty kids versus street urchins! So we were champs in the inaugural tournament. That day was capped by a campfire with lots of singing and us hoisting the trophy at the end of it. Sigh…. Such memories.

When secondary one came, I stop attending BB because of variety of reasons – 1) my school didn’t recognize BB and so would not issue ECA points (though BB was recognized by MOE). It probably has repented of its sin. Perhaps the principal or discipline master in charge had an axe to grind against BB. 2) Football fever was gripping the nation – I attend almost every M’sia Cup matches at the Kallang Stadium. The Quah brothers were household names alongside Dollah Kassim for Singaporeans. Fandi Ahmad was a ‘Johnny come lately” then. I was busy playing for neighborhood teams besides training with the school team. 3) BB just doesn’t appeal to me anymore because changes were taking place which I didn’t understand then. Anyway when I was in secondary two, I resigned from the BB.

Having said that, I enjoyed my few short years at the BB immensely. Life then was mostly having fun. This much I would say, whether BB, GB, Scouts or NPCC, it is always good for kids to participate because life’s skills and psychomotor skills are developed through these activities. Kids like us became more resilient even when undergoing tough NS stint.

Time flies. Must sign off…

The Olympics is underway with world records smashed like nobody’s business, so to speak. Michael Phelps’ phenomenal feat is admirable and bewildering considering the pressure of performance as well as physical demands of the sports in the midst of world class athletes.

China produced its share of winners and record-breakers. Kudos to them for producing what they had set out to do this Olympics using home ground advantage. Of course, this is not the first time a country had set out to achieve its target tally with no expenses spared. However, I was wondering if I would allow my daughter to be taken from the family at a young age and not seeing her for a few years, to be raised by sports fraternity for Olympic glory and country’s honor? I doubt if I would allow that but of course, China being a communist country where state overrules individuals’ right, sometimes parents don’t have much of a say in such thing. Yet again, parents might be happy that their children are chosen for it meant a better life, security and great possibility of financial returns. Doubtless, in a country that has the biggest population in the world, the competition is though and one has to rise above and be the cream of the crop to be chosen to represent the country.

I don’t think I have the desire and drive for my daughter to be world’s best at the expense of growing up in a normal environment.

I’m glad I enjoyed sports and introducing the fun and joy of participation in various activities. I don’t crave for such glory but that she might enjoy the sports, develop resilience through games and inculcate some character in her to weather through life’s crisis and challenges. I’m glad that I was committed to the games that I have chosen to participate during my younger days. The sacrifices made were worth it but none at the expense of enjoyment of the game. I plan to do that for my daughter too. Never mind if she plays hard and loses – life doesn’t always let you win anyway.

Just musing over things that recently transpired.

Holland Village – not a place located somewhere in Holland but a cluster of old shophouses that was so-called and is a place for hip gatherings and expensive stuff.

Growing up in C’wealth Crescent in Queenstown area means I have convenient access to many places in so-called central area. Chip Bee Gardens was just at the back of my block [106] which was situated on a crest of a ‘hilly’ area. We just cut through some fences and we could easily access Chip Bee Garden. Back then, the British army and their families were located there (at least a portion of it). It was a terrifying experience for a 6 year old boy to undergo. Each time we walk along those roads, the dogs would bark and in fact come running out of their unlocked gates. My brothers and I would have free running sessions. Of course by running, it meant the dogs would give chase naturally.

From Chip Bee garden, it’s just a stone’s throw frm Holland Village.

Holland Village used to have a pet shop selling different kinds of birds. that shop was located what now is the Cold Storage. If you look at the Holland Shopping Center from across the road, you can visualize the pet shop at your left. Sandwin sport shop was there ever since and I still remember their cockiness because they sell stuff to ang-mos. The Indian man who sells newspaper was in the same corner. Behind that shopping center was the open-air cinema, where one could pay 50 cents for a movie. The wet market is still where it is albeit much improved. No, Burger King wasn’t there at all back then. Some of those shops were just provision shops and one even sells banana fritters (goring pisang).

Then right at the end of the shop houses, stood an old house (no longer there) where an old man fixes and sells bicycles. My brother Fred saved previous monies to pay for every parts of the bicycle except for the body which he found strewn along some bushes. We had the most enjoyable childhood of our lives.

Well, will reminisce more later. . . .

I must be crazy to buy another Ovation guitar though this time it’s a classical model. I figured that the price being what it is, it’ll be a missed opportunity to let it pass.  Sent the bank draft so now awaiting its delivery.  It’s an act of ‘faith’ really since I’ve no guarantee that this person will actually deliver and i can’t do anything about it should she default on her part of the transaction.

Anyway, this guitar has been under the care of a almost-player (she tried to learn it but never did). I noticed form th epic she sent that the truss rod cover was missing.  Thankfully the customer service personnel from Ovation HQ was willing to sent it to me FOC.  I can’t really pin this model down as the label inside the sound hole is missing and probably only the s/no left.  It’s not 1116 and the fella from HQ who saw the pics says it’s probably model 1123. The ovation web site’s archive page doesn’t list it which is rather strange.  Well there are several models aren’t listed in the archive page either. So….

Joined the Ovation Fan Club and has learned some interesting thing along the way.

Called Francis from the Guitar Workshop yesterday. Apparently the neck needs heating to straighten it.  This condition (warping) must have been caused or intensiifed by the guitar being left in church office (it is very hot) for extended time each day.  My Yamaha FG-512II likewise suffers similar fate with buzzing sound coming on. I will need to put in the Jr’s class from now on.

Has been enjoying the ‘97 parlor guitar.  Wouldn’t mind selling it later either. Its sound is loud for a parlor and sleek OP amp on its body.

Received sms inquiring about the legend 1117 but unfortunately can’t let the fella view it since it’s still in the workshop.  Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it there in the first place. Sometimes i just don’t think enough but act of foolish impulses.  It might be another week or two before the neck is straighten out sufficiently.

Collected my Ovation 1997 Collectors’ Edition from CK last Wednesday. He brought it back from SF the day earlier. It saved me a bundle considering the size and weight thereof. Haste makes waste, perhaps. I had thought earlier that it was a classical item only to realize that it was acoustic electric parlor style guitar. A tad disappointed because I was hoping it would be so. My fault, really. Anyway, the guitar sounded loud for its sound and wonderful for finger picking. Only thing is that I’ve got get rid of model 1117 to justify having 2 ovation acoustic around.

I’m sourcing out a classical model and found one though I had wished the model label inside the sound hole is still there. Will see…