Ovation builds Gus G. a stage-ready 1868 Pro Series Elite acoustic-electric

Ovation unveiled the 1868 Pro Series Elite Gus G. Signature on October 30, giving the Firewind founder and former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist an acoustic-electric designed around the transition from solidbody technique to amplified acoustic performance. The 1868-GUS-G uses Ovation’s Super Shallow Lyrachord GS bowl, a solid A-grade Sitka spruce top with scalloped X-bracing and the brand’s bass-side multi-soundhole layout.

The neck is maple with a flat profile, 25.3-inch scale and 1 11/16-inch nut, while a pau ferro fingerboard and bridge sit alongside abalone dot-and-diamond markers and a Gus G. cross at the 12th fret. Its anthracite top carries pinstripe flame graphics and a metal-flake matte-gloss finish. Ovation fits an OCP-1K pickup and OP-Pro preamp with tuner, and supplies an OVGB-DL-SS gig bag.

The official US listing gives a $1,099 MAP, while Ovation’s European page lists €1,076 SRP. The company says the model is available through authorized dealers. A later Guitar Interactive report adds that Gus G. prioritized the slim playing position and familiar neck feel because most of his stage work begins from an electric-guitar reference point.

That makes this more than a cosmetic artist edition: the shallow bowl, compact neck dimensions and integrated stage electronics target electric players who need an acoustic voice without a major ergonomic reset. The pickup-and-preamp package also makes the guitar immediately usable in an existing wired or wireless live rig.