Ovation Guitar Company was founded by Charles Kaman, an aeronautical engineer who applied principles from his work in helicopter rotor design to acoustic guitar construction. Developed beginning in 1966 and publicly introduced with the Balladeer model in early 1967, Ovation guitars are distinguished by their rounded synthetic bowl back — made from a proprietary fiber-plastic composite called Lyrachord — rather than traditional wooden back and sides. The semi-parabolic body shape was derived from acoustic research that found it produced a fuller, more consistent sound response across the frequency range.

The Balladeer established the template for Ovation's signature aesthetic and tonal character. In 1977, the company pushed the concept further with the Adamas, a high-end model featuring an ultra-thin top constructed from carbon graphite and birch, along with multiple offset epoxy soundholes arranged around the upper bout rather than a single central hole. Ovation was also an early adopter of onboard piezo pickup systems and preamps — introduced in 1971 — making their instruments a practical choice for live performers who needed reliable amplified acoustic tone without feedback. The Celebrity and Applause sub-lines offer similar roundback designs at more accessible price points, broadening the range considerably.

Overall, Ovation's instruments became strongly associated with live acoustic performance, particularly during the 1980s when their guitars were a common sight on concert stages. Notable players have included Cat Stevens, Glen Campbell, Al Di Meola, Jim Croce, Joan Armatrading, Melissa Etheridge, and Richie Sambora, among many others.

Ovation has 317 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Acoustic-Electric Guitars, Solid Body Electric Guitars, and Electric Basses. Their gear is featured by 210 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Pop, and Folk, World, & Country. Notable users include Roman Miroshnichenko, Glen Campbell, and Robert Smith. Most Ovation products fall in the mid-tier range — professional-grade without flagship pricing.