I own 6 ovations and my oldest one is a 1973 balladeer which had a neck like a banana when I bought it. I was in Connecticut where they are made at the time and the factory had to resteam the neck for me. That cost $300 10 years ago.
Forget the truss rod.
If you intend to keep playing it in open E use the lightest strings you can get, I use martin lights.
Take the strings off, lift the bridge saddle, there should be 4 brown plastic shims under there. Take one or two of them out and restring.
If you get it to where you find it playable then check the intonation at the twelth fret [play a harmonic and then press the string the note should be the same] if it is not then adjust the truss rod a quarter turn either way, leave the guitar for 1 hour to settle then check again. Keep doing this until you get it right.
The other alternative is to forget the open E nonsense and tune it to open D which will halve the tension at the top nut.
Ian Seaton rare-guitars.co.uk
Ian Seaton, November 2007
