I can't remember for sure when I first saw an Ovation acoustic guitar, but it sounds about right that it was from a Bon Jovi video. Either way, my memory puts this guitar in the hands of all the bands I thought were cool in 1989 and that's the way I'll keep it.
From helicopters to guitars the first Ovation acoustic hit the market in 1966 created by a team of aerospace engineers and designers from the Kaman Corporation.
The Kaman Corporation started as Kaman Aircraft, a helicopter design and manufacturing company founded by Charles Kaman in 1945. Charles Kaman was a guitar guy. And who's to doubt a bunch of aerospace engineers when they tell you a semi-parabolic guitar made with a Lyrachord (fiberglass) body sounds better than all-wood?
Ovation side-view. Notice the parabolic back? Not comfortable to play sitting down.
Enter Glen Campbell and an endorsement with Ovation in 1969. Campbell had a hit TV show on CBS at the time and he propelled Ovation further than any helicopter ever could. A few years later in 1972, Campbell played Ovation's first electric-acoustic prototype on his show, eventually becoming the Balladeer model.
From no body bracing (thank you Lyrachord), electronics, to soundhole design, and synthetic materials, Ovation remains a pioneer in the guitar world and many touring musicians swear it sounds the best on stage.