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Location: Ct./ USA | I got to play the "Q" AND it was outstanding. The tone blew me away, warm, surprisingly woody, bold a little dark but distinctive. Best acoustic guitar I have ever played. The cost is way out of my means. It is like experiencing a rare truffle or 100 year old wine that did not turn BAD at the Bosses house. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by adamas72:
The cost is way out of my means. You mean it was for sale????!!!!
Please send me some info so I can help a poor soul out. |
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Location: Tennessee | Get outta my way, Stephen! |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Time share plan??? |
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Location: Ct./ USA | It was a privite jam. Not for sale. I can return to heaven if I am good. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Musta been #8 or #10. |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | Sounds like this would make the basis of a good AlPep special. Hand laid carbon fibre contour bowl, 1 3/4" nut and some suitable bling to complement the sound.
Will Ovation do a carbon fibre bowl? If they'll do fibreglass and they already use carbon fibre for the tops I don't see why not. (Anyone want to buy a kidney or part of a liver?) |
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Location: Tennessee | I think it's the graphite neck that is part of the whole body structure that would be the biggest challenge to getting these made. Not sure what advantage having just the bowl in CF would bring to the guitar. |
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Location: NJ | Actually, the necks on the Q's go THROUGH the body . . .
GREAT f@ckin' guitars!! . . |
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Location: Orange County, California | Originally posted by cliff:
Actually, the necks on the Q's go THROUGH the body . . .
GREAT f@ckin' guitars!! . . +1000 |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I've been investigating carbon fiber stock, lately.
Adhesives become interesting (beyond HideGlue)
and expensive...
ScotchWeld |
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Location: NJ | If it's 3M(MuchMoreMoney) it's gotta' be good.
About 20years ago, I worked for 3M as a Field Service Tech. on Micrographics/Engineering & Medical Equipment.
One of the best things was that I had access to ALL of their products.
It was amazing the amount of emergency "parts" I was able to MAKE with epoxy-impregnated Scotch-Brite.
When they used to send me to St.Paul for training, I used to take one suitcase "nested" inside of another so that I could FILL it with all of the stuff that I would buy at the Company Store . . . |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Wasn't 8 or 10, I can tell you that.
Don't know which one he's talking about.
There are two generations of Q you realize.
The Dodge Viper sound hole series and the Wavey shirt lifting Nancy boy sound holes series. Not that I have an accurate opinion on this, must be the jet fuel fumes.......... |
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Location: Converse, Texas | Can anyone post a picture of a Q? |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by stonebobbo:
Get outta my way, Stephen! +1, but we'll need to keep an eye over our shoulders for AJ. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | WuzHiz,
Go to event pictures and click on the AmeliaMatt section. Go to the last post by Music Mike and click on Guitar-di-Gras 3. There's a picture of S28 with #8. |
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Location: Central Massachusetts | \'98 catalog pics from Jerome\'s site
And here's the pic Beal was talking about:
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Location: Tennessee | This is a picture of the Q597, which was a production version available for a few years. Not the same "Q" we're all gaga over.
In essense, a stock Adamas with different soundholes. Wavey shirt lifting Nancy boy ones, in Beal-speak. |
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Location: Converse, Texas | SO why were they discontinued? Because they didn't sell, or because they sucked? |
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Location: Rego Park, NY, | $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | I don't understand the logic of why they don't make them, even in really limited numbers. They've already designed it, so no cost there. If they make five up and sell them for more than the cost of production they (a) have made a profit on it; and (b) have a high level, all carbon fibre model they can use as an attention getter. Car manufacturers do this all the time with limited runs of high cost cars that draw attention to the brand. Porshe sell way more boxsters and caymans than they do 911s.
This list already has two people climbing over each other to get one without a mention of "how much". Throw in Povation (who'll probably want a couple), AJ and a few others and you could sell a dozen of these straight away.
If you put a manly 1 3/4" neck on it, heck I could get rid of a kidney and half my liver. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | GREAT f@ckin' guitars!! . . Cliff in a reflective pose...
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Location: Phoenix AZ | In that small number they would probably sell for close to $15k. Yes a few people would buy them, but 5 guitars isn't going to call attention to your brand.
Taking that same resource and investing it in reducing manufacturing cost, improving quality control, and deploy effective marketing campaigns would yield much better return on the investment. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Then again Stephen and Cliff, you may have to fight this man:
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Location: Tennessee | The real "Q" was never discontinued ... it never got out of the starting gate. AFAIK, outside of the protos, they never went to production. I imagine there would need to be dozens of firm order to even THINK about making any of them, and even then it would be dicey. I assume the price point would have to be in the high five figures.
The Q597 (and it's 12 string kin Q598), were discontinued because not enough Nancy boys spent their money on them. |
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Location: Converse, Texas | I like the production model. I wanted a 12-string Q, but they won't even make it for me. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by The Artist (FKA Richard):
I don't understand the logic of why they don't make them, even in really limited numbers. They've already designed it, so no cost there. I agree.
I think I see a correlation to supply and demand and all that but, if they have the template?...
Kinda like if you buy an eBarf Pacemaker...
They will put a new neck on one, or they will put a new body on one...
But you can't just Buy one.
If they know how to do it, still got the plans and molds and all that stuff (any you know they do)...
Why not just make a few, or a bunch? |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | If it ain't broke, why fix it?...
I appreciate the inovation (no pun intended), but would love to see some of the models that put the Company on the map....
Pacemaker
CL six and twelve
1758's
Adamas I's
and not just re-issues, but catalog models...
Retro or not, they're great guitars... |
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Location: closely held secret | If it ain't broke... you're not tryin. |
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Location: Tennessee | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
If it ain't broke, why fix it?...
I appreciate the inovation (no pun intended), but would love to see some of the models that put the Company on the map....
Pacemaker
CL six and twelve
1758's
Adamas I's
and not just re-issues, but catalog models...
Retro or not, they're great guitars... Pinto
Maverick
Galaxie 500
LTD Country Squire
Torino
Fairmont
Edsel
There are tons of people who cherish these cars, retor or not. But it would be lunacy for Ford to try and make these and sell them today. Times change. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I just knew someone would say that...lol
Martin's doing pretty well w/ the D-28
Fender still makes the Strat in the original way as well as updated models
Gibson Les Pauls, SG's and Acoustic's are still the backbone of the company...
I love inovation and forward thinking...but the public likes tried and true: I'm not saying devote the entire line to Retro; but why not a few models...
Ford still makes Mustangs.....(thankfully w/o Falcon frames and engines)..
I do understand your point Bobbo...I'm Old School...can't help it.... ;) |
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Location: Tennessee | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
I love inovation and forward thinking...but the public likes tried and true: I'm not saying devote the entire line to Retro; but why not a few models...
Ovation tried it with their "traditional" line of guitars a couple of years back. And then with the reissues. Aside from a couple of folks who hang around here, I don't think they sold shit. Now they're being blown out at bargain basement prices. There is a brand new 1618 reissue on eBay for $999. And a Reissue shiny bowl, brand new Balladeer for $999 too.
Ovation was always a high-tech product, unlike a D-28 or even a Strat or an LP. High-tech products needs to keep evolving and breaking new ground or they become obsolete. That's the perception of the market anyway. And perception is always reality when it comes to selling things. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Ovation tried it with their "traditional" line of guitars a couple of years back. And then with the reissues. Aside from a couple of folks who hang around here, I don't think they sold shit. Now they're being blown out at bargain basement prices. There is a brand new 1618 reissue on eBay for $999. And a Reissue shiny bowl, brand new Balladeer for $999 too.
I agree, sales have been slow in some respects; and the new innovations are great: no complaint or argument from me there either...but flooding the market w/ imported "value" items hasn't helped the sale of the big ticket items; esp. when the big barn mart's and Guitar Off-centers and MF's of the world only advertize that line: even in the Holiday issues, no main line USA guitars...If it doesn't say Celebrity in the Model name, it doesn't make the flyer...
"The public can't buy what they don't know you have for sale": Jerry Lewis
ymmv |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Seems like a while back that Beal mentioned at todays cost that 15K number that Dave threw out was pretty close. |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | I'm probably being either dense or simplistic here, but if Composite Acoustics and Rainsong can do it at a marketable price, why can't Ovation? |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | I'm with Patch. I think they dropped the ball here. The Q was designed way before I'd ever heard of CA, yet here they are with a factory devoted to all Carbon Fibre models without a huge price tag.
The 08C has a hand laid bowl which wouldn't take much more work to do in carbon fibre. If the neck and bowl are one piece, I still don't see how that is significantly harder or more expensive than doing just the bowl. They should be able to sell these with a RRP of about $5,500 and sell about one per week. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Like it or not, the couple hundred people on the OFC who actually buy guitars are not Ovations target market. |
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Location: Omaha, NE | I don't know how relevant the comparison is, but a friend came down from Minnesota a few months ago with his Composite Acoustics GX-Performer model. Its a really great guitar.
Street price on those is in the $2k-ish range.
I played it a little. It has this really chimey, overtone rich tone and sustain that goes on forever. And its loud. Really nice. Plus all the benefits of cf...Bill likes to comment that the reason you put your CA guitar in its case is to protect the inside of your trunk. |
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Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by stonebobbo:
Originally posted by MusicMishka:
I love inovation and forward thinking...but the public likes tried and true: I'm not saying devote the entire line to Retro; but why not a few models...
Ovation tried it with their "traditional" line of guitars a couple of years back. And then with the reissues. Aside from a couple of folks who hang around here, I don't think they sold shit. Now they're being blown out at bargain basement prices. There is a brand new 1618 reissue on eBay for $999. And a Reissue shiny bowl, brand new Balladeer for $999 too.
Ovation was always a high-tech product, unlike a D-28 or even a Strat or an LP. High-tech products needs to keep evolving and breaking new ground or they become obsolete. That's the perception of the market anyway. And perception is always reality when it comes to selling things.
I found out at the factory. |
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Location: Ct./ USA | Gone for a few days and wow, nice threads. I can only hope that more "Q" (for quantum leap) could be made, the processes streamlined and sold to the world. I have worked in the composite industry, weaving, pre forming, molding and assembly. It is a new art form unto it self. The tooling, presses and injection system used in the industry creates many products. I like the idea of composite instruments, and many classical instruments are made that way. Trees do not have to die. The composite industry has its skeletons, but high technology is a great tool if it is is perused by motivated entrepreneurs. |
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Location: big island | intere
|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50]interesting
color CA guitar |
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Location: Converse, Texas | I don't like it. Not my cup of tea. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | My first thought about the CA is you can take it outside in the winter... No cracks. (supposedly) :D
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Location: CA | This could be pertinent to the subject at hand: I'd never heard of Composite Acoustics guitars until this thread.
I'd also never heard of the Ovation "Q".
Realizing that the market is flooded with cheap, pretty and in many cases, somewhat decent guitars these days, I also don't quite see why Ovation doesn't produce limited runs of high-end models. Fender must do enough business through the 'custom shop' that it keeps running. Maybe they will encourage a similar facility at Ovation? That would be pretty cool.
To use the car analogy, Chevy never made a lot of money on the Corvette, but they still made em and sold em. And the world would be a lesser place if they hadn't. |
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Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by stonebobbo:
Originally posted by MusicMishka:
I love inovation and forward thinking...but the public likes tried and true: I'm not saying devote the entire line to Retro; but why not a few models...
Ovation tried it with their "traditional" line of guitars a couple of years back. And then with the reissues. Aside from a couple of folks who hang around here, I don't think they sold shit. Now they're being blown out at bargain basement prices. There is a brand new 1618 reissue on eBay for $999. And a Reissue shiny bowl, brand new Balladeer for $999 too.
Ovation was always a high-tech product, unlike a D-28 or even a Strat or an LP. High-tech products needs to keep evolving and breaking new ground or they become obsolete. That's the perception of the market anyway. And perception is always reality when it comes to selling things.
and then bought a 1719.
I wanted a big full no cutaway guitar in 2003.
I wanted an Ovation but they were not making any like that. I bought a Martin 28 & Guild D-25.
Martin Guild and Taylor sell alot no cut away guitars. Hi-tech is nice but is market for more tradional type guitars.
Auto really not comparable musical instruments as products. |
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Carbon graphite Q