|
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | It is official. We are going to have another Ovation Fan Club convention and factory tour on March 26, 2004. Although Rick Hall and I have been playing phone tag, the last message I got was that we were good to go.
I imagine it will be conducted the same as last year with a factory tour, lunch, presentations, dinner and then a jam. As the details get ironed out I will let you know.
Those who atteneded last year will tell you that it was a great time and I expect the 2nd to be bigger and better.
We will again use the Ramada at Windsor Lockes as our base. It is near Bradley airport and makes the logistics easy for anyone flying any distance or using other "alternative" transportation.
Miles should have the sign up on line soon. Make sure you register early and reserve your space. Spaces are limited. Please only register if you are certain you will be able to attend. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | The sign up section is ready so sign up for the covention/tour. Any suggestions you may have I would like to hear and pass them along to Rick Hall.
I anticipate a bigger turnout than last year and would suggest signing up early if you are interested in attending.
This can only be a great time. I hope to see and meet many of you there!!!!! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | I'm signed up! I have to attend. Al and my wife will both hit me if I don't. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | fatten up the burro Paul |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Al
I'm rounding up a herd of llamas that have been used by one of my Silver City computer students to haul supplies up to the Mogollon fire towers on Mt Baldy, 12 miles from any road. They only have one basic flaw, they spit on banjo players. And what is amazing, they can pick one out of a crowd even if he's miles away from his banjo. I think it came from packing trips into the Mogollons where a banjo player sneaked in and played at all their camp sites insulting their South American dignity. This should enhance any photos of the 2004 tour. Picture a spitting llama in Cliff's picture ratting out the banjo players.
Bailey |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | If you use an ostrich to travel, we can then sacrifice it and have a barbecue at the Jam. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | "stonking" drumsticks!! :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Okay Miles, now it's my turn :D
. . . . why does the "sign up" say:
"2003" and "First Annual"? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 623
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | We had a great time last year, and loved the whole thing...it was incredibly interesting, informative, and very fun. Even my girl, who patiently tries (pretends) to be interested in my "guitar talk" (most of which is greek to her) found the tour genuinely interesting. We're eagerly signed up again!
I would like to offer an idea for this tour-not that there was anything needing changing-it was awesome. I thought that maybe there could be a 3rd "option" for participants (last year we were divided into 2 groups to visit the Ovation tour/ then Hamer and switched in the afternoon). Since the groups will likely be larger this year (perhaps eventually too large to easily manuver through the factory), and since there are returning participants, maybe a 3rd group could be created who could do something a little different. Maybe there could be some kind of in depth discussion about product development, or new advances/projects made specifically this past year, or even some kind of "practical" discussion would be cool.
An easy and interesting idea (to me anyway) would be to have a discussion about the current available model O's, with a factory tech describing the essential differences between the guitars-what they were shooting for in sound for each one, and have each model there to A/B with one another (with amps too?) so we can hear those differences. Could only boost sales and further educate likely buyers.
I was in my glory at your place trying different model O's. I might pass out from ectasy in a room full of models currently on the market (as opposed to the room of prototypes and past models that I can't ever buy). There are models out there that not everybody has access to try out in local stores.
Just an idea. If there will continue to be annual ofc tours, this 3rd group could have changing subject discussions each year, and keep something "fresh" for returning members to look forward to.
Johnny |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2002
Posts: 181
Location: Queens, NY | That's not a bad idea. I had a great time last year, but having seen the factory once, I'm not sure I really need to see it again. Plus, Johnny has a point; probably next year's group is going to be larger. If there was a third option to skip the factory tour for those who had already seen it, that would make it easier for the people seeing it for the first time.
Anyway, something to think about. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | A full blown "Chop Shop" with Matt would be interesting. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | I vote for Door number Three.
Wouldn't it be great for there to be discussion with the higher upps and an exchange of philosophies and meaningful dialogue?
(Note to RH, tell them it's OK to be there this year and that I won't be) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3650
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Hmmmm......one too many "Come To Jesus" meetings, Jefe'? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | Let's see, I say I'm going and then Bill says he's not. I'll try not to take it personally..... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Aw, shit! YOU'RE going!?!?!
(don't take it personally) :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | Clifford:
I'm a middle age white guy. I can't afford to take anything personally. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Oh, you're a "minority", like me. ;) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | I'm not just a minority. I'm a white middle age, left handed, 6'3", guitar playing, private investigator. How many of them do you know? Hell, I may be THE minority. Treat me nice or I may sue. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | I'm just an aged pink guy with a bad memory that heard that Moody PI is a boy named Sue, I thought that was a Johnny Cash song, turns out it is true, there is a boy named Sue and he is on our board. I am reinstating the Pony Express from here to the Mother Factory, to deliver the schedule of the western contingent. All I need is a Way station in Minnesota and West Virginia. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | Bailey, don't make me fight you over this. When your name is Sue, you gotta be tough. Just wish my dad hadn't named me that before he left. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | did you roll around in the "mud and the blood and the beer?" |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Yeah, but that was his wedding night! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | The question is not "did I", but did I ever stop? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Looks like I'm going to have to find an elephant if I want moodypi to ride the first leg of our Pony Express out of Call-ee-forn-ee-ay to deliver our schedule to the east coast. 6'3" on a pony means he'd have to run and carry the pony if they are going to make any progress. (I can't afford any ponies anyhow, so it's back to Burros, Burritos, actually, they're cheap at Taco Bell (Actually I'm recruiting marathon runners to carry the Burritos (This whole scheme is showing serious flaws)))
My wife used the words "they fly aireoplanes" and "idiot" in the same sentence, I wonder what she meant by that?
Bailey :confused: |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Nothin personal Paul, It's just that I have tee times all that week in Florida and we won't be back up north for another month or so. Just happened to be here for the house inspection last year.
Ya'll have a big time! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | Maybe I should bring my clubs down to Florida instead.... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | Just a bump to the top for some who may have missed this thread. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | When you register for the tour please follow the directions. If you sign up for more than one in your "party" we need the completed form for each individual that is registered for the tour.
To put it more bluntly: if we do not have the complete contact information the person is NOT registered.
Although this is currently not a problem if the registration numbers get larger it may be an issue.
Just a heads up.
thanks
al |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Miles,
Any chance the factory guys could arrange to have some "Ovation Stuff" available for sale this year? Hats, T-shirts, STRAPS.(that last one was a subtle suggestion on a possible new item) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7236
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Willard,
I'll mention it, but I would assume, like anything else, they can't sell anything at the Factory. You'd be best to request it from a dealer like Alpep. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Maybe Al could set up a little booth in the machine shop downstairs and sell all sorts of stuff! ;) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7236
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Just bringing this to the top.
We still have people signing up saying they are bringing a guest and not filling in the information for the guest(s)!!! If there are two people in your party, we need the information for BOTH people.
"Please enter the information for your guests below. Repeat the process for each guest.!!!!" |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | my intention would not be to turn the tour, jam, fan club event into a flea market BUT if anyone wanted to pre order anything I could certainly do that and bring it along with me to the event. That also goes along with guitars available for sale etc. As long as I don't need to hire a tractor trailer to get up there I would be more than happy to do this. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Al, You mean you wouldn't like to have to rent a tractor trailor just to handle the sales from one day? :)
Wayne |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | Wayne if that is what it would take I guess I would be what I am trying to eliminate is the yeah please bring up your entire inventory so I can check it out even though I have no intentions of buying anything and then I will probably criticize you endlessly for it sort of customers. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Let's get this back up on top!
Maybe it's time to send out some spam to all members for those who don't visit the board on a regular basis. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Dang it, Bill
It is hard posting from the back of an ostrich, I am halfway across the country, delivering the "drumsticks" and I hear that I have to register my companion, who I haven't even named yet, even though those lovely ostrich eyes are becoming more attractive as we cross those deserts and prairies. We have six ostriches and 20 stray emus in our caravan, the emus are victims of the bursted bubble that all Americans were going to become addicted to blue emu oil since their meat at $20 an ounce proved to be not very popular, $20,000 breeding pairs make up most of our caravan, their owners couldn't stomach eating them for food when they found out nobody else could either. We should reach Connecticut by spring. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Miles,
How 'bout a workshop on guitar set-up's. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Also, let's help Bailey out and have a session on how to make emu meat palatable with hot sauce!!! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Emu meat with hot sauce, that is the answer. We will be in Hartford on the mean side of town, sometime next year. |
|
| |
2nd annual OFC convention and factory tour