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Location: SoCal | Got a large advertising catalog from Musicians Friend yesterday. With all the guitars in there, Ovation had a small section on the bottom of one page which showed 3 Ovations... two of which were Celebs. Damn....... |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Paul, guess what? YOU are not the clientel that MF is going after. Don't let it bother you. Ovation has obviously choosen to concentrate on Artist Endorsements instead of product placement in mail order catalogs. Dave |
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Location: south east Michigan | ouch |
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Location: NJ | The DJ Ashba-inspired sales are just ROLLING in . . . |
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Location: Round Rock, TX | Hmmm...
It seems that these catalogs get into the hands of more people, and generate more gear lust, than would be reached by any individual artist. I got that same catalog and also noticed that the Taylors have a full page (Martin has two pages), with the most expensive model displayed going at $1999.99. That would cover the most expensive production Ovation that I'm aware of (the 2006-FKOA). Instead they show two lackluster Celebs and the 1778T. While I think the 1778T is cool it rarely shows to advantage in a catalog.
And, Dave, I have to disagree with you on the clientel thing. Paul and you and I all are exactly the clientel that MF wants to reach - namely, warm bodies with money that are wiiling to spend it on music gear. And when I see the huge pictures and full/multi-page spreads for the Taylors and the Martins, the monkey part of my brain goes, "Hey, maybe I do want one of those guitars that are obviously more cool and accepted."
Now, having said all that, the last thing I want is for Ovation to go the path of Martin and Taylor. Namely, getting so popular that they have to rapidly, too rapidly, expand their manufacturing to keep up with demand and letting QA start to slip to get the numbers out the door.
So, to sum up. Ovation's marketing sucks and I'm cool with that. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | You think Dave might have been trying some sarcasm? I'm sure it's never happened before. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | I prefer that they leave the true marketing of Ovations in the hands of a few hard working interventionists like myself!
All I ask is that we get credits to cash in on orders.
I think MF and GC is just trying to pick up where Joe Camel left off. That way you get the Kid AND the wealthy Parent! |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by wilblee:
And, Dave, I have to disagree with you on the clientel thing. Paul and you and I all are exactly the clientel that MF wants to reach - namely, warm bodies with money that are wiiling to spend it on music gear. Yeah, but what I meant is that we (at least I) don't buy from MF. Sure cables, a rack shelf, maybe some mics. But I have probably purchased well over 100 guitars and not a one of them ever came from MF, AMS or any other such mailorder place. I do buy from Elderly, who do mailorder business but not in the same sense as these other places.
Dave |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by wilblee:
And, Dave, I have to disagree with you on the clientel thing. Paul and you and I all are exactly the clientel that MF wants to reach - namely, warm bodies with money that are wiiling to spend it on music gear. Yeah, but what I meant is that we (at least I) don't buy from MF. Sure cables, a rack shelf, maybe some mics. But I have probably purchased well over 100 guitars and not a one of them ever came from MF, AMS or any other such mailorder place. I do buy from Elderly, who do mailorder business but not in the same sense as these other places.
Dave |
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Location: SoCal | Say it again Dave --- we didn't hear you the first two times..... |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | That's because between the first and the second post he bought another hundred guitars. |
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Location: Round Rock, TX | Dave,
I see your point. Yet, while I can't ever see myself buying a guitar from the online houses, their catalogs are very effective in inciting gear lust. I get 'em from I don't know how many places and the only one that really does Ovations anywhere near right is Sweetwater. 'Course it's been a while since Elderly sent me a catalog... |
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Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | The only person that I will buy a guitar from on line is Al. That said, I do buy quite a bit of "odds and ends" from AMS. Musician's Friend is Guitar Center's online outlet (or at least they were), so I wouldn't expect to to see much more in the catalog than you do in the store. Musician's Friend does have a decent selection of Ovations and even some Adamas models on their website. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by wilblee:
...their catalogs are very effective in inciting gear lust... THAT is certainly correct. |
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Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | The selection of Os that Elderly puts in their catalogs is quite laughable. Usually a Melissa Etheridge 12-string and some Celebrities. Maybe an Elite T if we're lucky. Thankfully they do better in what they carry in the store.
Roger |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Old Applause Owner:
The selection of Os that Elderly puts in their catalogs is quite laughable. I can't understand why this bother people. Does anyone really give a rats raincoat if Ovation products are in these catalogs or not? The guitars get no respest. Get used to it. I could not care less as long as I know how good some of them are, and I know where to go and buy them. I am more than happy that Ovation continues to fly under the radar.
Dave |
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Location: closely held secret | Yup, yup, yup, Tup. My feelings exactly. I check the catalogs to make sure they still only get a half page. |
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Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | My latest Elderly catalog surfaced yesterday.....Ovation does only get a half-page, but it is all U.S. models, save one Celeb. A definite improvement in respect....got a better model mix and layout than Larrivee, which is on the facing page. Wouldn't have bet a penny on that.
Roger |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Rats Raincoat?? that's a new one on me.
I wonder if these other makers that get full pages contrubute $$$ to the catalogue fund of the store? That may explain the short coverage (I'm assuming that KMC doesn't go for any of this) |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Maybe KMC needs to buy up and publish its own rag. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by cwk2:
Rats Raincoat?? that's a new one on me.
Yeah, I made it up. My mom used to say when she was young that they were so poor that they didn't even have enough money to buy a mouse a raincoat. I kind of blended that with Rats Arse and out came 'Rats Raincoat'. Most of my moments of genious happen this way ...
Dave |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by MWoody:
Maybe KMC needs to buy up and publish its own rag. Why publish anything, when the lastest up to date info is already available right on their website?
Dave |
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Location: Tennessee | Check out the Sweetwater catalog ... talk about inspiring gear lust! They also show USA Ovations, I remember them having the 2006 KOA, an Al DiMeola, a Legend LX, and Elite Countour bowl, and a Balladeer featured with only one Celebrity (Deluxe Koa) billed as an "entry-level" model.
I like these guys a lot as on online retailer. If you want to buy a guitar from them, they have photos of the actual guitar you'd be buying on their website.
I've bought some other gear from them, and really like the sales engineer concept ... I actually got a call from the guy who was "assigned" to me to make sure I was happy, and let me know he is my go-to guy if I want something else. I called him before my next purchase and talked things through with him.
If you don't know these guys, joestonebobbo sez "check 'em out". www.sweetwater.com. |
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Marketing rant (again)