|
|
 Joined: January 2006 Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I was a contented musician wannabe with an eclectic collection of not particularly unique guitars and whatever, including my trusty 1651 of 25 years, then I discovered and joined the OFC. Then I began learning about Ovation and Adamas, met some new friends and real collectors, bought something I just couldn't live without, then another, and a few more, and then realized too late that I had been infected. A quick review of my purchases over the past ten months reveals that it has cost me over $13 grand (excluding non-Ovation gear) since joining the OFC, and I still have gear on order! I need help. Is there such a thing as GAS rehab? As Jim Carey said, "Somebody stop me!" |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2002 Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | My Dignity. |
|
|
|
Joined: December 2001 Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | my reputation |
|
|
|
 Joined: January 2006 Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I've also lost three motorcycles to GAS. |
|
|
|
Joined: September 2004 Posts: 1180
Location: Vermont USA | Cliff posted My Dignity Could be worse could have been your virginity!
Pauly |
|
|
|
 Joined: December 2003 Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | Positives:
I have obtained, repaired, accumulated and shared many interesting flavors of Ovation Ice Cream.
I have shared equipment and information with Friends across the World.
I have helped my fellow Musicians to be better equiped.
I am a better Musician.
I have made some strong friendships.
Negatives:
I have skirted the line between obsession and Hobby more than once.
I find it much easier to deal with guitars, Ebay and the OFC than I do with some life issues.
I have supported Alpep's habits all too well. |
|
|
|
Joined: January 2005 Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | What has it cost me? Certainly it's cost plenty of money. But how do you put a price on what I've gotten back in return. Dave
PS - I advise you to delete this thread before inquiring spouses start snooping around our forum ... |
|
|
|
 Joined: February 2005 Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | My reputation where it concerns the company I keep. |
|
|
|
Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | i cant put a price on the friends i have made on the fourm,the 1114 i recently aquired from woody,the machines from tuppy and so on. you cant put a price on your friends. was it worth the money ive spent on here and on my guitars..hell yes. would i change a thing? hell no..the cost was well worth it..jason |
|
|
|
Joined: November 2003 Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Cliff's Dignity and Al's Rep. |
|
|
|
Joined: December 2001 Posts: 7231
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | sanity |
|
|
|
 Joined: December 2003 Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | A good friend that you can call in the middle of the night and talk about something bad you did is worth alot.
But the one you can call and just say "bring a shovel"... is priceless! |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Speaking of spouses, my wife asked a similar question when I brought up another prospective purchase. She was thinking I may have gone over the coverage limit for musical instruments on our homeowner's insurance and may need a rider. I kind of suspected she was thinking homicide and wanted to know what I was worth.
Anyway, I bought all the guitars below except the Matrix and possibly the 99 as a result of finding the OFC. Also bought 2 amps and an Ovation for each of my daughters. About a year ago I was able to brag that all my Ovations didn't total the expense of his $2500 Taylor, but I can't say that anymore. I'm around 6 grand.
A few months ago, I would have used the Professor's costs to try to show my wife that I'm not so bad, but that didn't work when we visited Standing Ovation, so I know it's a lost cause. Nobody was sicker than that guy. |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
Cliff's Dignity and Al's Rep. Cliff had dignity? |
|
|
|
Joined: November 2003 Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | long ago... |
|
|
|
Joined: June 2006 Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Originally posted by Mr. Ovation:
sanity ...and all Gods people said..... |
|
|
|
Joined: April 2006 Posts: 972
Location: PDX | Sheesh! You had to go and bring this up didn't you. Now, instead of smoking cuban cigars i pick up what ever i find in the gutter and call it good.
_____
gh1 |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | The picture of Ovation cases filling gh1's house:
Priceless |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15674
Location: SoCal | Cliff had sanity once, just never virginity...... |
|
|
|
Joined: August 2006 Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Here's a scary one... today I bought a Viper off of Craigslist. The ad said the guy was a guitar collector and he had numerous guitars and was thinning out the herd but. I got to his house and it turns out that the guy is on welfare and has been disabled for well over 30 years now... he had a really nice TV... a bunch of guitars and the rest of the place looked like the bottom of a landfill and smelled even worse. I don't believe that the house had indoor plumbing - only an outhouse. He also had numerous animals, which likely accounted a good part of the odor.
He was actually selling his guitars to pay the rent. I sat and listened to his life story for over 2 hours...
I guess the moral of the story is to keep everything in perspective and be thankful for what you've got... there's always someone worse off. If I hadn't found the OFC I probably would never have been over there. |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2006 Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Cost? Enough hours of life for use in trolling and replying some 600+ times in six months, as well as going from 2 guitars in the house to 8 currently, with two on the way, with dreams and expectations currently for at least 3 more...
The benefits are there, just not always in view of SWMBO... |
|
|
|
 Joined: April 2004 Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by edensharvest:
The benefits are there, just not always in view of SWMBO... Take her to an Air Supply concert and all will be well :D |
|
|
|
 Joined: March 2006 Posts: 269
Location: Nîmes, south of France | A fraction of my aircraft (see gallery).
:D :D :D |
|
|
|
 Joined: July 2005 Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | Prof., I rarely contribute anything serious, but I'll try just this once. Unless you're very wealthy, averaging over a grand per month on a new obsession scares me a bit. Take anything I say with a grain of salt since I am no financial wiz, but maybe chalk 2006 up as a very good year, and take the next year off to enjoy your current stock of guitars.
To answer your question, in 2.5 years, I am right around $2000 in money out, and I have made something like a friendship with at least 10 people. I'm really looking forward to next weekend to put some face with names. |
|
|
|
Joined: September 2004 Posts: 1180
Location: Vermont USA | In the short time I have been here I have learned much about Ovation guitars and a little about the people that play them, if I had to do it all over again I would still join. As for the 05 OFC tour best time I have had in a long time. After all I met some really great people and played some awesome guitars. So all in all well worth the time spent here.
Pauly |
|
|
|
 Joined: January 2002 Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | If you have to ask the cost, you can't probably afford it. |
|
|
|
 Joined: July 2005 Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | You're right. And most of these guitars I don't even bother to ask. But at least I'll get to play some of them at the gather. |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15674
Location: SoCal | I don't know if "what has this site cost you" is the right question. Maybe it should be "what has this site taught me". And the answer to that would be "the value of good friends". |
|
|
|
 Joined: February 2005 Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Good point, Paul. |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | There are a lot of other obsessions that don't have the benefits. One of my former partners had to give up his country club membership when he got another job. $20,000 initiation fee down the drain, and probably $300 per month for a few years, plus clubs. I know he never played enough golf to justify it.
I read an article a couple years ago about how country clubs were cutting the entry fees to entice members. It quoted some guy in Florida who said the reduced $70,000 entry fee was a "no brainer."
Then there are those motorcycle guys. |
|
|
|
 Joined: February 2005 Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
Then there are those motorcycle guys.  |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2006 Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | John, where on earth did you find that one? |
|
|
|
 Joined: February 2005 Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I picked it up in a Galaxie far, far away. A '62 convertible, I think. |
|
|
|
Joined: February 2006 Posts: 76
Location: Fairfax, VA | This site has cost me my firm resolve that once the deacon is fixed, I don't need another guitar. Because clearly, once the deacon is fixed I need to start saving up for an upper-end roundback, maybe an Adamas...now to convince the love of my life that there's room for another guitar in the apartment. |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2006 Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | I have a three bedroom apartment with two kids in it, and enough stuff to fill a 2000 square foot house (which is what we moved from), and I've found room for 8 guitars easily so far... |
|
|
|
Joined: November 2004 Posts: 286
Location: North Idaho | No costs that I would ever admit to. All the people I have met thru this site have been absolutely terrific. The information and 'diss' information posted afford me great therapy. I only hope this doesn't lead back into motorcyles. |
|
|
|
 Joined: February 2005 Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by edensharvest:
I have a three bedroom apartment with two kids in it, and enough stuff to fill a 2000 square foot house (which is what we moved from), and I've found room for 8 guitars easily so far... And with all that stuff in there, there's places to hide 8 more! |
|
|
|
 Joined: November 2005 Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | The chance to act out to an accepting audience?
Worth the embarrasment.
Finding out what my Thunderhead was?
Worth it.
GAS for a Jerry Reed Thunderhead?
Now THAT's gonna hurt, one day... |
|
|
|
 Joined: December 2004 Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | 1997 Collectors Model : $450
1624 Country Artist : $450
Misc Items:(You said
I couldn't play without): $100
Learning about Guitars
in general and Ovations,
Find a bunch of really
nice people : PRICELESS |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15674
Location: SoCal | You know, I don't think I can actually put a numeric price on what this site has cost me.... after all, how can you put a number of bankruptcy? |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I just realized I forgot to add in all the guitar hangers, stands, books and another amp when we did the inventory last night.
If I add up all the hours "lost" that I could have been working and multiply it by my hourly rate, it's probably a hundred grand or so. But I probably would have just wasted that time on something else.
I could have done the same analysis with all the time spent raising the kids. Another trade off I'd gladly make again.
It helps us to be well-rounded like our guitars. |
|
|
|
 Joined: November 2005 Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Just today I traded and old drum machine for a bunch of stuff including a ukelele.
Something I NEVER would have done without exposure to this group... Now, about that banj-O! |
|
|
|
Joined: April 2006 Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | The site has saved me much more than it has cost me: 3 instruments happily purchased from trustworthy people at reasonable prices, a blessing to my purse; tons of information that I didn't have to search for, a savings of my time; grins, chuckles, and laughs without measure, an aide to my sanity.
--Karen and the crew:
1111-4 "Gertrude;" CE868LX-4 "Jewel;" Viper 1271 "Blanca;" maple Tornado "Nonnie;" Guild D-50 "Gilda;" American Strat "Ivory;" Steinberger Spirit 5-string bass "Sugar;" Galiano mandolin "Plink;" Vega 5-string banjo "Twang;" fiddle of uncertain antecedents "Shriek" |
|
|
|
 Joined: December 2003 Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | The knobs for Bianca (Blanca?) are in the hands of calm, well aiming Government Workers and should help her feel a little more refreshed when their on.
Just another service of the OFC - thre networking for parts! |
|
|
|
 Joined: December 2004 Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Originally posted by fillhixx:
Just today I traded and old drum machine for a bunch of stuff including a ukelele. There's counseling for that kind of thing. :D |
|
|
|
Joined: November 2003 Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Originally posted by fillhixx:
Just today I traded and old drum machine for a bunch of stuff including a ukelele.
Something I NEVER would have done without exposure to this group... Now, about that banj-O! friggin' witko. |
|
|
|
Joined: February 2006 Posts: 76
Location: Fairfax, VA | Busted, modified weird looking guitar found in a pawn shop when I was 19: $150
New pickguard, knobs and switches from Ovation: $65
Replacement pickups from Miles: $210
Backplate from ebay: $51
Sundry desoldering, resoldering, and tinkering: 2 small burns
Finally hearing the guitar I knew 15 years ago was special the way it was meant to sound: PRICELESS |
|
|
|
Joined: May 2004 Posts: 383
Location: Indiana | When I joined the OFC, I believe I had just 3 O's. I now have 12 including 2 Adamas' and a "Book Elite". The cost will take a while to recollect.Maybe not overly impressive except that I am a bass player.
Bill |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Add another $900 for Randy's 30th Anniversary CL. No more "must haves" for now, but that will probably change in the next few minutes. |
|
|
|
Joined: November 2004 Posts: 286
Location: North Idaho | Congratulations, Mark. I've always thought the CL's have great looking fretboards and a real value for what they are going for. |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2006 Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Ditto! I've been a CL fan since I began playing guitar. My first O was an 1869 CL in cherry burst, which I still think is one of the coolest looking and playing guitars ever made.
That 30th is a sweet one, too! |
|
|
|
Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | when i started getting back in to guitars in july of last year i had 1 worn out matrix,then i bought a cs257,2 more 1132'2. i sold the 257 and bought the folklore off mike,then bought a balladeer and academy..and soon to be a country artist...made a lot of friends and learned alot..you cant put a price on that. the cl is a verry beautiful guitar, i aim to own one in the near future..jason |
|
|
|
Joined: March 2006 Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Jason, start saving your pennies, and I'll keep ahold of this 1869 CL for you... ;) |
|
|
|
Joined: August 2006 Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | the cl is #3 on my have to own list, i already got my folklore and the 1624 is in the works so they are off the list. the next 3 i want to have in this life time is a adamas slothead wideneck,adamasII and the cl..ps andrew i looked thru my messy desk and you shold have your case this week i estimated it to arive between tuesday-thursday..jason |
|
|
|
 Joined: January 2006 Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Add $250 on my tab for a Boss digital loop machine because somebody on this forum posted a video clip of Kaki using hers at the L.A. Art Museum . . .
This is how it happens. |
|
|