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February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: McLean, VA | Hi all,
I was just down at my local Guitar Center, and they had a few very good deals on some clearance models of Ovations.
I had wanted to get a nice Ovation in the past, but didn't really have the money, but with these deals, some very nice guitars seem to be within my reach.
For reference, my current guitars are a Fender Standard Strat, and a Takamine EG540SC AE.
The Ovations they have for sale are:
2077LX-5 Legend $576
VXT $794
1778T Elite $359
C2078LX Elite $695
I've been reading up on all of these, and they all sound like they would be pretty excellent guitars. I have to admit they all appeal to me in different ways (for example, I have to admit that the look of the 1778T Elite strikes me as very cool and sleek).
The VXT of course is a different beast, so I'm more considering between the three AE's.
I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on, given these three models, is there a clear "best" model, especially given the prices?
I'm sort of leaning towards the C2078LX, just based on reading up about its construction and features and the OP-Pro compared to the OP-30 of the Elite 1778T, and also seeing that it would cost me $1799 from MusiciansFriend. But the 1778T is also one I'd longed for for a long time, and was one of the first things I considered buying when shopping for my first guitar.
I'm interested in both plugged and unplugged sound.
Thanks!
-Zadillo |
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Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | Those all look like great deals. I'm amazed the VXT is that low. Go for whatever you like best. |
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February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: McLean, VA | I guess maybe my fundamental question is more about how the C2078 compared to the 1778T? Is it significantly better (i.e. in sound, features, the preamp, etc.) or are they pretty comparable, with the main differences being how they look and their materials, etc.? |
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Posts: 3969
| Wow! Buy them all ;) .
Seriously, just sit down with all of them in the GC music room and play them hard - but get them to change the strings on them first. Get the one that "speaks" to you, feels best, and sounds good to you. You wouldn't go wrong with any of those.
Oh, and welcome to the board!
(Wow! Incredibly low prices) |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | VXT for $794? ohmigosh. what color? what's wrong with it? |
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Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | Welcome Zadillo! Those prices are extremely low....are they floor samples? Regardless....find the one that sounds best to you and fits your budget. If you play plugged in the most , then plug them in at the GC and see how they sound to you, same applies to their acoustic sound. All are nice gits.
Let us know what you decide! Oh...we do love to pics of new purchases too. ;) :D |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | 2077LX-5 Legend $576
VXT $794
1778T Elite $359
C2078LX Elite $695
Aw Man... I need to go to GC more often... (Or at least a second time)
Quick search of the 2077LX-5 finds them at 11 and 13 hundred.
But like Randy (Lanaki) sez... What's wrong with it. |
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Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Those are insanely good prices. Good enough that I'd be asking some questions. Almost in the "too good to be true" category.
For me, it would be the 2077, but that's because I prefer the round sound hole. |
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February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: McLean, VA | They're all new models; I asked them why they were so low, and they said they simply wouldn't be carrying these models any more and were clearing them out. I don't totally understand it though; the online Guitar Center store and MusiciansFriend both still have the full prices listed.
I guess maybe this particular GC (this is the Seven Corners, Virginia location) maybe has just decided to clear out these models?
Anyway, thanks for the advice everyone. I'm going to head back there during the week and try them out some more and just decide on which one feels and sounds the best to me. |
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February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: McLean, VA | Originally posted by lanaki:
VXT for $794? ohmigosh. what color? what's wrong with it? Sunburst, and nothing wrong with it as far as I can tell; it's just on clearance at my local GC. |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Zadillo quote-- "Anyway, thanks for the advice everyone. I'm going to head back there during the week and try them out some more and just decide on which one feels and sounds the best to me."
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Not to be rude, but I would go back now before they changed their mind!
I would make sure that they were under warranty, and if they weren't I would make sure that there was a store warranty of some sort. And get whichever one you like.
The C2978LX is a great deal, if you've got a beer gut... |
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February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: McLean, VA | Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
Zadillo quote-- "Anyway, thanks for the advice everyone. I'm going to head back there during the week and try them out some more and just decide on which one feels and sounds the best to me."
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Not to be rude, but I would go back now before they changed their mind!
I would make sure that they were under warranty, and if they weren't I would make sure that there was a store warranty of some sort. And get whichever one you like.
The C2978LX is a great deal, if you've got a beer gut... Yeah, I'm not going to take too long to decide.... :)
I think I am leaning towards the C2078LX (no beer gut yet, but it seems like a very nice deal for under $700 regardless). |
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Posts: 4044
Location: Utah | I'd buy all 4. Take them home, and see which you like best after a month. Sell the other 3 on eBay and make enough to pay all 4 of them off. You'll end up with a free guitar... |
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Posts: 841
Location: CA | Aside from the idea of giving Guitar K-Mart . . . oh, sorry, I mean Guitar Center . . . more money, I agree that those are great prices. I might also suggest that you look elsewhere for a quality Ovation, such as on the 'for sale' section of this website. |
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February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: McLean, VA | Originally posted by Oddball:
Aside from the idea of giving Guitar K-Mart . . . oh, sorry, I mean Guitar Center . . . more money, I agree that those are great prices. I might also suggest that you look elsewhere for a quality Ovation, such as on the 'for sale' section of this website. Yeah, although at these prices I can't imagine Guitar Center is going to be making much money on me.
One of the other members here I think is going to buy the 1778T, so I think I am going to go ahead and get the C2078LX.
-Zadillo |
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January 2008
Posts: 58
Location: west | Zadillo - thanks for the info. Mucho appreciated. Looks like I am a new Ovation owner myself. Will have to share the story and pics after it arrives.
:-) |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | so GVJIM, did you score the 1778? |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Buy these two and you're gig ready. Do not wait, anyone with half a brain will scarf them up.
VXT $794
1778T Elite $359 |
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February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: McLean, VA | GVJIM actually snagged the 1778T, so I'm probably going to go ahead and get the C2078LX.
I guess I have to think about that VXT too though, since it does seem like a great price. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | The price of the VXT is ridiculously low. I wouldn't even wait for this, particularly if it really is what they say it is (new, not a floor model, etc.). This is half off the going rate last year, and used models are very rare. I'd make them demonstrate that it works perfectly before walking out with it. I also find it curious that a GC salesperson says they will no longer be carrying these models. What does that mean, or is this just uninformed sales dribble? |
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Posts: 58
Location: west | lanaki - affirmative.
Zadillo, thank you very much for helping me. And I wonder why you aren't considering the 2077LX? If I had a couple hundered more and your permission I would have bought it in a heartbeat. It's a super nice O. Although the C2078LX is pretty darn nice. Either one I would consider to be a better bargain than the 1778T. I don't think at these prices any of them c0me with a case. The 1778T didn't. :-( But I snagged a molded case this morning too...
Lanaki I listened to your song makanani, and it's very nice and well played. A very soothing song. Thank you for the lovely composition.. |
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Location: big island | congrats, GVJIM, and mahalo for the comment! |
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February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: McLean, VA | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
The price of the VXT is ridiculously low. I wouldn't even wait for this, particularly if it really is what they say it is (new, not a floor model, etc.). This is half off the going rate last year, and used models are very rare. I'd make them demonstrate that it works perfectly before walking out with it. I also find it curious that a GC salesperson says they will no longer be carrying these models. What does that mean, or is this just uninformed sales dribble? To be fair, I guess it is a floor model, as it's "on the floor".
I'm really not sure what the salesman meant; all he could say is that they wouldn't be carrying these particular models any more and were thus clearing them out. |
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February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: McLean, VA | Originally posted by GVJIM:
lanaki - affirmative.
Zadillo, thank you very much for helping me. And I wonder why you aren't considering the 2077LX? If I had a couple hundered more and your permission I would have bought it in a heartbeat. It's a super nice O. Although the C2078LX is pretty darn nice. Either one I would consider to be a better bargain than the 1778T. I don't think at these prices any of them c0me with a case. The 1778T didn't. :-( But I snagged a molded case this morning too...
Lanaki I listened to your song makanani, and it's very nice and well played. A very soothing song. Thank you for the lovely composition.. I guess they are both nice, but the C2078LX appeals to me more. |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | i just spoke with the "guitar pro" at that store regarding the vxt. if he's the pro, i'd rather speak with their night janitor who probably knows alot more about that store's stock. i'm awaiting his return call after he finds about the obvious questions, does it come with a case?, what condition is it in?
he went to look for it in the store and came back on the line to tell me he couldn't find it. i asked him if he knew what it looked like. he didn't even know the vxt was not a typical roundback ovation... went back to look and found it. :rolleyes: |
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Posts: 16
Location: McLean, VA | Originally posted by lanaki:
i just spoke with the "guitar pro" at that store regarding the vxt. if he's the pro, i'd rather speak with their night janitor who probably knows alot more about that store's stock. i'm awaiting his return call after he finds about the obvious questions, does it come with a case?, what condition is it in?
he went to look for it in the store and came back on the line to tell me he couldn't find it. i asked him if he knew what it looked like. he didn't even know the vxt was not a typical roundback ovation... went back to look and found it. :rolleyes: Yeah, they don't know a whole lot there... :) |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | the word is, the vxt does not come with a case at that price and it has a few dings on front and back as it was a floor demo model. "no cracks and in "perfect working order" still a good price ($794) but i think i'll pass. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | "Jedi... he will never be..." |
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Location: big island | he just called me back and said he found the case so, yes, the price includes it. now i'm deliberating... |
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Location: west | wondering did you go for it? |
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Location: Rego Park, NY, | Randy just in case you need a good reason to buy.
This could be you. :D :eek: :p |
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Location: big island | thanks, phil. you helped me make my final decision. |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | Originally posted by GVJIM:
wondering did you go for it? phil helped me to face reality and i got scared.
think i'll wait and keep watch for a natural EA68. |
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Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Randy, my personal observation . . . the EA Viper produces a tone that is just a bit more "acoustic" to my ears than the VXT panned all the way to acoustic. However, if and when you need to mix in more electric, or switch to heavy electric, the VXT is, of course, much better. |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | thank you for your insight on this brad. since i knew you had them both, i was planning on pm'ing you about the "acousticness" comparison. the local style music we play at our gigs is primarily acoustic in tone. the price of this vxt jump-started me a bit. shipping the guitar to hawaii would put the cost at a grand and i do not know what "a few dings" is in the mind of the guitar pro at this store. but the scariest unknown is if playing a vxt will make me resemble rastajeff or not. has it had that effect on you yet? although his shoes do go nicely with the rug... |
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February 2008
Posts: 16
Location: McLean, VA | Hi all,
Just wanted to let you know that I went ahead and picked up the C2078LX today. My decision was made a bit easier since the 1778T and 2077LX were both already sold, and I decided against the VXT (which is still available if anyone is looking for a deal), since I really wanted a true Acoustic/Electric.
Anyway, it's a beautiful instrument, and I really love the sound out of it - very rich and full (haven't tried it plugged in - I'm assuming I need to get an actual acoustic amp). It's great to finally own an Ovation after wanting one for so long, and I am really happy to have been able to get such a nice instrument at the price I did.
Thanks again for all of your advice! I'll try and take some pictures of it soon.
-Zadillo |
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October 2005
Posts: 4044
Location: Utah | Nice get! You can play it through a regular amp, but it will sound a lot better through an acoustic amp. |
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Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | After reading all the previous posts, it sounds like you got the one you really wanted from the start. I know the feeling though, when there are so many choices it can sometimes cloud our view. Congratulations and welcome to the board! Oh yeah ... you may want to start putting away some money now, because if you are anything like the rest of us you'll be starting a collection of Ovations. |
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January 2008
Posts: 58
Location: west | Glad to hear you got what you wanted and are happy with it Zadillo, it's a fantastic guitar in looks and playability.
:-( You wouldn't have wanted the 1778T as it has a bellying up bridge and it's being returned. |
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