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Posts: 122
Location: toneville USA | Please tell me who are the best US dealers for new ovations...
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Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Alexander Pepiak
http://www.lostartvintage.com/mainframe.asp |
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August 2004
Posts: 604
Location: Tampa, FL | alpep is a perennial favorite around these parts.
He's the local idiot that sells gear for a living, which is half right. Most of us think he doesn't have a 'sales bone in his body'
Always worth a stop in your purchase travels.
Alternatively, you can post your hearts desire in the sell/trade section of this forum and see if anyone has something you want. Generally, I would rather trade within the frum members than elsewhere.
Otherwise, if you have a GC handy, they seem to stock soem models, concentrating towards the imports with the odd USA Ovation here and there. For fleabay, I've had a prett nice experience with Sielger Music somewhere out in the midwest. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13986
Location: Upper Left USA | Al sucks.
That said, I would call him first, he is reliable and prices well. He lives off of donuts at the Factory and never sleeps. If I lived in New Jersey I would probably never rest either.
See Lost Art/Vintage in the links.
I have enjoyed buying from several OFc Members as well. |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Al is definately top of my list. I have also bought several from Oklahoma Vintage and Manny's in NYC. Dave |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | The only favorite I have is Al.
However, places I've haunted that have a pretty good O selections are:
Standing O's, Manny's here in NYC
Tom Lee music in Hong Kong, 1 Cameron Lane in Tsim Sha Tsui (Best selection I've ever seen)
Alto Music in Montecello New York.
By mail order I've seen pretty good prices at guitar trader.
The guitar center on 14th street swings from feast to famine when it comes to ovations.
If you say where you from, and what you're looking for, I'm sure someone here will point you in the right direction. I've got a pretty good repair shop here in Brooklyn, if you're interested. I'm sure I'll thing of some others. |
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Posts: 13986
Location: Upper Left USA | If you can swing a House Sitting job at Dave's, Tony's, Stephen28's somehow get into W2's basement you have made it to the top!
Come to think of it, Alpep may need some help moving gear into his new garage once the Union Hall clears out! |
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July 2004
Posts: 474
Location: Anchorage, Alaska | Well the obvious is of course Al who takes care of us real well "even though he is just the local idiot that sells gear for a living". If you are ever up in Anchorage, Alaska Mammoth Music always has at least a full wall of Ovations and Adamas guitars, (I've never seen less that 50 in the store at a time)with a few of the "special" models back in the high end room. |
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August 2002
Posts: 623
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | Just call Al. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | thanks for the kind words. i had a computer meltdown and have been MIA.
if I can be of any help e me or call me.
thanks |
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January 2004
Posts: 627
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ | I bought 2 O's from Al, and I couldn't be more satisfied with the guitars. That being said,I couldn't believe Al came uo with this phony name of Hal Jordan, to sell more guitars.
Just kidding Al. |
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December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | Sure beats new comers trying to bring attention to their eBay listings.
I think Al should be able to post one ad per day. Even using his real name. :D |
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June 2002
Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by alpep:
thanks for the kind words. i had a computer meltdown and have been MIA. Ummm, I don't recall anyone actually saying they missed you. Dave
PS - Was it the "shift" key that wasn't working again? |
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July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | As I learned from being a member of the OFC, Al is the one to call! :)
Otherwise, I suggest supporting your local music shop, as opposed to larger music chains. "If" you happen to be in the Flushing, Queens area, you can check out Royal Music by Northern Blvd. It's where I purchased both my Ovation and Applause. The guitars were given set-ups and treated as instruments (not unit sales) before finally handing it over to me.
Peace!
Gil |
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April 2002
Posts: 202
Location: Orlando, Florida | ignimbyte...
Have you ever been to the acoustic room in Sam Ash on Old Country Road in Carle Place? Nice selection of Ovations, etc. It's the only guitar store that my wife/family likes because of the big leather sofa they have :)
Joe |
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March 2005
Posts: 12754
Location: Boise, Idaho | I like Old Boise Guitar, a block from my office. They don't carry Ovations, so I've never bought a guitar from them, but I've bought a couple amps and it's a cramped old place run by a couple hippies, so it's a great lunch break. Very few grunge rockers there, unlike the local GC. |
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Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | jyam4 ...
actually I have been there quite a number of times, and that's where I purchased the acoustic amp that I currently use. That's also where I tried out the Balladeer LXs after purchasing the one I have now ... you're absolutely right about their selection of Ovations in the acoustic room. These days, I go there mostly to try out the guitars, if I'm not there to drop off my Ms for a set-up or purchase misc. items, such as sheet music or strings. :)
The Sam Ash you mentioned is one of two that I go to frequently. The other is the one located in Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills. While I like the selection and overall appearance of the one in Carle Place, the one in Forest Hills happens to give me the better deals. Sounds weird considering that it's the same store! For example, last year I purchased a set of Martin SP phosphor bronze strings at Carle Place for $6.49 ... the next day, I visited the Forest Hills shop and found out that they were selling the same strings on sale for $3.99 ... wow, what a big difference! To make a long story short, I ended purchasing 6 more sets for future use. As for the one I bought the day before, I couldn't get a refund, cos I already installed them on my O. :D Oh yeah, both my Ms were also purchased in the FH store, where they offered me 4 set-ups per year for two years free of charge. Because of the great deal of distance to travel to the FH store, the shop in CP does the set-ups for me (hehehe...) :D
Peace!
Gil
p.s.
-- on my next visit there, I will check out the leather sofa that you mentioned ... perhaps, I should be more observant :) |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Milano music is Mesa AZ is nice. It's kind of messy and dusty, but they don't mind you just hanging around. Dave |
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July 2002
Posts: 1900
| Let's see if I can remember... Ace Music in Miami (campbell artist, deacon, country artist), Rythym City Music in Atlanta (another country artist), and Paragon Music in Florida (12-string Elite)...all the rest have been from private collectors....
Steve |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | If you're asking about the "good old days", then Red Bank Music (Neptune NJ). Dave |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Ackerman's Music
Midland Park, NJ
Carried the ENTIRE Ovation line.
My '76 CBalladeer and my Slothead BOTH came from there . . . . |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Huber-Breese here in Michigan is pretty good with Ovations. He will stock some of the higher end models but sometimes he keeps them in the backroom. He told me he ordered a contour bowl Custom Legend at the NAAM show. He liked the Adamas re-issues he saw but he just does not think he can move them. After all....he sat on a 30th for quite a long time.
However...I'm slowly working on him. I think his sales staff needs to be brought up to speed on the new features. This looks like a job for the REAL Ovation sales rep!!!! |
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April 2002
Posts: 202
Location: Orlando, Florida | ignimbyte (Gil)...
The Forest Hills (Queens Blvd.) Sam Ash is where I bought my Guild D-4. I traded an Epiphone acoustic and a Yamaha nylon string (as well as a bunch of cash!) for it. I like the feel of that Sam Ash. As I remember (it's been awhile since I been there), the sales help pretty much leave you alone to look around. But alas, no leather sofa :) .
Joe |
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Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | Hi Joe,
You're definitely right about the one in Forest Hills. The salespeople pretty much leave you alone to browse around and try out the guitars in their walls or racks. That actually makes me feel comfortable as I begin to check out the guitars' differences in tone, craftsmanship, playability, electronics (if any), where it's made from, and obviously the price. Then, when I have inquiries or have made a decision to "haggle" to make the sale, these guys are within reach and are (almost always) readily available to be of service (not to mention the freebies that goes with every sale too!). :)
For example, when Mrs. ignimbyte and I were finally "salestalked" into buying the Martin DM, the tech (I think he has the same name as you)ignored the one on display, took a new one fresh out of the box and gave it a set-up with new strings on the spot (plus the 2-year set-ups that I mentioned in my previous post), three sets of D'addario EXP 13 strings, a Franklin leather strap of my choosing, a Boss TU-12 tuner, a handful of assorted picks, and a base model Guitar Research amp (which I later traded in the Carle Place Sam Ash for an Ibanez TA35, and paid for the difference). In the years, I've been purchasing and trading my old guitars for newer ones, this is by far the deal that sounded "too good to be true," and I guess it would never be replicated ever again. :D Did you experience something similar (if not the same)?
Perhaps, we should get together sometime and visit one of these stores to try out their guitars in the acoustic room (OFCers from the NYC/LI area are welcome as well) ... I still have yet to check out that leather sofa in Carle Place! (hehehe...) :)
Peace!
Gil
p.s.
-- when the set-up plan expired last April, I was able to renew it for another two years for $55 bucks ... sounds insane, no? :rolleyes: |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | How often you get get your guitars professionally setup and what does the setup involve? Dave |
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April 2002
Posts: 202
Location: Orlando, Florida | Gil:
That was some deal you got!!! They actually threw in all that other stuff for free? The Boss tuner alone, if I remember correctly, is about $80.00. My deal with them wasn't as good, but one thing that I did get like you, was a NEW guitar, not a display model. When you're buying from a store, you have to insist on a fresh one. Buying a display model is like buying a used guitar. I didn't go for the "set-up" plan, because I do my own setups. It's not bad though because I think the strings are free. Are they?
Joe |
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Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | Joe and Dave:
That was definitely one awesome deal, and they really threw in all that stuff for free -- no kidding! I didn't realize it at that time, but you are right about the price of the tuner when I checked it out from a Musician's Friend catalog. What really made the deal insane was that my wife and I were about to walk out the door when the sales rep chased us and gave us the offer that's just too good to pass up. I bought the MDM for $675 (plus tax), and gave away all those freebies. When I purchased the LXM one year later at the same store, the freebies weren't even close to that one, so I'm sure that it would never be replicated ever again.
According to the service receipts from the set-ups, so far, the frets had been filed and cleaned, replaced the nut, filed it and widen the spaces in between strings, filed the saddle, adjusted the neck, and replaced with new strings of my choice. The only thing I paid extra were the strings (of my choice), which is about 5 to 6 bucks plus tax. I only use either D'addario EXP13 or Martin SP phosphor bronze (custom light: 11-52) strings on all my guitars ... whichever is cheaper.
I normally don't take the guitars for set-ups unless it is necessary. I had one year where I didn't take it for a set-up at all, and the only work I did to it was replace the strings. When I do need to take it for a set-up, I usually bring it to the shop, at least, twice per year ... mostly from fret buzz, or when the action suddenly gets a little bit high -- the first time would be in the winter months (from December to February), then the second time would be around early to late spring to early summer (around April to June).
One thing I do know, after picking up the guitars (both the DM and the LXM) from getting set-up, the actions on them are quite low, no buzz, and they're very comfortable to play with. So far, I've been pleased with the outcome(s), so I don't mind it at all. To service both guitars for two years for 55 bucks, I think is pretty good, considering that the cost for just one set-up alone goes for at least 30 to 35 bucks in these parts.
Of all my guitars, only the Martins and the Applause have made more than two trips to the shop for set-ups. My balladeer had two set-ups in its first three months of ownership and it never needed once since.
Peace!
Gil |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Sounds like they really impressed you. That's great. I wish more dealers would recognize how much value there is in thrilling a customer. Dave |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | old days...Marty's Guitar in Portland, OR.
not only would he offer me a guitar he brought back from NAMM each year (at an unbelievable price)...he treated you as one of his family...as he and his wife became part of your family.
yep, mom and pop. |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | You from Stumptown, uh, I mean the City of Roses, Tony? |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | let's just say the Willamette Valley...living last in West Linn. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I hear ya. I haven't lived in Portland for 12 years. Even though I work there (42 miles) I live out near Molalla.
If you need a laugh, they changed the city nickname a few years ago.
Now it's "The City That Works". Talk about ironic. Especially when it's painted on a service truck parked blocking traffic with some city worker sitting on the fender stuffing a donut in his face. |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | Colton, Molalla, Estacada, Canby, Woodburn, etc. - been there and played against either the football team and/or the golf team (younger years). |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Lovely rural Clackamas county! |
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July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Best Ovation dealer in the Detroit area is Motor City Guitar in Waterford Township, IMHO. They carry a decent selection, even of the better models(last time I was there they had an ADII, an Adamas CVT, a 6778LX, a 1777 and a 1771LX, in addition to 5 Celebrities and a couple of Applauses), and are second to none on price. They were $74 under Guitar Center and $90 under Elderly for a 1771LX last time I was there.
You DO have to put up with looking at a wall full of Taylors, but you do at about any big guitar store now.
Roger |
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favorite ovation dealers??