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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | Due to a sudden change of last minute plans I will be attending the Namm show in Indy this Friday and Sat. If anyone else is going and wants to hook up send me an e mail |
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Joined: May 2002 Posts: 651
Location: Australia | Ovation planning on unveiling anything new ? |
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Joined: July 2003 Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | I believe somebody whispered something about deep contour bowl availability on the Custom Legend and Custom Elite.
If you get a chance, Al, might want to go see the Speedway and the Speedway Museum.....worth at least one trip. Lotsa cool cars besides Indy race cars in the museum.
Roger |
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Joined: May 2004 Posts: 383
Location: Indiana | I'd like to go if I can get in. I do live kinda close.
Bill |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | some new models.
there is now an elite t bass in flmaes.
I will report back on them later.
the ofc guitar is a go and I will be taking orders soon.
the meeting of original slot head owners will also take place in early fall. If you have an original slothead adamas and want to attend send me an e mail. No firm date set on this one, I have to make a call to one of the owners to make sure he will be in town...
more info later |
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Joined: January 2002 Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | In town till early October Al. |
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Joined: August 2002 Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | The Nikki Sixx bass lives! |
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Joined: May 2005 Posts: 327
Location: Evansville,IN | A couple of people I know went this weekend, lucky dogs. I said something about it yesterday, and was told I should have said something earlier, and they would have gotten me a visitors pass. Maybe next year. :) |
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Joined: January 2002 Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | I heard they were walking around Indy giving passes out to all musicians to pump up the attendance figures. Not that NAMM would ever try to distort the popularity of their own shows..... |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | (ahem) ;) |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | Not sure about the attendance, it was rather light and I heard vendors complaining. There was the midwest music conference in town and a large amount of goth dressed youths around. Some interesting hair colors.
anyway
elite T bass with flames Nikki Sixx model. It is a limited run look for this bass in the lineup with dots and no signature next year.
elte T with tribal flames and purple metal flake. Limted edition and I bought the sample so I will be the first one on the block with this one. You may have seen this one if you were on the tour.
2 models are now avail with the contour body, the custom legend and custom elite.
the country artist is now the artist and available with Lx upgrades In fact I took that one home too.
nylon string 1773 LX is now also avail similar to the artist except the wider width neck and 12 frest clear of the body.
I will be taking orders for Adamas I 30th anniv reissues if you want one let me know.
I will get back to slothead adamas owners when I find more info about the gathering. It will be in the early fall. If you are interested e mail me your contact information.
The OFC guitar is a go. It will not be completed until early 06 along with the #47 reissiue
Basically we will have #47 with electronics in the original blue. I may be able to offer this in red but not sure about any other changes. it will have the reissue 2 knob electronics.
My vision for this guitar is to prsent it as a package, I have some ideas for items that I am going to include with it such as Adamas picks, strings, a capo, certificate, perhaps an upgraded case, but I am not sure on what I will be able to provide. I want to make this guitar as special as possible for the members of the fan club. If you are interested in an OFC model e mail me with OFC guitar in the subject line.
I just want to add that over and over again, I was told at the show how much the board is read in bloomfield and by the sales reps and how it helps to form opinions. You have a voice believe me and it is a voice that is considered valid.
Now i have to get to sleep. I may be waking up to hammering tomorrow morning.... |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 1614
Location: Converse, Texas | So is the Custom Legend and Custom Elite deep contour bowl available in 12 string? |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 10582
Location: NJ | not as yet |
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Joined: December 2003 Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | I like the way Yeronner thinks! |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Al,
Any word on when/if lefty LX models will be offered; and do you think there will EVER be a lefty contour bowl?
Jeff |
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Joined: July 2004 Posts: 338
Location: Omaha | I have to second Jeff's question about lefty LX's and lefty contoured body guitars???
I'm thinking about another O (a Balladeer nylon string), but if waiting another year will yield some other lefty options, well, I want to be a good steward of my kids' inheritance! :p |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | I wouldn't hold your breath on lefty contoured and LX bowl guitars. It means new molds for the bowls. When Ovation is selling everything in sight, they have no incentive to spring for new equipment to satisfy a small portion of the market.
Sometimes, reality sucks...... |
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Joined: November 2004 Posts: 4413
| "Sometimes, reality sucks"
I'll drink to that. Oh, I am. |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
I wouldn't hold your breath on lefty contoured and LX bowl guitars. It means new molds for the bowls. When Ovation is selling everything in sight, they have no incentive to spring for new equipment to satisfy a small portion of the market.
Sometimes, reality sucks...... Paul, I know you were just offering your thoughts on the matter, and I'm sure you're correct to a large degree in your assesment. However, if what your saying truly does reflect Ovation's position on the lefty market--and they feel they just can't be "bothered" with it--then there are plenty of other makers of fine acoustic guitars that have and will welcome business from us southpaws... And they won't have to make special "molds" to do it either!
I've played Ovations (acoustics and a/e's) exclusively for nearly 35 years, and I'll always cherish my vintage Ovations. But if the big O is gonna leave me in the dust when it comes to new product, then I'll be more than happy to throw my money at Martin or any other guitar company that's willing to sell me a state-of-the-art left-handed instrument.
Of course, I could never jump off the Ovation bandwagon entirely. Like I said, I still have my "oldies" that I dearly love, and they are as much a part of my musical heritage as the artists that have inspired me over the years. However, I'm reminded of Ronald Reagan's famous quote when he was asked why he left the Democratic party to become a Republican. He said, "I didn't leave the democratic party... It left me."
Jeff |
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Joined: July 2004 Posts: 338
Location: Omaha | Jeff, you've got the right attitude. It's one I try to have as well.
As I've gotten older, the reality of market forces, supply and demand, and the limited number of lefty players (and how often they will pony up for new instruments) has made me respect the manufacturer's perspective on what it costs to build lefty instruments - I understand that in many ways, they're doing us a favor...they could all just tell us to learn to play right-handed.
It would be nice, though, to get at least a respectful reply from Ovation about when we could realistically (if ever; I'll accept that) expect to see some lefty LX's or contour bowl O's.
It would help us make decisions about whether to order a guitar now, rather than order a guitar and then find out that within 6 months or a year lefties will suddenly be available in a model we're interested in.
That's all we're asking.
:cool: |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Mike, You say they're "doing us a favor...?" I respectfully disagree. Don't misunderstand, I'm glad (and grateful) that most guitar makers offer left handed models, but I don't think it's out of any sense of altruism or charity. Believe me, they wouldn't offer them if there wasn't some money to be made.
As far as how often leftys are willing to pony up for new instruments, I can only speak for myself. My family and I were blessed with a small windfall this year, and as a result, I've spent approx. $7000 on new left handed guitars, of which Chris Martin and Co. got about two thirds. I don't say that as a slam at Ovation, but rather, to emphasize the point that had a lefty Elite LX or Legend LX been in the offing, I more than likely would have spent the money on at least one, if not BOTH, of those instead.
I know beggars can't be choosers, and I suppose being a lefty kinda puts us in that "beggar" position. But in the end, a beggar's gonna go wherever he thinks he can best find food.
Jeff |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | I can't argue with what you guys are saying. But keep in mind that it costs about 80-100 grand for Ovation to tool up for a left handed guitar like the contour bowl or the LX, whereas somebody like Martin can do it relatively inexpensively.
I suspect that Ovation will do that, somewhere down the road, with the contoured bowls, because that's going to be the major bowl of the future (my opinion).
But in the meantime, well, reality sucks..... |
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Joined: August 2004 Posts: 604
Location: Tampa, FL | Do you really think the contour bowl's the one to go with? I've found the thickness of the bass bout a little uncomfortable, at least during the month I've had mine for. I agree the flat back is nice but I'm not so sure, with the thickness of the bass bout that this is the design to go to.
What do ya think Moodyman? Which direction you want to go in? |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | The "product tooling price police" have spoken!
But Mr.Pi brings up a good point - the achielles heel of Ovation may in fact be that it is more difficult (=more investment) to start up a LH version of something than it is for Martin and the other wood box guys due to the whole bowl thing.
The truth is that the consumer has to go to where the produst is. If Martin offers LH guitars and O does not, then that's an easy choice to make. Although personally, I would rather cut off my left arm and learn to play a rightly Ovation one handed while I bleed to death before playing a 12-string Martin.
What would help, would probably be if O could give some indication WHEN they will have LH versions of certain guitars to avoid interested buyers from going off and doing something silly (like cuting off their arms).
Dave |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Paul,
I can appreciate the complexities involved in tooling up for a left handed contour bowl, but what's preventing the company from offering leftys in the LX line? Isn't it just the materials used that make the LX bowls different from the older ones? Why could they not use the "pre-LX" molds, if you will, to produce LH LX models?
Jeff |
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Joined: August 2004 Posts: 604
Location: Tampa, FL | On a slightly more serious note. I do think think the thickness on the bass side is a little more than I like. Not sure if this is fully mediated by the stay-on-your-lap flat back. Standing I find the contour bowl somewhat easier to play. It tends to stay more in place without much fuss. I find I chase the more traditional nontraditional round back all over the place when standing. Probably just me. Need to get a bigger dose of that talent stuff. |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Originally posted by Standingovation:
What would help, would probably be if O could give some indication WHEN they will have LH versions of certain guitars to avoid interested buyers from going off and doing something silly (like cuting off their arms). Dave,
...Or buying Martins? ;)
Jeff |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | It's not just the material of the bowl that makes the LX, it's also the new neck attachment and neck bracing. That new system isn't compatible with the older bowls. It's also the new top bracing.
Now, what you could do easily enough, is ask Ovation to build you a K bar braced neck, with an older bowl, and a top braced with the new scalloped X bracing. But it would be special ordered.
Maybe if Ovation reads this, they would know that there's a left market out there that's being left out and this is a way to bring them in, at least to a certain degree. |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | Yep, I forgot about the neck attachment...
Jeff |
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Joined: June 2002 Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by jeff:
...Or buying Martins? Nothing wrong with buying Martins or anything else if that's the guitar that meets your needs.
For the longest time I was a complete Ovation bigot and believed that any guitar in Ovations lineup was defacto superior to anything else on the planet. Then I started to critically listen to some of them compared to each other and realized to many of them actually sucked. I won't mention specific models because other members may love those, but let's just say that the range is sonic quality to my ears became much more extreme the more I listened objectively. If you look at my Ovation collection today you will see that it is very different than it was 3-4 years ago. All the shit and most duplicates are gone.
My next logical conclusion was that gee, if one Ovation can sound so much better than another doesn't it make sense that may some non-Ovation guitar might also appeal to my taste in certain circumstances. Low and belold, I found a few nice wood boxes that to my ears rang the shit out of some O's.
Long story short, I did what any sane shopper should do, listen and buy the instrument that best suits their needs. I just did it the very long and expensive way. Actually not so expensive because Ovation collections can be built up pretty inexpensively and there is a good market for resale. The shallow bowl stuff just made me sick sonically, but it's in high demand for live performers. So there's a prefect resale opportunity where one mans trash is another mans treasure.
Conclusion, don't fret it (bad pun) that you bought non-ovations. Ovation is a great builder but can not do everything and satisfy everybody all at once. If they diverted resources to build LH contour bowls, maybe they would take away from building mandos or something. It's all a big tradeoff. Sucks that the lefty's lost out but if you, it would have been someone else.
Enjoy your guitars,
Dave |
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Joined: November 2004 Posts: 4413
| StandingO is absolutely right.
But Ovation should announce whether or not they intend to make lefties of a particular model, and when. Not to do that is just shooting themselves in the foot. Marketing agin. Easily the worst of any major manufacturer. |
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Joined: December 2003 Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Good communication is important in many ways. It also takes a high level of commitment to keep it up. Not an easy task. |
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Joined: November 2004 Posts: 4413
| If it was easy they wouldn't have to pay them a salary. |
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Joined: July 2004 Posts: 338
Location: Omaha | Well, let me share...
:rolleyes:
...right when the LX models came out, I was interested in getting an Ovation - I guess you would call it bad GAS... So, I bit the bullet and ordered the old model, a lefty Legend 1777 (actually L777). I think it's a great guitar, but I knew when I ordered it that if I wanted to sell it and upgrade to an LX someday (if and when lefties are offered), I would take a big hit in selling it.
So I'll probably just keep it; I have other great sounding acoustic all wood guitars (two Larrivees). The L777 fills a different niche for me (Sunday morning worship plugged in - sounds great and I'm not *as* worried about it getting nicked/scratched/knocked over).
I'll probably just see if Ovation can give me any info when they come back to work after August 1. But I am now interested in ordering another Ovation - but it would be nice to know I could do it in LX form (although for a nylon string that may be irrelevant...other than a lighter bowl; bracing and neck might be the same as the old models).
Ovation DOES try to offer most of their guitars lefty as special orders - with the old bowls. We'd just like some timelines to help us plan (and dream).
:cool: |
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Joined: November 2004 Posts: 4413
| "We'd just like some timelines to help us plan (and dream)."
Exactly. What would it cost them? So many sites have "Left-hand availability" listed with a yes or no against every model. If it's 2007 for the contour bowl, why can't they just say so? The guys at the factory are so good and so helpful, as has often been said "streets ahead of any other volume manufacturer", that it is really depressing when you think about how useless the marketing is. And it's particular to Ovation. Takamine are wildly successful over here - competitive pricing, great availability and great advertising. They just put no effort into Ovations at all (unless you count the surfboards). |
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