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Location: Florida | I know this is OT, but I just got a Taylor catalog and price list.
First of all - the catalog. It reminds me of the Hermes owned "Leica" catalog. Its all about "mood", and "feel", and really, does a s##t job of showcasing guitars. There are more stylized pictures of trendy looking people - than guitars. So much so, in fact, that I'm amazed Bob Taylor goes along with it. I'm not gonna give a blow by blow here... but its really sorta sickenly trendy.
Ok, the prices. You can glean from the sparse material stated that T builds "these models" which differ by "these woods" and appointments. Whereas some woods must be about $100k more per board-foot than others, since the only difference in $1500 list price is the type of wood. (general dollars and terms)
I think they've hit the nail on the profitability head here folks. They are not selling guitars, they are selling "the Taylor guitar experience".
Interesting concept. |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | It's not unheard of.. Harley Davidson has been selling motorcycles with that paradigm for over 100 years. |
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Location: Cherry Hill, NJ | Its all a bunch of BS markting. You know the Taylor Co, disassociated the Forum from using the Taylor name, because the fans were critical of their new electronics. They hurt their feelings, or their vendor. They're not too thick skined for critisism.
Tommy M. |
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Location: SoCal | Got the same impression when I checked out their website a couple of days ago. Never did play the message from Bob. |
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Location: Florida | Ya know... the more I think about it, the more I thank the Almighty that Charlie Kaman was an engineer. Amen. |
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Location: SoCal | There's an old advertising term "Sell the sizzle, not the steak". |
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Location: Upper Left USA | "Where's the Beef?" |
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Location: Las Cruces, NM | This is the curse and reward for being old. Taylor was a premier guitar builder in San Diego when folk and bluegrass were big there and I was part of it. He repaired an old Washburn mandolin for me, and he was the guitar builder of choice for many well known players, some who are now very successful, some who are washed up hippies. Going from a shop to a factory is hard when your reputation depends on artisan quality that only you can provide. That is why Kaman's engineering worked to some extent, he did not have to personally build the guitars, but some artisan work is always necessary, and Kaman had it in some of the other people who influenced his guitars. When I see an ad for a Taylor I keep visualizing a shop in San Diego with a guy so busy building beautiful guitars that you couldn't hardly talk to him. THere was always a few hanging in his shop that were early productions and not as great as what came later, I'm not sorry I didn't buy one.
Bailey |
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Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Selling a "marketing experience" only works if you have an "name" to hang it on. When Jac Nasser was head of Ford, he thought he was going to do this with Ford car brands as well, but it turned out he hadn't a clue how to do it. That, and he had this talent for p-ing people off.
I'm seeing a lot of Taylors on country videos on GAC, and my guess is that Taylor has become the choice for those who want to show they're cool and alternative by not playing Martin or Gibson. Unfortunately, all it does is show that they belong to the "cookie-cutter" formula that regular country music has become.
Being part of the "Taylor Experience" means that you don't really need to know how to play, just how to look cool by holding it, or how neat it looks leaned against the wall in your family room during a party. :D
Roger
1976 Applause AA14-4 6-String
1978 Ovation 1617-4 Legend 6-string
1981 Ovation 1118-1 Glen Campbell 12-string
2001 Adamas 1598-MERB Melissa Etheridge 12-String
2003 Ovation 1777-NAT Legend 6-string |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Taylor does seem to be appearing in lots of GAC videos. It seems to becoming the "new" cool guitar to have in country music. They must have an artist relations person who is working very hard, hitting all the clubs in Nashville and the rehersal studios, and getting back stage at all the shows shows and showing their product. It's not hard to do it you have a half way decent product, it just takes a lot of work and a dedicated person to make it happen. |
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Location: Central Oregon | Originally posted by Mr. Ovation:
It's not unheard of.. Harley Davidson has been selling motorcycles with that paradigm for over 100 years.
That's exactly what popped into my head!
/\/\/ |
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Location: Warren,Pa. | Hey guys, let's not be too hasty in throwing stones at other guitar makers. Let's keep in mind that most Ovations sold are made in Korea,and that an awful lot of them are the trendiest, teenage-market oriented, butt ugly guitars I've ever seen(MOB)! And although I haven't seen many ads in Acoustic Guitar mag. lately,I sure do see them in the music magazines that I'm too embarrased to be seen reading at the stand! I would like to see some Ovation ads that don't insult my intelligence,and that aren't designed to appeal to skateboarding, moshpit-diving, what-everrrr kids! The same company that produced my CL 12 string and '97 Collectors Edition ALSO put out some guitars that I would NEVER put my name on if my name were Ovation. |
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Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | AMEN! MOB is Butt Ugly...YEA! :D :D :D |
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Location: Florida | Bauer.... I'd venture to guess that MOST of the Taylors sold are their laminate (plywood) bodied low end models. Thats all you see at the big boxes anyway, those and a few of the lower end ($1500-$2000) solid wood ones. |
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Location: NJ | Paul H
please don't make me post that beating a dead horse graphic again. |
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Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | No problem Al, I love the MOB. :p |
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Location: SoCal | Re: "I would like to see some Ovation ads that don't insult my intelligence,and that aren't designed to appeal to skateboarding, moshpit-diving, what-everrrr kids!"
This is a nice one:
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Location: Warren,Pa. | I knew someone would put that ad up on the screen! It's really great,but I've seen lots of stupid ones. Please don't get me wrong...I'm an Ovation guy thru n thru! But everyone has a good chance to bad mouth everyone else. I don't want us to start sounding like the dopes who argue over which is better...Ford or Chevy. Let's enjoy our guitars and let everyone else enjoy theirs. John. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Besides...
It's Duck season! |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I guess I missed something. I don't see anyone slamming any other models here, in fact if you read this thread, there are at least two negative remarks about Ovation models (which is fine, opinions are welcome), and one comment on the lack of Artists playing them. This thread also clearly points out that "that other guitar company" is tuned right into their demographic with their ads, and artist campaigns. I guess some companies look at image=numbers and others look at quantity=numbers. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | I'm rebuilding a Winston cause it sucks! Is that better now?
Every time I read on the marketing issues I just shake my head. Sometimes because they think we are stupid and sometimes for being stupid.
Research and communication! |
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Location: Las Cruces, NM | Tony
That ad caught my eye, and I applaud Ovation's entry into high end acoustics. That is a beautiful guitar. |
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Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | Let's face it, most guitar companies have crappy marketing practices. That's why Martin is making low end models now, as is taylor, Ovation, and many others. They probably make more money per year on the low end models than they do on their better guitars because the profit margin is high and they can move more units. If that were not the case, I'm sure that Ovation wouldn't even put their name on a plywood guitar made in Korea, and Martin wouldn't be selling laminated wood versions of their popular models. In this economy, I guess this is what guitar companies must do to stay in business. As long as Ovation keeps making their "premuim" lines and Martin keeps making D-35's (I'd love to get one someday), it's all good. |
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OT: Taylor is off the deep deep end....
