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November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | I think flysig nailed it with the marketing. You just don't see the higher end Ovations and Adamas in stores. Hard to sell em if you can't even play them and compare. We can talk all we want about how good they are but when Joe Buyingaguitartoday goes to Guitar Center and picks up an Martin or Taylor and then has to go out to the "regular" guitar room to pick up an Applause...well you get the point. They buy the Martin and post all over places like AGF about how shitty Ovations are.
I also agree that they need more diversity to their product. I know they offer all the different bowl depths but the top size is relativy the same. I quality parlor or size between OM and parlor would be a nice addition if they could get them in the stores.
Getting some big name artists to tour with ovatons would help also. It did in the 70s and would now also. I have seen countless episodes of Elvis Costello's Spectacle and frankly the only acoustic that sounded really good to me plugged in Lyle Lovetts Collings. I know that my Legend and UTE would blow away 90% of the guitars used on that show plugged in. Got to get them in the public eye.
Yes, they do offer all the different tonewoods, but to me there just is not that much difference in sound until you go to the Adamas. I am not saying that the Adamas sound is better but it is far different than the sound you will get from the average deep bowl A braced legend.
Anyway, I am waiting with bated breath for Al's secret..... |
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March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | OK, here's MY take on this: I think there is a WIDE variety of sound available. My 1617 sounds totally different from my LX, which sounds totally different from an Adamas, which sounds totally different from an Elite, etc. (A jumbo might be a good idea though, and I would be the first to buy one!)
I think OMA is right about the (narrow) necks appealing to electric guitarists, and I don't think there is anything wrong with that. Wide necks are available on some O's, and maybe it would be good to offer more of them, but to say that the wider necks are for fingerstylists doesn't make sense to me. I think no matter what style you play, it is how fat your fingers are that makes the wide/narrow neck option appealing. I know several strummers with big hands who love the wide necks. I know several really good fingerstylists who have smaller hands and so prefer the narrow neck.
And I think Flysig is 100% correct. It isn't lack of tone, playability, looks, or choices that "Ovations don't get the respect they deserve", it is the lack of Ovations in stores. If they had them available for people to try, SO MANY people would choose an Ovation over most brands. I try to keep as many used O's in stock as I can, and they sell quickly. I started buying off the board here less than a year ago. I have bought nine O/A's from here, plus a few that I picked up in my travels. Except for the two I decided to keep, they are all gone. There are other (good!) guitars hanging on my wall that were here before the O's started coming in, and they are still here. There's nothing wrong with any of them, but anyone who has ever played an Ovation WANTS one. Just yeaterday a guy came in specifically looking for an Ovation, and sadly, I was out. (Hey TJ, got anything for me?)
In short, yes, it is marketing, or the lack thereof, which in my opinion, is causing the lackluster image and/or sales. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | +1 on what OMA said.
"You can still buy a Folklore"
And there's 2 different depths too. So....
How many wide necks do you need? |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by Damon67:
How many wide necks do you need?
Q: How many guitars is enough?
A: Just one more...
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March 2006
Posts: 269
Location: Nîmes, south of France | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
All other advantages, disadvantages, variety, value vs. quality and exclusivity discussions aside, I find it hard to beat an Ovation or Adamas SSB in comfort for a two hour gig. Exactly Brad! |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | For those of us who have toured the Adamas corner of the factory workshop, there shouldn't be any question why we don't see more of these models in the humidified glass rooms at GC. They sell or have already pre-sold every guitar they make, and they don't have any current capability to increase production. To do so requires a lot of investment in time and resources which the execs obviously believe should be directed elsewhere. To a certain extent, the same might apply to the higher end Ovations. Its been a few years since we've been on a tour, but we do know there are some great Guild products coming from that same factory, possibly from the very production lines that may have previously been dedicated to Ovation models. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | When you have as many guitars as Dave, the definition of "variety" might be different from that of normal humans.
I have 4 12 fret Ovations, each very different. I just sold the Country Artist, also very different.
I'm down to only 11 or so other narrow necked Ovations, all very different.
Admittedly, most of these are not new guitars, but they show the variety Ovation has put out over the years. I don't own any other brand of guitar.
And 99.9% of the time I play fingerstyle. If they had any more variety, I'd be in worse trouble. |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | Originally posted by stephent28:
Originally posted by Damon67:
How many wide necks do you need?
Q: How many guitars is enough?
A: Just one more...
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April 2006
Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | This is a member of the "Small Hands Club" reporting in--for my friends and cohorts with the ham-hock hands, I truly hope there are a gazillion widenecks in your futures. That would be wonderful for all of you.
But, for me, the reason there are so many cases in my bedroon with salad bowls in them is because those necks are so comfortable for me to play.
Before I had Mother make Jewel, I played quite a few guitars in the $1,500-$3,000 range. (I realize that for some of you, that's not at all high end, but for me it was.) I played Martins, Taylors, Washburns, Guilds, Rainsongs, Ibanezes--if it had six strings I played it, until I was sick of driving, looking, playing and not finding what sounded good and was comfortable. Enter AlPep and Mother--happiness in a super-shallow package.
I agree with what the rest of you have posted, and I hope someone in a suit who makes marketing decisions is reading this thread--people can't buy what they can't experience. I would love to see an LX in my local music store. Have I ever? No. My question is, "Why not?"
--Karen |
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July 2005
Posts: 1609
Location: Colorado | Wow - I now own only 5 guitars...each is pretty nice...never saw the need to buy too many more...I really only play one...
1 Adamas 6 - the workhorse
1 Ovation 12 - well - for the fullness
1 Les Paul - well - it is an electric
1 Gibson Chet Atkins - well - it is a nylon
1 Mossman Golden Era - well - it is a dreadnaught...
Covered most of my needs for years.....Al would starve off me....sorry Al.
Am I weird? What was the old saying about the guy with one guitar? |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | I wanna know what Al knows. |
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July 2005
Posts: 1609
Location: Colorado | Al knows everything - |
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Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | but he don't kiss and tell. |
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Posts: 7230
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | well he doesn't tell, no comment on the other. |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Originally posted by alpep:
I know something you don't know
na nana naaaaaaa na (sigh!) How much is it going to cost me this time? |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Oh Finally ,.. someone Understands my quest for an Ovi JUMBO , ... Talk`in about Variety ...
Vic |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Unless somebody bought it I thought Al had a jumbo/dread prototype stashed away in his guitar shop. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I spoke (rather croaked) to Al this AM:
#1: Corporate is definitely watching/reading this forum..(hi again folks!)
#2: There are some cool things afoot at the factory that Al cannot disclose at the moment (that's cool)
#3: Please be patient w/Al: he will let everyone know as soon as possible...
#4: I have discovered that being a patient is a pain in the #&*...SWMBO can clarify and attest to that statement... :rolleyes:
BTW, she's a saint! |
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June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | Originally posted by alpep:
I know something you don't know
na nana naaaaaaa na Hey MWoody, You need to use the Vulcan mind meld on Al to find out what he knows. |
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January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | Originally posted by Phil Wong:
Originally posted by alpep:
I know something you don't know
na nana naaaaaaa na Hey MWoody, You need to use the Vulcan mind meld on Al to find out what he knows. |
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June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, |  |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Originally posted by alpep:
I know something you don't know
na nana naaaaaaa na Are you telling yet? (or did I miss it?) |
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August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Maybe it was this:
The Big Blowout?
Or is this just the precursor to something bigger? |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | "Hey MWoody, You need to use the Vulcan mind meld on Al to find out what he knows."
Sorry,
I keep getting this guy in New Delhi that wants me to "speak more clearly into the receiver please". Since his English is better than mine all I could offer was my sincere gratitude for him to receive my call.
You have to totally understand Alpep and the East Coast method of telling a "really funny" story. First you have to allude that you know a really funny story, but you can't tell it right now. After a period of time when the audience has had a few drinks and they are begging you to tell your story...
It also helps if someone who has heard the story before says something like "Al, tell em your story" or "Ask Al to tell you his really funny story."
So... Alpep has some really cool news to tell you all. Hey Al, tell em your news! |
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Just my 2 cents...FWIW
