|
|
Joined:
August 2009
Posts: 1
Location: Sarasota, Fl | I have an Ovation Legend Model 1717 I purchased new in 1987. I just noticed for the first time, that it says "Factory Reconditioned Guitar" on the inside. Does anyone know exactly what this means? Is it good news or bad news as it relates to reselling? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Welcome, One.
That usually means that upon final inspection they found a flaw, so they sent it back to be repaired to standard. On a USA Ovation, this means that this was done at the Factory. Not to be confused with imported "2nd" and "USED" guitars the were sold in bulk to some third-party fixer-upper.
As to reselling... Somebody wiser than me will have to tackle that one. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | It means that it was reconditioned by the factory. Do a 'search' and you'll find tons of threads about FRG.
As far as reselling, if the FRG is just a sticker inside the guitar then I would rip it off and nobody is the wiser. Technically if you're selling the guitar then you are selling it as USED, not FRG.
Good luck. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Originally posted by Gallerinski:
As far as reselling, if the FRG is just a sticker inside the guitar then I would rip it off and nobody is the wiser
Good luck. Kinda like those Do Not Remove Under Penalty of Law tags on furniture. :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | RO,
Welcome to the Ovation Hive Mind!
Seeing that you're in Sarasota, you have several OFC members within the area; Trader Jim & Gman (Ft. Myers), BluesSailor (Parrish), darkbarguitar & myself (Bradenton).
Every once in a while we gather locally to 'swap lies and swat flies'. You'll see and play some fine Ovations and meet great folk! LMK if we can put ya on the 'be there' list.  |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 5332
Location: Bluffton, SC | Oh my, another area player...
RO - please do as Johnny (2ifByC) suggests and hit a gathering. You'll meet wonderful people, play several outstanding guitars and learn more than you're asking for.
(Just watch the Trader...) ;) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4079
Location: Utah | Today, the difference is that FRG come with a 5 yr factory warranty, vs a lifetime warranty on a non-FRG. But, the warranty is only for the original buyer. So as far as resale, an FRG is no different than non-FRG. Back in 1987 I don't know if there was a warranty difference.
As mentioned, FRG means it was reworked to bring it up to spec. It is not a second or a blem. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by FlySig:
As mentioned, FRG means it was reworked to bring it up to spec. It is not a second or a blem. Not necessarily. (You wanna jump in here Dave?) There are theories floating around that the factory just threw some of these stickers in perfickly good guitars to get them moving.
My '05 Collectors is an FRG and you'd struggle to find a blemish on it, other than the loving abuse it's copped from me actually using it.
And dropping it.
Twice. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I didn't wanna confuse the issue with a long diatribe for RO's first question.
They may or may not have been doing that back in 1987.
Both my 07C and K-1111 40th Anny have FRG stickers...
But since Dave sez; "As far as reselling, if the FRG is just a sticker inside the guitar then I would rip it off and nobody is the wiser. Technically if you're selling the guitar then you are selling it as USED, not FRG." I might peel the stickers outta there if I've ever gotta sell them! :eek: (Or not... Who knows) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | We should start a whole new thread called "WTF Is an FRG". The best definition I can come up with is the following
An FRG is a new Ovation guitar that has a reduced price in exchange for a reduced warranty. How it got that way is anybody's guess.
Personally I've seen two kinds of FRGs.
1. Seconds with cosmetic blemishes
2. Firsts that perfect in every way
The only conclusion you can draw is that the Firsts were dubbed as FRGs to blow them out at reduced price due to inventory overstock. If I ran the company that's what I would do. This seems to jive with the large number of members that have purchased FRGs which appear to be perfect in every way.
The idea that FRGs are somehow reworked on the factory floor to bring them up to spec is a myth if you think of it logically. If the guitar is brought up to spec, then it's identical to any other guitar being build and would be sold as a First. Why would Ovation want to mark them down just because it took them two tries to install the preamp correctly? The other thing that makes me think this theory is a bunch of bullshit is the relatively large number of FRGs and that they are relegated to specific models at certain times. If Ovation really had THAT many reworked guitars they could never stay in business. And why would it be that at a point in time ONLY elite-t's and John Lennons are FRG's. And then next month it's ONLY 07 collectors that are FRG. Sorry kid's this just don't fly. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | There was a shipload of FRG 07C's and K-1111's running around out there.
But compare that to the Korean creations...
I saw 'Factory USED' TX's out on evilBay Before the first quality ones were in GC, MF, M123, and XYZ! :p |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4079
Location: Utah | Originally posted by Gallerinski:
We should start a whole new thread called "WTF Is an FRG". The best definition I can come up with is the following
An FRG is a new Ovation guitar that has a reduced price in exchange for a reduced warranty. How it got that way is anybody's guess.
.
.
.
The idea that FRGs are somehow reworked on the factory floor to bring them up to spec is a myth if you think of it logically. If the guitar is brought up to spec, then it's identical to any other guitar being build and would be sold as a First. Why would Ovation want to mark them down just because it took them two tries to install the preamp correctly? You make a lot of sense. I've heard that a warranty return could be fixed and then FRG'd. But a simple reinstall of a preamp, or a remove/replacement of a nut doesn't seem like it would be worthy of FRG. It would simply be a guitar that took a bit more work but finally left the assembly line in perfect condition.
My '07C has one tiny blemish, which is a very small piece of lint in the finish. At the right angle and with reading glasses on I can see the lint and a little bump in the finish. Perhaps this is why it is FRG, although I purchased it during the '07C blowout that Al had of FRGs and the prevailing guess was that it was a way to reduce the price to move guitars. The guitar was shipped directly from the factory, btw.
In any case, the difference in warranty doesn't bother me, given the difference in price. Looked at from the opposite direction, if the standard warranty was 5 years, I would not pay an additional $500 for a lifetime warranty! |
|
| |
What Does Reconditioned Mean?
