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| Random quote: "Believe me when I say that some of the most amazing music in history was made on equipment that's not as good as what you own right now." - Jol Dantzig |
 Another useLX opinion...
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| Forums Archive -> The Vault: 2004-2005 | Message format | |
Eman |
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Joined: October 2002 Posts: 153 Location: Huntington Beach, CA | Last word on the subject, I promise! The Ovation is an attempt to produce the best "traditional guitar" sound through a unique design. Although if you ask me, they look more like a "lute" which is quite an old design, but I digress. Since they are not "creating" a new instrument or going for a unique sound but rather "duplicating" an existing instrument, it's unlikely they will achieve a better sound than a traditional guitar. I mean, they are competing with hundreds (thousands?) of years of R&D that have made instruments that, once made, supposedly improved with age. Seems like a losing battle to me but what else is one to do with all those leftover helicopter parts? So it becomes a marketing campaign. I think in the playing end, Ovation can say their instruments are lighter and more comfortable. Then there's the whole "plugged-in" thing, right. Take the true guitarists out of the picture and concnetrate on the "performers" and Ovation definitely has a market. Name any famous Ovation player and part of their mystique is the instrument. Not the sound so much as the "look". For those buying for the look or the association with some famed guitarist, read no further. What puts Ovations to shame, acoustically, is 100 or more traditional guitar manufacturers available anywhere and everywhere. Anyone have an idea how many up-and-coming luthiers are waiting in the wings with their hand-made guitars? And now the list includes the LX. Ironically, what puts them to shame electronicially is their own brand... Adamas (and of course now the new LX) and several traditional guitar manufactuers with innovative electronics and/or an R&D budget better than Kaman. So, to be on the cutting edge with Ovation (not Adamas, mind you), you need the LX. Ovation pretty much says that themselves in all their recent literature. Now for the pre-LX relics like mine and yours... I don't think I will sell mine. I agree with most respondents to my last post. They are good for what I bought them for and they still sound okay to me. They're unusual and so am I (you too, probably). I could only get a fraction of the price I paid anyway. Besides all that, I root for the underdog... and that's what guitar shops tell you these guitars will always be. I got a lot of response to my last post on this subject. Some were pretty hot, most defensive. But none disagree that the LX is taughted as the better instrument by Ovation, and most respondents want one. Me too. Think about this. As you have built your vast inventory of guitars, haven't you been looking for "the one"? Aren't most you you still looking for "the one"? Well guess what, if you don't have an LX, you still ain't got "the one". How could you have, unless Ovation slipped all those trick features into your non-LX guitar and just neglected to tell you? Does anyone think that's the kind of company they are? This club is made up of guitarists that "love" their Ovations, aside from a few that sound as if they have vested interests. Don't you feel a little screwed when the manufacturer you support comes out with a product that is such a vast improvement over what you have that your investment is basically worthless? (of course not until everyone finds out... better sell now). What do you say when you try to sell and they ask if yours is an LX? "Well, no but for another $1,000 you can gut it and make something close." Or, "through a cheap amp, they all sound the same." Or, "well, it's no LX but it's still better than a banjo." Or you can say, "hey it's an Ovation!" and hear from them what Ovation has to say about the latest and greatest LX and then you can say... "how about I knock off a couple hundred and throw in this Ovation tee-shirt?" Or, "maybe it'll sound better acoustically after I box your ears for a while." Well good luck to us all. Should be some pretty good deals coming up on Ebay for those that haven't read the articles. That'll be good news for some of you collectors, eh? | ||
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| moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15664 Location: SoCal | Interesting post. Sounds rather cynical. First of all, what is a traditional guitar sound. A Martin draudnaught sounds different from a 12 fret OO. A Gibson SJ200 sounds different from an Olson. There are a lot of different sounds out there. One of the reasons I play my Ovations is that they don't sound like every other Tom Dick and Harry guitar out there. Yet they give me plenty of wonderful sound. When I play my 1537 Elite, I don't sound like a Martin D28. In my opinion, it sounds better. As for the LX's causing earlier Ovations to be obsolete, all of my guitars have their own voice. If I add to the collection, it doesn't mean that I value an earlier guitar less. Eman's whole post has a very strange tone to it. | ||
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| Legend-LX-Fan |
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Joined: November 2002 Posts: 1196 Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | Eman, I am not following you buddy.????? | ||
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| MWoody |
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Joined: December 2003 Posts: 13986 Location: Upper Left USA | I follow Moody though. Now there is one more voice (LX) out there to mix things up and to meet our needs and entertain us. Not all upgrades will make a program obsolete - we're just conditioned to think so. More and different. | ||
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| moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15664 Location: SoCal | You know, I pick up different guitars for different purposes and different moods. Sometimes electric, sometimes acoustic, sometimes steel, sometimes nylon. And within those catagories, I'm lucky enough to have even more choices. So why does the LX make my other guitars obsolete? And whoever said that Ovation was trying to sound like everybody else? | ||
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| Eman |
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Joined: October 2002 Posts: 153 Location: Huntington Beach, CA | Hearing from respected participants, I guess the point is not clear. I, for one, can't afford to buy and house a collection that would capture every sound I find appealing. Like most, I must settle for what suits me and the best my ears can appreciate. McCartney or Simon have a particular sound they are going for and, thus the variety of instruments on-stage and in the studio is enourmous. I think the rest of us just want the one best all-round instrument that reflects our taste and musical personality. We have been limited by what's out there so we end up with more than one "primary guitar". So what gives us all we want? Is there a guitar out there that has the acoustic sound that we would find satisfying, that we can relate to? Can that same guitar be amplified for expanded palatte and greater volume? Don't think we will get the single-coil, solid body strictly electric aspects also so we might have to have 2 guitars. But why an abundance? How many can you play at the same time? At the same gig? In today's market, there are plenty of fantastic sounding acoustic boxes with an exceptional full range to satisfy the best musicians out there. Also today, elecronics can enhance and color acoustic tones beyond our expectations. Manufacturers like Ovation are trying to give us the ultimate combined solution. And wouldn't it be great to have one? Instead, we have various guitars for various applications and closets full of them. I know a guy, no shit, that has over 30 A/E grand auditorium steel string guitars. Why? Is the difference between them discernable, even to him? The LX is a "plugged-in" Ovation that finally sounds good acoustically. Case closed. Sell all your other Ovation acoustics and A/E's because they just aren't as good (says Ovation). Forget about prior posts about what to do with your collection of not-as-good sounding guitars, focus on the fact that you will finally have space in your home for clothing and general storage. For me, I could get by with 3 good A/E's and a couple electrics. I would want a good 6-string (steel), a good 12-string (steel), and a good nylon string, all A/E's. Then a good semi-hollow and good solid body electric. What else do you need? Sure, there's the nostalgia factor, but the bottom line is that the guy who dies with the most toys is the guy who thought more about himself than others. Now, strangers that don't appreciate his guitars will be banging away on them of selling them to pawn shops. So, to the point... The LX is supposedly the answer. Buy one, sell your others (probably at a big loss), enjoy the same versatility you had before (but with the one guitar) and be happy. It's not like the Ovation loyality is a two-way street. Get "the one" and dump everything else, just like Ovation and the retailers are doing and scores of people on Ebay. You know, the buzz isn't that there is a new mousetrap, the buzz is that it's better than YOUR mousetrap. That's what I think sucks about Ovation. Does that make better sense? Yeah, I'm a little ticked. I have several guitars that are pretty but don't sound particularly good. Now I'm up against one that supposedly is both. At lest Ovation will come out ahead, and, of course, that's the most important thing, right? I said before it was the last word. Now I mean it. You guys with the 30 guitars, there is a reason why you have more than one. If you were totally happy with any one of them, the others would go. Now you have the answer. Be loyal to Ovation, buy the LX and sell all the rest. Good luck. | ||
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| alpep |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 10582 Location: NJ | I am not so sure I still understand your point. What I gather is that you like the LX guitars better than the guitars you currently own and are now not happy that you own the k bar guitars? Is this a correct interpretation? There are constant changes in every industry. Every year has new models with changes. To say that Ovation has never changed is incorrect. there has been at least 3 variations of the bowl shape, numerous pickups and other changes. Each change to make the guitar a better instrument. It sounds like you are caught up in marketing. If you believe everything marketing says then you would have a Fender katana, A gibson Corvus and that ugly POS Martin that has a composite top. If your current guitars play and sound well and fill your need why not play and enjoy them? If they don't yes sell them, Unfortunately I know of few things that sell for more than the original purchase price. There is no real answer to that question. Much like your car is worth less after you drive it off the lot, or your refrigerator is worthless after the compressor goes, or your hot water heater is not worthles after it is used your guitar is not. You can always get some value out of a musical instrument. Some more than others. If you are buying instruments as an investment, then it is a very tricky market and frankly Ovations have never really shined in the used market except for the Adamas. Your money is better spent in a roth IRA or some secured bonds. If you are buying a guitar as an instrument to play, why not play it and enjoy it. Most Pro and semi pro musicians I know go through a ton of gear buying and selling what they feel will be an improvement to their sound. If you feel no improvement will be had with the aquisition of a new instrument, don't buy one. If you feel there is, then welcome to the land of the revolving door of gear. If you can or can't afford or have the storage for a number of instuments is not applicable. Trying to find one that is the ultimate for every situation is impossible. | ||
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| Old Applause Owner |
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Joined: July 2003 Posts: 1922 Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Eman, your posts come off as vaguely anti-materialistic and a little POed at Ovation. I myself am NOT looking for ONE or TWO guitars to be the "be-all". I'm not looking to have a huge bunch of toys, but I do want a fair number of "colors" in my artistic pallette. There is not ONE guitar that would satisfy all of this. Any LX probably won't, either. I myself am not sold on the LX at this point, at least that it is necessary that I have one. Used Ovations, with certain exceptions, are not worth that much anyway. If resale is a prime concern, you should buy a Martin or Gibson. I think you're being irritated a little by the LX marketing....the "Next Big Thing" is always going to be touted by the marketing department at better, faster, louder than the thing you have now. It is our task as responsible adults to listen and decide what is valid, what is worth pursuing and what is not. I'm not selling any guitars to get an LX. 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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| bauerhillboy |
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Joined: February 2004 Posts: 1634 Location: Warren,Pa. | I remember when Taylor came out with the new neck design,and a few folks with older Taylors were mad because they felt like they had "obsolete" guitars. Bob said that Taylor would always try to improve their guitars...all makers do that. There was a time when gut strings were used, that gave way to steel strings with fat necks, then thinner necks with truss rods,now CNC necks with graphite bars. No manufacturer can afford to ignore improvements that become available. And with computerized equipment, those improvements represent a quantum leap forward. If you ignore the "LX" hype, and just see the historical big picture, I think it's a very exciting time to be into guitars! John. | ||
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| CharlieB |
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Joined: January 2004 Posts: 648 Location: Florida | >>>The LX is a "plugged-in" Ovation that finally sounds good acoustically. Case closed.<<< There are too many people out there that would beg to differ - and - differ by saying that a whole lot of Ovations through the years have had a great acoustic sound. Granted though, there were also a whole lot that didn't have a great acoustic sound - mostly because they were meant to be, and positioned to be a plugged in guitar. | ||
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| Tim in Yucaipa |
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Joined: August 2003 Posts: 2246 Location: Yucaipa, California | Eman, I agree with OAO... the "artist pallette" is a very real consideration. For example, I play mostly Church music. I wouldn't play "Power In The Blood" on my 2001 Redwood, but I do play it on my Balladeer(s)... however I DO play "Amazing Grace" on the Redwood. Different voice for different songs. No matter what "new and improved" guitars come along, my Balladeers and 2001 are still very fine guitars. If Ovation made an LX Violin, would that make a Stradivarius obsolete? A good guitar is STILL a good guitar... and as with people, they each have a different voice. Have you ever heard Pavarotti sing Opera? Awesome! Have you heard him sing "Pop"? Doesn't work! Can you imagine Dolly Parton singing Opera? I would like to hear/play the LX, but I have my cap set for an Adamas! Even if I buy the Adamas, I will still love my other "children" just as much! Play your guitars and enjoy them, don't be so paranoid about the "new and improved"! tim | ||
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| iconocoustica |
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Joined: July 2003 Posts: 181 Location: North Carolina | I still think, just as I did in his last post, that eman is confusing marketing hype with reality. Of course, Ovation is going to tout their new models by saying they are bigger and better than before. How else can they sell them? Only the tincture of time will tell whether that claim is true. For now, I am delighted on a daily basis to contine playing my relic O, which, incidently, I CHOOSE to play over any other guitar made on this planet. Franklin | ||
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| moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15664 Location: SoCal | The new Mazda Rx-8 is a better car in every measureable way over my 1983 Rx-7. Do I feel the need to rush out and replace the 7, hell no. Satisfaction with a product is not always something that can be quantifiably measured. Same with guitars. I realize that I'm fortunate to be able to afford more than one guitar. But my collection is small next to some other's that I know. But all the guitars have great value to me. And when I buy an LX, it will join that group as another guitar with great value to me. I think that some of the others are right. Eman is confusing marketing hype with reality. Don't believe everything you read from a company. Or from this board. Play an LX when they finally get to California and decide for yourself. Guitars are so subjective. If I believed what the mainstream said, I might not play roundbacks or drive rotaries. Fortunately, I decide for myself. | ||
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| Woz |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 389 Location: RI. That small State out East | My question would be... How or when would "you" ever buy a computer? Before you get it home it is "old". The LX is lighter. I can play with a guitar that is "heavy". I have 6 very nice "toys". They do make me smile. Hell, they make others smile. They would make you smile. The group of guitars that I like are turning some heads with the 04 model. I'm happy for "US"... (It's an Ovation thing) I don't know what kind of car you drive... But have you seen the new one? Chances are the sound system will kick ass. Your rant would have the car MFG being called names. When I go to sell my car I will have to say it is the one with the "old" sound... I just bought a NEW "blem" Adamas for less than an LX. I'm a pig is shit. I think... Yes, I think it kicks ass even on the new LX. Oh, did I say I was happy with my "new" Ovation. Woz. | ||
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| Legend-LX-Fan |
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Joined: November 2002 Posts: 1196 Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | The Legend LX is a great sounding acoustic guitar that sounds wonderful plugged in. It has the best of both worlds. This guitar does everything I need. ;) | ||
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| willard |
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Joined: November 2002 Posts: 1300 Location: Madison, Wisconsin | This post kind of makes me wonder what Eman's views are on the Ovation Lifetime warranty. | ||
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| Steve |
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Joined: July 2002 Posts: 1900 | paul, do you think ovation might buld a deep bowl LX? for some reason I think that might get my attention... steve | ||
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| Stevechapman |
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Joined: April 2003 Posts: 2503 Location: Fayetteville, NC | According to what we learned at The factory Tour during the Q&ASession isa Deep Bowl is being planned for the LX Models, However I don't Think They've given a definative time frame. Maybe Al Would be able to give a better answer. | ||
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| Slipkid |
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Joined: September 2003 Posts: 9301 Location: south east Michigan | I asked Al about the Deep LX last week. He said mid to late year. Can ya wait it out? I'm gonna try. Brad | ||
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| Old Applause Owner |
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Joined: July 2003 Posts: 1922 Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Brad, I haven't even SEEN a Legend LX over here on my side of town yet, and it was introduced in January. If the deep-bowl is "mid- to late-year", bet we won't see one locally before Christmas, unless you special order sight-unseen and -unplayed. I'm going to Elderly tomorrow morning....I'll let you know if the 1771 or 1777 LXs they have had on order have come in. They don't appear to as of yet. 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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| Slipkid |
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Joined: September 2003 Posts: 9301 Location: south east Michigan | Roger, The lack of an LX sighting in Motown is frustrating. I'll play a mid-bowl LX at some point. If I like the Mid size, the deep can only be better. Sight unseen & unplayed? Yeah but what can you do? Perhaps the wife & I will take a day trip to Elderly by way of Frankenmuth. When I hear that the deep is available, I'll put some money down & order it. I know I can't wait for one to just float in somewhere. Brad . | ||
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| 45flint |
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Joined: March 2003 Posts: 555 Location: Wooster, Ohio | I would agree there are lots of guitar makers out there making excellent sounding and looking instruments. Probably the best time in history to be looking for acoustic instruments. But what attracts me to Ovation is the total package. All wooden instruments are delicate. I have a beautiful Bozeman J-100 1939 reproduction. But what guitar do I tend to play the most. My elite Collectors 1993. It sounds very good acoustically and it is rugged. I can take it to church twice a week and I know I will not have any issues. I can plug it in, it sound great. It looks great. I love that realibity sound and ruggedness. They are made to be played. Steve | ||
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| Eman |
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Joined: October 2002 Posts: 153 Location: Huntington Beach, CA | You guys are right (and alright too, I mean that!). The legacy "O"wners have exactly what they need and want. The LX owners clearly have what they need and want. Just curious, does anyone have both? ... and while playing the LX say to themselves "hey, this would sound better on my old Balladeer Deluxe (eh, PI?)." Yeah, right. Will Ovation continue to manufacture the non-LX models? What in the world would they use to develop demand, I mean besides a deep discount? Is there ANY feature that is better than the LX? Okay, so we are all in agreement, we love our non-LX Ovations, even though they ain't worth what they used to be. I can live with that. What choice do I have? Thanks for all the opinions. | ||
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| MWoody |
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Joined: December 2003 Posts: 13986 Location: Upper Left USA | I have never bought an automobile expecting to sell it for the same or more after using it! I used to own some old Ford Pickups - 48, 53, 55, 56 - in a variety of conditions. I loved them all. Spent a lot of time and money. My guitars a lot better investment of my time and energy. It's all good. | ||
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| Bailey |
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Joined: May 2002 Posts: 3005 Location: Las Cruces, NM | EMan and All I typed in a brilliant and lengthy response to this last night and when done I had lost my connection so all was lost and I fumed and stuttered for a while. Everything I said has been said by one or another of you except my comments on the variations of bourbon I have known from moonshine to the finest, and the different wine varietals and vintages from cheap to expensive.Also, I have owned cheap but good sounding guitars for use at gigs, and great sounding guitars that will never see the inside of a bar but give me great pleasure at late night home sessions whn I play for fun. I also have a few different mandolins. I have never resented the production of a better guitar as much as the strange worship of old instruments (Fenders, Gibsons, Martins) that is based more on hero worship than quality, i.e. SRV's Strat. AS if SRV didn't buy it because it was cheap reliable and sturdy at the time, sort of like an old Ovation, some of which also had famous pickers. Bailey | ||
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