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Location: south east Michigan | Originally posted by Tupperware:
Brad, they are out there. Problem is that old farts like you and I just can't see them. We ARE our parents.
Dave [/QB] Okay... I just might concide on that point. To tell the truth, I know just a couple of the artist names mentioned. I'd like to think I keep my ears open but that might not be true. But can very many of these guys/gals be concidered truly "popular" in the mass media sense?
Like I wrote about a week ago... maybe we have moved from broadcast music to narrow-cast music.
Let's turn this endorsement thing around. What if an educational program was started that brought in selected sales staff from selected stores and gave them the type of tour that we fans get each year? I think the guy on the sales floor holds a lot of power in where he directs people who, for that moment, are looking for direction. |
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Posts: 382
Location: USA | Thanks Mark ... Truly appreciated. :) |
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Location: Tennessee | What if an educational program was started that brought in selected sales staff from selected stores and gave them the type of tour that we fans get each year? I think the guy on the sales floor holds a lot of power in where he directs people who, for that moment, are looking for direction. Somebody has to fund it. At somewhere around $1000 a person (airfare, hotel, goodies, etc.), it would take A LOT of money to have any impact at all. And the impact would have to be pretty large to recoup the expense involved. Can't see it happening. Spend that money on rebates, store promos, freebies, etc.
When I read the "The Book", I came away with the distinct impression that all of the players who sported Ovations "back in the day" did so because an Ovation rep showed up with a guitar, put it in their hands, told them to try it out, and stayed on it. How much of that is happening today?
There are plenty of artists out there ... and we really shouldn't know who they are. But we should ask our kids ... they'll tell us - some have already been mentioned in the thread, but I guarantee that my kids are not into John Mayer, or Jack Johnson, or Dave Matthews, or Santana ... these play old people music. The country performers are different and I'd love to see a resurgence of Ovation in that genre. |
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Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | It would be nice. Most of country's pickers and strummers now are playing Martins & Taylors, with a good strong streak of McPhersons now (like Brad Paisley), which is basically the same in contemporary Christian music. Mostly Taylors and now a lot with the McPherson product since Paul Baloche, Chris Tomlin, and Amy Grant are on the artist bandwagon there.
The hard part with a "true" country artist playing an Ovation/Adamas is it just doesn't have that "traditional" country guitar look. Let's face it, the dreadnought guitar is the country western standby. No one ever paints a picture of a cowboy sitting beside his horse with a campfire, cigarette, and a roundback...
On the other hand, Garth has his own signature Tak, so maybe country and Kaman aren't that far apart... |
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Posts: 1330
Location: ms | I think thats true about the "look" but now that Amy,Brad and many orthers are playing Mcpherson`s it might be a perfect time to get say a 12 fret slothead with a Mcpherson like soundhole into some of these guys hands. I`ve used Mcpherson`s and while they are nice in no way do i think they are worth anywhere near what they cost. |
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Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Man, there is a TON of great stuff out there! The music today is wonderful! Jack Johnson comes to mind as a prototypical singer-songwriter. We just added "Never Know" to our play list. The guy is really something...when you dig into it, that song is really tough to sing properly, but he makes it sound so laid back its incredible. I'm still working on it! :-)
Some other groups worth checking out:
- 311 (try "Love Song" or "Don't Tread On Me")
- Cake (try "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" or "Never There")
- Sublime (try "Santeria")
- Green Day (try "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" or "Good Riddance")
- Good Charlotte (close your eyes on "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous" and tell me you don't hear Keith Moon)
Its all good. |
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Location: Tennessee | I'm with you Omaha ... good bands, all. But as my kids would say, they are all so last-century. |
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Posts: 4827
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | I think it's cute that we all take such a proprietorial interest in Ovations growth and health. You'd think this was a daily shareholder meeting.
The corporation does not appear to be in any danger of losing money or failing to pay dividends. (Hey! Is stock available on the open market? A couple shares in my folio would look cool, just for decoration.) In fact, I'm sure we do have a shareholder or two here, it would only make sense... and they don't seem to be bitching.
Ovation is quite well established in the marketplace. They aren't number one by a long shot, and probably shouldn't want to be. Then you start worrying about something other than the quality of your instrument...and everyone else is gunning for you. |
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Location: Tennessee | Stock symbol is KAMN. I bought a few shares about three years ago. The sotck has doubled in the last two years. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Thank you bobbo and, my point exactly! |
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Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Kaman Corp is an interesting company. Here is a good news story talking about KAMC\'s financial performance. It also has revenue broken out by category. Its interesting stuff.
As an investor and business person, I'm not sure what to make of KAMN. Logic says that no company can be effective managing such a broad array of businesses. They have facilities all over the place, doing all kinds of different things. How can you expect a CEO to make good strategic decisions regarding bearing manufacturing in Germany, sub-assembly manufacturing for Boeing C-17's, and wholesale music distribution? It makes no sense.
On the other hand, somethings don't work in theory but work perfectly well in reality. Perhaps KAMN is an example.
But Ovation guitar fans should remember that music only represents around 17% of KAMN's revenue, and Ovation is an even smaller subset of that. The music division as a whole is lagging the rest of the company in terms of bottom line performance. This is fundamentally a military/aerospace stock. |
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Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by Omaha:
But Ovation guitar fans should remember that music only represents around 17% of KAMN's revenue, and Ovation is an even smaller subset of that. The music division as a whole is lagging the rest of the company in terms of bottom line performance. This is fundamentally a military/aerospace stock. I submit that if they would only offer the "Magic Lantern" package as an option on new LX Ovations, the music division would perk up noticeably.
;) |
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Location: Tennessee | But Ovation guitar fans should remember that music only represents around 17% of KAMN's revenue, and Ovation is an even smaller subset of that. The music division as a whole is lagging the rest of the company in terms of bottom line performance. Yup, correct. But 17% turns out to be almost $200 Million in revenue, putting them at or near the top of the heap in terms of the overall market. There is a very viable business in just this segment. And while the music business is lagging behind the military/aerospace side of business ... well, there's a war going on right now. These things have a way of reversing themselves, while the consumer products business tends to be more stable and consistent in its margins. |
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Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Originally posted by stonebobbo:
But 17% turns out to be almost $200 Million in revenue, putting them at or near the top of the heap in terms of the overall market. As long as everyone understands that there is far more to the KAMN music division than Ovation guitars. Ovation (particularly USA made Ovation) is a tiny piece of the overall package. |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | So how about enlarging the Ovation Guitar Package :confused:
:cool:
Vic |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by Enfant Terrible aka V-Elite:
So how about enlarging the Ovation Guitar Package :confused:
:cool:
Vic Well, the Trekker came with a carry bag and a stool, and we all know how well that package sold. :p |
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Location: Chehalis, Washington | When you walk your trekker, naturally you'll want a carry bag for the stool...
:eek: |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Good one Andrew!! :D |
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Posts: 4827
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Not me, I already have perfect stool. |
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Endorsements.. correct me if I'm wrong
