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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 338
Location: SE Michigan | I was just reading through some posts regarding Celebrity models and it started me wondering; why not make a solid topped Celebrity?
It seems universally agreed that laminated tops are the big drawback to these models. Other than the lam-tops, they are pretty much like other Ovations right?
Is a solid top that much more expensive? Or is making a solid-topped guitar beyond the capabilities of the Korean factory? It seems to me that if Ovation could install solid tops on the Celebrity line and mark the price up $50 bucks or so they could really take a bite out of the low-end guitar market. |
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Joined:
April 2003
Posts: 2503
Location: Fayetteville, NC | Brian,
The Pinnacle Models offered as imports are listed with The Celebrity line. They once had a 6 string model with a solid top option but it has been discontinued.So the Pinnacle and pinnacle deluxe are the only imports with solid tops.
i agree, and think they should offer more solid top celebrity models. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I suspect to maintain the price point given the limited supply of spruce and keep it from competing with the Balladeer, they need to make it laminated. |
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 396
| yes, it sounds like they'd be undercutting themselves (at least the American-made models), and the line between foreign and American made models would blur even further. It would be a good move for the company if they were planning on closing the U.S. operation and wanted to introduce the foreign made solid tops that would eventually take over. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | MHO or two.
Tops are not the biggest difference.
Laminate tops, if given the right amount of engineering and quality, can be extremely good. For many of us, there may not be a night/day difference!
The celebrity series uses Asian material resources that differ from the USA made parts. The Pacific Rim uses Nayatah Mahogany, as well as Rosewood which differ from the UA "standard" materials.
The combination of materials and quality control functions add up to a "looser fit" on the same design.
We wish to differentiate from the Pacific line much like a family does their perceived black sheep relatives.
It is to the Pacific line's benefit to stay close to the USA look because there are a lot more of them sold and thats what makes decisions.
It would seem the black sheep are funding the family fortune after all! |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | There are a number of solid top Celebrities in the line. And they do sound good. Now, with so many of the Asian guitars now coming to market with all solid wood construction (and really cheap offerings with solid tops), I think Ovation will have to make the move to more solid topped Asain guitars to compete. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I just noticed that the 2002 CD Limited edition was a solid spruce top and I bet the other Ltds were too. |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I just received the latest Sam Ash catalog in the mail. As I browsed through the Ovation page (well, there's only two of them featured), it says: Ovation CC24 Celebrity for $299.99!! It says it has laminated spruce top, mid-depth cut, yada yada yada ... but what shocked me (somewhat) was that the first line of the description read: USA Made :eek:
:rolleyes: Ahem! *cough cough cough* :rolleyes:
I wished it were true ... |
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Joined:
July 2002
Posts: 1900
| ..speaking of Pinnacles, did Ovation ever make a Pinnacle 12-string?
Steve |
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Solid topped Celebrity - why not?
