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| Random quote: "Jazz... isn't that just a series of mistakes disguised as musical composition?” - David St. Hubbins of Spinal Tap |
 How other (Ovation opponents) people feel about Ovation guitars?
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| Forums Archive -> The Vault: 2002-2003 | Message format | |
elias |
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| Joined: February 2002 Posts: 119 Location: Philadelphia, PA 19107 | I was (am) always curious to know how other people, especialy Ovation opponents, feel about Ovation guitars, what they think about Ovations, and what they say. I have confronted them many times, I have had long discussions, fights, etc. Sometimes I was able, if not to change their minds, at least to convince them not to look always negatively towards ovation guitars. After all, thousands (if not millions) of pros, and fans have played/play Ovation guitars. This means something! Ovation opponents are mainly people who LOVE wood! Myself too. But they can not tolerate any acoustic guitar with no wooden back and sides. I recently visited the Vintage Guitar.com, bulletin board, http://www.vintageguitar.com/bulletin_boards/details.asp?forumID=21... and I saw this topic: "Ovation? (dare I say that name?)" I am working on my response to them, but if you don't mind take a look of how they feel about Ovations, we may learn something here, especially the guys at Ovation: << Ovation? (dare I say that name?) I was thinking about the noticable absence of Ovation guitars mentioned here. Now, dont get me wrong...I dont like these things. There was a time I really wanted to. But even then when I went out and played them I couldnt bring myself to buy one. From the cheapos up to the expensive models So, I was wondering if anyone would care to comment on why they dont like them, or why they never get mentioned. I figure alot of acoustic players wander thru here. And almost none mention them as guitars they like. I guess they are the acoustic jackson of the 80's. smallmouse55@yahoo.ocm 2/22/2001|9:56:00 AM REPLIES: POST REPLY justine ,i generally try not to support anything from the kaman group for political reasons ,you know the whole plastic schrapnell thing.but even if it wasn't for that i never heard an ovation i liked.the idea makes sense to me ,a nearly indestructable guitar with a very arched back.but then i hear them or play them and it's like YUCK.maybe it's just that i can't stand piezo-electric PU's ,but then again i never heard one i liked unplugged either.years ago they had a sub-ovation guitar called an aplause which actually had a plastic top.they sounded better to me than ovations ,and that's a scary thought.maybe they just coat the top with too much finish ? POSTED BY: shakeylee@juno.com DATE POSTED: 2/22/2001 / 2:50:00 PM I don't care much for Ovation guitars, either. I appreciate the know-how that went into the product, but; - I like wood more than plastic (not just on guitars). - The sound of an Ovation has no "personality". They sound antiseptic. - That plastic smells funky. If you ever get your nose near the soundhole of an Ovation, you won't do it a second time. However, in what may seem like a total about-face, I think their little mandolins are a pretty good product. -crest POSTED BY: franknfret@aol.com DATE POSTED: 2/22/2001 / 5:57:00 PM They are hard to play sitting down, they keep sliding off your lap. Or am i thinking of those girls behind the beaded curtains in the back room of The Gentleman's Club....hazy... POSTED BY: jj DATE POSTED: 2/22/2001 / 6:42:00 PM Well, I never liked the sound of these guitars, but I think that they played a very important part in the further development of today's acoustic guitars. Scores of big-name players were swooping these up in the late sixties throughout the seventies because they were EASY to play and projected very well. Tone?--forget about it. Whatever the case, I believe that Kaman pushed the envelope with this product, thus forcing other manufacturers (anyone out there remember the much-heralded introduction of Martin's "low profile" neck?) to make their instruments more comfortable to play, especially for those folks making the transition from electric to acoustic. They sold a hell of a lot of guitars due to this forward-thinking, and perhaps helped companies like Taylor design more of a traditionally-built acoustic guitar with the comfort-factor in mind (not that I'm a Taylor fan, but they DO play easy). I suppose Kaman sells more Takamines (a somewhat traditionally-built imported acoustic) and Hamer electrics than they do Ovations these days anyway; you can't fault their marketing practices, as they seem to have most (but not all) of the guitar niches covered. I'd even buy one of their bowl-backs if they could build it to sound like a Santa Cruz or Huss & Dalton! POSTED BY: cbogle@earthlink.net DATE POSTED: 2/22/2001 / 10:10:00 PM Whoa! Everyone's knockin' a guitar company that came up with a fairly good idea. Who knows, with the way the tree huggers are making a name for themselves and with Clinton's last ditch effort to get the entire Northwest declared a protected area, we might all be playin' plastic guitars before it's all over. I was 16 years old in 1967 and my friend's drum teacher got us passes to the NAMM show in Chicago. This is where I first saw the Ovation prototype that had a smooth back and a flat headstock. In the 70's Ovations were popular because they could be amplified and still sounded somewhat like an acoustic guitar. OK, they did have that plunky piezo sound, but you could EQ that down. But the originals, like the one I have only had the volume control. The trouble that I see with Ovations is the US made ones are very nice guitars, but the depreciate in value faster than driving a new car off the lot. I guess this is because all the solid wood snobs don't like them, so there isn't much of a market for used or vintage Ovations. The other trouble is that Ovation has produced a lot of Asian made guitars that have similar features of the USA made ones only they sell for about $1000 less. Maybe this is because Kaman is a huge company and musical instruments are just a part of there production. POSTED BY: maranata73@aol.com DATE POSTED: 2/23/2001 / 2:47:00 AM i dont think its so much 'solid wood snobs' as good sound snobs. for me, if any ovation i had played sounded like my martin, i would own it not matter what it was made of. i dont know much about woods, age, grain...i know sound though. so if it sounds good i'm all for it. i love innovation and i think the ovation sound is good for some things you might need that sound for. they definitley helped the electric pick up thing in acoustics. the roundback never did it for me...i felt it was hard to play sitting...not as bad standing though. POSTED BY: j DATE POSTED: 2/23/2001 / 12:09:00 PM Of course dey is some ob de UGLIEST guitars ebber made...An way back dere in de 70s dey made some hideous sounds......Wid ugly people playin em.....But dey is good fo smashin' up dere fo de grand finale.........Yes dey are! POSTED BY: lreimuller@iste.org DATE POSTED: 2/23/2001 / 3:58:00 PM Ovations are terible guitars!!! I remember in 1985 , I was going to a music school and needed something small and adaptable. I got the junior modle that was the rage at the time. What people have to realize is Ovation is its own kind of animal. I am not defending it ( I personaly think they suck!) , but there are some intersesting sounds you can get. For instance , I wanted to play the guitar with a drummer , but I could not get the volume at the correct level with out feeding back , so I STUFFED it with about 10 pounds of very tightly packed bedsheets and that was the sound I used to record from then on. I even made a classic album with that procedure! In recording , there was hardly any volume left , but with mikes (SM57s , totaly wrong mics for acoustic , but it worked!) it really came out beautifully! Also the pluged in sound had a great electric quality as well as the stum texture. A little food for thought...can make something out of nothing! Oh , I also bought a Taylor and they are like the boutique Ovation. They share a common trait of haveing steral sound! JT POSTED BY: Zythumstudios@earthlink.net DATE POSTED: 2/24/2001 / 9:32:00 AM I'd like to invite all Ovation lovers/haters to go to http://www.mp3.com/NealPinto and listen to the song called "Where Were You". This was recorded with my Ovation plugged straight into a Tascam 4-track (a real quick job). I think it turned out pretty good.... at least... just as good (if not better) as any other acoustic recorded direct. Why did I get an Ovation? As a teenager, I fell in love with the multi-soundhole leaf trim on the Adamas models.... so I had to get one with that design.... and I have no regrets. Don't get me wrong... when this guitar is played unplugged, it makes a Dobro sound like a Martin!! That's okay though... I have solid-wood acoustics too. I have found it to be very useful for treated guitar sounds like heavy delay or chorus. Sounds I couldn't get practically when mic'ing an acoustic.... sounds I'd never get with an electric. I've even used it with overdrive and acheived some interesting sounds. Rock on... GoA-BoY -- http://www.mp3.com/NealPinto POSTED BY: goa-boy@excite.com DATE POSTED: 3/9/2001 / 2:16:00 PM I have never seen or heard an ovation where i live in NZ. But from the general replies they don't seem to be that good. Now I have my eyes on a Vester copy of an ovation, does that mean it will sound just as funky? Should i get the vester or the 60's hofner i am also looking at? Being an electric guy i have not got much idea what makes a good acoustic. Any ideas? cheers, Daniel POSTED BY: yuffster@pop3.xtra.co.nz DATE POSTED: 3/9/2001 / 2:51:00 PM like all brands....you can fine some gems and you can find junk POSTED BY: ht@juno.com DATE POSTED: 3/9/2001 / 10:14:00 PM HT--from the Acoustic Guitar forum?? If so, Hello! If not, hello just the same. :-) Anyone notice how the low E-string on Ovations tends to slip off the fretboard a little? Let's see... I was watching a VH1 Behind the Music, and some guy was on... he played Ovations throughout his whole career (mostly), and they didn't sound half bad, the ones he played at least. My opinion has been pretty much expressed already... I think they sound pretty good plugged in (for a bridge transducer). Unplugged... not the ones I've tried. I think RainSong makes the best non-wood guitars (although their first attempts weren't too great, I think the new ones sound pretty good! not like wood, different sound, but still pretty darn good). -Jesse POSTED BY: gobez@minot.com DATE POSTED: 3/16/2001 / 10:31:00 AM AS a background, I have two Martins and I used to build lutes and guitars. I love wood. That being said, Ovations have intrigued me for some time. I played a Glen Campbell from the early seventies that played very similarly to my Martin. They mike up well, too. I have always thought of them as a well playing guitar for conditions to adverse for a real guitar. Or guitar that can take a beating, like playing outside and laying it down on its back on damp grass-no problem. I have been dismayed by reports that the company does not stand behind defects. Why do these things command the prices they do? POSTED BY: sdymond@lawyernet.com DATE POSTED: 4/3/2001 / 12:14:00 PM Ovations sound like Tupperware, period. Everytime I think of Ovations I think of the cheesiest of the cheese of guitar players. Every dweeby, poppy, yucky front man played an Ovation. Ovations became popular when guitars had sort of started to lose their way a little bit: the Kramers with the aluminum necks, the clear Dan Armstrong's, the Peavey T-15 synthetics, Gibson's "The Paul" and all that other dark natural mahogony stuff- all crap, every last piece of it. Yeah, somewhat totemistic and cool to gawk at, but beyond that, CRAP! Now that america has rediscovered what the guitar is really all about they have thankfully cast aside the Ovation. Leave that piece of crap for the church crowd at guitar mass and let's leave the rock to the real stuff. POSTED BY: tdog@rrv.net DATE POSTED: 4/6/2001 / 12:12:00 AM AMEN! POSTED BY: lreimuller@iste.org DATE POSTED: 4/6/2001 / 2:22:00 PM My partner and I recently recorded a female acoustic-duo in my studio. One sings, the other plays an Ovation acoustic. I had to do some extra work to get the Ovation to sound decent. I used both a condenser mic and a Dean Markley pickup, and then panned each of the two tracks out from eachother. I then EQ'd each track differently. The results were much better than the original sound of the guitar. Here's the final results, if anybody wants to check it out. The songs are really good, catchy tunes. My partner and I played bass and drums on 3 of the 4 songs. Here's they are..... http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/231/flaming_red.html POSTED BY: themacbrothers@home.com DATE POSTED: 4/17/2001 / 2:18:00 AM This is a tough one. I'd never buy one and believe they'd mostly make better planters but........one of my guitar heroes, the late Marcel Dadi played Ov's almost exclusivley and he sounds great. I've always wondered what he'd sound like with a "real" guitar but thanks to TWA flight 800 we never will find out. If you're playing in a bar band, they probably do a good job. Loud and who cares if some drunk wants to play it! I have a good friend who has a real expensive Adamus or the like and it's pretty nice to play and sounds great but who wants to spend 4k on an Ovation? Seems like a lot even for a top of the line planter. Besides Ov's don't like people! Every time you try to play one, it tries to get away. POSTED BY: tlabelle@tbaytel.net DATE POSTED: 5/1/2001 / 4:54:00 AM I recently purchased a 1970's Applause/Ovation D-size acoustic flat-top, Model AA-14, found it in a pawn shop for $90. This guitar sounds great! The first day I saw it I played it, and couldn't believe the sound. But I didn't buy it right then, I was thinking "Oh, another junk Ovation". But after a couple days it got to eating at me just how good that Applause sounded and how comfortable the playing action was, how nice the tobacco sunburst finish looked, how well-constructed it was, etc. So I drove real fast back to the pawn shop and it was still there, and I am real glad I bought it. I have a couple vintage Martins among others, and I have been playing the Applause more than all of them! I have seen a couple Ovations where the titanium(?) neck was bowed, but the neck on this guitar is perfectly straight, the action perfect. The tone is wonderful, it is a very resonate instrument and is very balanced across all the strings, really sparkling in the upper registers, making it excellent for recording. I also like the comfortable neck radius which is more like an electric than acoustic, and the bowl-back design is very comfortable, it does not dig into your side like a conventional acoustic. So I just wanted to say it was $90 well-spent on this old Ovation/Applause, and I really have not been able to put it down since I purchased it. Also wanted to encourage others not to believe all Ovations suck, it is just not true. You have to take each instrument as an individual, some are good, some not so good. Hoping everyone can run across a "keeper" like I did. Thanks! POSTED BY: franksbone@thedoghousemail.com DATE POSTED: 3/27/2002 / 4:23:00 PM>>> | ||
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| Mr. Ovation |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 7237 Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I think most of the opinion above fall into a few categories... This may be over-simplification... but I truly believe.. 1. Most people like what they are "used" to hearing. Ovation is the ONLY guitar I know of that if you strum across the strings open, you will hear ALL of the strings at the same volume and clarity. Most boxes emphasize the low end and frankly I see the majority of folks playing boxes trying to make them sound like nylon string classicals when they aren't. Individual taste comes into play here, and I like to hear all of the notes, I don't like adding eq, so I like Ovations. 2. Many folks who do not like Ovations never really heard or played one, even if they said they did. This is the fault largly in Ovation's marketing. Folks pick up an import, or other bottom line Ovation, don't know ANYTHING about the guitar or the pre-amp, plug it in, and yuch! Very few stores have an Adamas within easy access to noodle, and to the unknowing, "all roundbacks are the same." 3. Plastic vs Wood. To me this is not an argument. Sound vs sound is an argument or at least an opinion, but just to categorically drop it because it doesn't have wood is... not someone I care to have a conversation with. These are the same folks that don't buy things made in foriegn countries, and probably have little or no ability to form their own opinion. These people ARE listening to the marketing of other guitar sales persons and not using their ears. Do I think Ovation guitars are the best guitars made? Never thought about it... I play Ovations because I can get the best sound (my opinion) from them and I have the most control to change the sound if I want too. I guess I would have more respect for peoples negative opinions of Ovations if they stated why they like what they use, instead of why they don't like Ovations. For instance... instead of "Ovations suck, they sound thin and plastic" I'd have more respect for "My Martin has a rich tone that I like, that I was unable to achieve from an Ovation." That is an opinion. That other stuff is just dribble... | ||
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| elias |
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| Joined: February 2002 Posts: 119 Location: Philadelphia, PA 19107 | Miles let me know if you want me to edit the topic by removing all the talk in the topic at the vintage guitar board, and leave only the link to their site. I realize it is too long. | ||
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| Beal |
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Joined: January 2002 Posts: 14127 Location: 6 String Ranch | Have you ever noticed how bold people get when they can talk and not have to show their face? They do seem to get carrier away expressing themselves about how much they hate Ovations. It is funny because much of what they say is pure prejudice and when coldly examined won't hold water. Some of it is the herding effect where they get carried away with the badmouthing and have to outdo the last guy. It's so refreshing that all of the people at the OFC are so restrained and refined and above all that. (let's see, except for my comments about dog spoo, and the other one about.....well never mind!) | ||
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| alpep |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 10583 Location: NJ | < funny cwk2 I was just thinking that eh...yesterday... | ||
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| Mr. Ovation |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 7237 Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I don't find the "tone" of the OFC folks surprising at all. Afterall, the fact that we play Ovations already indicates an open-mindedness on some level. I totally agree with the comments on the "token" endorsements. I know at least one artist (actually a whole band) who is quite well known, that endorses an amplifier line that although it appears on stage, they barely use. They only use the power-amp stage and the head is just there for show. Simply because they get them for free, they sound ok, and if they break, they are replaced. No offence to Melissa E. but I don't even think of her as a musician, but more of a singer/songwriter. I realize she is a musician, but I don't think her guitar abilities pay the bills as much as her pen and vocals do. Richie Sambora is a guitar player, Glen Campbell, Roy Clark, even the guy from Metallica. Someone posing with a guitar does not get me interested at all, unless the tag line is something like "see what so-and-so sais about Ovation" or something like that. If one were to only look at ad's they would think Eddie VanHalen loves Peavey amps, when in fact he STILL records (if he can anymore) with a Marshall combo. Dweezel on the other hand really does seem to like "get'n Wiggy with it." I didn't think twice about the "Wiggy" until I saw him demo and talk about it. I still don't like it, but at least I am informed. My point (I had one... really) was after I see the Ovation ad... even if I'm interested... there is little to no "real" info available unless I go digging. I shouldn't have to dig, that's what sales people get paid to do. | ||
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| moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15678 Location: SoCal | I took a quick look at the page elias marked and didn't see how to respond without joining. I'll pass. Other guitar players are always surprised when they hear the sound of my 1537. It's a great guitar sound and holds it's own with most other guitars. However, people who don't like Ovations are basing their opinion (in my opinion) on the look and the materials. Prejudice comes through. I have my quirks, but I try to maintain an open mind. These are the same people who will say that all Martins (or Taylors, or Silvertones, or whatever) are great. They aren't. Some are good and some are bad. And Bill, as for people who don't want their ideas closely questioned, just look at Hillary Clinton. She will never appear in public where there is open debate. She can't. The ideas (as well as the person) can't stand up. Maybe my taste in guitars is odd. But I also drive a car with a rotary engine. Maybe I'm just flat out odd. | ||
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| musicamex |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 873 Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | kielbasa vs bratwurst, saurkraut vs kim chee, bud vs miller and on and on. in matters of taste there is no right or wrong. it is not in good taste or productive to show prejudice without knowledge. if fact genocide is the end result in extreem cases when people become sheep and can only follow. i seemed to see allot of unsubstantiated peer following peer responses in the posts from vintage guitar. i play ovations but own over a dozen woodies. they all have their own particular niche in my life, but i play the ovations because they give me the sound i want with a minimum of hassles. they travel well and stay in tune. i have never owned guitars upon which i can depend more than my ovations. buying a taylor or a martin or a gibson or even an ovation because it was what you felt expressed your musical language the best is correct. buying it because bob ted george and dickless said it was "the one" and it was endorsed by someone who made the cover of the rolling stone shows me that your musical individuality has been compromised and that you will likely be a follower instead of a leader. someone satisfied with the status quo instead of being a questioning innovator. playing ovations isn't a casual decision for me. my opinion is based on 35 years of playing lots of different instruments. and if someone speaks his musical language best through a taylor or a martin, more power to them. having the medium to best communicate your musical ideas is what is really important. music and instruments have constantly evolved since the time we tapped out a beat with a stick back in the cave. ovation has imho been an important and successful link in the chain that will continue long beyond when ovation is considered a "vintage" breed. thank goodness for guys like charlie and bill who take risks to lengthen that chain. so can i have a bratwurst with kimchee on it please? | ||
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| Beal |
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Joined: January 2002 Posts: 14127 Location: 6 String Ranch | As I recall this whole site was started because of assholes like those mentioned at the start of this thread. We owe them something, If it wasn't for them being so wrong, we wouldn't be so right! | ||
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| alpep |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 10583 Location: NJ | You are so correct CWK2. I guess no one bothered to read that nicely composed opener on the welcome page. I think I explained our focus and purpose rather nicely if I say so myself. technology is a funny thing. I remember my professor in college telling us that there will be a day when we will all have computers in our homes and I looked at my friend in the seat next to me and said who the hell would want a computer in their home ? what would you do with it? Those were the days with keypunch cards and mainframes.... Ovation took the guitar and brought it into the twentieth century. Unfortunately musicians are the absolute last to accept technology. So you have a bunch of detractors who just don't get it. In fact, I have to deal with the attitude whenever I sell a guitar. I kinda thought that this site would be a safe haven free from that sort of attitude... I guess dare I say some of us here don't "get it" either. [ May 01, 2002: Message edited by: alpep ] | ||
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| Beal |
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Joined: January 2002 Posts: 14127 Location: 6 String Ranch | We read it but that was so long ago! I've got a great memory, it's just short | ||
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| Paul Templeman |
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Joined: February 2002 Posts: 5750 Location: Scotland | The really GREAT thing about the net is that it's open to eveyone & is damn near uncontrollable. The really BAD thing about the net is that it's open to everyone & is damn near uncontrollable. Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. The problem is, that without experience, education and knowledge, opinions are worthless. Many of the people who contribute to that site are wannabes, they have no clue apart from a second-hand perception of the "classic" vintage guitars, most of them haven't even seen a "real" vintage guitar. The majority can't even spell or construct a sentence correctly. Fuck'em [ May 01, 2002: Message edited by: Paul Templeman ] | ||
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| moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15678 Location: SoCal | cwk2, my memory is also short. That's why I used to make notes to myself on my hand. Trouble was, everytime I washed my hands, I erased my short term memory. | ||
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| musicamex |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 873 Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | some people feel bigger by saying someone else or something else is smaller or inferior. others become bigger by actually growing. this site is nutrition packed and i have grown much more than i expected to when i found this site. what i read from vintage guitar was a starvation diet for anorexic brains, except for one open minded applause owner who had the guts to stand out. he would have a wet dream if he played some of big O's finest. i haven't even done that yet, but it wont be long now. so let 'em run with the flock. i'll hang with you guys who think about what can still be done. let the sheep graze where they have been shitting since day one. it's not just about guitars it IS about attitude. | ||
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| moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15678 Location: SoCal | Bravo Russ! | ||
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| elias |
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| Joined: February 2002 Posts: 119 Location: Philadelphia, PA 19107 | I wouldn't worry that much about the Ovation opponents from outside. At least you can easily identify them. Unfortunately there are also Ovation dealers, or so-called fans, "collectors", etc., who cause greater damage to the "Ovation name", than the "enemies". | ||
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| musicamex |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 873 Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | elias, the so called enemies are only enemies to themselves. when someone makes a stupid statement based on peer pressure or badmouths someone because they are different they only make a statement to the sheep. they really don't bother me, because i am happy with my choices. ovation guys are mavericks, we are different, and proud of it. i find no problem with respectful difference of opinion. if someone wants to call a spade a diamond and it is done with respect it only represents a difference of perception. when it is done with animosity it is counterproductive. the focus of this site as i see it, is brotherhood, friendship and learning. when someone starts to use innuendos, and claim to have the only answer or the ultimate classification, i believe it only hurts the person doing it. and if that person is a member it dilutes the overall quality of the knowledge and fun we all share here. nobody represents a threat to me and the constructive dialog based on experience and knowledge can only help ovation past, present and future. | ||
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| cliff |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 14842 Location: NJ | I play what I play, and I play what I like. I don't particularly care for other people's opinions/assholes. As I posted once before, Al Stewart (who was once a BIG Ovation proponent) told me he switched to Taylors because Laurence Juber convinced him that Ovations are "rubbish". Will I stop buying his CD's or stop playing a couple of his songs at my gigs? No. I'll just let him take his opinion (and his asshole) along on his merry way. "Enemies", unfortunately are also like opinions (and assholes) everybody's got one. C'est la vie. You made an interesting point though, Elias and I was wondering if you could elaborate/clarify: You said that Ovation dealers/collectors/fans do more to besmerch the Ovation name than our so called "enemies". How so? Whenever I've dealt with a music store or a dealer, I've never had anyone try to dissuade me from an Ovation, I've usually come across (at least in stores) either unfamiliarity or ignorance about the product. As far as "collectors" may go, I haven't really dealt with any, but in the brief (but pleasant and informative) timespan that I've spent with people like yourself, Bill, Al, Miles, Russ, the "Pauls", Sam and everyone else here that may have a somewhat more substantial "collection" than my two "O's", have done nothing more than BOLSTER my enthusiasm (which had been admittedly "flagging" in recent years) for Ovation both as a guitar and as a company. Case in point: the recent Guitar Show in S. Jersey (that Al/Miles undoubtedly had a lot to do with organizing & running). As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by a table with a big, nylon "OVATION" logo banner draped in front of it (where can I get one of those by the way?). Seated behind it was the ever Cheshire-smiling Kim Keller from Ovation who came down espressly to help Al & Miles out, offering mucho answers and insight. Al greeted me at the door the minute I walked in. Miles was quite helpful in answering my questions about any and all of the particular models that I was playing there. What it boiled down to was that I felt "at home" there and more importantly, I felt PROUD to feel at home there. Undoubtedly, there are probably a plethora of dim-witted, uneducated "vendors" (whom we probably have guitars older than) that misrepresent Ovation unwittingly, but as far as fans/collectors/"us"? doing harm to Ovation's reputation, I'm sorry but I "just don't see it". Unless of course I misunderstood your statement. How did you mean that? | ||
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| moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15678 Location: SoCal | Russ: Quick comment on your post above, and difference of opinion comments. The world would be a much better place if everybody listened to me and did what I told them to do. Unfortunately, I can't even get my wife, kids and dog to listen. Oh well, I'll keep trying. | ||
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| alpep |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 10583 Location: NJ | Cliff just a point of clarification. The South Jersey guitar show is run by me and a long time friend Jim. It has become a family affair employing Jim's wife. my wife, my sister, niece and nephew and probably a few others I have unfortunately left out. Miles and I met maybe 5 or 6 years ago when he either found me on the web advertising Ovation guitar s or parts or something. Our Vendor/Customer relationship quickly turned into a friendship and the rest is history. Miles comes out to the show to support me and give me a hand. Since he is very knowledgeable about Ovations and guiars in general it is a no brainer (boy do I hate that term) that he helps out my wife Sue while I am busy trying to keep all the vendors and customers at the show as relatively happy as possible. Kim is also a long time friend. I met him out in Ohio when he was the owner of Keller's music we set up next to each other at the guitar show out there and well I guess the rest is history there too. Kim is not only an excellent musician, guitar tech and service rep but yet another good friend whom I value his friendship. Kim is also a guitar collector and comes to show to swap and trade. Naturally his knowledge of Ovations is valuable so when a question comes up or something like your AMAZING guitar walks through the door we all get together in a circle and put our collective minds together and evaluate it. Come to think of it much of my business is done via word of mouth and players that have become friends. cliff thanks for the kind words | ||
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| musicamex |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 873 Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | the dog too paul? its not one of those fifi kinds is it? bill, do you still have those recipies from korea? paul could use them. | ||
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| cliff |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 14842 Location: NJ | Q: What does a dog in Korea say? A: "Meow!" (Actually, I heard it as "...what does a gerbil in a Greenwhich Village pet shop say....", but I didn't think that would be "appropriate". | ||
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| Jiminos |
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Joined: April 2002 Posts: 196 Location: Shelton, Washington, USA | well said Russ. | ||
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| moody, p.i. |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 15678 Location: SoCal | Russ: He's a golden deceiver. He's not a retriever, cause he won't voluntariy bring back anything. He's also asleep under my desk right now which is great except when he's gassy. | ||
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| musicamex |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 873 Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | gracias jim, i thought the dog comment was well presented too. | ||
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