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Location: Texas | So with all these legendary deaths and understanding and accepting the fact that things end and change and there are new beginnings, I ask what is the legacy of our beloved Ovations?
The Fender Co. buys Kaman, including of course Ovation guitars and now we know that some models may still will be made in the US and others abroad, but the fact is that today the boutique guitars have taken over and many brands are trying to survive in this competitive business.
A close friend saw my Glen Campbell and asked; where can I buy a new one just like it? and I said, nah, you can not buy a new Glen anymore; then he said, OK, how about and old Folklore like the one Cat Stevens played, and I said the same thing, it is not available new at any store.
So I said, there is the used market and also there are many new models still available, so I suggested to go check them out at the local stores, Guitar C, etc.
He went and bought a Taylor.
Ovations are still my favorite, most comfortable and cooler acoustic electrics and the fact that they changed and started the trend of plugging in an acoustic guitar is why I like them and will continue to keep a few around.
They will go down as the icon acoustic electric roundback guitar made in the USA.
Absolutely...................................Ovation.
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Location: Texas | Plus it was Jim Croce's guitar of choice :) |
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Location: Location Location Location | Pretty good straight acoustic too. |
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Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | I don't think the Obit been written on Ovation
yet. Fender put a lot of money into getting Guild up and running. I think one that line is caught up and running, attention will turn back to Ovation.
There will likily be a big brand push for Ovation.
The name is simply too well known to let it go.
Plus you a $1000 price gap between import and USA models. You might something fill that price gap
from New Hartford.
Your friend might have been able to custom order a guitar that was very close to what he wanted. |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | PEZ sez:
I don't think the Obit been written on Ovation yet...
Your friend might have been able to custom order a guitar that was very close to what he wanted. I don't know how good the MotherShip has been running lately, but if he coulda found an old busted Ovation to send to them, they woulda built him a new one.
And maybe slapped a GC TRC on there for him too. |
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Location: Nashville TN. | Glen Truss Rod cover is
In genuine mother of plastic |
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Location: New Jersey, USA | Fender should consider working their formula on Ovation: Start reissuing the classic models in original trim ASAP. Then start on "modern" versions with the same aesthetics but newer features like LX bowls, preamps, etc.
Fender and Gibson sell thousands of guitars based on the draw of nostalgia. Probably could work for Ovation too. |
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Location: Minden, Nebraska | How many times has that "He went and bought a Taylor" scenario been repeated? That isn't an anomaly. |
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Location: SoCal | I went into a Guitar Center yesterday that I'm not normally in. I looked at the Ovations there and probably would have chosen a Taylor over what I saw. And I hate Taylors.
Gotta get good guitars into stores where people can see and play them. Don't know if that's going to happen.
This is a discussion that comes up every 2-3 months on the board..... |
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Posts: 130
Location: London, UK | You can have the best product in the world but if you don't market it, it either disappears completely or becomes an expensive niche thing.
There used to be guitar shops in London with Ovation rooms, but no more. So how's the public (or me for that matter) going to sample these beautiful instruments? |
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Location: New Hampsha | And newbies come here and ask questions about what to buy and are invariably told to forget buying that new model and go buy some old used thing.
So the OFC appears to be a bunch of curmudgeons sitting in a circle singing kumbaya and passing a steadily dwindling number of antiques to each other. But only the "In-Crowd" may sit in.
And many/most of the senior members on this board have dumped all or most of their Ovations and have moved on to other brands. They freely bash the entry Applauses and Celebrities while they play their Collings, etc. and pontificate about the good old days.
Yes, kiddlies, the obit is written, so get a good new one while you can. |
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Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | Originally posted by Mitzdawg:
And newbies come here and ask questions about what to buy and are invariably told to forget buying that new model and go buy some old used thing.
So the OFC appears to be a bunch of curmudgeons sitting in a circle singing kumbaya and passing a steadily dwindling number of antiques to each other. But only the "In-Crowd" may sit in.
And many/most of the senior members on this board have dumped all or most of their Ovations and have moved on to other brands. They freely bash the entry Applauses and Celebrities while they play their Collings, etc. and pontificate about the good old days.
Yes, kiddlies, the obit is written, so get a good new one while you can. This is B.S. Personally, I own about 13 guitars. There's one Martin (family heirloom) and the rest are Ovations (high end). I don't know anybody on this board who have dumped all their Ovations/Adamii. Toby used to own them exclusively but now owns other brands as well. But go to his house and you'll see one of the finest collections of Ovation/Adamii guitars around.
If we recommend older Ovations to newbies it's because they have a limited budget and it's either buy a new Celeb or an older U.S.A. built Ovation. You want a Kia or a Porsche? There's plenty of respect here for new Ovations/Adamii.
And yeah, I'll bash Applause and Celebs, but I wasn't playing a Collings, I was playing my 87 Collectors.
Go peddle your b.s. someplace else.
Click...... |
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Location: south east Michigan | Mizdawg..
I respectfully disagree.
Personally, I don't even know how to play kumbaya. |
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Location: Utah | Originally posted by rpguitar:
Fender should consider working their formula on Ovation: Aha! Relic'd Ovations! For an extra $1k they'll beat the crap out of it, sand off the finish in places, put cigarette burns on the headstock, and apply some odd stickers or graffiti. ;)
Personally, I am not optimistic on the economy for the next few years, and maybe longer. This is just my opinion of the current psychology of consumers. People are fixing their old cars instead of buying new ones. Savings rates are up. This tells me that we are in a new psychology of thrift.
Which should be a very good thing for midrange but good quality gutars. It won't be a good thing for $ exotic luxury items. Fewer people will be interested in the $3k guitar. Consumers will be looking for value.
Which makes me optimistic for the future of Ovation. Great bang-for-the-buck value. Ovation can market the way they did in the early days, promoting value, performance, sound, playability, reliability, and innovation. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Originally posted by FlySig:
Which makes me optimistic for the future of Ovation. Great bang-for-the-buck value. Ovation can market the way they did in the early days, promoting value, performance, sound, playability, reliability, and innovation. [/QB] Well Put !! ..
Vic |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | by Mitzdawg:
And newbies come here and ask questions about what to buy and are invariably told to forget buying that new model and go buy some old used thing. Yeah, I'm guilty of that one! 
But! It ain't just for Ovations. I will tell Anyone on a limited budget that they can get a better guitar Used for less money.
Plus, the top will have opened-up. And if someone wants the guitar that they remember seeing in their youth, you should go for Used.
It doesn't matter which brand of guitar that they are getting, either.
Should I have gotten my 40th Anniversary K1111 new? Or used for a quarter of the price?
This also applies to Cars, Motorcycles, Houses, and most other high-end items. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
I will tell Anyone on a limited budget that they can get a better guitar Used for less money.
Plus, the top will have opened-up. And if someone wants the guitar that they remember seeing in their youth, you should go for Used.
It doesn't matter which brand of guitar that they are getting, either.
Should I have gotten my 40th Anniversary K1111 new? Or used for a quarter of the price?
[/QB] So True ..
Does NOT apply for OLD Amps. , .. the New ones are a Better Deal ..
Vic |
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Location: Minden, Nebraska | I disagree with Mitzdawg, too, although I get the point. I simply won't pay new prices, so I keep going through older ones until I find keepers. I have a Legend and Custom Legend that suit me just fine and I can buy several more just like them for the cost of a single Collings, etc.
However, I'd be a sucker for a great deal on an Olson. |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Originally posted by Mitzdawg:
So the OFC appears to be a bunch of curmudgeons sitting in a circle singing kumbaya and passing a steadily dwindling number of antiques to each other. But only the "In-Crowd" may sit in.
But it`s thanks to them that we get to know things , and soon being an Antique Myself , I better learn to play Kumbaya .. Kumbaha ..Cumamba .. A .. F#majdim.. Cb .. susminor .. man this is hard..
Vic |
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Posts: 67
Location: Texas | This newbie bought an Ovation,I dont care who owns Ovation,I just like the round back/tone,dont have any high end Ovations,still plucking these Balladeers,but I suspect that will change shortly.
good luck |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by Mitzdawg:
So the OFC appears to be a bunch of curmudgeons sitting in a circle singing kumbaya and passing a steadily dwindling number of antiques to each other. But only the "In-Crowd" may sit in. Wow dawg, that's pretty cynical for you.
I would like to think that some of the curmudgeons are the 'bearers of the 'O' torch'. Just look at the number of recent new members and the help they get in selecting a guitar. Most can't afford a new Ovation/Adamas, so they're guided to the 'used' market. Bang per buck is critical these days.
Checking the 'For Sale' forum, I can find everything from an Adamas I on down to the 'bottom feeder' category. So where is this 'in crowd' sitting? How much is the price of a chair there? What's the secret handshake?
BTW, there aren't many here that started out with a Celeb or an Applause that haven't moved up to better 'O's as they begin to appreciate the difference in sound and quality, self included.
Hopefully, ya just typed that while having a bad day... Here's to a brighter tomorrow! |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Hey everyone is entitled to their opinions, and I actually think there is some truth in a few of mitz' comments. The following are MY opinions and many will disagree ...
I would never recommend an applause or celebrity guitar because they are crap compared to what you can buy from other builders. Go look at a Taylor Big Baby or a Takamine G Series. Way bigger bang for the buck.
I can't think of a new model Ovation that I would recommend to anyone over an old X or A brace one, sorry. The modern LX guitars are lifeless compared to the good old ones, so that's where I would steer somebody. Yes that sucks for people making new guitars but I'm sorry that's just the way it is to my ears.
As far as non-Ovation brands, I can say that I actually started enjoying my Ovations MORE once I got rid of all the ones that didn't thrill me and replaced them with other brands. It's a great big world out there. Brand loyalty is great, but you'll miss a whole lot if you pigeon hole yourself on any one brand. I love chocolate chip icecream, but a 100% diet of it would get pretty bland after awhile. Strawberry, Rocky Road, Maple Walnut, ummm. Throw in a little sherbert and sorbet, now we're talking.
My sad prophecy is that Ovation WILL indeed disappear from significance unless they can come up with someone to carry the torch forward. All due respect to Kaki, but her music will never attract masses. Same for the Slipknot guy. The others that Ovation tries to pass off as their endorsees are either has-beens, or never-were's. Go read the endorsee lists of Taylor, Martin, Takamine, Gibson, etc. MY GOD MARTHA, if its good enough for HIM, it's good enough for ME.
I wouldn't go writing the obituary just yet, but nor would I sign a long term lease. In my opinion the patient is definitely sick, but he's undergoing experimental treatment and who knows what could happen ...
You may have a different opinion. That's cool. |
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Location: Location Location Location | If any of you curmudgeons want to thin the herd of a clean 1117, let me know. |
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Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Dave, I can't agree with you about the LX's being "lifeless". When I got mine I fully intended it to go on the wall for sale, but one strum and I knew I had to keep it. As a matter of fact, all of the O owners who come in here have BEGGED me to sell it to them. I love my old A braced Legend too. It was the very best sounding O that ever crossed my workbench in the years I worked there. But there is magic in the LX. I know that is one guitar I will NEVER sell.
I don't agree about the Big Baby and the G series being better than Celebs either. Celebs sell within days if not hours after I get them in. I have a very reasonably priced Big Baby on the wall that has been there for three weeks without selling. And the G series are very nice guitars, but they don't sell as fast as Celebs. In this area at least, anything with a round back is in high demand.
Non O brands? Yep, I have quite a few. Pistashio and butter pecan and strawberry cheesecake. But the Ovations are CHOCOLATE, and like most women, I LOVE chocolate. :D |
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Posts: 494
Location: Location Location Location | Alison, what did you do for Ovation? |
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Ovation Legacy
