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Location: SoCal | Brad Durasa - 2014-04-25 7:31 PM
Just got back home after a nice 3 hour practice session.
Brian had his Adamas.
I played my AD-II
And the result is
I'm a little less sad.
I also just got done with a practice session, me and a good buddy who's a really good player. All we played were the 1537, the A braced Legend, and the 87C.
I'm with you Brad, I feel a little better....... |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I also had a jam session today with the Twins...just the three of us: Me, Myself, and I...smiles all around! |
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Location: Flahdaw | THAT came out kinda weird..... |
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Location: SoCal | Checked out the "Ovation Guitars" Facebook page last night, no "Official" statement concerning Fender's actions so I posted the press release and a "push" to the OFC: "Check out what is happening at OvationFanClub.com" There were a number of good individual comments, most by OFC'ers.
Per the Facebook page, there are 57,002 likes, 1,151 "talking about this" (whatever that means)
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From Fender Guitars page, no "Official statement, only posting/question from Bob Scully, response from Lori Davis Shield linking the 4/26 article from the Courant. |
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Location: Jet City | We had a big jam at the house last night. Started out on the new wood box I just bought, but when it came time to noodle some solos, I just wasn't on. I put it away and played the Al DiMeola, Custom Elite LX, and R869 the rest of the eve. |
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Location: Denmark | sycamore - 2014-04-24 6:10 AM
I feel for you, neighbours across the pond. We have never been a great manufacturing nation here (though a major food producer), but they do say that for long-term economic success, countries need to be MAKING THINGS (e.g. cars, cheese, guitars, matches, ANYTHING) rather than 'providing services', 'adding value' or other such meaningless 'industries'.
I agree. Still somebody has to be (a) interested in buying these things at a (b) reasonable (c) returning a satisfactory profit to the owners for business to work.
Regarding Fenders I think many buy them because of their place in guitar history. At the Strat or Tele fora many if not most threads are about modifications so probably these people should have chosen guitars using their ears or hands rather than going for the brand.
Edited by tpa 2014-04-26 5:12 PM
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Location: SoCal | Fenders, a continuation of an 'ancient' design easily copied by others. Course upgrades to electronics but way too many reissues totally dependent on what an artist played years ago. I am not an expert on electrics but I see very little change except for electronics and that is little, now dependent on pedals. No wonder they are in trouble. Heck they still have problems of quality from the CBS days. I had an individual who has a couple of older Strats play the sunburst Mexico Strat that I got from Serge Lara on my 260w Peavey...he liked it (even the neck)! Only then did I point out that it was from Mexico (less dollars than a U.S. model). As to modifications, maybe similar to modifying the Jaguar of the 80's to a Chev motor (course, a lot easier). Bet box and on-line stores sell more off-shore and Mexican Strats than U.S. made. I would rather play my Ovation GS than a Strat but again, I am not an expert in electrics.
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Location: Omaha, NE | Haven't posted here in years...
Just wanted to drop in and share my sympathy with all the other Ovation fans who are heartbroken by this news. What a shame! |
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Location: Italy | I'm really sad and sorry for all the people working in NH factory and for our guitars too.
"Dear" Fender I hope you blow away so this world will be a better place. |
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Location: Canada | tpa - 2014-04-26 5:06 PM
Regarding Fenders I think many buy them because of their place in guitar history.
I think that the same could be said about Gibson or Martin who have just made minor/cosmetic modifications to their decades old designs and really have not contributed anything noteworthy in 60+ years. Maybe Ovation should also have stuck to their early successes as bread & butter instead of continuing with innovation until the bitter end (of the LX line). The high esteem that many early (70s) adami and ovations receive here seems to be an indicator of that. |
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| Some of you know me from the Guild side of the fence (not that there's really any fence).
I just wanted you O fans to know how painful this is for Guild fans too. New Hartford was the best (and longest) host of Guilds since Westerly was shuttered many years ago. Some of us had made 4 pilgrimages to New Hartford to visit with many of the same folks that Ovation and Hamer fans had come to know over the years. Folks like Kim, John, Darren, Mark, and others made us feel welcome and give our brand a home for over 5 years.
I couldn't read all of this thread, but I'm not sure if the point was made earlier that Fender has essentially been raided in acquisition. A lot of the vehemance toward Fender's management might be somewhat misdirected, though I'm not sure. It's possible they're not culpable for the current decisions, such as closing NH. There are other divestitures under this new owner that are raising eyebrows. Suffice it to say, we all have a lot to be frustrated with here.
I wish everyone the best. I've gotten to know a few of you because of our common passion for guitars and for the folks in New Hartford. I doubt I'll be around much in the future though... Until we meet again.... -- Charlie |
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Location: Yokohama, Japan | That's terrible news. My heart goes out to all of you at New Hartford... My son has been spending the last 8 months in Virginia Beach and one of his friends sold him a Legend that needs some work for 50 bucks! Used to belong to his grandfather. I was just having my son prepare it to ship to New Hartford for repairs and a new lease on life...oh well...best of luck to all of you. I still say USA Ovations are the best guitars that money can buy, and all the great guitars that came out of New Hartford will continue to inspire us for many many years to come! Thank you, thank you, thank you! with much love and appreciation from Japan... |
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Location: Italia, Zianigo di Mirano (Venezia) | Ovation, thanks for all the beautiful guitars. I'm sad,sorry, but....we're still there, right ?
Edited by titti 2014-04-28 7:28 AM
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Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah | The good news is that there are literally thousands of Ovation guitars in the world and these will keep popping up for sale from time to time. There should be a sufficient supply to last the lifetime of most of us here although the prices could well increase. The bad news is the loss of the mothership! I, however, am content with the knowledge that I will be able to play Ovation guitars for the remainder of my sojourn on this beautiful planet! |
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Location: Waurika OK | I am sorry to hear about the closing of the factory, impersonal sounding word. I have only a few USA ovations, acoustic only 1112-4, 1868-6p, and 2 1778t's one black and one pewter. Had actually been thinking about selling a couple of them, but now wii probably keep them all. I feel for the workers affected, been through a couple of layoffs myself, fortunately as a young man. It was still no fun, no severance, no benefits, just we don't need you anymore. Hopefully they will be able to continue their craft at someplace their skill will be appreciated.
Edited by xnoel 2014-04-28 2:41 PM
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Location: Taxed To Death State | Weren't there over 500,000 produced over the course of the last 40+ years? That was a number I heard somewhere. If that's true, there should be enough to feed our souls for many years. I hope so at least. :-) |
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Location: New York, NY | Very sad indeed! My heart goes out to everyone in New Hartford. Being out-of-work sucks. Believe me, I know! I have fond memories of attending two factory tours in 2003 and 2007.
I agree with Chazmo that Fender may be a victim here as well. Fender has a lot of debt and is also being dragged down by Guitar Center, which is also deep in debt and apparently owes Fender millions. Call me naïve, but I think Fender was actually proud of the New Hartford factory and the guitars being built there (not only Ovations, but also Guilds and Fender Master Designed Series). Go to Ovation's website and click on USA Ovation. They may have had little choice. In this economy, very few people are going to spend over $3K for an Adamas. |
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Location: Utah | Tony PD - 2014-04-28 10:23 PM
Very sad indeed! My heart goes out to everyone in New Hartford. Being out-of-work sucks. Believe me, I know!
BTDT three times now. Having a unique skillset is a blessing when jobs are available. I hope the great people at the factory can find a way to apply their skills even if it is not building guitars.
They may have had little choice. In this economy, very few people are going to spend over $3K for an Adamas.
It seems the corporate model is to go after the low end mass market rather than the upper mid to custom end of any market these days, not just in guitars either. We've all lamented the cost cutting features of the Asian designs, and the total lack of competent marketing for O/A. Perhaps the financial reality at FMIC is that no money was available for marketing. Perhaps too much debt killed any chance of success. The weak economy will break weaker competitors even if the product is superb.
Ironically I am just getting to the point of some economic freedom, no longer paying tuition for 2 of the kids, and only 1 year to go on the third. I was starting to seriously plot a custom Adamas order which has been brewing for a while. And I had a couple of refresh projects to send off to the Mothership this summer. A case of bad timing on my part. |
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Location: Colorado | This is sad news indeed with most of us, if not all of us, feeling bitterness and disappointment. My heart goes out to those who have invested their lives building these great instruments and breathing life back into so many more. The factory may close, but the brand will live on through the passion each of us has for the designs and philosophy that Charlie envisioned nearly 50 years ago.
Thanks.
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Location: Appleton, WI | I have been a fan Of OvatiOns since the early 70s'. When Glen Campbell starred on the GOOd Time HOur. I fell in lOve with the lOOk and the sOund. Then my sisters bOy friend brOught his OvatiOn Over and let me play it. I was hOOked fOr life. I knOw nOt all On this site are fans Of the wOOd bOx guitars. But let us all take a min. tO pray Fender never gets its claws intO Martin or TaylOr. LOve tO all Our American made music bOxes! |
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| Very sad for USA Ovation/Adamas. (but Fender can crash and burn...I'll never guy their products again) |
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Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | The executives @ Fender can just eat my shorts! |
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| Forgive me if this came up in this thread or another one, but does anyone know what they plan to do with the tooling machinery etc.?
Are they shipping things overseas or just selling off the tooling to liquidators? What about Guild, are they selling the tooling to Cordoba?
Will they make Adamas guitars somewhere? |
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Location: Flahdaw | stellarjim - 2014-05-02 10:56 PM
The executives @ Fender can just eat my shorts!
Sorry, their mouths are full right now (but the creditors are smiling..) |
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Location: NJ | Fender a victim??????
when greed and profit are your motivators you are not a victim |
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Fender to close New Hartford operations
