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Location: Thredbo, NSW, Australia | I use Audacity (http://web.audacityteam.org/) and record direct off my mixing desk via USB.
It works OK for me, but I'm not doing pro-level recordings.
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Location: Jet City | xraiderman - 2015-05-07 8:02 PM Are any of you using garage band, pro tools or any other usb interface? I use Logic for my DAW (software) And a Tascam firewire interface (hardware)... 
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Location: Yokohama, Japan | boltonb - 2015-05-07 2:29 AM
Arumako, be sure you are listening to a Tak model with the CoolTube II. As of about six years ago, these appear only on the top shelf pro models. After Mark Markure left Takamine, I lost my contact so I don't know what is current. The TLD (Takamine Line Driver) is a very clean no-fuss preamp without any controls. It came on the EF-75 Brazilian and is excellent, but it doesn't have the power or variable tones that the CoolTube has. I need to get active again on Dave's Takamine website and get caught up.
Thanks for the info ProfessorBB! Although I've known a lot of Tak players, I've never owned one, and haven't had much experience with them. I've worked a bit with the Tak DSP-120 (beautiful instrument) which had the CTP-1, and have only heard the CTP-2 mounted on a TF360 (I think the pre-amp was upgraded from a CPT-1, but it didn't have the Triax installed). I watched Brad Davis' CPT-2 w/ Triax demo on YouTube after reading your post and can't wait to hear one of those "Live!"
I was really surprised that the system seemed to be relatively affordable, perhaps a tad more than the OP Pro Studio, but it certainly seems to be worth every penny! Thanks for the heads-up! |
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Location: Utah | richard.parker - 2015-04-27 3:26 PM
I'm thinking the working man's guitar would be an A-braced deep bowl legend 1617 with modern electronics (Op-Pro Studio?). The sprucing up could include a hand-laid bowl, adamas suspended top and maybe some unique stain to the wood so it really stands out from the crowd. This would keep the costs down while making it special. And make some wide necks, for those of us who like big nuts.
I'm in for one of those. Prefer a Nutmeg-ish finish. An LX neck would be welcome as it is the current technology (at least for the USA guitars). |
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Location: south east Michigan | My guess us that a hand laid bowl will not keep the costs down in any way. It attracts "us" but would not be understood or appreciated by all the new customers DW will have to reach. I'd think DW would be better off putting the effort into and attractive top & neck.
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A-braced and modern electronics is great.
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Location: Sydney, Australia | Brad Durasa - 2015-05-10 12:27 AM
My guess us that a hand laid bowl will not keep the costs down in any way. It attracts "us" but would not be understood or appreciated by all the new customers DW will have to reach. I'd think DW would be better off putting the effort into and attractive top & neck.
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A-braced and modern electronics is great.
The thread was about an OFC 3 special order, not a full production order. You're right, most people won't appreciate the hand laid bowl, but we would. |
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Location: south east Michigan | I stand corrected.
After 6 pages things can get a little fuzzy. |
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Location: SoCal | OK, so at this point we're looking at a deep hand laid bowl with modern electronics, a wide neck (1 3/4" , Legend configuration, A braced top, and what else?
Sounds like a Lennon to me but with an Op Pro and a wide neck.
I would suggest two things. First, an Adirondack spruce top (for warmth), and second, the old style, larger inlays.
And keep the price at about $2500.
I'm in...... |
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Location: Indiana | And the full size skunk stripe would be nice. Course, I'm still partial to the K-bar, too.... |
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Location: NJ | Replicate th'Guitar that MasterTempleman had custom-built a few years ago . . .
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Location: SoCal | cliff d. - 2015-05-09 9:29 AM
Replicate th'Guitar that MasterTempleman had custom-built a few years ago . . .
The Custom Legend Folklore? Nah, more like a wide neck Lennon....
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Location: Utah | The first run will likely best be a single configuration rather than having options such as different colors or neck width. It should make a strong nod to the history of the brand, while offering something new. Since the brand was built on innovation, the something new should be other than cosmetic. It could be as simple as using the suspension ring on a wood top or Ratio tuning machines, or as cool as feather light carbon fiber bracing. Just rebuilding a model from nearly 40 years ago is not going to be spectacular marketing.
Going forward, I think the future is in customizable standard products. Using the power of the internet, a customer could opt to personalize his guitar. Ovation made a weak attempt with the custom shop website showing some of the options, but then didn't follow through with allowing an order to be placed online right there. Let a customer select bowl, top, finish, epaulette style, electronics, and inlay. Show the prices, and let me Buy It Now. In this day and age, custom fretboard inlay is super easy using computer controlled equipment. Wide or normal width necks, headstock style, and neck woods can all be customized easily. Each guitar can have a build sheet following it through production to tell the luthier which type bridge to attach or what neck finish to apply. There would have to be an upcharge for this customizing, but if the options are all standard features the added cost is minimal.
Offer some high end options such as Plek setup, bone nuts, EVO Gold fretwire, hand laid bowl, etc.
Meanwhile a number of standard models can be built on a more mass production pipeline. These would be available on the wall at your local guitar store for those who need to walk away with something nice right now.
Looking at other major established guitar brands, what do they have to offer that is new? Only different woods or finishes. They are not known as innovators, just for making pretty looking and nice sounding guitars. Ovation's legacy is innovation. I think there is much room to innovate still. Push the environmentally friendly aspects to lure in younger buyers. Use "figured ebony" on the fretboards, and market the environmental and social benefits of it.
Edited by FlySig 2015-05-09 12:16 PM
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Location: Pueblo West, CO | FlySig - 2015-05-09 10:14 AM
The first run will likely best be a single configuration rather than having options such as different colors or neck width. It should make a strong nod to the history of the brand, while offering something new. Since the brand was built on innovation, the something new should be other than cosmetic. It could be as simple as using the suspension ring on a wood top or Ratio tuning machines, or as cool as feather light carbon fiber bracing. Just rebuilding a model from nearly 40 years ago is not going to be spectacular marketing.
Going forward, I think the future is in customizable standard products. Using the power of the internet, a customer could opt to personalize his guitar. Ovation made a weak attempt with the custom shop website showing some of the options, but then didn't follow through with allowing an order to be placed online right there. Let a customer select bowl, top, finish, epaulette style, electronics, and inlay. Show the prices, and let me Buy It Now. In this day and age, custom fretboard inlay is super easy using computer controlled equipment. Wide or normal width necks, headstock style, and neck woods can all be customized easily. Each guitar can have a build sheet following it through production to tell the luthier which type bridge to attach or what neck finish to apply. There would have to be an upcharge for this customizing, but if the options are all standard features the added cost is minimal.
Offer some high end options such as Plek setup, bone nuts, EVO Gold fretwire, hand laid bowl, etc.
Good thinking. This is not unlike the customizable options available when ordering a new car. |
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Location: Tennessee | It'll cost more to develop the website than they'll make on selling those guitars. All the othe guitar makers I know who've tried that have given up on their attempt.
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Location: Pueblo West, CO | True. Trying to do it without the requisite skills would be an exercise in frustration.
Developing a web site to present available options isn't really all that difficult or time-consuming if you have a web developer who already has those skills.
I've built several sites that do this kind of work in as little as a couple of weeks.
It would take someone with back-end and front-end programming experience to build the site and provide a way to route the custom orders to the production line.
Once the system is in place, the production line staff would just fill the orders as they come in. |
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Location: Tennessee | I didn't mean that they've given up on building a website offering. That's the easy part and an investment of 20K will get it done. The problem is that people build their dream guitar and are shocked when it comes in at 3X what they can spend, and leave disappointed. And they set an expectation in their own mind that a production model will never satisfy. There might be a handful of people that actually go through an order, but 99% of your potential customers wind up going somewhere else. |
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Location: south east Michigan | Go somewhere else..... with a bad taste in their mouth for Ovation..
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Like the old saying says... Dance with what brung ya.
Edited by Slipkid 2015-05-09 3:22 PM
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Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota | DanSavage - 2015-05-09 12:53 PM
FlySig - 2015-05-09 10:14 AM
The first run will likely best be a single configuration rather than having options such as different colors or neck width. It should make a strong nod to the history of the brand, while offering something new. Since the brand was built on innovation, the something new should be other than cosmetic. It could be as simple as using the suspension ring on a wood top or Ratio tuning machines, or as cool as feather light carbon fiber bracing. Just rebuilding a model from nearly 40 years ago is not going to be spectacular marketing.
Going forward, I think the future is in customizable standard products. Using the power of the internet, a customer could opt to personalize his guitar. Ovation made a weak attempt with the custom shop website showing some of the options, but then didn't follow through with allowing an order to be placed online right there. Let a customer select bowl, top, finish, epaulette style, electronics, and inlay. Show the prices, and let me Buy It Now. In this day and age, custom fretboard inlay is super easy using computer controlled equipment. Wide or normal width necks, headstock style, and neck woods can all be customized easily. Each guitar can have a build sheet following it through production to tell the luthier which type bridge to attach or what neck finish to apply. There would have to be an upcharge for this customizing, but if the options are all standard features the added cost is minimal.
Offer some high end options such as Plek setup, bone nuts, EVO Gold fretwire, hand laid bowl, etc.
Good thinking. This is not unlike the customizable options available when ordering a new car.
I like this idea too! Don't discount that allot of these young people are driving nicer cars than we have - $500 - $3000 tennis shoes, and have unlimited access to Mom's and Dad's CC - it could be a viable and potentially profitable option!
And like ordering a new car, if you click more than you can afford, you go back and pare it down a bit until you still have all you need, and a little extra. It may not be *everything* you wanted, but it is still what *you* picked out, so it seems more Special than just grabbing a car on the lot.
Great Idea FlySig!
Edited by Nancy 2015-05-09 3:29 PM
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Location: Tennessee | Every car site that has "build your own" points you to existing inventory when you're done. I have not seen a single one that has an order this car now button. And in the world I live in, no kid has $3000 shoes or will get their parent's credit card to put a $6000 guitar on. |
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Location: Jet City | It's not a new idea. It's been working for Carvin for years |
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Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota | It seems to be working for DW too!
If you go out to their website, and look at the Custom Finish Ideas (under Drums), they already have it well in hand!
VERY Nice choices DW!! And the Custom Woods, Colors and Graphics are Fantastic!! 
Edited by Nancy 2015-05-09 5:16 PM
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Location: Utah | We spec'd out two Fords in 2012 on their website, then went to a local dealer because we couldn't Buy It Now from the web. The dealer entered what we had printed out, we signed some paper, and Ford started building the cars. We did experiment with adding and deleting options, looking at price, etc.
No, most buyers probably aren't going to spec out a custom guitar. But I think it is the wave of the future for the younger generation. Have a computer at the guitar store so the customer who has just played a couple of Ovations but wants a different color can order it. Let the dealer collect a $50 premium for the custom order to help offset his costs. |
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Location: SoCal | Ovation was trying to push this idea about 8-10 years ago. They put out a catalog showing different options and said that their custom shop could build anything...... |
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Location: SoCal | There is no need for DW to have the expense of a computer in a number of dealers. Dealers probably have a computer but in the back office for accounting, etc.
Just an app for the dealer's smart phone or his/her tablet could be made available. Or, continue to call their Rep. Frankly, except for the artist relations effort or a limited order, I believe it would be primary to create the production line with a limited line, distribution, marketing/PR, inventory to get the guitars to NAMM, and then to stores.
Initially, Ovation had only a small number of offerings. Balladeer, Deluxe Balladeer, Legend, then Custom Legend, then the Elite. Each had their own price point. Over the last decade or two, too many models.
Although many of us have bought the guitar without actually playing or even seeing it, most new buyers have gone to a guitar store. Store display and inventory are important. Unless the store has inventory for an impulse buy, the prospective buyer will probably purchase on-line leaving the store with the 'new old stock (NOS) hanging on the wall.
Doubt if an individual is going to pay for changes to a guitar with a 'minimum advertised price' (MAP) less than $1,500, even up to $2,400 MAP. Unless the individual is ready to pay for a guitar with a minimum MAP of $2,000 to $3,000, doubt if they will request a custom order.
Authorized dealers have previously had the ability for special/custom orders but I would expect that Al is the leading dealer in special/custom orders (from OFC'ers). Even prior to Fender, Adamas and some Ovations took an up-front deposit and an extended time for delivery (about six months for an Adamas 1688).
If they continued the interchangable 'can', no problem putting in the desired selection. If wider neck (i.e., 1 3/4), probably no problem with minor additional cost. Upgrade or different tuners with minor additional cost, no problem. Bone nut with minor additional cost, no problem.
But when is it a custom order...upgrading a Legend to a Custom Legend? Just buy the Custom Legend.
Low end or midrange buyers are probably not going to customize due to the additional cost and time for slothead instead of a standard headstock, carved bridge, finish color such as the 'flag' guitar or fancy personalized design, upgrade the quality of top or type of wood, frets to the top - i.e., 12 v. 14, binding, etc.
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Location: sitting at my computer | stonebobbo - The problem is that people build their dream guitar and are shocked when it comes in at 3X what they can spend, and leave disappointed. If the price of each add-on is clearly listed during the selection process the final total shouldn't be a shock at all. Unless the person is just really really lousy at simple addition.
Brad Durasa - Go somewhere else..... with a bad taste in their mouth for Ovation. I kinda doubt they'd be able to find an equivalent, custom made guitar for much less (if any) somewhere else. So disappointment will have to eventually give way to reality. Many of us around here have said that Ovations are "best bang for the buck" guitars. Hopefully DW will carry that forward. FlySig - No, most buyers probably aren't going to spec out a custom guitar. But I think it is the wave of the future for the younger generation. I think you're right. ...and not just with guitars, but any premium item that they can afford.
The whole process of marketing, manufacturing, warehousing and fulfillment aren't what they used to be a couple decades ago, imagine what they'll be in another decade... hmmm... Honey, the delivery drone from DW is here with the custom-made Adamas you ordered yesterday. Come wave your iWatch-4 at it to accept the package.   |
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OFC 3
