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Location: south east Michigan | I hesitate to suggest this. My (our?) part is to promote, buy & enjoy Ovations... not produce & market them.
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However.... Wouldn't this be a perfect time to put some distance between the imports and homegrown models? How many times have we heard people say they won't buy an Ovation (USA) because of the experience they've have with an Ovation (aka: Celebrity)? I'm not saying bring back the Celebrity name, just let the USA models be the vastly different experience that they are. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | With the custom shop potentially coming back online in the future, it provides an opportunity to have your dream guitar built to your exact specifications. Sometimes the end product is exactly what you imagined, sometimes not, but it can also be way beyond your expectations. My custom 1187 SSB hit my button perfectly. Everybody should have a one-off custom built once in their lifetime, if there is any way to arrange it. |
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Location: Urbana, IL | I've done a lot of custom electrics in my life but never a custom acoustic so I'm overjoyed to know that the custom shop will be open for business again.  |
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Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota | I am too! I can't wait to have my own Dream become a reality!!! |
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Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah | My dream is already a reality. It is hanging on my wall and I bought it on ebay. Maybe I am too easily satisfied?? A plebeian in a room of lords?? |
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Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota | No Dave, you were just lucky enough to get Your Perfect One already! We just have to wait! 
Actually, ALL of the Ovations/Adamas that I have are Perfect, and I Love each and every one! I have always just wanted to design my own, the asthetics, it is hard to perfect the guitar, or sound, that is Ovation! |
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Location: Jet City | naellis58 - 2015-07-21 2:49 PM No Dave, you were just lucky enough to get Your Perfect One already! Perfect 'One'??? This isn't a marriage 
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Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota | LOL!!!!!
You have it right in your signature line Damon!!! |
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Location: Colorado | +1 Damon |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | You guys do realize that your custom dream guitar is gonna be in the 3-5K range and a wait of many months?
Just sayin..... It's great to dream but DW can't live on dreams and for all the talk, how many here will actually pony up? Just my 2 cents |
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Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah | "How many here will actually pony up?" Great question. Many of those who can't or won't pony up will nevertheless not hesitate to horse around forever!! |
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Location: Urbana, IL | Tell us stephent28, what are you "just sayin'"? Do tell.....Give us a few cents.
Edited by Matt_B 2015-07-22 1:22 AM
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Dave, there are OFC members who actually buy New Ovations and Adamii.
Some OFCer's order Custom guitars.
I just ain't one of them... some of us cruise eBay and Pawn Shops,
A Brand Spankin' New Ovation is Nice...
But can it compare with finding a near-new Lusty Red T for $350?
Or being surprised by a Shop owner who sells you a 6774 Folklore for $249?
To each his own.  
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Location: Denmark | If DW do well then in a few years they might be 25 employees making something like 25 US made Os and As each working day in the medium price range and up. So if they can hardly live on custom orders from OFC members alone. But allowing people to have wishes and visions is the necessary foundation for such a project.
Edited by tpa 2015-07-22 2:35 AM
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Location: Seacoast NH | I'm another one that probably won't be purchasing any new $3k-5k custom guitars unless I experience a great change in fortune. I think its impractical for DW to expect the brand to survive on any business model that relies on custom orders.
My hope is that DW can use their market clout and artist network to reinvigorate the brand. Get these new Os and As in the hands of musicians, let them be seen at shows, and demonstrate how great they sound. Leverage industry editorial relationships to get people writing and commenting on the rebirth of an American brand. Highlight what these guitars give to users rather than just listing off features. My two cents is that Ovation's biggest strengths are the quality, craftsmanship, longevity, playability, and plugged-in performance (my Elite and Millennium will never touch my old Gibson as a pure acoustic, but that Adamas sounds way better than my buddy's $4k Taylor through the PA).
I wonder, however, how they can keep costs down while still delivering a great product. We know Fender's approach was to offshore everything but the high end stuff, so most people were only exposed to the imports. I wonder how G&L is able to do this so effectively without offshore manufacturing. All USA made, Fender Custom Shop quality and features at 1/2 the price. I picked up an ASAT Z3 semi-hollow a while back brand new from a G&L dealer for $1400. It outplays anything I've ever come across from the high end Fenders, which is why they have such a strong base of loyal fans...
Hopefully they can figure out a way to keep the quality, performance, and innovation without driving up the cost while simultaneously establishing a larger market presence. |
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Location: south east Michigan | QUOTE: "so most people were only exposed to the imports."
There is a great post at the very top of the page that address' this.
Whoever wrote it is brilliant.
. I also will not be ordering a custom model. I own 7 Ovations. Purchased 5 of them new. I really don't need an 8th. However... If DW hits it out of the park with a production model I will gladly find a way to justify one more. If production models are not successful, there won't be a custom shop for all you dreamers. I have not heard anyone express a commitment or even a strong interest in a production model.
Edited by Slipkid 2015-07-22 9:04 AM
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Matt_B - 2015-07-22 12:20 AM Tell us stephent28, what are you "just sayin'"? Do tell.....Give us a few cents. i'm just sayin a lot of people don't reach for their wallets when the time comes. everybody talks about custom guitars but on numerous occasions when Al has walked the plank ordering a batch of custom guitars that members wanted and said they would buy went silent and left him holding the bag. Brad (Slipkid) makes a valid point and his comment gets virtually ignored. i'm guessing you want my 2 cents but like most here are only willing to pay 1/2 a cent. is that clear enough for you? |
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Location: Seacoast NH | Brad Durasa - 2015-07-22 8:51 AM QUOTE: "so most people were only exposed to the imports."
There is a great post at the very top of the page that address' this.
Whoever wrote it is brilliant. Agreed, that person hit the nail on the head right there. As we'd say around here, "He's wicked smaht." |
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Location: Seacoast NH | For what it's worth, my first Ovation is a Elite 6768 deep bowl, bought it new in 93 or 94 I think. That guitar has changed many a mind about Ovations among my friends. Still sounds and plays great. Bare bones and no frills on that thing, but either production or custom, quality speaks for itself. If I were to look into a new one, it would probably be another production model vs a custom job due to a combination of past satisfaction with production models and financial limitations. |
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Location: Urbana, IL | stephent28 - 2015-07-22 8:57 AM Matt_B - 2015-07-22 12:20 AM Tell us stephent28, what are you "just sayin'"? Do tell.....Give us a few cents. i'm just sayin a lot of people don't reach for their wallets when the time comes. everybody talks about custom guitars but on numerous occasions when Al has walked the plank ordering a batch of custom guitars that members wanted and said they would buy went silent and left him holding the bag. Brad (Slipkid) makes a valid point and his comment gets virtually ignored. i'm guessing you want my 2 cents but like most here are only willing to pay 1/2 a cent. is that clear enough for you?
Regarding custom batches of guitars are you saying that Al ordered them and people didn't buy them? If so I would say that stinks but I would expect folks to put down some kind of substantial deposit before the order is placed.
I sold guitars for 12 year and ordered quite a few custom guitars for folks over the years so I know how some customers react to them, terms of price and wait time. Ordering a custom instruments is a lot different than buying one off the rack. I've also bought custom guitars for myself and in some instances I've waited up to 2 years to get them.
As for my "dream guitar" I know it will cost "a lot" (probably in the $4-$5K range) but I have no idea about the wait times yet. I expect it will take a little bit of time (3-6 months, maybe more) to get but I don't expect to have a better time frame until the order can be placed.
I'm not "reaching for my wallet" until I know exactly what I want. Even then I'm not placing the order until I obviously know what it will cost and approximately how long it will take. |
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Location: Jet City | I know exactly what I want... so does Al. Just waiting on DW now.
Unless there's something new and exciting, I have no need for a 'production' Ovation. I've already bought the newest Custom Legend (Al DiMeola), Custom Elite LX, a nylon LX, and even an Adamas 2, most of which were bought new from local stores and Lost Art Vintage.
My wallet's open. I have guitars on the ready to liquidate if needed. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I'm not likely to be a custom customer for a couple reasons. One is that I don't use the 17 or whatever Ovations that I have, but their also pretty much all I want. I was lucky enough to get an OFC 1 and I can't think of anything more in a guitar that I want. I was kind of a newcomer to the process when that happened. I'm more of a want what I see type. I wasn't interested in the OFC 2. There was a lot of interest in the LAV Koa based on one of the prototypes for the 2006 Collector that people saw at a factory tour. Al had 12 of those built of the 12 fretters and then had more of them in the 14 fret version that didn't sell. I got a 12 fret version. I figured the 2010 2078 Limited Edition was the last limited edition guitar that Ovation would make, so I bought it, even though I'd have preferred a deep bowl sunburst with a center hole. Then they put out 50 of those the next year and I just couldn't pull the trigger again.
Probably the biggest reason I am not likely to be a customer is I want to retire soon and the money will have to go for needs instead of wants. It's nice to dream, but I dream about sitting by the lake, drinking beer and playing the guitars I have. |
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Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota | I had heard that Al got stuck with quite a few Customs when he placed the Orders for OFC Customs, and that is just plain Wrong... 
I am going for a "One Of", that will fullfill my Dream (like The Professor said). I have been talking to John B for quite a while about it, and he even approved the tone wood before I bought it, and told me how to have it cut so that it would be right for them to use for it. I have ordered my custom inlays, and will order the Tuners that I want (once I decide on which ones). I want to be part of this Custom, I want to see my vision become a reality. And I have already started selling model horses, and getting the money together. If they aren't able to do them for a couple of years, that just gives me more time to get the money together and cement my vision.
I understand the Custom Wait - with Model Horses, when you get a commission with the Best Artists in the Hobby, you can expect to wait 1-3 YEARS for that horse. But when you get it, it is beyond your expectations, and always worth the wait. It sounds stupid to wait that long, but when you are going for the Best, you either wait, or settle for less from someone else. I don't settle when it is a Custom. And 6 to 8 months is nothing in comparison to wait for a dream to come true!
And I understand that the Custom Shop will not keep Ovation afloat - but it is a very nice sideline that they can offer to their Customers, that will bring in good money, and make some life long Loyal Customers! DW already offers a Custom Shop for their Drums, and come out with some outstanding and unique pieces! And when someone see's those Special Sets, they just might save up for a special set of their own, once they know what DW is capable of. Or see what they are capable of doing, and buy a regular line set from them! So no, Custom Orders won't keep them in business, but they are a really nice sideline that sets them apart from the regular manufacturers.
As to the Regular Runs - you can bet your last nickel if I see something I want, I'll go after it!! The Custom is just something that if they offer them, I am not going to miss out on my chance for my *Dream Come True Ovation*, but I will still be getting their Regular Pieces if it is something I like!
DW knows their Stuff - they have a proven track record, and look at the excitement they generated just on announcing that Ovations would be made in America again! These guys have the people in place to do what needs to be done, and done right! It is their job to market, build and sell, I think they have that well in hand! I have no doubt whatsoever, that they will do Ovation/Adamas proud! And Customs are just going to be one aspect of that makeover, but a popular and prosperous one!
Edited by Nancy 2015-07-22 11:19 AM
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Location: Suisun City, Ca | Brad Durasa - 2015-07-22 6:51 AM QUOTE: "so most people were only exposed to the imports."
There is a great post at the very top of the page that address' this.
Whoever wrote it is brilliant.
. I also will not be ordering a custom model. I own 7 Ovations. Purchased 5 of them new. I really don't need an 8th. However... If DW hits it out of the park with a production model I will gladly find a way to justify one more. If production models are not successful, there won't be a custom shop for all you dreamers. I have not heard anyone express a commitment or even a strong interest in a production model. I've said in another thread, if they make something like a modern 1537 with inlaid epis, I'll buy new. I have one O bought brand new from my local B&M store and it's still my favorite go-to... |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | The OFCs and LAV Koas weren't quite the same as a custom order. They were limited editions of 12 or so guitars. I didn't agree to buy either of mine until they were actually built or being built. I think Al sold most of them right away, except for the 14 fret LAV Koa.
The build up to the first OFC took a couple of years on this board and is worth a perusal in the archives.
AstroDan, the limited edition they made in 2010 may be what you are looking for. It was an Elite with inlaid epis and walnut binding and fretboard, like the 1537, except it has a cutaway, contour bowl and Adirondack Spruce top. Al had one for quite a while at a very reasonable price. Again, if you look at the archives, some of the OFCers suggested it was a modern 1537. |
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Happy 4th of July from Ovation !!!!
