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Location: Phoenix AZ | Well, as the one on the list who has not gotten theirs yet, I'll withold judgement until it arrives. But I can tell you right now, if it's anything less than perfect I will be extremely disappointed. I hope to hell the "Fit And Finish" QA person is reading this! |
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Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | re: "If you had been told before your purchase that you were getting a brand new guitar (not FRG) that played and sounded great, but had minor cosmetic issues (sounds like a lot of eBay descriptions), would you have been as eager to spend your hard earned cash?"
No... :( |
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Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | It's been my gut feeling ever since I heard what Ovation's plans were for the new models that they are trying to do too much new stuff at once, especially with LX production at full capacity. That's generally a prescription for quality problems. Their model complexity right now has got to be a KILLER.
This is not meant to be negative to them, just an appreciation of the problems they must be facing.
Roger |
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Location: SoCal | I think that this is the longest thread ever on this board. |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
I think that this is the longest thread ever on this board. For good reason! Started out as a thread about one of the best sounding acoustics that Ovation has ever made. Ends up with almost all those who have received them being disappointed about the quality. I'd say that's pretty serious shit.
As I posted already, I'll reserve judgement until I receive mine. DEAR OVATION, I AM IN NO HURRY. TAKE YOUR TIME AND DO A FIRST RATE JOB. PLEASE. I must say the last two new Ovations I bought (FD14 nad 05C) were spot-on flawless in quality. And one was even an FRG!
Dave |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Dave, that is what puzzles me so much.
The '05, produced in much higher quantities, appear to be having no issues (or very few).
So why is a limited edition adamas, shipping out with all sorts of minor to semi-major flaws. Some of the defects in some guitars (like Noah) are so blantantly obvious that a seeing-eye dog could have spotted them......so how did they slip past "3" QC people who all signed off on the guitar!
Something is seriously out of wack at the mothership! |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Maybe to compete in the $2000 to $3500. guitar market takes a slightly different focus and different set of QC criteria. Is it realistic to expect the same people that ensure the flame and flag paint jobs are the right colors, to really know what it takes to compete with multi thousand dollar wood box pieces of art? I'm not going to call out anyone until I see my own guitar. I've never yet been disappointed first hand with Ovations quality. But at some point maybe you just can't be all things to all people. Dave |
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Location: Tennessee | The '05, produced in much higher quantities, appear to be having no issues (or very few.
So why is a limited edition adamas, shipping out with all sorts of minor to semi-major flaws. Just a thought ... maybe it's because the Adamas is made in a separate area in the factory. Both times I was there nobody was manning the station. Are there people dedicated to the Adamas or is it catch-as-catch-can? The '05 was no doubt part of the normal production process, which anyone who was at either of the tours can attest, is an amazing process with skilled craftsman all down the line. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Lines shift to what is needed is what I have heard in the past. |
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Location: Converse, Texas | My '05 Collectors is first-rate. I have absolutely no problems with it. I can't imagine the QC being that much different for the Adamii. |
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Location: SoCal | Consistently, we have had excellent to outstanding effort by the factory staff whether Adamas or Ovation. Whatever the price range.
This is unusual and, IMHO, doesn't reflect on a future trend. I haven't been to the tour but I am convinced that everyone there has their heart in what they do.
It sounds like Al and the factory will take care of Bruce.
I said it previously but of the five 30th Anniv Custom Legends that I have owned (still have three), I could find no flaw.
As to the 12-fret, couple of very minor, negligible areas - but only after a very close inspection. Guess 9.8 of 10 :)
Yes, staff should check out why Bruce's was shipped as I am sure they already have... |
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Posts: 124
| could you guys document the problems (owner & issues) in a separate thread and show some pictures of the blemishes?
if i were you, i would send it back & get the problems fixed under warranty. |
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Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | Originally posted by Mr. Adamas:
if i were you, i would send it back & get the problems fixed under warranty. My concern is that #21139 then ends up as an FRG w/Lifetime Warranty.
I find that unacceptable.
I am very patient, more understanding than most, and would rather be part of the solution than part of the problem.
PLEASE PRACTICE MAKING 99 U681Ts & SEND ME THE LAST ONE OFF THE LINE.
Originally posted by Mr. Adamas:
could you guys document the problems (owner & issues) in a separate thread and show some pictures of the blemishes? IMHO: We should be part of the solution.
The Fit & Finish issues are embarrassing enough for our friends at the Mothership.
Please do not add to their hurt by publicly posting pictures.
Send them to your Dealer and let them forward them on.
bruce |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | "My concern is that #21139 then ends up as an FRG w/Lifetime Warranty.I find that unacceptable."
Sending a guitar back to be fixed under Warranty does not make it an FRG. It makes it new and a properly repaired or fixed guitar. FRG is a very specific term that does not relate to warantee repair. They don't change the serial number and attach an FRG stamp to a repair, they just repair it. In fact NOT sending a guitar back to me, is in fact not helping the solution. In a few years, if any of these unrepaired guitars hit the street again because they are sold, it will reflect on the original workmanship which may have been a fluke.
I think it is in the best interest of everyone that if anyone has an issue, as has been stated before, they follow normal procedure and contact the dealer. When you get your guitar back and it's then flawless, you are going to feel pretty silly 5 years when this is all forgottwn having pictures of your "pre-fix" guitar showing up in peoples posts. Remember, unless something goes wrong, what's posted here is a permanent record. Or worst yet, you go to sell your still "flawless" guitar and someone posts your pictures of your pre-fixed guitar. Just something to think about. |
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Location: NJ | frg guitars have 5 year warranties not lifetime.
if you are going to post please get the facts correct. |
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Location: SoCal | Miles,
#21139 went back. The rework that it requires in my opinion turns it into the 'equivalent' of an FRG. Refinish whatever flaws you catch at the factory before it leaves. Don’t send me a brand new guitar that needs refinish work. What I would get back is refinished with a Life Time Warranty. It just does not sit right with me.
bruce |
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Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | This sounds like Elvis not wanting to date women with kids...... or not wanting to buy a car that had been in an accident...
If Ovation repairs the guitar, you'll never know there was ever anything wrong with it. |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | The situation also reminded me of the new car that might need warrenty work. But the analogy doesn't hold up. There is just to much emotion, or maybe "mojo" when it comes to a guitar like this. |
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Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | There's a lot of emotion, but you've got to give Ovation a chance.
When I do work for a client, it doesn't go right 100% of the time. I always let the client know that if somethings wrong, I'll fix it and make it right. |
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Posts: 124
| guys, calm down, give the factory a chance.
send it back, you will receive not just a brand new guitar, but it's flawless, i quarantee =)
some of the problems mentioned are minor, e.g. screws on preamp/battery holder not 100% tighten, some strings touching the trc, tiny ding on headstock, hairline crack on binding, etc.
the blemishes on each u681 are unique.
could the ding on headstock caused by the owner accidentally after a few days of playing?
could the hairline crack on fingerboard binding caused by the temp/humidity change in the owner's home or "excessive" tuning? |
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| I'm getting a terrible sinking feeling here. :eek: |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Well, in the case of my hairline crack in the binding at the 5th fret, it was there when I opened the case (so we can rule excessive tuning out).
So far as temp/humdity change, well it was shipped from the mothership to a state engulfed in a snow storm.....but I would swear I was assured by a dozen members of the OFC that an Adamas would not be affected by the weather and temp changes.
Regardless, the crack was there when I opened the case, so it happened somewhere along the way.
If the crack was on the 12 fret, probably wouldn't give it a second thought....but since I do a lot of playing on the first 7-10 frets, it is a little annoying.
I have no problem sending it back in for a repair, but why should I have to pay another $40 to fix what should have never happened in the first place! |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Mr. Adamas:
guys, calm down, give the factory a chance.
send it back, you will receive not just a brand new guitar, but it's flawless, i quarantee =) With all due respect Mr.A, that's a lot of bullshit. Home builders pull that crap all the time - do a 95% job and 9 times out of 10 the buyer will be so thrilled with his new house he won't notice. But I would never expect that from any musical instrument builder who intended to be in this business for very long. Is that what we think O's business plan is? Ship shoddy work and hope most people don't notice? Those that do complain we'll gladly fix it up and make it flawless? For christ frecking sake why wasn't it flawless the first time around!
As Ovation fans and lovers I'm sure most will give them the benefit of the doubt, suck it up and shell out the money to send it back to get the TLC it should have gotten the first time around. But many new prospective Ovation buyers won't. It took Ovation a long time to come up with some guitars that could maybe be considered side by side with the woodies. Guitars like the FD14, the CL30, 05C, and the U681. And as appealing as the sound comparison might be, die hard woody lovers will take one look at shoddy workmanship and walk away - forever. You'll never get them back.
And please don't anyone bother unloading about how all guitar builders have a small number of cosmetic issues. That's just plain not true. I spent the better part of Saturday browzing NY's shops for middle of the pack ($2000 to $3500) woodies and the dozens and dozens of them I examined and played were spot-on perfect pieces of art (although some did in fact sound like absolute crapola).
In almost 35 years of playing and loving Ovation guitars the issue of quality workmanship has never even entered my head. You bought Ovation and by definition you were getting quality workmanship. I never in a million years would have expected a thread like this one over a guitar with as good of a pre-reputation as the U681. Something is seriously wrong if Ovations most loyal followers (we're a FAN club!) are coming unstuck over this.
I'll post my observations of my U681 when it arrives, but probably that's still some time off. The bright side of the picture is that so far everyone who has got one seems to love the sound. Kind of like one of my old girlfriends - don't look to closely and you'll like her just fine.
Dave |
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Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | ...Kind of like one of my old girlfriends - don't look to closely and you'll like her just fine. I'm so glad that didn't go in the direction I thought it was headed.
Sorry to hear about the issues. Shocked, really. |
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Posts: 474
Location: Anchorage, Alaska | Well I've been out of town for the past 4 days and couldn't beleive how long this thread has become. With 9 out of 10 of these guitars having problems thought I had better take another look at mine. Sure enough I found a few more flaws that I must of overlooked in the excitment when I first got it. I said earlier that there was nothing bad enough that I would send it back but now I'm not sure about that. I don't know how I missed it before, but the slots in the slothead don't match. The one on the high strings is not rounded properly like the low string slot is. It also looks like there are a few cracks between the tuners and the slots in the black piece covering the headstock! These along with the little divot in the fretboard, the TRC being touched by the strings, and a little glue sloped around... I have several Ovations and have never seen this QC/QA problem. Here I thought I was going to the top of the mountain with an Adamas? |
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UPS JUST DELIVERED...
