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Location: Flahdaw | My point is, it would probably take $millions to get an Ovation in the "right" peoples hands. Without payola, the big stars aren't gonna play Ovations. It has almost NOTHING to do with sound, playability, or looks of the guitar. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | The stigma of a "plastic" guitar or "not a real guitar" has always been around because Ovations were different. For awhile, Ovation did a good marketing job, convincing the public that different was better. The advanced electronics helped, but when other guitar manufacturers caught up on the electronics and started getting their guitars on stage, Ovation went back to the old stigma, plus this garbage about sliding off the knee started. No one wanted to admit that the problem was the weight of the player.
When the general public doesn't see them on stage and only gets to try the offshore or supershallow models in the stores, there's not much to combat the stigma of "cheap plastic", "thin sounding" or "slides off your knee". Fender doesn't seem to be trying. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Mark in Boise - 2013-05-01 9:48 AM
Fender doesn't seem to be trying.
Unfortunately, I don't think that Fender really wanted to buy "Ovation" guitars...
And apparently they weren't interested in Hamer either.
If they can sell some Asian models, that's okay.... The Celebrity and Ultra factories were already set-up.
Just rebrand the Ultra series into the AX/TX series and go from there without the USA set-up.
As I understand it, Fender wanted the Kaman distribution organization.
And Kaman (Aircraft/Industrial Technologies) Corporation wanted to get rid of that little guitar company.
So hang on to your USA Ovations and Vipers and Deacons and VXT's...
Cuz you won't be seeing the likes of them again. 
I wonder how long FMIC will keep the Adamas and Custom Shop runnig?
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | But, Like Jukebox Joe sez...
People still come-up to me on the street and compliment my Guitars.
It is the snobbish guitar "players" who dislike any brand besides their chosen brand.
Kinda like sidewalk commandos who say "If it ain't a Harley it ain't ****" even though they are Walking!
(Wow! that program just automatically censors stuff, huh?)
I kinda wonder about people who say that Ovations Sound Nice and Play Nice, but they still don't like 'em.
What more do you Want?
But as I have said before, I kinda like having a guitar that others Don't like.
It just stimulates my Rebellious neurons. 
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Location: Pueblo West, CO | arthurseery - 2013-05-01 10:24 AM
"If it ain't a Harley it ain't ****"
I have a friend who, when given a line like this, responded, "Are you saying that a Harley is ****?"  |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | They are!
If you want a proper motorbike, not an armchair on 2 wheels, you've gotta start talkin with an Italian accent. |
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Location: south east Michigan | I thought BMW was German?
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Ya know... sometimes I enjoy my guitars so much, I kinda creep myself out. |
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Location: Flahdaw | It's NOT the guitars.... |
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Location: Pueblo West, CO | muzza - 2013-05-02 3:12 PM
They are!
If you want a proper motorbike, not an armchair on 2 wheels, you've gotta start talkin with an Italian accent.
I had another friend, a builder of custom Harleys who used to say:
'Ride a Harley, ride the best. Ride a mile, walk the rest...' |
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Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah | You'll never be walking if you start out on a beemer!! |
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Location: Chicago | Brad: It's a "simile" : For "Bavarian Motor Works" to put it's label on a Chevy Lumina is LIKE New Hartford allowing Chinese Applesauce to be in the same list as Adamas, Legend and Elite. Alas, I've put the straw down, stepped away from the mirror and I don't like what I see. Now 'scuse me while I mount my camel and go hunting with a stick. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | I think there are those among us who rather enjoy thinking Ovation is an underdog....knowhatImean?
.....is ANY guitar brand selling as well as iPad loaded with GarageBand? |
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Location: Caribou, ME | If I had been a bazillionaire in 1985 I would have bought Fender from CBS and pared the line to a black Lead, a blonde Telecaster, a sunburst Strat, and a sunburst P Bass, all made in Fullerton, albeit not in CBS's building.
Yeah, I would have gone down in flames but the name Fender would have had one last proud moment.
I feel the same about Ovation. If I were king of the forest I would make a basic Balladeer cranked out like Zippo lighters and double or triple the capacity of the custom shop. Again, there would likely be an empty building after a year but it would be a noble death. |
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Location: Denver, CO | If many, many modern corporations would take a more respectful view of their particular markets, rather than basing all their actions on spreadsheets and marketing gimics and focus groups and profit margins and market share, focusing their efforts on 1...providing a quality product, 2...serving their primary market and its particular desires, and 3...building goodwill through ethical business practices, then there would be a lot less frustration in the market place, people like us would be eternally sunny because our "Company" makes us happy, every consumer would be better served and shareholders and "management teams" would take home 10% less money. I think that would be a fair trade. AMF bought Harley Davidson and saved the company. CBS bought Fender and saved the company. The US government bought General Motors, and appears to have saved the company. It doesn't appear that Fender is interested in "saving" Ovation, but who knows? Maybe we could put together an investment group and buy it back? It worked, once again, for Harley... I do think it's important to ask, though: Do "we" really want Ovation saved? Isn't a part of our infatuation with the instrument related to the idea that it's a little odd, less respected, rarer, and, as entertainers, more attention-getting? |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Ovation was a market leader for many years. The stigma existed during those years, promoted by those who favored "traditional" guitars. They weren't rare by any means during the 70s. Every performer had them, it seemed. Now that the "traditional" guitars have pickups and preamps, the O-bashing still exists, but Ovation isn't doing much to counter it. With fewer quality Ovations in the market and little marketing effort the stigma will continue, if not grow. My infatuation was based on novelty to some extent, but also based on technological advances, playing comfort (I find the round shape more comfortable than those corners that dig into my chest and thigh) and most importantly, the sound. I don't entertain anyone, so I don't care whether they gain anyone's attention but mine. I think they are stunning, even if they are as plain as the 97 Collector.
Edited by Mark in Boise 2013-05-03 4:01 PM
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Location: Denver, CO | I understand your point, Mark, and it seems the Adamas guitars still set the standard for acoustic/electric guitars, technologically. So, is it really just marketing? And if so, why wouldn't a company like Fender want to commit a few million to building market position for the brand, along with awareness of and respect for the technology? |
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Location: sitting at my computer | What do ya figure the average ratio of: modest budget -to- moderate budget -to- high-end budget guitar buyers is? Totally hypothetical here, but if it was 100 to 10 to 1 then potential sales dollars might look like... 100 buyers in a range of $300 - $600 ............ $30,000 - $60,000 10 buyers in a range of $700 - $3,000 ........... $7,000 - $30,000 1 buyer in a range of $4,000 - $15,000 ....... $4,000 - $15,000 Who do ya figure a "corporation" is most likely to spend marketing dollars on?... if they even wanted to spend any. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I had really hoped that Fender would finally stop producing acoustic guitars, which never had a decent reputation. No one wants a Fender acoustic, just like no one wanted an Ovation electric. It seemed like a match made in heaven--the Fender brand focusing on electrics and using resources that had been wasted on acoustics to ramp up production and sales of Guild and Ovation. I should have known better, since Fender never really did much with Tacoma or Guild before. Guild is still viable, but I think they could have increased market share by producing good Guilds and Ovations. As Beal said, market share didn't seem to matter to the bean counters.
I worried about Hamer, but hoped that they would keep it as the high end electrics, possibly eliminating the closest Hamer competitor to the Strat. Hope dashed again.
I don't think it's just the Adamas brand that has the rep for technology. The roundback is still technologically superior to squarebacks. At least that was the story in the 60s and 70s and I haven't seen any traditional guitar manufacturer claim that the technology of a wood backed guitar is superior to an Ovation. Even if it isn't true, it doesn't matter. Marketing hype sells and becomes reality.
I am saddened to see a Fender acoustic in a store with no Ovations. It seems dumb to me, but what do I know? I'm just a customer with thousands of dollars spent on Ovations in the last 8 years, not a Fender stockholder. |
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Location: Chicago | I've finally realized that DO enjoy the underdog status of Ovation and Adamas. Many roundback models do not even LOOK like a guitar to some people (I've been asked: "What instrument is that?" . It is really cool to have an awesome, "personal" brand ... like a cult secret. I have the support of true giants of the past: Glenn, McLaughlin, Dimeola and countless others.... |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | I think we're missing one important point and maybe too hung up on the headstock logo.
HAMER? They are saved and resurrected in a kick-arse lineup of Guild electrics. Pre-aquisition Hamer never could have accomplished that. Nor could Guild have accomplished that. But Fender took the some of the best electric guitar making talent on the planet and put them to good use.
OVATION? Same story. A huge amount of the Ovation production technology has found its way onto Guild. And the upper end stuff is being bought up for significant sums of money and well respected along side Martin, Collings and the rest. Guild never in a million years could have done that without the Ovation technology and the old Ovation factory. And we already know that Ovation never cold have done it on their own. No the guitars don't have round synthetic backs anymore.
It's time to get over it and be thankful for what we DO have rather than moaning about what we don't. Go play your guitars !!! |
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Location: Jet City | Mark in Boise - 2013-05-03 6:32 PM No one wants a Fender acoustic, just like no one wanted an Ovation electric. I'm from BIZARRO world I guess. My favorite electric was always my Ovation, and my only acoustic for more than 2 decades was a Fender. Go figure |
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Location: Denver, CO | It's time to get over it and be thankful for what we DO have rather than moaning about what we don't. Go play your guitars !!! I'm down. I need to change strings anyway. Then I'll play. |
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Location: Chicago | You are right Dave. We're gearing up to record a few new duets in the Stealla Maris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8wdKrVAQk4
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Location: SoCal | I'm getting to a point in life where I don't give a rats *** about what everybody else is playinig. I play what I like. Are they the ultimate in acoustic guitars. I donno. But they suit me. And they sound damned good. Nobody who hears the 1537 walks away thinking it sounds inferior.
Besides, the music's in me, not in the guitar. The guitar is just a tool. I think my days of buying guitars just because they're cool are in the past.
What I really want (and my OFC slothead, GC 12 string, and 1773LX Custom are going up for sale to help with it), is one of these (and no, I'm not talking about the cornfield).....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWgbRK0gDws
Edited by moody, p.i. 2013-05-05 10:42 PM
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Location: Boise, Idaho | So I took Dave's advice and went down and played my guitars. When I came back, I found out he sold his Thunderhead. Last time I take his advice. |
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The "O Stigma": getting the truth
