|
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | The solution to the ponytails is "Locks of Love." ;)
I'm a really small fish in the pond of Ovation ownership--one LX, one Balladeer, one Tornado, one Viper. Marketing aside, the best advertisement is the guitars themselves. The first thing people comment on with my two acoustics are, "I can't believe how EASY this is to play!!" (Of course, Gertrude has that wonderful "early 70's" neck, and Jewel's was custom-made to try to match hers.)
Even my son's Celebrity is fairly easy to play, K-bar and all, and has a really good sound.
I have a couple wood boxes, too, but......I love my O's best.
--Karen |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Why is that Mike always makes so much sense to me? Seriously, when I see your posts (and I mean this as a compliment) my first reaction is, sh*t here comes another 500 words from Mike. But them I read it and, DAMN it all makes perfect sense. What exactly do you DO for a living and are you accepting new patients.
Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I'm a minister Dave (guess that explains the wordiness...lol); thanks for the compliment: its all free; Glad to help if I can...! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by MusicMike:
I'm a minister Dave SEE! Look at that - the lions and lambs sleeping together in peace and harmony. Life is good.
Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Very interesting topic.
So far I've learned.
1. A lot of members do not understand Ovation's marketing strategy.
2. A lot of members like ponytails.
3. Tupperware still knows how to stir up the pot.
4. Cliff still knows how to sign off. (click)
5 Many members do have and love wood backed guitars.
6. And finally all of us love Ovation guitars.
Bottom line: Better marketing + High profile endorser's = Higher prices. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by brainslag:
I Love Ovations. Anyone who doesn't can kiss my skinny white butt! Man, don't I wish I had one of those...
Originally posted by Jewels Mom:
The solution to the ponytails is "Locks of Love." The police confiscated mine after the last raid. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Actually I haven't read this, but if I have more time I may, I want to find out what this pony tail thing is about.
I just glanced at this as I wrote out a check for a new Merrill, a C-45 with some extra tweeks, and wrote out the envelope. Should be done in 8-9 months. Now there's something to look forward to.
Now I'm waiting for the grill to heat up and go cook turkey burgers
Besides, What do I know about marketing? I'm just an old jet fuel-gas station guy. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | :D :D :D :D :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Dave, did you like the part where Mike called you a smart guy or the part where he said he was just like Cliff?
Mike, there's the Devil's Advocate and then there's just the Devil. Dave has at least a little of the devil in him. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | Turkey Burgers? Beal...Turkey Burgers?
I would love to see the marketing campaign for those in the South! :D
Hold on a sec..."Yes, Dear"..."cook what?!"... never mind Beal, I take it back..... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Call it what you want, but I get satisfaction in making people think about an issue from a different angle. Maybe it means taking a good hard look in the mirror, or maybe it means stepping back and taking a broad look at the world.
Can you imagine in 1983 how gut wrenchingly difficult it must have been for Mazda to come to the conclusion that they could not go on stuffing rotary engines into every model they offered while watching Honda and Toyota kick their ass in the market? They took a good hard look at the long term potential and decided to continue offering the rotary for those devoted followers, and at the same time start cranking out piston engines to compete with their piers. Certainly the later backing of Ford helped but by all accounts Mazda today is a healthier, more profitable company they they ever could have hope for had they chosen to ride their one-horse unique technology pony into the sunset. Way back when, they probably had some young whipper-snapper marketing guy screaming "Kill the rotary, make a me-too honda". He was probably not a popular guy.
Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 5330
Location: Cicero, NY | Now if Moody was at Mazda, he would have simply told them to go drive a Toyota for a coupla weeks and then come back. A new set of tires and you'll remember why you fell in love with it in the first place!
He coulda saved them a mint in R&D!! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | .....the only wood back that I have purchased in the last thirty years came from Dave. Best $47 dollars I've ever spent. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Now THAT is funny !!! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 146
Location: Ct./ USA | Hey Tupperware, f@*7 O&( |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | No- THAT's funny. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 627
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ | Dave, I enjoyed your rant. You, like many on this board have fallen victim, to the criticism from players who just don't like the plastic bowl. Too f*ckin bad for them. Consider this:
Guitars players by nature are a very conservative lot when it comes to guitars. We all love vintage, that means older basic guitars. Ovation doesn't fit that mold.
Taylor, and the like have done a good job selling the exotic wood aspect to the masses. They convinced the public that some African Rosewood, and Ceylon Mahogany blend is the answer to true good sound.
Last but not least: Many of today's popular (younger)acoustic players, don't pick put melodies or do much lead work (think Jim Croce's side man). The playability, and balance can not be appreciated by a bunch of hard strumming monkeys, over using a few suspended chords for hours. Think how artists like Al Demiola and Larry Coryell, demonstrate why Ovations are such great guitars. Then go play your Ovation. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by brainslag:
I Love Ovations. Anyone who doesn't can kiss my skinny white butt!....
......Here's an idea though, put a name on the headstock that matches the label - Ovation, Celebrity, Applause, Ultra, whatever.. People wanna see a name on the headstock that matches the guitar they paid for....
-rant off. I got a CC57 with a really nice fretboard, dots & diamonds... And it Actually sez "Celebrity" on the Headstock!
Surprised the heck outta me!
Just thought I'd mention that... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Oh, Ovation will rebuild a 33 year-old guitar for you. For free if you are the original owner...
(And hopefully for a reasonable price if you're not) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | I don't know Dave personally but I have purchased a couple guitars from him. He even stirs up trouble in my house when I'm explaining to my wife why I need some of Dave's guitars. But you don't have to check out his Ovation Gallery for very long to realize he's a dedicated O fan. I'm sure he knows 10 times (OK, probably 100 X) more than me about Ovations.
Yet I probably see things from a little different angle. I know the plastic body is far less expensive to mold than it is to hand craft a wooden body with braces. So from my perspective, that lets Ovation build guitars with great soundboards for far less money. That means I can own a great sounding guitar. I can't afford a $3000 Martin or Taylor but I've got a coulpe great sounding O's that I enjoy immensely.
Do we need a new marketing direction. Probably. I know for certain that most people constantly confuse Celebrity, Applause and Ovation models. They call them all Ovations and then tell me how crappy they sound. Then they tell me my Ovation is the best one they've ever heard. A lot of that is because they are comparing my 1537 to an Applause. So I believe we need to get the Ovation name off the Applause and Celebrity models. In addition, there needs to be more separation between the models (sadly, I don't even know the difference between Applause and Celebrity models). Move the Ovation models to the Contour body. Add sound holes on the Ovation body near the electronics so the player can hear his own work. Think about replacing the Ovation molded plastic body with the original fiber glass or a more modern equivalent. Keep the older technology for the Applause and celebrity models.
Finally, I have to admit I like the fact the O's are so unique looking. A lot of people go out of their way to ask me "what kind of guitar is that?". So it's a fun attention-getter too. But the sound is job one. Oh, and I may be alone in this one but I still take pride in Made in the USA.
Jim |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | Hey Dave...while your still pissed off at the plastic bowl, can I have your Adamas II 12 string?
You're right, those plastic bowls suck. So to make you feel better, call me so we can work out the shipping details.
Jim |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 2791
Location: Atlanta, GA. | If my retirement income relied partially on the dividends recieved from shares of Ovation stock I owned, I might be questioning the direction of their marketing strategy.
Since it doesn't, I won't. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | If I've read correctly between the lines, the people I think are shareholder/members are not complaining at all... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | I apologize for temporarily removing my blinders. It was not my intention to provoke anyone to think outside the narrow lines. Have a nice day. Dave |
|
| |
New Marketing needed
