|
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | I've seen several posts concerning where Ovation is going. It is a fascinating and complex puzzle to figure out from our end. We don't get info until it hits the sales floor.
Who will know first?
"I believe the bowls are made by the Zehrco Corp. in Ohio, unless they have been resourced. But supposedly all bowls for Ovation/Applause/Adamas guitars are made at one place in the U.S. and shipped to the factories at New Hartford and Korea. So Celebrities do have some U.S. content."
OAO.
Watch what is going on at the Bowl Factory (not sure how though). It has to start there! Bowl and neck configurations such as 12 fret vs. 14 fret joints and LX deep bowls are just some of my questions. Are standard bowls continuing in production or will they be used up and replaced by LX bowls and the new neck treatment? Will we see Celebrity LX's?
Anyone with a hint as to how to scope this out? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 648
Location: Florida | http://www.zehrco-giancola.com/profile.html |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Mike, I guess it's time for you to get a pair of 10x50 binocs and sit outside the plant in Ohio....we'll wait for the report!!!! Inquiring minds want to know....... :D
I think you can take it to the bank that the LXs will replace the regular Os within a couple of years. So...if you LIKE the current models, buy now!!!!
As far as there being Celebrity LXs....Lord, I hope NOT!!!! They sell fine now, according to the "duh" contingent at my local Guitar Center. SOMETHING needs to be kept for the U.S.-made Ovation/Adamas guitars!!!!
Roger
1976 Applause AA14-4 6-String
1981 Ovation 1118-1 Glen Campbell 12-string
2001 Adamas 1598-MERB Melissa Etheridge 12-String
2003 Celebrity CC01 Spruce Top 6-String |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | Things that make you go Hmmmm.
In today's climate it is not in good taste or judgement to sit outside the gate in cammies with a set of binoculars :rolleyes:
I did email the President of the company though and I'll share what I get back. Most likely a form letter response but Hope springs eternal that I'll find a friend and fellow enthusiast.
I disagree about not sharing the improvements with the rest of the Family. Honest improvements need to be implemented because the whole line will benefit. I can't imagine the new process costing that much more. Without a strong Celebrity line to make the Marketeers happy how much support do you think they'll give the USA line? The goal is making money by pleasing most of the people most of the time.
A side point - The Textured Tops are considered the better instruments - they are only available as Foriegn Exports - WTF is the reason that they are not available to Joe Anybody that can download a catalog and is willing to put his money down? But I digress.
I think the Big O just needs to make honest, excellent instruments to the best of their ability and let the Consumer make their decision. My NSHO on this, and I think I've heard it reflected in cwk2's posts, is that innovativeness, artistry and craftsmanship need to push the decisions made instead or Corporate Marketeering.
The Yankee Spirit is not limited to those that live and work in a small plant in Connecticut but I think it's time to let them decide where the line is going.
I'm gonna climb off of all three soapboxes now. Til next time. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | Textured tops ARE available to anybody who wants to fork out the money, not just the foreign markets.
As to emailing the pres of the company that makes the bowls, he can't tell you anything because he has a contract with Kaman that in all liklihood, prohibits him from saying anything to anybody about what they build for Kaman. I'd be very surprised (and thrilled) if I was wrong on this. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | Yes, Paul. I don't expect alot but I can try. In your line of work I'm guessing that sometimes you sit with the binoculars and sometimes you knock on the front door. It would be a thrill to gain some insight.
By available to everyone do you mean custom orders? I got the impression of some mystery afoot from the posts about some recent inventory. Could be cuz I'm on my first cup of coffee. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 648
Location: Florida | I dont see need for a huge fuss here. Outsourcing is good in many cases - when it allows the company to use the people and processes to its best advantage.
For instance, on the bowls - outsourcing these - where all they want is a bowl that meets the spec, is consistant, is of the quality they specify etc, and can be delivered on time... it makes sense. There is probably little or no artistry in the actual making of the bowls, and going to a specialized outsourced vendor would let Ovation put its capital into aritsans.
As far as textured tops being available to foreign markets - its a way of life. Eastern markets in particular - South Korea, Japan, Taiwan... I hate to even say this - but there is a real anal-retentive market/consumer for many US items.
Let me elaborate on that - things like hermaphrodite 350 Chevy blocks (and complete 60's cars), Leica cameras, just about any old Fender guitar, all things Harley Davidson... the east is just grabbing this stuff up.
Does HD make a Japan market only motorcycle. You bet your roadrash it does. Not available, except by extreme means, to the US consumer. How about Leica camera? Made in Germany, but with Japan only market items similarly unavailable to the US consumer. Forget finding hermaphroditic blocks... if you can, you cant afford it - they're all going east. I once rebuilt 20 Fender Tweed Champs for one collector - who kept the best for himself, and quadrupled his money by shipping them back to Japan.
Maybe we ought to be flattered by the east's appreciation of "Great Americana" (ok things German too).
The markets in the east are small, but very agressive. And US manufacturers do take advantage of that in their pricing structures. Hey, it keeps the lights on in the factorys here, so we can't knock it toooo badly.
Back to Ovation..... as noted, the LX type of neck joint, bracing, etc will pervade the line. If there is an economic advantage, either through product feature enhancement, reduced costs, or percieved value by the consumer, I'm sure it will be brought into the Celebrity line.
One prediction - based on some industrial insight, not specifically Ovation' - is that we're gonna tend to see more availability of special reaquests, at more reasonable pricing, with more reasonable turn around times. This is a natural offshoot of technologization. Once heavily invested in soft technology, a company has to use it! If they never planned to make ANYthing different, hard automation would be the way to go... but with product cycles becoming shorter and shorter... thats not good because hard automation is as expensive as soft automation - and you can't just throw it out to retool. Given soft technologies, a company can go back and re-make items - for small runs, individual orders, repair.. you name it. And as a matter of soft-ness of the technology, new products are cheaper to produce - such as a carved slot head with, say, LX type features at the joint. Its a matter of software at that point - very little hardware change.
Long post - but just know that Ovation has DEEP roots in process technologies. Kaman might do Aerospace and Helicopters, but their BREAD and BUTTER is the distribution of industrial process automation supplies. They arer HUGE in that market - in fact I just figured out that it was the same "Kaman" as Kaman Music. I'm like... dang!
I can only see good things coming. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10581
Location: NJ | Is it just me? or do the rest of you cringe when you see the word "dang" in print????? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | "I'm on my second cup of coffee and I still can't face the day...."
Ovation will make you anything you want on a custom order. The textured top is available but you've got to order it thru somebody like Al. I don't believe that they make the walnut fingerboard anymore so you've got to get ebony (not much of a sacrifice), but you can get anything you want.
We shouldn't say "dang" on the board. Uncle Al will climb all over our asses. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 799
Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | Shazam!! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 648
Location: Florida | Al, unbeknownst to you (till now), I was born and raised in the urban womb of LINY - where true Jerseyites never admitted it. They were always "from just outside of NY".
Having moved to the South (moment of silent reverence is observed).... I have tried these 30 years to eject all manner of Yankee (moment of other than silent reverence is observed) behaviour, with, regrettably, only limited success.
It seems one can always find room for the South, but can never true shake the Yankee free from his demeanor. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 420
Location: On the beach in Southwest Florida | You left out two of the a's on Shazaaam. I'm tellin' Andy d___ it. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10581
Location: NJ | I'm from SOUTH Jersey pal.
we have no time for New Yawkers or Philadelphians |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 648
Location: Florida | I KNEW there was somethin' I liked aboutcha Al!! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Another thing that comes into whether the LX upgrade, all or part, comes to the Celebs is whether it is deemed NECESSARY to compete in the market they are in(if it adds cost, does it increase sales or prevent them from decreasing?). My take is that it isn't necessary in the $300-$700 market, the CC01, CC026, CC057, CC245, etc. already sound as good as anything else in that market.
This doesn't mean that won't CHANGE, though.
Mike, I wouldn't have bothered with the direct approach myself on finding anything out, but good luck, I'd like to hear what he tells you. I personally think Paul M. is 110% right, though.
Roger
1976 Applause AA14-4 6-String
1981 Ovation 1118-1 Glen Campbell 12-string
2001 Adamas 1598-MERB Melissa Etheridge 12-String
2003 Ovation 1777-4 Legend 6-string |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | As much as this board has become my chosen addiction I really do appreciate each of you. I have now had my two cups of coffee, a soccer game, some roof maintainance, some yard work, a sandwich and a beer (which took me through most of CharlieB's post). It is a good world. Ovation will move ahead and tease and appease us with interesting instruments and lots of things to debate. It will all come down to, as Al says "You get what you pay for".
Let us keep on providing insight to others who find this board.
And, for the record, Although not from Jersey I did spend my first 13 years around Boston, Massachusetts. When I came out here to the Northwest I was shortly informed that the letter "R" is not a vowel. |
|
| |
Ovation Future? Follow the Bowl
