|
|
Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 627
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ | I've been playing guitar for over 30 years, and own 12 guitars, both acoustic and electric. I bought my first Ovation, Custom Legend, in 1981. Since then I bought a $2000 Taylor,and Gibson Dove Vintage. My Custom Legend (Deep Bowl) Still beats them in playability, durability, and appearance. In the 70's and early 80's, Ovation guitars were everywhere. Now they are less conspicuous, even at Sam Ash and Guitar Center Stores. If you visit Taylor's web site you get a lot of hoopla about the product etc. Taylors are very good, but over priced. The fact is that Ovation guitars are superior, in many ways. Their sound is true bright and deep acoustic. Their electronics, supercede, Fishman. They are truly the best value for the money. Think about it, an acoustic, they has plays like a Strat. They don't get the respect they deserve. Why? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | Pour yourself a margarita and wander thru the OFC archives. This has been a popular subject over the last 2 years.
I was in a Guitar Center today. They had an Elite T and a standard Balladeer on the wall. The rest wer Celeb super shallow bowls. I asked about then getting an LX's and they had no idea what I was talking about. Finally, they went to ask and I was told late March to early April.
And they pronounced Kaman as "Kay-man". Idiots. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 627
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ | I got the Margarita in hand. I must confess, I ordered a Legend 1777LX, through Muscians Friend. today! Would you believe, I could not find a mid depth bowl, in any of the music stores in the Philadelphia area. Ovation's web site could use some improvement. One just needs to look at the Taylor site to see that. Do you think that the Celebrity series diminished the perceived quality?
Tom |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | Yup.
And you're gonna be very happy with that LX. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 648
Location: Florida | I'm tellin ya. I've got no golden ears (in fact they're fading... sigh), but in the last three weeks I've played more different guitars than ever before in my life.
I did have the opportunity - at SamAsh in Pompano - to play a Custom Legend (new), and J-200 (new, non-electric). Folks... I saw nothing special about the sound of that Gibby. Yeah, it was pretty to look at though, and amazingly light too (I thought it would be much heavier). They had a CL with a cracked top there, and it sounded about like the J200~~!!
Of course they need to promote more - but I think sales (the department) could do more by making sure some good sounding axes get into the stores (especially the big box stores) and making sure they're kept up while on display. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | I can hear cwk2 changing the channel now....CLICK!!!
I think it's because Taylor uses forklift pallets to make their guitar bodies instead of the fiberglass/plastic that Ovation uses....
SERIOUSLY, there seems to be a bias towards wood in acoustic guitars. I myself have observed on more than one occasion at a shop that someone refused to try an Ovation because they hated the plastic bowl. Wouldn't even give it a play.
Paul, I got a similar answer at my local GC earlier this week, LXs won't be in for a couple of months. If we want one sooner, we'll have to go elsewhere, which I myself was planning to do anyway.
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:
January 2004
Posts: 648
Location: Florida | Well, you cannot deny, from the standpoint of looks along - flame maple is more attractive than lyrachord.
That is probably why O has had nicer inlays and such.
Still, its hard to sell the best performing car if it just doesn't have the "sales appeal" than the poorer model.
Certainly - copying the sales appeal of better models (think Strat, Tele, Les Paul, SG, ES335) has made some very poor guitars marketable.
Finally - consider the market - even the somewhat older market of the acoustic player. They still buy with their eyes, not their ears.
And dats just the way it is. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7210
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | For those looking for an aLeX model, I don't know for sure, but I don't think our very own Alpep has to wait 2 or three months to get those guitars. Of course, I guess when you name is on the guitar you have priority :) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | I'm not sure but I got the impression they will do almost ANYTHING to keep Al in New Jersey :}
Al makes an order (my 30th Anniv Custom Legend,) that same day Kim is aware that it is being prepared to ship. |
|
| |
Ovations Need Better Promotion and Marketing
