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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | On Memorial Day I made a trek to Guitar Center. Not much of a trek, 4 miles to be exact. But for some reason I rarely go there, maybe a few times a year. But where else are you gonna buy a microphone wind screen on a holiday? Took a walk into the acoustic room and saw that they had two Balladeer AX models. aka "The guitar formally known as a USA Balladeer".
Sat down and gave it a play. I must admit it wasn't at all bad. Had the typical Ovation sound and the setup was pretty good. I was most interested to look it over as far as craftsmanship and build quality. In the few minutes that I examined it I didn't see anything that seemed in any way inferior to the former USA model. Appeared in every way to be a quality built Ovation product. Well done.
Which begs the question, are (will) the Asian built models really inferior to their former USA counterparts? Ignore for the moment national pride and our friends that used to build these in CT, but I really see no reason that the Asian built versions can't and won't be every bit as good as before. And bite-my-tongue, could they even be better? There's some wonderful built asian guitars out there. Takamine for example doesn't see to have any trouble, so why can't an Asian factory work as Ovations main plant?
Yes, for the most part the Celebrity models are pretty weak and that's our barometer of Asian built Ovations. But maybe it's the design that's weak, not the build. A factory can only build what they're told to build. Maybe the Celebrity would be just as weak if it was built in CT, and maybe Custom Legends would be just as nice if they were build in Asia. In time I guess we'll find out.
My point is, based on what I saw (OK, it was only one guitar) I wouldn't go writing off Ovation just yet, as I think maybe these Asian built models might stand very nicely on their own merits and very attractive pricepoints.
Time will tell. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | One of the other boards I read is the Chet Board . A couple of years ago, Gretsch, working with Paul Yandell (who played guitar for Chet Atkins for 25 years -- look him up on youtube -- great fingerstyle player) developed a recreation of Chet's favorite guitar, his 1959 Country Gentleman. The people who have them say they are outstanding. And they are made in asia... |
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Joined:
May 2009
Posts: 131
Location: Yalova/Turkey | I always thought that you have to try and play any model of guitar - no matter what company - before you buy it, because even the highest quality guitars of one of the same model can be a bit different from each other. As well as you I would expect a higher overal standard and more conformity from USA-made Ovations, but still there will be little differences. I would think one should try to find out whether Asia-made Ovations which are not the basic Celebrities will show a similar conformity or not. I´ll give it a try as soon as I will be able to play some in Germany and decide whether I´ll buy an Elite 2058 TX-5 12 string. After all I trusted my ears and hands when I bought my Pinnacle CU 147 and I am happy with its finish, sound and playability even after nearly one year... |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 1225
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | I'm sure that they can produce great guitars in Asia. As long as they are building to the same specs and using the same materials, they should be fine. I have personally not have had good luck with my two of my USA built guitars over the past few years. That said, the dealer (Al) and the guys at the factory went out of their way to make sure that everything was taken care of in both cases. |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Anyone know how the service department handles balladeer-lx vs. balladeer-ax models? |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 35
| I have a Chinese Ovation Applause. Not too shabby for a Chinese made guitar. It has a few issues but none that I would say not worth the money I paid. |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | I can garenttee I will not be buying one.
I won't buy imported guitar unless its real cheap.
Like throw away guitar or a gift to a beginner.
I'll change brands first. |
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Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | i recently got me a used stanford guitar made in china. they are designed by furch in the czech republic. furch makes the "stonebridge" label for the U.S., which is a high quality, high ticket, well-respected acoustic guitar. furch employs a chinese company to make the stanfords for europe. there is only one stanford distributor in the U.S., in friendsville, tennessee. folks, the stanfords are incredible instruments. best sounding dread i've ever owned or played, and i've owned some fine ones.
give a listen as mike wong plays a stanford slope shouldered dread
the asians ARE building some magnificent guitars. |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 154
Location: Michigan | Yes they are building some fine instruments.
http://www.bigroadblues.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9407
I made this purchace because
1)value
2)Greg Rich design (of Gibson fame)and regular poster on the Blueridge forum.
3)quality
Even though others recomended against it(here) and suggested others. But nobody could touch the price/quality point.
Besides its a finger picking guitar with the nut width and neck size and its a banjo killer, superior as an acoustic blues machine.
In fact I now play it more than my O and I just ordered a Fishman Matrix Infinity to try out on it.
Another guy on BRB thats a gigging musican just got a 2058AX and he loves it, gotta try one myself.
I think USA guitars will be more of a value as collector guitars in the future.
You won't see much growth in USA manufacturing anything till our manufacturing costs = overseas costs.
Wally |
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Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | thanks, wally. someone is bragging on their stanford just a few posts down that page. he has the same model i just got, a PSD-28. when i'm not playing it, i'm thinkin' about playing it. when i sleep, i dream about playing it. it just sounds that good! i've got to do some recordings and post them soon. |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Alagoas, Brazil | Well, I really like my Ovation. That said, I also like my Cort guitar a lot. I seems to me almost as good as those Gibson 335 that are sold here for about 5 times the price I paid for the Cort.
I know some people in the motorcycle business. There are some new brands here that buy small Chinese bikes and sell here under a different name. I´ve heard that one of them complained of the QC on the painting of the bikes. The Chinese answered: "ok, you want better QC, you pay for it". They finally decided to lower the bikes cost by ordering them unpainted , painting them here and doing their own QC.
It seems to me that the factories around the world have to face the fact that the Chinese can produce things at a much lower cost, and start to adapt to it. As I see, Ovation is adapting. |
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Joined:
February 2009
Posts: 262
Location: VENISE-EN-QUEBEC CANADA | well I can tell you I have 3 Ovation and my CS257 plays very well and i love the OP 30 pre-amp. it might not old up in 5 year's from now but for now its a very good plug in guitar low action no buzz just like the dearn thing(but my 1778 LX unplug is the one to beat)
that all folks :p
Daniel |
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Played My First AX Asian Balladeer
