|
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | "I try not to live my life by what others think."
Paul, you're wrong and you need to change!
:rolleyes: |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Ovation critics are ignorant. Last month I went to a jam filled with early music neanderthals. You know, the bearded back to the earthers granola crunchers, and when I pulled out my adamas they were aghast. F*ck 'em. I more than held my own. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2008
Posts: 90
Location: los angeles | I've actually been following the Ovation thread on the "other" forum and have been participating to some degree (different user name there). What I have found is:
(1) some people like Ovations and keep them in their stable;
(2) some people could not get used to the round back;
(3) some people hate Ovations but cannot really articulate why other than "the sound" without reference to specific model or circumstances;
(4) some people do not like the "nut-width" choices in most models;
(5) some people do not like the sound although it appears that they were actually listening;
(6) some people are downright snarky and troll-like (just a few on that particular thread).
By the way, I joined this forum some time ago when I acquired a UKII. Since then, I have gotten totally immersed in acoustics. The non-Ovations that really got me going were (ahem!) a Taylor 614ce and a Gibson Jumbo. But the prices were prohibitive for me.
I played just about anything I could get my hands on over several months and for my money nothing could touch the unplugged tone of the Ovations I kept considering. The first Ovation I really, really liked, and had to have was a 1778LX (cherryburst) which I bought at GC for too good a deal to pass up. Then, when GAS attacked again, and I was again at a GC, I fell instantly in love with a GC178LX, and bought that one for an incredible price. All were on clearance. (If you read the "other forum" thread, you will be able to tell who I am by my speaking about those guitars :) .)
These 2 guitars sound so different from one another, and play differently too. I don't think I would want to give either of them up.
I learn a lot on this site and enjoy all of the fun that goes with it, and decided to come out of the "woodwork"(excuse the pun :D ).
Bob |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2005
Posts: 200
Location: Melbourne Fl. | Where I live(Brevard Co. Florida),there is a great music scene,such variety.blues,jazz,alt,you name it.So.I was chatting with a local bluesman by the name of Steve Thorpe and the subject of Ovations came up(so figger).Anyway he tells me that our area musicians like to record with O's but very few gig them out. Again.........go figger. Al |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 1553
Location: Indiana | My opinion only...
The "problem" is that for many, all Ovation's are imports.
Not dis'ing the nitch they fill.
But most players never get to taste the top shelf.
A little while back, my wife and I had 3 singer/songwriter friends over for dinner. All firmly "in the box" as far as their instrument taste's go. They've come to know and like my Viper from the live events we've played together, but they've never seen my stash.
After dinner, I brought out my Adamas, played one song and passed it on. I never got the guitar passed back to me for the rest of the night. Got stuck with a Guild in my lap.
Not that there's anything wrong with that. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7211
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
I try not to live my life by what others think. I actually don't think many of us "care", but we're just curious why.
I have said it before.. when I was first introduced to Ovation in the 70's I thought then as I do now... there is to no reason to waste wood to make "square" backed guitars when they are supposed to be round.
I have not seen a valid reason for why guitars started having "square" shaped backs when they started out as round, other than mass production and materials that weren't available.
It seems like a lot of people "settle" for wood, square-backed guitars, and I don't know why. Stringed instruments are supposed to have round backs. It makes more sense, and it was how they were originally designed.
Maybe that's the next t-shirt.
"I'm a true guitar snob, my guitars have ROUND backs, not those new fandangled square things"
with a picture of an Adamas next to one of the first guitars, lutes, or tars. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 2487
| I'm tired of it all, Someone please just tell me what to think. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | "Semper Reflectus Parabolis" |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I wanted to post a link to a 'BC Rich Players Community' thread...
(but you need to be a member to read it. :mad: )
But the title of the thread is: "WHY DO MANY PEOPLE SAY BC RICH IS CRAP?"
So, the problem is not limited to Ovation. People can be Stuck-Up about other guitars too. :rolleyes: |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7211
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | As an avid BC Rich advocate.. while the reasons are different, the perception is the same.
Unless you are intimately familiar with the brand, knowing what's a cheap import, good import or a Made in USA custom shop model is not easy. Unlike Ovation, and without going into too much detail that frankly is just way to complicated, BC Rich no longer builds their alleged USA models in anything that remotely resembles the way they were built during the heyday that put them on the map. Add in that the market was flooded for several years with sub-standard built guitars under the BC Rich name.
As I said, it's a different story, but the result is the same. The people likely making the assumptions about the brand, chances are they have never actually played or even seen a real USA hand-made BC Rich. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2008
Posts: 489
| Originally posted by dobro:
1) My local luthier just snarls about "plastic": does not want to be more specific.... Then I will. He can't build you one and charge you five grand, so he doesn't like them. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2002
Posts: 280
Location: Waterloo, IL | Have a good friend that played professionally for several years. He likes his Taks and other wood boxes. However, when ever he comes over to the house, he always enjoys playing my Legend, stating it really has "Great tone!" He may prefer wood boxes, but at least he is willing to admit my "O's" sound good! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2007
Posts: 494
Location: Location Location Location | Sheep followed the celebrities to Ovation, and sheep followed the celebrities from Ovation. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Baaaaa! (Sheep type #1) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | Hey, here's a good angle. Since O's have vanished from the mainstream they are once again truly EXOTIC! I've been asked a few times "What kind of instrument is that you're playing?" The black Adamas 1581-5 is especially mystifying.
I tell them it's a "Carbonesque Hyperbolic Ishtafar String-oidolite" from Kazakhstan. "Wow! Really? Never heard of THAT!" |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | I believe what it ALL comes down to is jealousy ... close-minded-square-back traditionalists are just extremely frustrated about their instruments not being able to sound and play as good as an Ovation/Adamas, so they revert to bad-mouthing. You can observe a simular behavior in high school girls at the prom ... many of them spend most of their time bad-mouthing the girl who's getting all the attention in the room. I really like watching one of my fellow band members frantically trying to get his Taylor in tune, as I hold out my Adamas and ask ... "Would you like to borrow my tuner?" (: |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Just came back from a jam session tonight. I took the 1768.
EVERYONE at the jam that DIDN'T know what an Ovation was was gobsmacked at how fantastic it sounded and how easy it was to play.
These people haven't been influenced by the negative hype and are now fans of Ovations. Next week they get introduced to the contour bowled '05ES.
Originally posted by Guitarzannie:
...which is why I can empathize with Ovation owners having to defend their choice of guitar. Luckily, I don't feel the need to 'defend' my choice, coz my choice usually 'eats' the other guitars at the jam.
I just sit there in my smug little bubble with a satisfied smile on my dial.
Screw the critics. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2008
Posts: 639
Location: NW of Philadelphia | I just posted my 2 cents over there.
I agree, don't defend your Ovation, just hand it to them and watch it work its magic. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by Mr. Ovation:
As an avid BC Rich advocate.. while the reasons are different, the perception is the same.
Unless you are intimately familiar with the brand, knowing what's a cheap import, good import or a Made in USA custom shop model is not easy. Unlike Ovation, and without going into too much detail that frankly is just way to complicated, BC Rich no longer builds their alleged USA models in anything that remotely resembles the way they were built during the heyday that put them on the map. Add in that the market was flooded for several years with sub-standard built guitars under the BC Rich name.
As I said, it's a different story, but the result is the same. The people likely making the assumptions about the brand, chances are they have never actually played or even seen a real USA hand-made BC Rich. BC Rich made some amazing guitars before Bernie sold the company.
I have a an Early NJ neck thru-body Wave.
(1983)
Unfortunately, the truss rod is all the way out
and neck angles off.
Do you know anyone who works on these??? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | I heard I hate Ovation's but that sounds great!
So many times...
you hand it the person and they start smilin.
If its like a bar room conversation
I'll play some classic songs on the internet Jukebox and after they agree that was a great sounding guitar, I them them its an Ovation.
I have two premium solid wood guitars.
I like them .....
I play USA Ovations a lot more.
If the powers that be are listening
Ad campain
Licence some classic recording with Ovations.
Give it some lead time print ads.
Then offer the CD free if you try a USA Ovation or Adamas Guitar.
Makes dealer want to stock USA Ovations
Gets people to play them.
likily will sell guitar as they sell
themself once they are in your hands.
Best part is you could could change the CD on a yearly basis so the promotion can go on indefinately. |
|
| |
The "Critics" say THIS about Ovation:
