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November 2006
Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | +1 to Beal.
Great price for a GREAT repair. If it's too much, dump it and move on.
Mother has rarely, if ever, disappointed. |
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Joined:
February 2007
Posts: 75
Location: Portland, OR | Originally posted by alpep:
I hate changing strings everytime I break one I throw the old guitar in the dumpster (skip, or bin for our UK readers) String changing?!!! I toss mine every time it needs to be tuned.
Maybe while i'm at it I can get them to put on a AAAA top and some LX bracing.
You guys have me excited again to get it repaired.. thanks for all the replies! |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | well said!!! |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4817
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | This is not the sort of support group that will save you money in any way, shape, or form. Understand this and you will never be disappointed.
(occasionally misled, never disappointed.)
(well, not exactly misled....creatively redirected!
yes....that's the ticket!)
P.S.: send it to the factory for all string changes and retuning. They like that.
(That joke is so old I stole it from George Gobel)
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Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Originally posted by alpep:
I hate changing strings everytime I break one I throw the old guitar in the dumpster (skip, or bin for our UK readers) Al, if you have an Ovation or Adamas with a broken string, I'll pay for the postage to Australia ;) |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 1889
Location: Central Massachusetts | Originally posted by Nasdtrader:
the guitar just busted on its own accord. A result of 13% humidity in my house for an extended period The lifetime warranty doesn't gonna help you here. That wasn't a defect in the guitar. :(
Sounds like you're already on the track to have it fixed, but I just wanted to pass along my encouragement to do the same.
I bought a 2001 redwood collector's a few years back and it ended up needing significant repairs. I knew I would never be able to recoup that cost, but I couldn't bear to see such a nice piece of American-made handiwork go into the dumpster.
I ended up throwing a few more bucks at it and basically received a brand new custom guitar for a pretty good price.
Do talk to them about bracing, tops, binding, whatever may be interesting to you. If they have to replace the top, they'll probably use a new bowl, too.. ask for a new-style preamp, perhaps. |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | $500 is a bargin. Spend another $50 and get yourself a humidifier. |
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Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 83
Location: North Wales, UK. | I know what you are talking about sentimentally.
It's a bit like the same old broom I bought 20years ago. It still brushes the yard perfectly.
It has had 8 new brush heads and 6 new handles but I would hate to part with it cos I love that old brush to bits. |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 1225
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | "I told ovation this when I called, and I suppose they determined it wasn't a warranty issue."
It doesn't sound like one to me either. Don't take this the wrong way, but if you allowed the humidity to get to 13%, you might as well have hit it with a hammer. Whatever you do, buy a humidifier of some sort. |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 766
Location: New Hampsha | Nastrader:
If you decide not to fix it, I'll send you $100 if you have them send it to me....
Sincerely,
Bottom Feeder Luthier Guild Member
:D |
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Joined:
November 2007
Posts: 152
Location: Maple Shade, NJ. | Nasdtrader, if ya don't want it I'll pay the mothership the 500.00 and they can ship it to me............ |
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Joined:
August 2008
Posts: 234
Location: Corning, NY | My 1756 top/bowl replacement was $450, but since I was the original owner, it only cost me $225. I never sent in my warranty card, but I asked the music store I bought it from to vouch for me, which they did. Considering I bought it in 1990, that was pretty cool of them. Their "testimony" was good enough for Mother to authorize my repair under the lifetime warranty.
AND...I swear it's a better sounding guitar than when I bought it new. Excellent work and setup. |
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Joined:
August 2008
Posts: 234
Location: Corning, NY | I should also say that my repair also wasn't considered to be because of a defect in workmanship. Otherwise it would have been fully covered. However, materials were covered under the lifetime warranty, so i only had to pay for labor. That should be the case for yours as well if you are the original owner. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 234
Location: Phoenix, AZ | +1 on the quote being reasonable. I read your title and your post. After reading what repairs were going to be performed, and your title, I jumped to the conclusion the quote was going to be at least $1,700. When you said $500, for a whole new top, the labor to install, and everything else, I actually thought $500 was a steal. I can't imagine you could get it done cheaper locally. And, you certainly couldn't get it done better. Not wanting, or being able, to spend $500 for the repair does not make the quote unreasonable. |
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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | This is your chance to get updated electronics. Also, if it was a natural finish you could ask them to apply aging toner before they put the top coat on.
BTW, the new finishes are so thin compared to what your guitar had, I think you'll notice a tonal improvement.
John <>{ |
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Joined:
February 2007
Posts: 75
Location: Portland, OR | Wow, alot of good responses.. Is the 1867 a nicer ovation than I thought?!! Fuzzyman and Mitzdawg have me thinking I should get it fixed and put it in a nice glass case :) ! Afortune, thats good info on your repair, I'll mention the warranty aspect of it to Ovation when I call them.. But as someone else very aptly said, having it in 13% humidity is very much my fault. In my defense, it was our first year living in Vermont (moving from CT), and I didn't even have a humidity or temp sensor in the house. I had no idea how dry it got in our house (due to the fact that temps stay under 5 degrees for extended periods). I only bought the humidity sensor after the 1867 popped, and found out it was so low. Dmkozak, i'm so surprised to read your post.. Really, this guitar was $750 new.. even if they had to replace the ENTIRE guitar.. it shouldn't go up that much. Honestly, the reason I was surprised at the price is because I feel like its still a middle man price, or list price. I expected that once I paid ovation for the guitar once, any repairs would be done at a wholesale cost, or what dealers would pay.. I mean, how much could that music store have paid for the 1867 from Ovation? $500, $600, $400?? I have no idea what margins can be on these guitars, but for sure they had to make some profit. SO if this guitar was hand built in the first place and sold to a dealer for $500, and then sold to me for $750.. It seemed strange from a logical reasoning standpoint from me that I would have to pay them essentially the same cost as a new guitar for them to only be replacing 3/4 of it. That was my thinking on the original post. After hearing subsequently how much luthiers would charge for repairs, I changed my tune so to speak.. HOWEVER, I still don't understand how the profit margin works on them building this guitar new and selling it to a dealer, or repairing an older one, and charging the consumer directly. I'm sure someone in the know will set me straight on this!
Its a good call on updated electronics.. I will ask them!! Thanks!! |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Think of it as 'line assembly' vs. 'custom repair'.
Look up all the individual replacement parts cost for your vehicle. They will add up to much more than it cost you new. Then add in replacement labor... |
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Joined:
February 2007
Posts: 75
Location: Portland, OR | Originally posted by 2ifbyC:
Think of it as 'line assembly' vs. 'custom repair'.
Look up all the individual replacement parts cost for your vehicle. They will add up to much more than it cost you new. Then add in replacement labor... Sure, I totally get that. But a guitar has what, 4 or 5 parts?? Cars have hundreds.. You'd never have to replace all of them at once, or no one would ever get one fixed, they'd just buy a new one. If a luthiers price point constantly challenged the price of a new guitar, they'd find themselves out of business, I think. I do get that this is not a "line" repair, but a custom job, so yeah, It will be more money. I hope for Ovations sake, and ours as collectors, that their guitars continually find a market, and hold value better than they are doing in this current economy! |
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Joined:
August 2008
Posts: 234
Location: Corning, NY | "Afortune, thats good info on your repair, I'll mention the warranty aspect of it to Ovation when I call them.. But as someone else very aptly said, having it in 13% humidity is very much my fault."
Yes, but... My finish cracks were due to a sudden change in humidity, so really a similar situation. I usually kept my guitar in the case, but left it out on the wrong night... The lifetime warranty would have covered all charges if it were Ovation's fault because of a defect. The design of the tops was also different then, and they were less able to handle humidity changes. My new top is supposed to be much more resilient. As it was, the warranty covered the cost of materials, and I only had to pay labor costs. Now, if I had smashed it against the wall, that would have been another story. Check the warranty explanation on their site. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | When you wanna talk about cost/labor issues, you have to take into consideration what you are really getting...
Although I only communicated with John by email (except to gave John my credit card number over the phone)... They acted like they enjoyed making me a Great guitar.
They gave me a new bottom half of a guitar. They painted it a custom color.
They dressed the frets and cleaned the crud off of the tuners so well that I thought that they replaced them. (they didn't)
You can send them a beater off of eBarf and they will send you a new guitar.
(Remember, people buy beaters and part-them-out all the time.)
I am sorry that your $750 for your guitar and now it is broken...
But they are taking a broken guitar and making it new for $500.
Remember... You can sell your guitar on eBarf, then take that money and $500 and buy a new guitar.
But it won't be your old guitar. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by Gallerinski:
Spend another $50 and get yourself a humidifier. Spend an extra $100 and get two of them. |
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Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Originally posted by stephent28:
Originally posted by Gallerinski:
Spend another $50 and get yourself a humidifier. Spend an extra $100 and get two of them. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 234
Location: Phoenix, AZ | Originally posted by Nasdtrader:
Dmkozak, i'm so surprised to read your post.. Really, this guitar was $750 new.. even if they had to replace the ENTIRE guitar.. it shouldn't go up that much. Honestly, the reason I was surprised at the price is because I feel like its still a middle man price, or list price. I expected that once I paid ovation for the guitar once, any repairs would be done at a wholesale cost, or what dealers would pay.. I mean, how much could that music store have paid for the 1867 from Ovation? $500, $600, $400?? I have no idea what margins can be on these guitars, but for sure they had to make some profit. SO if this guitar was hand built in the first place and sold to a dealer for $500, and then sold to me for $750.. It seemed strange from a logical reasoning standpoint from me that I would have to pay them essentially the same cost as a new guitar for them to only be replacing 3/4 of it. That was my thinking on the original post. After hearing subsequently how much luthiers would charge for repairs, I changed my tune so to speak.. HOWEVER, I still don't understand how the profit margin works on them building this guitar new and selling it to a dealer, or repairing an older one, and charging the consumer directly. I'm sure someone in the know will set me straight on this!
Now, I am confused. I am the original purchaser of a 1968 Deluxe Balladeer, bought in the beginning of 1969. I can't even remember what the guitar sold for back then. Maybe $400.
So, are you saying the Factory should replace my top and do all the related work for, say, $200, in light of the price when new? By this logic we'd all be restoring old guitars and driving pristine old cars because the restoration should be a fraction of the as-new price.
Bottom line, the price of repair work is based on the cost of the labor and the parts. The original price of the item has nothing to do with it. Just because you paid $750 for the guitar does not mean the Factory could recreate it for the same price. Compare the price of a reissue with the price of the original model. |
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Quote from mothership rather dissapointing
