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Location: Phoenix AZ | Was TOTALLY unprepared for what I stumbled across today. I'm in Singapore for a week and today I happened to walk by a music shop that I had previously not known of. City Music Co. PTE in Singapore. Nothing outside caught my eye but since I was there figured I would pop in and give a look. Shock and Awe would be an understatement.
Store was about 3000 sqft. Not overpacked with goods or people, just nicely layed out, well organized and clean. About 1/4 of it was devoted to acoutic guitars all in rows on double decker racks with guitars at 45 degree angles to maximize guitars per sq.ft. I had to pinch myself to make sure what I saw was not an optical illusion ...
63 Ovation and Adamas guitars on display. Yes, 63. I counted twice to be sure. 63. As near as I could tell EVERY freaking model. Seriously, I can't THINK of one from the current lineup that they didn't have. AX, TX, LX Adamas. They had them all. Plus about another 10 or so ukuleles. Ever see an Adamas I in a shop? These guys had Adamas I in deep or contour, 12-string, Adamas II, Wood top adamas in cutaway or deep, etc. etc. They had them ALL. And every one was available to play. Quick calculation, adjusted for exchange rate the prices were about what you see on ebay from Music Power, Music 123 and the likes.
The net of this story is to demonstrate that you can't blame Ovation, Kaman, Fender, whoever ... that there are not every model in the shops we frequent. It obviously IS possible and these guys at City Music Co. have figured out how to make it work. Granted, they're 9000 miles away. But it CAN be done. Obviously they would not have this kind of inventory if it didn't turn over pretty well.
I got talking to the sales guy who was a 20-something "kid", would not have been out of place at GC. BUT, this guy absolutely knew his stuff. I should have asked if he's a lurker on the OFC, ha ha. I asked him what's inside an adamas top sandwich - bingo. What's the difference between OP-Pro and Op-Pro Studio - bingo. Al Dimiola nut Bone or synthetic - bingo. I could not have been more impressed.
So how DO they do it? He had some interesting insights. To start with (and it took me a few minuts to actually notice), City Music Co. only sells TWO brands of acoustic guitars - Martin and Ovation. So they don't try to be all things to all people. Martin or Ovation, take your pick. Buyers know this, so they are not stumbling in the shop blind ... they are there because they have interest in Martin or Ovation so part of the "sale" is already done, you're not competing with 8 other brands on your wall.
The second thing is that there are not really online internet sales in Singapore. Technically there are, even City Music has an online store, but the island is only 25 miles across so it's not like you can't drive to every shop if you wanted to. There business is based on foot traffic. far different model than in the US.
And lastly, eBay is not really a competitor in Singapore. It certainly exists, but on-island deals are rare and import duties and shipping charges make buying offshore or from the US pretty difficult. So to a large extent this shop has a captive demographic of buyers. They attact them with a well stocked, well organized and clean store. They have to have the products for display and play testing, so they invest in a pretty massive inventory. There prices seem good and they must turn over a significant amount of Ovation product for such a small country.
It was really an eye opening experience. If you ever get to Singapore definately stop in City Music Co.
PS - No, I did not buy anything. |
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December 2002
Posts: 584
Location: atlanta | By purest coincidence, Kaki was in Singapore this week for two shows at the Esplanade Concert Theater. Here's a review of one of her shows:
http://stcommunities.straitstimes.com
The link to the review is at the bottom of the page with a picture of her.
I'll have to ask her if she got by City Music while she was there. Thrilling in a way to know they have all the models!
Dave King
Kaki's dad
Edited by popcritic 2013-03-16 7:51 AM
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | What an interesting marketing concept.
Offer just 2 manufacturers but stock & display the full spectrum of models within those two brands.
I'd say that their customers have a wider variety of product to choose from then someone trying to stock a smattering each of 8 brands.
It's to bad that hyped up marketing and out of control egos would never have let something like that happen here in the states.
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On the other side of the coin, you could say that by limiting choices and letting someone else decide what is best for you is just a symbolic manifestation of socialism. WARNING: The preceding sentence contains a thinly veiled yet harmless political comment. It is more a comment on the spirit of cultural diversity than any national & philosophical differences. It should not be further embellished or commented on. Just because I walked up the line does not mean that anyone else has to cross it.
Edited by Slipkid 2013-03-16 8:55 AM
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Posts: 6199
Location: Phoenix AZ | Popcritic reminded me of the Kaki model. No they did NOT have that one. Maybe sold it due to Kaki's appearence. ha ha
I've seen a few shows at the Esplanade. It's got GREAT acoustics. |
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Posts: 135
Location: New Bern, NC | That does indeed sound heavenly, but call me a skeptic. My first thought was the possibility that some or all of the Os are counterfeit knock-offs. If they are well done counterfeits, the only way you could tell might be to check the serial numbers with the Kaman company. My second thought was how long have they been in business and are they making a profit? I guess that's technically two thoughts. It makes me wonder if the Kaman company has been working on marketing primarily overseas and consequently there's a high demand for Os over there.
By the way, when I read the title of the thread I pictured a pile of battered, broken, Os. LOL |
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Posts: 13988
Location: Upper Left USA | Hope! |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13988
Location: Upper Left USA | Hope! |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13988
Location: Upper Left USA | Hope! |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Meredith...
Standingovation would know right away if they were fakes.
He could tell with his eyes closed. |
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Posts: 1556
Location: Indiana | I haven't seen an Adamas in a store in 30 years. |
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Location: Flahdaw | Are you sure you weren't at Povation's house? |
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November 2012
Posts: 135
Location: New Bern, NC | Thanks, Slipkid. I don't know Standingovation enough to know if he could tell or not. I know for sure I wouldn't be able to tell. I haven't been around enough of them to know. |
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June 2002
Posts: 6199
Location: Phoenix AZ | These were certainly not fakes. You can trust me 100% on that.
According to their website they have been in business since 1982. |
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December 2001
Posts: 7224
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | They apparently don't have the same rules as most stores in the USA, and apparently have the coin. Most if not all stores in the US are limited. If you want an xx Model, you must also carry yy, zz and the entire line of accessories that you have no market for. etc... Others may have the specifics, but I know of at least one smaller store that stopped carrying Ovation because his customers would not buy a Celebrity model no matter what, but if he wanted the USA models, he had to carry them. He would rather carry fewer of models he knew he could sell of different brands. |
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Posts: 651
Location: Australia | I think you'd probably find that the store in also the importer in Singapore for Kaman |
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Yes Martha, There IS an Ovation Heaven
