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Location: Colorado | IMHO, you gotta build a pro caliber instrument (I'm NOT talking 10K - 12K etc.. more like 2K - 3K) and get it into the hands of the pros, so others can see and hear them playing them. Takamine is a solid example...crosses many genre's too. I have been to a lot of concerts lately (odd for me), and you see a lot of TNVs, BGs, Pro, and T series Taks...why? - they sound good, hold tune, and are priced in the 1500 - 3K range. Heck, I couldn't count all of them at the Garth Brooks show...and those guys including Garth can play anything they want. Artist relations is key...gotta see the stars playing them. Oh...they gotta be acoustic electric too. The studio recording fairies are gonna mic the instrument with a mic that costs 3x the guitar.so the pure wood boxes will win there..but on stage...gotta plug in to get the gain above the drums and bass - it has to be real rugged - it has to stay in tune. |
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Location: Colorado | Also: develop the professional relationships - person to person in the industry. Make people a part of the company...make a profit - pour it back into the company...make a decent wage...believe in and stand by and behind the instrument. And for us...we must be willing to pay for the quality (even if you have to work hard for it) and buy it from the person who stands by the instrument and Ovation. I don;t buy like I used to, but I only buy from people I know. |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | As to the price thing...
One of the reasons that some people didn't take Ovations seriously was the affordable price.
They must be crappy guitars cuz they only cost $600. (or $300 in 1972)
But you cannot change people's minds if their main criteria is price.
So creating $2K Ovations won't make anybody more likely to play it if they won't play a $599 Ovation.
If money is no object, Artists will play what they like.
(Joan Jett likes her Melody Maker, Willie likes "Trigger")
So why does Al DiMeola play an Ovation instead of an Adamas?
Because he likes the Legend better.
There are thousands of used Ovations available...
So any Artist that wants an Ovation could have one.
Anybody who really wants an Ovation probably already has one.
So I don't think that it is a matter of "Putting Ovations in the hands of Artists".
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Posts: 402
Location: New Hartford CT | Artist relations are key to reviving the brand IMHO.
DW's artist program branches over to their advertsing gurus. They've built their company on high quality and bringing top talent into the fold and making them part of the family. Their advertising features the artists taking factory tours and learning all about the products. Then the artists explain why these drums work for them.
Sure they are a drum company but their overall knowledge in artist relations and advertising...combined with strong worldwide distribution is a winner. |
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Posts: 137
Location: Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire | ITs all about marketing unfortunately. As its been said already, getting O's in the hands of artists is not only for their discovery of the playability, sound and other attributes that make them our favorites, but its also brand recognition in the media and arts! Regular people will buy what they see. Garth with his Takamine certainly helped that brand as do other main stream guitars like Martin, Taylors, etc. Most companies give away guitars, strings, etc, etc, to get their name endorsed by whomever. NAMM and other industry events has their value but also their is a cost of participation. Companies need a pro-active approach and budget to stay ahead of the curve in todays world. Given all the various ways companies advertise thru the media, Facebook etc, you cannot survive in this world without getting in the game completely! Smaller guitar makers (very expensive low volume brands) carve out a living customizing to various artists or adding value in ways the average consumer is not willing to pay for. I hope for the best in Ovations future and hopefully the have an active marketing plan (and budget) to make it hold its own in this crowded market! |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I don't think todays artists can have a meaningful on sales.
Our generation gets it.
The kids today are more interested in which rapper is getting rich from their brand of headphones.
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Location: Yokohama, Japan | arthurseery - 2015-04-05 12:26 PM
Isn't that depressing  
Those pictures sure do put things into perspective OMA. I pray Mr. Budny and the Mini-Mother gang are getting along okay. My heart goes out to all the Ovation folks...cudos to everybody sending their guitars in for repair work...hopefully, it will keep things afloat until DW begins the resurrection process...
Edited by arumako 2015-04-07 10:58 AM
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Location: south east Michigan | Brad Durasa - 2015-04-07 10:30 AM
I don't think todays artists can have a meaningful on sales.
I should have been more specific and stated..... "guitar sales".
Edited by Slipkid 2015-04-07 11:11 AM
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Posts: 402
Location: New Hartford CT | Here's John Good of DW bringing in some of the top drum artists in the world to talk drums. Just consider this taking place at the old factory in New Hartford, featuring Ovation construction techniques with some highly regarded guitar players looking on.
I'm not suggesting guitar players sit through this but rather offer it up to demonstrate the advertising concept and strong committment to artists that is DW's hallmark. Why not apply to Ovation? During the glory days Ovation was consistently bringing new concepts to the market. They were a forward looking company. This fits in very well with what Drum Workshop has been doing for years.
Sorry, I'm just very excited about firing up the factory again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eOx4OOkw4E
Edited by Geostorm98 2015-04-07 11:38 AM
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Location: New Hartford CT | I should not get too far ahead. My bad. We'll have to wait and see... |
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Location: Flahdaw | Brad Durasa - 2015-04-07 10:30 AM
The kids today are more interested in which rapper is getting rich from their brand of headphones.
Just as long as they KEEP wearing headphones, so I don't have to hear their crap. |
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IF the rumor ever becomes fact.....
