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Location: North Carolina | As I posted here last week, I opened for a certain Taylor endorser (hereafter referred to as CTE) last Saturday at a music store. His Taylor clinic was part of a music festival and I was scheduled to play from 2-2:45 and he was to start at 3. I set my stuff up at 12:30, then left to hear some of the other performers. I came back at 1:30 to do a sound check but CTE was standing on the stage talking to his many admirers. Finally at 1:55 I go up, shake his hand, and tell him I am opening at 2. CTE glances at my O sitting on the stand on stage, curls his lips disdainfully, and says that he has to do his soundcheck now. It takes 45 minutes for his check. So at 2:50 I am called to play having had no sound check for a bunch of very restless people. My O sounds like sh!t because I'm playing through a house PA optimized for another very different sounding guitar, and there was nothing I could do about it. As expected, 20 minutes into my set, CTA picks up his guitar and stands next to the stage and acts pissed that I am taking up his time! I don't mind so much getting stiffed, cuz it happens all the time to a little person like me, but I am pi$$ed that I didn't get the chance to show these guitar lovers how good an Ovation can sound. Instead, they all walked away wondering why anyone would play a plastic sh!tty guitar. And that, my friends, is why Taylors sound better than Ovations. :mad:
BTW, those in attendance were that I talked to were actually very open-minded about my O, and understood it is the music that counts. I got a lot of positive comments, including from the store owner who was also upset at the prima donna CTA.
PS. TRBOY (Mike) and his wife came to the show and I was happy to meet him and talk about O's with him. It was nice seeing you Mike. Thanks for coming! OFC Rocks! :D
Franklin |
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Location: closely held secret | Franklin, I'm sorry to hear things went like that. Doyle Dykes did a workshop on the same day in Springfield, MA. Too bad they hadn't switched locations, he's a very nice guy, not a prima donna at all, apparently unlike PK... um, I mean CTE... |
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Location: SoCal | PK=Pat Kirtley
Something to remember...... |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | See, Franklin, this is just the sort of instance where the exceptional stopping power of Ovations need to be employed. I am not advocating violence here, but a quick backhand to the huevoes followed by an overhand chop between the 2nd and 3rd cervical vertabrae, and violá not only do you get your soundcheck, but you're the main act and you've saved the world from yet another egotistical Taylor monger |
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Location: closely held secret | C'mon, Paul, I was trying to be discreet. Something PI's are supposed to be good at. ;) |
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Location: NJ | 45 minutes t'get a Taylor to sound "good" . . .
Not surprised. |
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Location: SoCal | Sometimes ya gotta bring things out in the open... there are situations where being discrete can get you killed..... |
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Location: Upper Left USA | The website
Don't wanna get killed!
I bet our Clinician could kick their Clinician's A$$! |
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Location: vienna, west virginia | kudos franklin! it would appear that taylor employed someone that wasnt too certain of the quality of the endorsed instrument... sounds like he was afraid of being upstaged, and to any thinking musician, he was... i congratulate you on your presence of mind and self control! in my humble opinion you handled yourself like a real pro.... his childish antics left a lot to be desired... doesnt say a lot for taylor guitars does it? |
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Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | I played a show a few weeks ago with some guys who had Taylors and not only did the pre-amps make noise, but it was a pain in the ass to get a good sound out of them. Johnny (strummin12) and I had no problem getting a good sound. Like I said in another thread, one of the guys with the Taylors has already sold it and bought a Legend 12 string.
I have nothing against Taylors, but I wouldn't trade either of my Ovations for one. |
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Location: East Wenatchee, WA | I like the Taylors...I will admit it. Wouldn't mind owning one (and could if I wasn't so cheap), but frankly...and keep in mind that I am a rank amatuer player, but with an ear for nice sound.. I would not trade my 1537 for any other AE guitar.
I had the pleasure of spending an hour or two one day back in December or January inside of the "expensive" room at the GC in Portland. I played them all. Taylors, Martins, Tacoma's, and Ovations. Quite frankly NONE of them compared to my 1537 in the sound that I like to hear, and some were as good, but not better than the action on my "O".
Now, in July, I got to play a Vintage Martin that a friend in Utah was saving for his some. Quite frankly, it had a beautiful sound, and nice action. That one I would pay good money for, but it was the first guitar I felt I would actually play more than my Ovation.
That said....I was very dissappointed in the selection of Ovations that GC had. I was anticipating better than the 1537, but by comparison they were all quite tinny. I did not get to try an Adamas.
What I don't understand is why the Taylors sound so darn good on recordings compared to my "O". That must be where excellent electronics and an expensive Condenser Mic come in handy. Can't wait to try the mic'd recording on my newly acquired 2488 to see what I can get.
Oh well...I guess to each his own. Oh...one other thing. I don't worry about buckle rash on my Ovation. May have to work on the habit of wearing my shirts untucked if I get a wood back guitar. |
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Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by cardinalflyer:
I was very dissappointed in the selection of Ovations that GC had. I was anticipating better than the 1537, but by comparison they were all quite tinny. I did not get to try an Adamas. I agree. The only Adamas (Adamii?) I've seen in Portland GC's were used ones.
I don't worry about buckle rash on my Ovation. May have to work on the habit of wearing my shirts untucked if I get a wood back guitar. Ok. You hade me worried for a second there. I thought you were gonna say you only play sans pants. |
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Location: North Texas | If the guy is peddling Taylors you would expect him to try to discredit an Ovation. It sounds like the whole show was behind schedule. You did not even start until after you were supposed to be finished, so it's no wonder he was miffed. If he is a wunderkind he is used to getting his own way, and being adored. You were eating into his time, even though he was probably responsible for the delay in the first place. He must be spending too much time reading his own press releases. I've never heard of the dude, but celtic music is not my bag. I get tired of playing in D all the time. Anyway, I feel like you can only tell what an acoustic guitar really sounds like if it is unplugged. Next time play a solidbody electric and do a ZZ Top medley. Cheers! |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | There is no unilateral dictatum that Martin is better than Ovation, Ovation is better than Taylor, Taylor is better than Larrivee, etc. There are isolated examples both ways. The brush isn't that wide. I have absolutely played Taylors that sound better than some O's. And O's that sound better than some Martins, blah, blah, blah. We on this board (with a FEW exceptions, you know who you are) are Ovation FANS. That authorizes us to be passionate about our Ovation instruments. But in the court of public opinion, either informed public or non, there is no such credo as Ovation is defacto better than any other similar guitar. Need to seperate FAN from FACT. Dave |
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Location: Texas | It is very unfortunate that Ovation gets the rap they get but the way I see it, it is also unfortunate that the Ovation company has limited interest in having promotion, clinics, workshops and push from a few players in different areas that are not very well known, but play a lot.
Around 11 years ago my partner and me played Ovations, we use to do a workshop around the area we use to be playing at, and people would come and buy Ovations, in fact they wanted the exact model we were playing at the time.
Today we are still playing Ovations, not exclusively but a lot of the time, and have contacted the O company, direct with the "right names" in charge and the3 current local reps, and there is no response whatsoever, total lack of interest in having a guitar duo endorse, do workshops, promote etc, but they have no interest or anything to do with us.
We play Ovations because we like them, we own a number of them, we like the feel and the sound, its a nice no hassle acoustic electric guitar to travel with etc, I dont have to say it, you guys know what I am talking about. So that is why I play them regardless of whether Ovation cares or not.
I dont like Taylor guitars, for me, but Taylor deserves everything of what they are getting in sales and promotion because of all the input they give the players that use them.
I have given credit to Ovation in most of my CD projects, and I have ask them to be included in their Artist list as someone that has been playing Ovations for over 20 years. No response.........no listing.........nothing.
Many other well know guitar companys have been very supportive of my music and the fact that I aslo play their guitars, everyone ........has included me in their Artist list,...except Ovation.
So, I say when there is somebody promoting the brand of guitar you like, go see him and support him.
And if Ovation wanted to have and contact the few real players that play their guitars for workshops, etc......well, they know where to find us. |
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Location: SoCal | Serge, well said... |
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Location: NJ | Get over it, Serge . . .
. . . I mean, yer GOOD and all . . .
. . . but yer no Nikki Sixx . . .
;) |
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Location: SoCal | ... and thank god for small favors. |
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Location: the BIG Metropolis of TR | Just read this thread......My review of the show is in the original topic "A Ovation at a Taylor Clinic"
Franklin, I think you sounded great and put on a fantastic show!
I posted my thoughts and then logged off not reading this thread.........But still CTE=PK=PAT KIRTLEY=A-HOLE!!! I wasn't overly impressed with Taylor either... |
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Location: NJ | did you ever think they purposely made your guitar sound bad?
after all it was a taylor sponsored event. |
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Location: North Carolina | Thanks for your kind words, Trboy. Again, it was great meeting you and your wife! I certainly did not start this thread to bash Taylors. They are great guitars (I used to play an 812-C) and the company does a fantastic job marketing them. As Serge so eloquently put it, that is a business model Ovation should learn from (but probably won't). I read a thread recently on another forum about how one has to "sell out" to make it the music biz and he used Kaki King as his example, making fun of the fact that she is a cute young girl who "happens" to play a powder blue plastic Ovation. What this bozo doesn't realize is that Kaki plays an Adamas because its her choice; she could play any guitar she wanted to, and undoubtedly get a better endorsement deal elsewhere. Players like Kaki, Preston Reed, Serge, me and all the good people on this board play Ovations because we choose to - and some people just don't get it. Martins and Taylors, etc are great, well-made guitars and I have absolutely have nothing against them, well, maybe against one of their endorsers ( :D ). Ovations have a lot of character that help me (and others) develop the unique musical muses we each are following. For reasons I don't understand, I have personally been inspired to write 10 times more songs in the last 2 years on my O than I did in 6 years of playing a Taylor. Like cwk always says, its character vs. warm milk. Alright, enuf ranting and raving, I am going to go write another song on my O!
Peace and understanding,
Franklin |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | That makes my blood boil, that someone should be such a jerk. Since you don't have to deal with him again just blow it off. If you meet again, the first thing you gotta do is tell him what he did last time and that it was unfair, see if that changes his tune. Don't threaten him. If he does it again, unplug his power cables in the middle of his fuckin' set. If he's recording unplug the cables to the mixer instead. Remember revenge is best served cold. Don't scoff, I've seen it done. It's freakin' hilarious for the audience because, if he's recording he'll do it all over again.
As for ovation artist selection, I think they are missing the boat on a few things. One, I don't see them going after the Brooklyn / Williamsberg people, which is one of the crucibles for music now. Two, they aren't going after latin artists, I mean Shakira is nice, and Bernie Williams is good but that can't be it. Those are two big untapped markets. They don't even have to be latin, I could point them to some brazil / jazz guys right here in Brooklyn, but serge would be the place to start. A little while ago there was a post about current up and coming artists, they might want to peruse. This board is a resource, Mr. Marketing, use us! |
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Location: Tennessee | he used Kaki King as his example, making fun of the fact that she is a cute young girl who "happens" to play a powder blue plastic Ovation. I don't know who that bozo is, but I think it's safe to say that Kaki is well beyond the Daisy Rock stage. Probably just jealous that talent is talent, and you either got it or you don't.
Ovations can be as great as any other guitar out there, bar none. And vice versa! But for dolts like these, there is one thing that Ovations can do that the others can't stand up to ...
Over and out. |
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Location: North Texas | It is possible that the Ovation sounded great. If you are playing, you can't judge your own sound.
The audience hears it different. Trboy gave you a very positive review, and he was out there listenig, so it's probable that your performance was not as bad as you think. Don't let some Taylor trash bum you out. Write a song about it. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Taylor-trash, there's lots of them down here in Florida, some just lost their homes in the hurricane.
Oh, Taylor not Traylor, sorry........ |
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Why Taylors sound better that Ovations
