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Joined:
October 2002
Posts: 26
Location: Western PA | I have been contemplating two guitar/Ovation topics:
1)Recent guitar mags have been bonkers over the Taylor T5 and to be fair it appears to be a nice guitar (I am not a Taylor fan, I really wanted to like those I have tried but they just don’t move me, YMMV). One of the photos in a T5 article shows the bowl being routed from wood and I thought of my Ovation Viper (the current model Acoustic/Electric CV-68), it’s a very similar guitar with one major exception: the T5 has a lipstick single coil pickup, the Viper doesn’t. Not that there isn’t a prototype, Alpep has a Viper with a pickup (albeit a humbucker) so the concept was out there since at least the OFC tour in 2003. It is a shame that Taylor comes up with a Viper in disguise and gets heaps of press accolades while Ovation has this sleeper model that “coulda been a contender”. BTW the T5 is listing at $2595 with a spruce top way more for maple or koa.
2)My local acoustic shop (www.acousticmusicworks.com) carried Composite Acoustic guitars, graphite/carbon fiber guitars. In the recent past CA stopped production for six months and Acoustic Music Works sold every CA in stock. Why? Because “no other company offers a good sounding composite guitar”. Huh? I disagree having heard a few Adamas. There is a gap in the market with only Adamas and Rainsong filling that gap. A marketing opportunity presents itself?
I am clearly biased on point 1 and very likely biased on point 2. |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Taylor is a single focused company and do a good job of promoting themselves. They don't sell guitars Bob Taylor has to put regular gas in his BMW.
Kaman has Ovation to promote...
and Takamine, Hamer, Montana, LP, Toca, Gibralter, Grestch Drums, Strings, cases, Genz-Benz, etc,etc,etc,etc. How thin can you slice an advertising dollar? |
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Joined:
October 2004
Posts: 124
| yes & no
yes, taylor is a single focused co.
no - kaman has a LOT MORE $$$$$$$$$$$ than taylor.
if they want to spend $ on ovation, they can do a better job. guess business must be so good that they don't need to do marketing.
there is no excuse not to have a decent web page with correct info. we've been talking about the problem of ovation & adamas web sites for several years already. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Originally posted by MikeStull:
There is a gap in the market with only Adamas and Rainsong filling that gap. [/QB] The only gap in the market that Rainsong are filling is for an over-priced graphite guitar that looks, sounds & plays like crap. I've done my best to like these guitars (and I like CA a lot) but after 3 years of trying their latest models in their soundproof NAMM show booth, I have never been anything other than completely underwhelmed. Same goes for Martins attempts at carbon fibre topped guitars...junk. Ovation got a lot right with the Adamas & as a production line composite instrument it has yet to be bettered, by Rainsong, CA or as yet the "Q" |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | try the hamer duotone |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | I do not want to try a hamer duotone.
My EA's feel just right.
The integrated RMC/synth access setup IN my Godin Multiac Nylon is great, but the EA's always feel like home.
The Multiac and a Yamaha Silent Nylon hang around downstairs in the family room.
Why push me to another brand when the technology to update the EA Viper series is out there?
OK, let's sit back and have Taylor do all the advertising for us. The out-of-the-gate-price of the T5 is off the wall, but will recoup their advertising dollars. When the frenzy is over, we can show the Players the updated EA68rmc/SA with a floating neck pickup. How are we doing on development guys? |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | The duotone is a great guitar. It bridges a duotone and an electric.
I have no clue why ovation did not capitalize on the fact that the viper is mahogany. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | I thought it was explained that Hamer makes wood guitars, Ovation makes fiberglass guitars. |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | I saw the T5 at NAMM and some guy giving a "concert" in the Taylor room. BTW, one of the more impressive investments in room/booth at the whole show in my opinion. Anyway, the T5 really caught my attention as a well executed guitar with a definate focus on who and what it was designed for. Price will not be a problem.
Which brings me to the EA viper series. Ovation has been sitting on a wonderful product here and I really wonder why they don't do anyting to promote it. You have to look long and hard to even know it exists. Not sure of this is influenced by the presence of hamer or not, but it's yet another example of a great instrument that lacks what the T5 clearly has - focus on what it is what who/what it is for.
Dave |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | The new Taylor is closer in concept to the Hamer Duotone than a Viper. I saw one as they were being debuted at GC last Sunday and I too immediately thought of the Duotone. So the fact still remains that while Kaman brought the concept to reality long before Taylor, it will likely be Taylor who receives all the accolades for it.
Jeff |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | You're right. |
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Joined:
October 2004
Posts: 180
Location: Chicagoland | Could someone explain what makes the Viper so special. Call it bad marketing ( of course, you already have :p ) but I don't think I understand what it's supposed to do. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | The viper is the perfect gig guitar. no feedback, it plays like an electric 14 frets clear of the body and it sounds as good plugged in as any other ovation or acoustic out there. all wood body, shallow depth and acess to all the frets.
think a givsung chet atkins but it does not weigh a ton and actually sounds like something.
These guitars are perfect for say willie nelson, dave mathews, (and I hate DuMB) and tons of hard rock bands that also use an acoustic at high vol. |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 271
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | I think this is on topic of Composite Guitars...
QUESTION(S)
Is there a patent on guitars w/Carbon Fiber Tops???
If so how do Rainsong and Adamas co-exist ???
Is there a patent on Round Back Guitars???
Assuming there must be a patent on Roundback fiberglass guitars, can you change the shape, or material to get around the patent ???
Ab |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 4413
| Playeed a t5 today and it is a great guitar. A first for Taylor. But I thought the neck was crap.
They will clean up on something that should have been Ovation's. And that is Ovation's fault. |
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Ovation Thoughts
