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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 382
Location: USA | SO I walked into the new Guitar center...that looks like all of the other guitar centers...
Same guitars....etc...
I noticed they only had a handful of Taylors...I asked why the small selection?
Apparently Martin won some kind of bid which grants them no Taylors sold where Martins are sold...Now im not sure if this is just this one store or the whole chain...
I was disappointed with their Ovation selection...same old ones you find in all of their stores from Philly to La... ...a wall of celebs...and one balladeer with the spruce top...which was nice...but the price was just not agreeing with me.
I wish they would carry some more high end and harder to find Ovation and Adamas models... They really could be be the premier market place for them...
Someone please tell me...If you can only buy the Adamas and high ends through certified stores...How is that possible when you cant find a store that will even carry them?
Even the place where I bought my Adamas wont carry them anymore. The last Adamas they sold sat in their store for about a year. They literally cut the price in half to move it...
They claim...they can move more taylors...and Ibanez...
The other guitar place in the area claims they move double the Takimines.
Where..or how...does Ovation expect to keep moving when it seems they are being pushed out...
Its quite sad when you think about these people who are missing out on a sound they will never truley understand...get to appreciate...or even experience.
To the stores its...affordability over sound and quality...makes sense to them...not to me.
I have one ovation celeb and One Adamas...and the Adamas was really a small vehicle price wise...haha...but I knew what i was getting myself into... :)
I cannot afford a fleet like some...but I am quite proud of the ones I have... No guitar for me personally has come close to the Adamas... I suppose I spolied myself. |
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Joined:
July 2006
Posts: 171
Location: Oregon | Agreed. My Guitar Center has a load of Celebs on the floor. There are tangents, legends & elites, and the 2006 koa collectors, high up on the wall where you can't reach 'em. No joke, unless you're looknig for one you don't see them. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 347
Location: Reno, NV | The Guitar Center that just opened in Reno is about the same. They had a whole wall of Martins and a handful Taylors and Ovations. They also had Breedlove (Korean ones), Takamines, and DOZENS of sub $500 guitars I didn't even look at. Rogue's maybe? Its fairly obvious they aren't interested in supplying the really "high end". Which from a business standpoint, I can understand. Their selection seems to focus pretty heavily in the sub $1000 range. I didn't see anything over $3000 in the room, but I wasn't looking, which proves the point. 99% of the public isn't interested in spending that much cash on something, when "adequate" ones can be had in the $1000 range. Very similar to the high end watch market.
Not to mention the maintenence and inventory costs of carrying such expensive gear. I'd imagine that when you are in the market for a $4000 guitar, you pretty much know EXACTLY what you want. Whats the chances that they will have that exact model? They'd have to stock 100's of thousands of dollars worth of guitars to satisfy just a few customers. |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 382
Location: USA | Yeah...I think there should be some kind of benefit or buying membership when you purchase an Ovation or Adamas...
Kind of like a rewards type programs... |
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Joined:
April 2005
Posts: 331
Location: San Angelo, Texas | I recently talked to the folks at Martin and at Gibson...both reps told me the same thing: "If you are going to sell our guitar, you have to agree to keep 40% of your hooks filled with our guitars"
That is their answer I guess to Taylor, which is a fine instrument, but an even better marketing machine.
And that is where Ovation falls short. Marketing the product. And the Applesause/Celery lines hurt the USA product. IMHO, they should take the Ovation name off of the Celery and let it stand on it's own, and promote the USA Ovation as THE Ovation guitar.
I've found that, for the most part, those that talk bad about Ovation guitars have never played a USA built, or if they have it has been nothing more than a couple of strums in a music store or at a friends house. And the Adamas line they have never HEARD of!
When someone comes in and wants to look at a Taylor, they get to look at a Taylor, but either myself or my son or daughter will be playing an Ovation or Adamas along with them...and they are asked to give it a try. I've had over a dozen people that came in looking for a Taylor that left with a USA Ovation or Adamas :)
Once you get one of the good ones in your hands, show the features, show the workmanship, let them play it, touch it, hear it un-plugged and plugged in to a good accoustic amp, and the see the price difference...they will almost always buy the Ovation!
It all goes back to MARKETING your product, and marketing it EFFECTIVLY!
Look at Apple computers :) |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 425
Location: SE Michigan | I recently recieved the Music123 catalog, Ovation had a two-page spread in there, but no Adamii. Same with Musician's Friend catalog, lots of O's but no Adamas models.
Seems like it wouldnt be a big deal to put them in a catalog. You can however find Adamas models on their web sites. I guess these companies just cater to what is selling. |
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | Not really sure how MWoody (Mike) defines an intervention but we had a great one a few months back...Matt had a Chop Shop at GuitarTrader in San Diego.
Fred came down from Orange County...we both were there an hour before the Chop Shop started. Our Rep, Joe, had a bunch of Mexican food in the back area that they had for shipping. Fred brought his Custom Elite and my 1687-8 Adamas I reissue that I had out on loan (the one that eats Hawaiian shirts). I brought an early 1687-7 and the 47RI. So, four of the top of the line.
Ended up being an hour jam session with Matt (even delayed the Chop Shop) with just about every employee they had in the store. The store had sold a 1687RI but the guys hadn't been able to play it; unable to try the contoured bowl on the CE. No opportunity to play a 1687, the 47RI, or the CE. Guys were pretty good guitarists and definately appreciated the fine guitars.
Handed them candy and then took the "sweets" away.
At least, this store is the "headquarters" for in-store and internet sales. Maybe their general manager who was there will order more. Even though our GC guys get up to NAMM (as do the GuitarTrader staff), my understanding is that corporate determines GC inventory for the local stores.
Obviously, if GC doesn't stock, then niche for local stores...yet, once the player plays it in the local store, they order from an internet seller at highly discounted prices...result, local store can't compete.
What's the problem in today's market? Guitar buyers are. Anytime you go to a local store and try but not buy, search the web or call around for the best deal - no incentive for a store to stock. In fact, some dealers will sell for prices that make you question their business model. MAP only affects the advertised price...note how many dealers say "call for price".
Blasfamy but maybe the factory has to raise the dealer price to avoid the discounting war out there. Or, a factory/contract minimum price it can be sold for...take the dealer price, add a few dollars for dealer profit and create a MSP (minimum sales price).
So, now we have to buy before we can try...won't change, just gets tougher every year for a local store to compete.
At least here on the OFC, we have the feedback from others who bought the guitar or played it at NAMM, regional get-togethers, and the factory tour. Sometimes, even a loaner. Personally, I have shipped or handed guitars worth at least $2,100 to OFC members to try for a month or two. I have three of Noah's guitars here on loan ('87 Collectors w/the most beautiful bearclaw spruce I have ever seen, the book Viper, and a Viper 12-str). |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 382
Location: USA | funny you should say that Greg...That happened at this Guitar center.
Quite a few shops I have been in and other guitar players...ask me what i play...I reply..."an Adamas"...I get the same response...Whats that? who makes that? Most of these places sell Ovations and they've never heard of it.
Had a show in Nashville...i couldnt tell you how many people came up to me afterwards commenting on the show and sound...and had never heard of Adamas. |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 425
Location: SE Michigan | Blasfamy but maybe the factory has to raise the dealer price to avoid the discounting war out there. Or, a factory/contract minimum price it can be sold for...take the dealer price, add a few dollars for dealer profit and create a MSP (minimum sales price). I might be mistaken but I thought that there was some kind of federal anti-trust laws prohibiting manufacturers from fixing retail prices. |
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | don't know but here in San Diego, the Cadillac dealers don't sell the models at Chevrolet prices... |
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New Guitar Center in Allentown
