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Location: Phoenix AZ | Here's a good question. Is there such thing as a full line Ovation dealer? I know Al can get you anything you want. I use (abuse) him for this and will continue to do so.
Here's the root of my question. I recently got my Elderly catalog. It's fucking amazing. EVERY Martin model, color photos of them all, specs, blah, blah, blah. Are they all in stock, of course not. Is Elderly and Martin attached at the hip. Of course and it obviously benefits both of them. They have (advertise) it all - $500 minnymouse on up to $12,000 limiteds. The thumb through the catalog and it makes you want to buy every freaking one of them!
Is there anything similar for Ovations? I have NEVER seen any dealer advertise more than 6-8 models. Ovation makes them, who sells them? Where does someone go to comparison shop. What catalog can you browse and wonder "what if".
Dave |
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Location: Fayetteville, NC | Good question dave. I 'm curious as well. |
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Location: NJ | I'm not familiar w/Elderly, but I assume that they're a HUGE dealership (and I would think that being so closely tied w/Martin can't hurt).
In '76, when I bought my CBalladeer, I bought it from a small Mom&Pop shop called Ackerman's Music in Midland Park, NJ.
At the time, they offered the ENTIRE Ovation line - from the Balladeer up to the very SlotHead that I now own.
I believe that (albeit small) they were one of the "hallmark" Ovation dealerships in NJ.
But you have to take into consideration, that back THEN, Ovation was what Taylor is now - a relatively new, "upstart" guitar company that was getting a goodly amount of celebrity exposure, and while (perceived as) somewhat "costly" was an instrument everyone aspired to own (DAMN! those were the GoodOldDays!!:-)
It WOULD be nice if there more Ackerman's around nowadays . . .
(Actually, I believe the store still exists, but it's not the same) |
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Location: NJ | when you become a dealer you are a full line dealer.
I suspect when you put out the money for a catalog you spend the most space on guitars that you feel are going to have the potential to sell. I know that there are certain stores that concentrate on certain models that they make deals for etc.
why bother reprinting the factory brochure? I think most people know what is available. hey the factory website has errors and fliers often have errors and so do sales brochures.
I guess if I had the $$$$ to do it I would but I have enough trouble keeping my head above water with the trials and tribulations of the day. (typing this from the hspt waiting room)
but what the hell do I know? I am just an idiot that sells gear for a living. |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by alpep:
I guess if I had the $$$$ to do it I would but I have enough trouble keeping my head above water with the trials and tribulations of the day. (typing this from the hspt waiting room) I hope it's nothing serious, Al. Preferably something like your contractor having his hammer removed from his...
Originally posted by cliff:
It WOULD be nice if there more Ackerman's around nowadays . . .
(Actually, I believe the store still exists, but it's not the same) This the one? |
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Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | The printing and direct mailing of catalogs is expensive. To offset the costs Martin gives hefty rebates/incentives to Elderly for the large photo spreds that include every model. Ovation doesn't. |
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Location: NJ | That's the one, Wask.
"Back in the Day", it was run by a very nice elderly woman named Ginger Ackerman (who at the time, claimed to know Charlie). She passed away a few years later.
I'll have to take a ride by there sometime if/when the weather gets nice again . . . |
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Location: Rocky River, Ohio | Mandolin Brothers outside of New York City advertises the entire Ovation range in their catalog....of course all at list price, you must inquire for actual prices.. |
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Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | I've been to Elderly Instruments several times. They're located in Lansing, MI. It is quite a place. Not a huge building, but packed with different instrument sections. For guitars they have an acoustic section and a solid body section, and even an amp section. You can walk in and spend the entire day picking guitars off the wall and playing them. Many used and commissioned guitars also. Everything up to $30,000+ instrments, and you can play any of them. Talk about a candy store! The down side, as mentined, is there are seldom any Adamas models. An occasional Melissa Ethridge or one of the later models, but they do usually have some other ovations. Like I said .. they sell a lot of used instruments also. If you want a better listing, check their web site at www.elderlyinstuments.com. Be sure to look at the USED models. After playing many of their high-end Martins, Gibsons, Taylors, etc., and then playing my 1581 Adamas, I am absolutely convinced that the Adamas Guitars sound and play every bit as well as the others. I think another reason there's such a big sell on the Martin instruments, is because there is a big blue grass following up here in Michigan. The blue grass folks tend to be purists, and have a difficult time accepting instuments that aren't all wood. I think it would be a good thing if KAMAN would send them a few of the reissues to put up next to the others, for common folk like myself to make comparisons. If some of their customers got one of those in their hands, I think there could be a revival. (No pun intended brothers) |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Oh yeah ... I didn't mention they were also a full service repair and custom shop. |
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Location: NJ | some vendors may think that having 50 adamas/ovation guitars is a liability, I see it as cool.
I've been to some places that stock a bunch of stuff they never take it out of the box and when you buy it they slap a label on it and ship it. I guess that cuts down on costs and you don't need to look at the instrument.
I had a guy call me the other day for an instrument, i checked all the big box websites gave him a price that was cheaper and included shipping but he told me my price was yet 100 bucks more than the price that the big box gave him. At what point is it no longer feesible to have one of everything in stock? obviously people stock what they can sell or I should say what they THINK they can sell.
but what the hell do I know? I am just an idiot that sells gear for a living.
in the hspt with my mom. been here 4 hours and they still don't have her in the OR yet..... |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Hang in there bro' |
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Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Originally posted by alpep:
in the hspt with my mom. been here 4 hours and they still don't have her in the OR yet..... I feel for you, man. I spent a very long day in the ER with my father-in-law a couple of years ago. Hosiptals have their own sense of time, which is of course dramatically slower than the rest of the universe.
Give your mom my best.
Cheers!
Jeff |
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Location: Omaha, NE | Originally posted by bvince:
After playing many of their high-end Martins, Gibsons, Taylors, etc., and then playing my 1581 Adamas, I am absolutely convinced that the Adamas Guitars sound and play every bit as well as the others. Exactly right. I've got a 1597, and I haven't yet found a Martin or a Taylor that I would rather have. I'll drop around the guitar stores and try out different guitars, but they always seem kindof dead. I get home and pull out my Adamas, and I remember why I like it so much.
Cheers!
Jeff |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | You know what would be a good idea? If someone started another "take the Pepsi challenge" using an Adamas and a Taylor and playing them blindfolded. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | If someone GAVE me one of those other guitars, I'd quickly sell it and order one of the 30th edition 1187-247s. |
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Location: Western, North Carolina | I'm not sure how Ovation handles their sales to stores but in reply to the comments about seeing lots of Martins, It's because to sell Martin guitars, a store "must" agree to keep in stock one of every model, plus agree to purchase at least one limited edition guitar a year. Maybe Ovation doesn't put that pressure on small stores. |
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Posts: 183
Location: Denver, PA USA | Originally posted by alpep:
in the hspt with my mom. been here 4 hours and they still don't have her in the OR yet..... Hang in there Al. I was there 2 months ago. Spent a lot of time at the hospital with Mom. Wish I could have had my guitar with me. Mom would have liked that too. No matter how bad you are, Mom always thinks you play better then Chet. LOL! :D |
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Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Vince, I've been to Elderly many, many times (in fact was there last Saturday)....they obviously just "grit their teeth" and tolerate having Ovations around. I'm sure you saw they have them in a little room away from the big room with the Martins, Gibsons and Taylors. I've heard their employees refer to Ovations derisively as "tupperware" on more than one occasion.
The only thing I could say for them was that they had just gotten in a C2078LX deep contour bowl Custom Elite. But their selection of Ovations for the last year or so has been PITIFUL. Look at their website...what is on there is ALL THAT IS THERE. In fact, they now use the Ovation/Takamine/Rainsong room for Martin and Gibson overflow, there is extra room.
If KMC could get Elderly to take a Traditional model, it would not matter, it would be in the "exile" of the room away from the "good" guitar room. Nobody would see it or hear it.
Interestingly, Elderly DID get in ONE 2005 Collectors and it was only there a couple of weeks. But they didn't bother to get another.
The dealer that comes the closest to being a "full-line" dealer in the lower Michigan area is Motor City Guitar in Waterford Township. They usually have a Balladeer, a couple of Legends, a couple of Elites, and an Adamas. Plus several Celebs and a used O or two.
Roger |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Beachdog, I don't know where you got the information that a store "must" agree to stock one of every model but I have yet to see a Martin store in Denver with that type of collection.
There is a big big bluegrass store here that has probably 100 Martins on display along with equal numbers of Huss & Dalton, Taylor, and Lowden.
I asked them about several models that I was interested in (000-15S for one) and was told that they did not stock that particular model (or any of the 15 series) but that it could be special ordered. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Hi Roger, glad to see another Michigander that has an appreciation for Ovations. I agree that it is probably a hopeless cause for Elderly to get their heads screwed on straight. But I'm way up here North of Cadillac, and its 50 minutes to the nearest some-what decent music store in Traverse City. And they are just now starting to stock an occasional LX along with the Korean models. I plan to someday take my 1581 up their and let their guitar guys get some exposure. Who knows? ... maybe I'll be able to convert some level-headed skeptics once they play one of the good ones. I took my deep bowl Custom Legend 1789 up there last week and they sure drooled over that one. |
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Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Hi Vince, been to Traverse City a couple of times, usually pass by Cadillac on the way back, so I've seen your beautiful and rural area. Yes, finding an O around there is probably an adventure.
If you get to Lansing again, you might stop by Marshall Music at U.S. 127 and Grand River Ave. (next to the McDonald's on the east side) They are an O dealer, also, although when I was there last Saturday, they were having an "Ovation Clearance Sale", with all the Os out in the "place of shame" to be moved out. I asked if they were not going to be an O dealer anymore and they said "yes, we are". Didn't look like it, though.
They DID have a 1777LX-NAT for $750, WITHOUT CASE (they steal the case and try to sell it back), if you are interested.
Roger |
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Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | I know about the case stealing at Marshall's. I just bought one for my 12-string in Traverse City (That's the store I had mentioned) They've been doing better at stocking more Ovations, but they are clearly pushing Taylors. They have an entire shrine wall devoted to the Ts. I'm sure they make a lot more money on those. HEY! maybe the problem is that Adamas/Ovation don't sell their guitars for outrageous prices? Perhaps if they jacked everything up over a thousand dollars they would become the NEXT fad? (This is not really a suggestion) Wait a minute ... what am I saying? I just saw the price on the ADAMAS I reissues. Maybe they've already caught on to that idea? One good thing I've noticed about Marshall Music is that if you tell them an online purchase you are considering, they will match or beat the price to get the sale. |
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Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | DOH!!!! That's right, Marshall has a store in Traverse City!!!
The one in Lansing has around 25 Taylors...."shrine" is an apt way of putting it. The Taylors take over half of their acoustic room.
Roger |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Their love of Taylor might not be a pure as the freshly driven snow of Traverse City.
Think about it. If you were in business would you rather make a 10% profit on a $2500 Taylor or a $1500 on an equivelent Ovation AD-II?? |
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Full Line Ovation Dealer ???
